Question on adding sectors

[Flying mermaid]

Sorry if this is a dumb question . I have done a bit of a search and can't find anything. I am booking J awards for Miss Fm and her future husband for next July. I have booked two J awards CBR-MEL-Lax and there appeared to be no points difference for the CBR-MEL bit.

I am hoping to book the return legs later this week. However I can't book the Mel(or Syd) CBR leg, as that date will still be in the future. Clearly I don't want to wait two days to do so. Once I have booked the return (fingers crossed), do I wait two days, then phone up and request that sector to be added? Will it still be zero points cost, or will I pay the full points for that sector and will there be a points charge for getting it done by a person? Any advice gratefully received

 

[NoName]

My experience about a month ago of adding LAX-LAS to an existing MEL-LAX award booking was no extra cost other than 3.5k pts change fee. There was no charge for having the call centre make the change as I couldn't do it online.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Thanks - that gives me a bit of confidence that I know what I am doing when I phone them. .

 

[Flying mermaid]

Whew! Glad I checked this first. So taking the instrument of torture in my hand I phoned up today, got connected to the premium desk in about 2 minutes and requested to have a sector added. No can't do that said my friendly premium operator. Well I have been told it can be done I responded confidently. Oh doubtfully - well I can try. Gave her the details, came back and said no not allowed. Feeling a little bit like a parrot, I said well I have been told it is definitely possible - can you try another way? Hmm - perhaps I can try and change the Lax sector. Went away for a long time and then came back and said yes, it appears I can - I am going to need to put you on hold again, as this is very difficult. Finally came back and charges were 3,500 points per person as a change fee plus $30.00+ per person for the fees for the Canberra leg. Was pretty happy with this, as much cheaper than booking it independently and it is on the same ticket. However a bit worrying that I was told multiple times it couldn't be done. Girl had a heavy NZ accent - is there a call centre in NZ? Anyway she was very pleasant and got it done, so that is the main thing.

I was going to request the two bookings be combined into a return flight and the fees recalculated as per another thread, but I felt that was a step far too far. Does anyone else have experience of doing that?

 

[madrooster]

Finally came back and charges were 3,500 points per person as a change fee plus $30.00+ per person for the fees for the Canberra leg. Was pretty happy with this, as much cheaper than booking it independently and it is on the same ticket. However a bit worrying that I was told multiple times it couldn't be done. Girl had a heavy NZ accent - is there a call centre in NZ? Anyway she was very pleasant and got it done, so that is the main thing. I was going to request the two bookings be combined into a return flight and the fees recalculated as per another thread, but I felt that was a step far too far. Does anyone else have experience of doing that?

Yes the main QF call centre is in AKL in the CBD. Unfortunately the NZ staff aren't as experienced as their HBA counterparts, but there are a few experienced NZ staff that do know what they are doing.

What you are doing is a simple ticket change, the process for them is not too different to doing it on a paid/commercial ticket.

I don't think it's worth your while to try and combine the two PNRs into a single return ticket. You would be up for the 5000 pts cancellation fee per passenger and then you have to ensure that they refund you the taxes back to the card you used and the points back to the account you used. You would also need to get them to find new availability on the LAX-MEL flight on the first PNR, or if you have platinum status or above you can request a seat release.

There is a procedure for transferring confirmed QF seats between PNRs but that's even more painful as most call centre agents don't know about it or how to go about it.

 

[NoName]

Yes the main QF call centre is in AKL in the CBD. Unfortunately the NZ staff aren't as experienced as their HBA counterparts, but there are a few experienced NZ staff that do know what they are doing.

What you are doing is a simple ticket change, the process for them is not too different to doing it on a paid/commercial ticket.

I don't think it's worth your while to try and combine the two PNRs into a single return ticket. You would be up for the 5000 pts cancellation fee per passenger and then you have to ensure that they refund you the taxes back to the card you used and the points back to the account you used. You would also need to get them to find new availability on the LAX-MEL flight on the first PNR, or if you have platinum status or above you can request a seat release.

There is a procedure for transferring confirmed QF seats between PNRs but that's even more painful as most call centre agents don't know about it or how to go about it.

I wouldn't be so sure about this.

My experience a few months ago doing just that resulted in approx $700 LESS in copayment once they were combined. I have mentioned this in previous threads but details were:

Originally booked:
Me - MEL-LAX in F
Mrs Noname - SYD-JFK in F
Both - LAX-BNE in Y

Changed it to all my travel on one booking & all Mrs NoNames's on one booking (so effectively return bookings for each of us).

Was approx $700 less in total and if I had to guess the saving would be even more given the flights in question are J both ways. Well worth it IMO.

 

[Quickstatus]

What you are doing is a simple ticket change, the process for them is not too different to doing it on a paid/commercial ticket.

