Release of Business Class Seats DFW-SYD Jul 2013

[DavidM]

I watch this forum with interest and am grateful for the input of the members and their insight into the joys of travel and flying. I hope I am posting this thread in the correct forum. Please advise if not.

Recently my wife and I have decided to take our 2 children to DisneyWorld in Florida for a trip of a lifetime next year. With QFF points I have booked 4 business class (U?) seats from Sydney to Dallas, Fort Worth with little trouble. However, trying to book the return leg approximately 2 weeks later is proving somewhat difficult. We are hoping to fly around 19 July 2013.

I am aware that instead of flights being released 353 days prior in Australia, seats in the US are released 330 days prior to departure but despite regular checking of seat availability, even to extent of purchasing expert flyer.com membership, it would appear very few seats are available in business class for the flight home. I can get 3 seats on the 17 July 2013 and one on the 16th, but it decreases our time with Mickey, and flying home by myself in business class on the 16th could be dangerous (hic!)

So my question is, and apologies for the long post, what is the likelihood of Qantas releasing more business class seats around the 18-20 July 2013 when it appears there have been none or very few released to date?

Thanks for your advice in advance.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Welcome back!

What is your status with qantas?

 

[drewbles]

330 days is for partner releases. QF release seats 353 days out for QF FF members. 330 would be for AAdvantage members, so if it's not showing on QF now, you'll have to just keep looking.

If you're QF Platinum, call the premium desk and ask what they can do. You will need to pay a assisted booking fee if they can release seats for you (they verify with yield management) but it's a good way of locking in your seats (especially if you need 4).

Your other option is to break it up over 2 different flights, and share the kids between yourself and the wife!

 

[mannej]

Can't you set up Expert Flyer to send you an alert when "U" seats open up on the dates you are looking at.

 

[DavidM]

Thanks everyone for your response. I am a Qantas Club member but my status is only Bronze.

I have setup Expert Flyer for seat notification but to date no luck.

I will give QC a call and see if those seats can be released. Thanks.

Any other suggestions will be gladly accepted.

 

[drewbles]

Thanks everyone for your response. I am a Qantas Club member but my status is only Bronze.

I have setup Expert Flyer for seat notification but to date no luck.

I will give QC a call and see if those seats can be released. Thanks.

Any other suggestions will be gladly accepted.

Alas QC cannot get seats released only WP and WP1 can request this. It's an unofficial benefit.

EF will be your best bet and cross fingers. Also, if you do get a notification from EF check on EF again before you call. What i've observed is that if QF do open up a U class inventory for a WP, EF seems to see it as 'available'. I've seen this a few times now, and when I check (within a minute or so of receiving the EF alert) the U seat is gone. It's just part of the process when a WP gets a seat request opened (and then immediately fulfilled).

 

[DavidM]

Alas QC cannot get seats released only WP and WP1 can request this. It's an unofficial benefit.

EF will be your best bet and cross fingers. Also, if you do get a notification from EF check on EF again before you call. What i've observed is that if QF do open up a U class inventory for a WP, EF seems to see it as 'available'. I've seen this a few times now, and when I check (within a minute or so of receiving the EF alert) the U seat is gone. It's just part of the process when a WP gets a seat request opened (and then immediately fulfilled).

Thanks for your advice - out of interest, what is WP and WP1?

 

[JohnPhelan]

Thanks for your advice - out of interest, what is WP and WP1?

WP = Platinum
WP1 = Platinum 1

 

[drewbles]

Also check out Abbreviations and explanations for other commonly used abbreviations and TLA's

 

[DavidM]

Thanks - I have been struggling with some of the abbreviations and acronyms.

 

[jamesatfish]

Given that award seats are always difficult to obtain, especially in premium cabins, I'd be suggesting you book those available seats on the 16th & 17th now.

If you have to change or cancel them at some point in the future (ie if better dates do become available) it'll cost you a nominal amount of points as a change fee (7000 points from memory) which I would consider a worthwhile expense for the peace of mind of at least having *something* booked now.

 

[MelUser]

I have a horrible feeling you will be coming home on Qantas in (X) class.

The other airline that might help you is CX via HKG if you have lots of points.

The other way is to go to LHR and then home with QF but I have never heard of a non-status member (and I don't mean to be rude, just matter of fact) getting 4 U class seats on a long haul QF flight. I think your luck was spent on the way over!

I don't think QF even release 4Z (premium) seats per flight.

 

[JOC469]

I hope that you've booked them, as I was trying for seats around the same time and they are now gone

 

[DavidM]

Just to finish this thread off... I booked 3 U seats flying back on the Wed DFW-SYD (QF8). When I went back to book my fourth seat I noticed another U class seat DFW-BNE-SYD. It turns out the "direct" flight DFW-SYD (QF8) stops in BNE and then continues to SYD (still aboard QF8). The first leg DFW-BNE-SYD is on QF8 and then I have to disembark and catch a domestic flight to SYD where I will meet wife+2 kids and we shall board another flight to PER.

When I reviewed the flight schedule it does say 1 stop - I thought this meant end destination but it does say BNE - it helps to read the detail.

Just a point with EF - I asked for 4 seats - perhaps in hindsight, I should have gone for a lesser number to provide more options.

I rang QA several times inquiring about characteristics of releasing Award seats and they were most helpful and pleasant.

So DisneyWorld here we come - all U class except DFW-MCO as they have yet to release first class seats. May have to go cattle. This trip has cost a total of approx. 1.5million points. My wife takes great pleasure in providing the family with U class seats. As I speak she is hard at it with the AMEX card racking up more points for our next trip.

A quick calculation of monetary value of this trip puts it into the $100K bracket please note this was rack rate and not hunting for cheapest fares etc.

Thanks once again to everyone for their assistance.