Same itinerary different price on QF and AA

[jcb12]

I'm looking at flights for a family trip in October and the same itinerary is around $1500 less if I were to book with American Airlines vs Qantas - exactly the same flights and routing. I'd generally prefer to book direct with Qantas, but $1500 is a decent saving, so, is there any downside for me booking with American rather than Qantas?

 

[RichardMEL]

I'm looking at flights for a family trip in October and the same itinerary is around $1500 less if I were to book with American Airlines vs Qantas - exactly the same flights and routing. I'd generally prefer to book direct with Qantas, but $1500 is a decent saving, so, is there any downside for me booking with American rather than Qantas?

Well, you would receive less points and SC as a QFF member (depending on the itin and booking classes) and would not be able to apply for upgrades on QF operated sectors.

Other than that, and if those are not very important to you, then sure book the AA flight numbers.

I guess AA is willing o sell the itin cheaper and that's up to them to do with as they please with their codeshare allocation

(I am assuming you are looking at an itin to/from the US involving QF operated flights.)

I'd also be absolutely certain all the booking details are equivalent too.

 

[defurax]

The same flight numbers or AA codeshare on QF. The main issue of AA (QF) flights would be the inability to request upgrades if that's something you are interested in. It can also impact points earning, status credits, baggage, lounge access for guests, etc... depending on circumstances.

 

[jcb12]

Well, you would receive less points and SC as a QFF member (depending on the itin and booking classes) and would not be able to apply for upgrades on QF operated sectors.

Other than that, and if those are not very important to you, then sure book the AA flight numbers.

I guess AA is willing o sell the itin cheaper and that's up to them to do with as they please with their codeshare allocation

(I am assuming you are looking at an itin to/from the US involving QF operated flights.)

I'd also be absolutely certain all the booking details are equivalent too.

The same flight numbers or AA codeshare on QF. The main issue of AA (QF) flights would be the inability to request upgrades if that's something you are interested in. It can also impact points earning, status credits, baggage, lounge access for guests, etc... depending on circumstances.

Thanks for the quick replies.

There's 5 of us travelling and I don't have enough points to upgrade us (plus the likelihood of 5 upgrades is pretty much zero), so upgrades aren't a factor for this trip.

SCs and points aren't a big issue. I'll retain QFF Gold this year, but I don't think I'll get anywhere near Platinum.

I guess my main concern would be around lounge access. If there's a difference there, that would be something to weigh up.

 

[Matt_01]

I guess my main concern would be around lounge access. If there's a difference there, that would be something to weigh up.

If you are travelling on AA flights QF may choose to use the OW rules, which for most OW carriers is generally 1 guest. If flying on QF the QF lounge access rules will be used.

 

[Thibault]

I did the same and booked via AA last week.
2k saving per person instead of going via QF.

Direct QF flight LAX-BNE in the evening was canceled - had to wait for 2h on hold to get re-protected on QF LAX-SYD-BNE - but I was able to choose which routing and flights I wanted.
The agent could not put me on the AA codeshare between SYD/BNE for some reason so I was put on a QF prime code flight under fare class K instead of a red e-deal - (yay !)

All great. Their IT is quite old so a bit slow and the FF numbers won't stick between AA PNR and QF PNR for some reason but apart from this - not a single issue.

 

[RooFlyer]

I guess AA is willing o sell the itin cheaper and that's up to them to do with as they please with their codeshare allocation

Wouldn't this be a case of AA not charging, or charging lower fuel fines and 'carrier charges'? I saved a heap 2 years ago on a OW RTW simply by having it ticketed on AA paper, rather than QF.

 

[serfty]

I'm looking at flights for a family trip in October and the same itinerary is around $1500 less if I were to book with American Airlines vs Qantas - exactly the same flights and routing. I'd generally prefer to book direct with Qantas, but $1500 is a decent saving, so, is there any downside for me booking with American rather than Qantas?

When you indicate "exactly the same flights and routing", are all flight numbers the same?

That is, is the marketing carrier the same on every flight?

 

[justinbrett]

Slightly off topic as you said you were gold, but technically speaking, the way it's written, I'm not sure a QC member can get QF lounge access on an AA flight. However they can get AA lounge access on a AA or QF flight. And AA members can get QF lounge access on AA or QF flights.

It's a bit weird really.

If you are travelling on AA flights QF may choose to use the OW rules, which for most OW carriers is generally 1 guest. If flying on QF the QF lounge access rules will be used.

QF only allows one guest in international lounges anyway.