So technically what happened to effect this sector addition?
LAX-MEL cancelled and replaced with LAX-MEL-CBR?

I want to add a LAX-DEN revenue flight to an existing SYD-MEL-LAX classic reward . Is this possible?

 

[Quickstatus]

I wouldn't be so sure about this.

My experience a few months ago doing just that resulted in approx $700 LESS in copayment once they were combined. I have mentioned this in previous threads but details were:

Originally booked:
Me - MEL-LAX in F
Mrs Noname - SYD-JFK in F
Both - LAX-BNE in Y

Changed it to all my travel on one booking & all Mrs NoNames's on one booking (so effectively return bookings for each of us).

Was approx $700 less in total and if I had to guess the saving would be even more given the flights in question are J both ways. Well worth it IMO.

How can it all be on one booking if itinerary is different?

 

[NoName]

I'm on one itinerary and MrsNoname is on another. The main point is that they were changed from one way bookings to return bookings which is why there was the big reduction in copayment. This is what the OP wants to do.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I wouldn't be so sure about this.

My experience a few months ago doing just that resulted in approx $700 LESS in copayment once they were combined. I have mentioned this in previous threads but details were:

Originally booked:
Me - MEL-LAX in F
Mrs Noname - SYD-JFK in F
Both - LAX-BNE in Y

Changed it to all my travel on one booking & all Mrs NoNames's on one booking (so effectively return bookings for each of us).

Was approx $700 less in total and if I had to guess the saving would be even more given the flights in question are J both ways. Well worth it IMO.

The problem is trying to get someone to do it for you! I had so much trouble getting this simple change done today, that I am not sure I could cope with the complex one. I was really excited when I read your original post and fully intended to try it, but I think I will just be happy with all the money I have saved by getting award flights for my daughter and her partner and not try to push things!

(yes I know - I am a wimp, but too old to change . )

 

[NoName]

The problem is trying to get someone to do it for you! I had so much trouble getting this simple change done today, that I am not sure I could cope with the complex one. I was really excited when I read your original post and fully intended to try it, but I think I will just be happy with all the money I have saved by getting award flights for my daughter and her partner and not try to push things!

(yes I know - I am a wimp, but too old to change . )

I can definitely understand the frustration when you have already had so much hassle. That said, the very first person I spoke to did it for me right away. The same when I added sectors to my award bookings on two occasions. I have no idea what sort of process they have to go through to do these things so maybe I just got lucky in speaking to the right person. Maybe you got unlucky though? You could always ring and enquire and if they say they can't then take it no further. I found that when I explained that the copayment for 2 one ways was more than for the same booked as a return that he became quite interested (in both proving me wrong and then fixing it for me).

 

[Flying mermaid]

I can definitely understand the frustration when you have already had so much hassle. That said, the very first person I spoke to did it for me right away. The same when I added sectors to my award bookings on two occasions. I have no idea what sort of process they have to go through to do these things so maybe I just got lucky in speaking to the right person. Maybe you got unlucky though? You could always ring and enquire and if they say they can't then take it no further. I found that when I explained that the copayment for 2 one ways was more than for the same booked as a return that he became quite interested (in both proving me wrong and then fixing it for me).

Ok - I will take my courage in both hands next week and give it a go. Does anyone know if there is a time when it is more likely to go to Hobart rather than NZ?

 

[madrooster]

So technically what happened to effect this sector addition?LAX-MEL cancelled and replaced with LAX-MEL-CBR?I want to add a LAX-DEN revenue flight to an existing SYD-MEL-LAX classic reward . Is this possible?

Simply adding MEL-CBR to the PNR and then processing a ticket exchange. It's nothing special process wise.You can add a LAX-DEN revenue flight to an existing award via a TA if the award PNR was originally created by QF phone reservations.

 

[Mattg]

Ok - I will take my courage in both hands next week and give it a go. Does anyone know if there is a time when it is more likely to go to Hobart rather than NZ?

I don't know with 100% certainty, but I believe you would be more likely to be put through to HBA in the late afternoon/evening. (When I call early in the morning, I am almost always put through to AKL - I believe it may have something to do with the time difference and differing office hours.)

 

[madrooster]

The HBA call centre only operates from 7am - midnight Hobart time.

 

[Mattg]

The HBA call centre only operates from 7am - midnight Hobart time.

Thanks for the clarification. Any idea where you'd be put through to if you called at 1am (Sydney time)? Would the AKL call centre be open at 3am NZ time?

 

[madrooster]

Thanks for the clarification. Any idea where you'd be put through to if you called at 1am (Sydney time)? Would the AKL call centre be open at 3am NZ time?

AKL is 24 hours, so AKL.