QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic Reward seats?

[Aeryn]

Despite having been platinum for a few years now I've never requested an award seat be released, I've always managed to find what I need, but I'm struggling now that I'm trying to book a Business OWA before the price increase.

Can someone advise which number/menu option do I choose?

Im only after 1 seat on QF 1 but would take QF33 or QF9 in a pinch.

 

[Warragul]

Despite having been platinum for a few years now I've never requested an award seat be released, I've always managed to find what I need, but I'm struggling now that I'm trying to book a Business OWA before the price increase.

Can someone advise which number/menu option do I choose?

Im only after 1 seat on QF 1 but would take QF33 or QF9 in a pinch.

To my knowledge there is no phone menu option for release requests, so new points booking seems the most relevant.

 

[elanshin]

Despite having been platinum for a few years now I've never requested an award seat be released, I've always managed to find what I need, but I'm struggling now that I'm trying to book a Business OWA before the price increase.

Can someone advise which number/menu option do I choose?

Im only after 1 seat on QF 1 but would take QF33 or QF9 in a pinch.

Just standard call. If you already have an existing PNR for your OWA that you want to add to, go through the existing booking option, otherwise new FF booking.

Start by saying you want to request release so they don't go off on a different system.

If you're adding to an existing PNR, you can ask them to release first then add to your PNR.

Also provide them with all the options you want eg QF1 on day X, X+1, QF33, QF9 etc. They fan usually do a batch all at once then tell you what came back as yes/no and you can decide.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Proving that even if you get HBA the experience can be variable:

CDG-SYD showing I9 on EF across a couple of dates.

Yesterday’s agent: “I’m not seeing any I class”.

Today’s agent: “Yeah, if you search inside the booking you’ll get different availability. Let me try outside. Yes, showing I9 on those days, I’ll make the request.”

Request was still declined. Not surprising needing I9->U3 in school holidays.

But even if you get through to HBA, it’s helpful to get an experienced agent.

 

[Aeryn]

Just standard call. If you already have an existing PNR for your OWA that you want to add to, go through the existing booking option, otherwise new FF booking.

Start by saying you want to request release so they don't go off on a different system.

Thanks, i actually managed to find some creative routes that should not have needed any seats released. However booking kept failing online after confirming passenger details.

So I called to make the booking over the phone, got an Aussie sounding accent so i think was HBA or AKL but as soon I mentioned a CX flight for second leg she said she couldn't do partner flights and had to transfer me to Resolutions team which sounded like Manila.

I started to give my flights and immediately agent says first flight on QF was only available in Economy on my date, which is funny because there were multiple seats available online in Business.

So I asked about QF 1, QF33 or QF9 for my date and 2 days either side; and was declined after a few minutes. Thsi is for late April next year outside of school holidays.

So I asked her to request release QF127 to HKG which was my original first leg and magically this was approved, probably because it was available the whole time.

 

[superfaceman]

I've had multiple recent wins for flights to NRT and SIN.

Cape Town has been super helpful each time. Knowing exactly what I was after and handling it quickly.

Only problem now is I have torched my once abundant points surplus.

 

[DragonBABY]

Yes, I had to read it twice earlier but does still highlight the fickleness of the process.

Apologies, I am only WP, not P1. I wish, might have better luck with the classic reward requests if I was P1

 

[TheInsider]

I wouldn't be surprised if an online tool comes around by the end of the year to request these awards.

 

[SYD]

I wouldn't be surprised if an online tool comes around by the end of the year to request these awards.

I might be wrong, but the airlines that provide “extra” award availability to high status PAX do it online via the existing system?

More than just the earlier access we get with QFF.

Mind you, some of the airlines achieve the “extra” availability by withholding award seats to non high status members until a few weeks out…

 

[Kendall Roy]

I wouldn't be surprised if an online tool comes around by the end of the year to request these awards.

With an annual request cap.....

 

[sudoer]

With an annual request cap.....

..while award prices are ramped up, inventory is reduced, and credit card earn & sign-up bonuses drop significantly.