 

[RichardMEL]

Wouldn't this be a case of AA not charging, or charging lower fuel fines and 'carrier charges'? I saved a heap 2 years ago on a OW RTW simply by having it ticketed on AA paper, rather than QF.

It's possible I suppose.. but in the end it's still an AA pricing decision isn't it? If it be fuel fines or a base fare difference, or selling a special fare, or something.

If I was the OP I'd check for things like cancel/change fees, bag costs (if more than the Gold allowance is required plus the other 4 pax) and other T&C that may very in some detail that may not be obvious from the headline price.

 

[offshore171]

I guess my main concern would be around lounge access. If there's a difference there, that would be something to weigh up.

For $1500, it would have to be one heck of a lounge.

I'd go the AA option. The price difference may just be something like they have more seats left in that fare bucket.

 

[madrooster]

Where QF gets shafted by AA is availability on domestics within the US. AA availability heavily favours international passengers, so if you are flying AA code transpacific, connecting to AA domestics, it will give you the class available on the international flights on the domestic flights. This is all due to married segment control.

Example:

QF booking:

SYD-LAX on QF (everything available down to O class)
LAX-DEN on AA (everything available down to V class)

Because there's no O class on LAX-DEN, QF has to charge a V class fare.

AA booking:

SYD-LAX on AA*QF (everything available down to O class)
LAX-DEN on AA (everything available down to O class, due to being married to SYD-LAX)

Therefore AA charges for a O class fare.

As for downsides...

AA*QF codeshares are more of a pain to manage from a seating perspective and no upgrades. Otherwise there's no other real downsides.

 

[jcb12]

Thanks for the replies. From reading through the lounge access rules, it would seem that we may still be able to access the lounge and the rules are no different to if we booked via Qantas anyway.

 

[http_x92]

Also realised that the AA fare is cheaper for flights from SYD-JFK via LAX than the QF fare in the coming months. I also see that AA economy class is called 'Main Cabin'. QF Status Credits with Main Cabin = Economy or Flexible Economy?

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Late to the game but just a data point for any others in future looking at this option that Qantas doesn't permit seat assignments even for its own QFF members with status (I'm a lowly gold) if booked on a QF-operated flight but with an AA codeshare flight number.

Just got hit with this myself. I didn't consider the implication when I bought the ticket (foolish perhaps, but something normally never an issue on other airlines/alliances I fly) but when I went to QF to reserve the seat, the seat selection page refused to confirm the seat assignment and was later told by the social media team after a 5-day wait that "you can't book seats on an AA codeshare", not acknowledging that the flight is on their aircraft and in Premium Economy, which according to their own website, includes seat selection for "all QF-operated flights."

QF strikes again.

 

[madrooster]

Late to the game but just a data point for any others in future looking at this option that Qantas doesn't permit seat assignments even for its own QFF members with status (I'm a lowly gold) if booked on a QF-operated flight but with an AA codeshare flight number.

That's not correct.

QF's seating policy applies the same on AA codeshares operated by QF as it does on a QF prime flight, so that means you can select a seat for free. Either AA or QF can assign a seat for you but you won't be able to do it online.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

That's not correct.

QF's seating policy applies the same on AA codeshares operated by QF as it does on a QF prime flight, so that means you can select a seat for free. Either AA or QF can assign a seat for you but you won't be able to do it online.

In that case, would you mind relaying this to Qantas then because neither their social media teams nor their call centre are aware of this, nor is it possible online or in their app.

I have been told twice now that seat selection is not possible as the flight is an “AA flight number codeshare” even though it’s operated by QF.

 

[madrooster]

I have been told twice now that seat selection is not possible as the flight is an “AA flight number codeshare” even though it’s operated by QF.

Have you tried with AA as per my post?

Otherwise alternatively in future, you could book the itinerary with a competent agent as it's 10 second job to assign seats on AA codeshares operated by QF (or JL, QR etc.).

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Have you tried with AA as per my post?

Otherwise alternatively in future, you could book the itinerary with a competent agent as it's 10 second job to assign seats on AA codeshares operated by QF (or JL, QR etc.).

Yes, and unfortunately no, seat selection on QF isn’t possible via AA either online or offline.

Appreciate the tip, but ultimately this is just an additional data point of facts relevant to the original question and resulting situation.

I find it poor form that QF can’t/won’t assist with such a request such that an agent would be needed here, but perhaps that’s the state of affairs.

 

[madrooster]

Yes, and unfortunately no, seat selection on QF isn’t possible via AA either online or offline.

I'll do it for you as a one off on this occasion - please message me your QF record locator, full passenger names and which seats you want if you would like me to do it.