QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic award seats?

[Fifi2207]

So this request was rejected.

I have requested the same seats in the same flight 1 week later (29/6) so let's see. If it doesn't work out I may need to fly to LAX then connect to local flight to YVR.

The funny thing is, the first time I called I got someone that can make a request and get me result in 1 minute. The subsequent calls only spoke to folks that tells me to wait for notification if I'm successful or if no news after one day, to call back.

Think 4 is very optimistic. I've had all my requests knocked back instantly this week, trying to get to Europe next year (any route). The Hobart agent explained the rules on successful release. It's not just status dependant obviously, but the breakdown, how many tickets of each price released, how many sold etc etc. I was deflated by time she had run through the 'rules'. I'll never spend these points.

 

[kamb1ng]

Email through this morning @kamb1ng : Qantas has Red Tail sale to North America Y $1399 SYD -YVR Jan- March.

Edit: not your dates

Thanks. Yeah unfortunately still need to stick to school hols at the moment .

So I called again and this time got HBA, wow the quality of service is miles apart from the other call centres. She checked every single SYD-YVR over the 2 weeks but sadly none was approved.

So I'll just fly MEL-LAX and then take a local WestJet flight LAX-YVR (luckily found reward flights in the Delta site to use up all 50k points).

The annoying part is that I have to pay to select seats in WestJet or otherwise we would be seated randomly. Oh well, can't win them all .

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Am I off my rocker? Was originally thinking I’d request the release of a single J seat to NY (as lots of I availability and I had some flexibility around dates). Paid fares were sitting around $20k, making the point value just about 7 cents - excellent value! Now Qantas has dropped a sale and I can get the seats paid for ~$8.5k, point value of 2.5 cents or so (still excellent value) BUT a paid trip will pretty much ensure I keep WP for another year (where I will want to use points to get 2x seats when travelling with partner).

Am I nuts to be considering paying for this trip when I can get a points value of 2.5 cents? Of course, it’s not guaranteed the they’ll release a seat for me, but given loads to NY in Feb, I availability and my flexibility on dates I expect it wouldn’t be that hard.

If your primary goal is to earn status credits inexpensively, then yes this would be a poor option since you are effectively spending $8500/560 SCs =$15/SC. Without diving too deeply into this question (as we do have two an entire threads dedicated to this issue - overview and and discussion), what I can say is that there are much cheaper ways to earn status credits. Two that comes to my mind was when I flew Alaska Airlines last month from LAX to LAX (via Portland, Seattle) for $550 AUD in business class. This earned me a whopping 160 status credits for what was essentially an afternoon trip. Additionally, earlier this year I flew SYD > MEL > AKL > SYD > MEL in business class for ~$1150 AUD which earned me 240 status credits (which ended up being 480 status credits as it was booked early last year during a double status credit promotion). The general rule of thumb is if you can get the status credit earn rate to under $3 per status credit you are doing a good job indeed.

 

[kpc]

Looking to get 2x Y seats released on 6 Jan from Syd to Adl departing mid morning to early afternoon. Can someone with Expert flyer kindly give me a listing of "I" availability for this time frame...thanks!

 

[encryptededdy]

Looking to get 2x Y seats released on 6 Jan from Syd to Adl departing mid morning to early afternoon. Can someone with Expert flyer kindly give me a listing of "I" availability for this time frame...thanks!

Note for Domestic Business, "D" class will also suffice (not just "I").

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Looking to get 2x Y seats released on 6 Jan from Syd to Adl departing mid morning to early afternoon. Can someone with Expert flyer kindly give me a listing of "I" availability for this time frame...thanks!

QF737 is showing J5, C5, D5, I3 on that date. QF739 and QF743 are both showing J6, C6, D6, I6 on that date.

 

[exceladdict]

It's possible to use ITA matrix to search for particular fare classes, but when I (thought) I discovered some availability in D/I they were subsequently rejected by QF. Is anyone aware of any issues with using ITA for this purpose? (have used up my free EF subscriptions!).

 

[Point Ventures]

That you even got what you have gotten barely two months in advance of one of the most peak demand periods is actually pretty impressive (as frustrating as it clearly was for all the combinations and time).

As I understand it, only P1 can request (and again, request) when inventory only has D. So in respect to that part of the question, yeah I have been able to request a flight with no I but D, but again that was as P1.

ps; It's HBA for Hobart, not HBT- which is a domestic airport in Saudi Arabia )

The stars aligned on Monday evening and I was successful in the release of 2x U seats for the SYD-YVR leg. Exactly 2 weeks out from departure.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

The stars aligned on Monday evening and I was successful in the release of 2x U seats for the SYD-YVR leg. Exactly 2 weeks out from departure.

Good to know as I'm debating buying expensive wine to fly J back from YVR!

 

[Kangol]

Looking to get 2x Y seats released on 6 Jan from Syd to Adl departing mid morning to early afternoon. Can someone with Expert flyer kindly give me a listing of "I" availability for this time frame...thanks!

If you are looking for Y award seats, shouldn't you be looking at the Y fare classes?

 

[Point Ventures]

Good to know as I'm debating buying expensive wine to fly J back from YVR!

My advice would be to get the seats released, before buying the wine. Once the seats are confirmed you can hold them for a couple of days before “buying” them.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Looking to get 2x Y seats released on 6 Jan from Syd to Adl departing mid morning to early afternoon. Can someone with Expert flyer kindly give me a listing of "I" availability for this time frame...thanks!

Here you go:

 

[kpc]

Here you go:
View attachment 355187

Thanks. I needed "N" class availability for Y award seat release, and Qf released 2 Y award seats on QF737 for my parents when I rang this pm

 

[_TheTraveller_]

I'd defo fly to NZ to retain Platinum

A quick weekend away for brunch and dinner. Why not

 

[Fifi2207]

A quick weekend away for brunch and dinner. Why not

And I love the Melbourne First class lounge- any excuse!

 

[RichardMEL]

It's possible to use ITA matrix to search for particular fare classes, but when I (thought) I discovered some availability in D/I they were subsequently rejected by QF. Is anyone aware of any issues with using ITA for this purpose? (have used up my free EF subscriptions!).

Just remember that even if inventory exists, QF can and will still deny. it's not any sort of guarantee of success but a guide to what is realistic to ask for.

 

[Cessna 180]

And I love the Melbourne First class lounge- any excuse!

Agreed, much better than SYD in my opinion.

 

[funnybrus]

Called pretending to be my old man (WP) and requested LAX-BNE 27/28/29/30 October next year for myself - given the choice of 28-30. Got an overseas call centre and was told to call back 24h later (although could see the results in MMB instantly - 27 "Requested" whereas 28-30 were "Confirmed". Called back as myself (SG) to a very confused agent wondering why I had 4 identical flights in a row on my booking (OWA), but after some explaining she took payment and got a ticket eventually.

 

[Andy72]

I recently flew to Lhr with a JAL classic reward J flight but asked for for release of a classic reward flight via Singapore. It didn’t com through but remained active for weeks and blocked my ability to select seats from Tokyo to London.
In the end JAL was great. Flying back on Qantas on a released seat x2

 

[Fifi2207]

Agreed, much better than SYD in my opinion.

I recently flew to Lhr with a JAL classic reward J flight but asked for for release of a classic reward flight via Singapore. It didn’t com through but remained active for weeks and blocked my ability to select seats from Tokyo to London.
In the end JAL was great. Flying back on Qantas on a released seat x2

How/ why did it prevent you selecting seats ???? i have about 4 requests pending so just curious