On this trajectory, QFF will be a shadow of its former self in 5-10 years. A relevant thread...

S

Thread 'Are the days of Points collecting over?'

Sunday at 1:41 PM

its 2025, and I over the past 10 years have collected a lot of points,

Unless you have a business or have a unique situation where you get frequent flyer miles/points for free or your work pays for it, i am now finding it not worth chasing any more

eg Amex points went from 2-3 points per $1 spend to 1.5-2, then conversion rates to various programs rates dropped by 25-33%

Credit card churning periods have now increased from 12 to 18-24 months periods

Credit card annual fees have gone up

Most merchants are now charging credit card surcharge fees which were not that common pre covid...

• SOPOOR
• Replies: 51
• Forum: Open Discussion

• 
• 
• 

 

[ozflier]

..while award prices are ramped up, inventory is reduced, and credit card earn & sign-up bonuses drop significantly.

On this trajectory, QFF will be a shadow of its former self in 5-10 years. A relevant thread...

S

Thread 'Are the days of Points collecting over?'

Sunday at 1:41 PM

its 2025, and I over the past 10 years have collected a lot of points,

Unless you have a business or have a unique situation where you get frequent flyer miles/points for free or your work pays for it, i am now finding it not worth chasing any more

eg Amex points went from 2-3 points per $1 spend to 1.5-2, then conversion rates to various programs rates dropped by 25-33%

Credit card churning periods have now increased from 12 to 18-24 months periods

Credit card annual fees have gone up

Most merchants are now charging credit card surcharge fees which were not that common pre covid...

• SOPOOR
• Replies: 51
• Forum: Open Discussion

• 
• 
• 

QFF is a shadow of its former self as we speak. Even when I travel on my own “dime”, I find QF 737 business so disappointing compared to the rest. I’ve transcon and transtasman business class flights over the next 6 months .Once I would look forward to Qantas 737 business cabin. But that was years ago and before I got to experience the opposition.
You’d think with such a substandard J cabin, QF would try to make up for with an upgraded soft product. No such luck!
And please don’t even remind me of Neil Perry’s concoctions and the offensive WTC!

 

[lovestotravel]

QAN $10.87 AUD

 

[levelnine]

Back on topic, I would have thought the best option for Qantas and customers would be to have any seat that could be released to a WP simply be available to book once logged in as a WP.

Why make customers go through the hassle of requesting release?

If at a particular moment in time revenue management would be willing to let a seat be booked as an award ticket, show that on the website. These seats could be accompanied by a disclaimer that they could disappear at any time if revenue management changes its mind — but that's also the case with regular award seats. They can be snatched up at any moment.

It benefits Qantas by showing WP/P1 members the benefits of their high tier status — they can see more seats than other customers and might even tell people that via social media/forums/word of mouth/etc, encouraging more people to reach for status.

It also benefits Qantas by encouraging members to burn their points and, therefore, seek out opportunities to earn more.

It benefits customers by making it easy to find out which flights they can use their points on. Less friction than having to request release (via phone or online).

 

[SYD]

Back on topic, I would have thought the best option for Qantas and customers would be to have any seat that could be released to a WP simply be available to book once logged in as a WP.

As mentioned earlier at post #3049 and how other airlines do it.

Well AFAIK…. eg UA used to show better award seat availability as PP/1K but that could have been because others got zero….

 

[henrus]

Back on topic, I would have thought the best option for Qantas and customers would be to have any seat that could be released to a WP simply be available to book once logged in as a WP.

One question to ask is what % of QF WPs know about the ability to request a reward seat? Here on AFF we live in a bit of an echo chamber but I'd say there is a sizeable number of WPs with no idea and QF probably want to keep it that way.

 

[SYD]

One question to ask is what % of QF WPs know about the ability to request a reward seat? Here on AFF we live in a bit of an echo chamber but I'd say there is a sizeable number of WPs with no idea and QF probably want to keep it that way.

As do we!

Although, the one and only time I called up, “computer said no”!

Despite the regular complaints, I managed to get the J CR seats I want DIY…(but recognise that there are more gaps now…).