Seat Selection on QF-marketed, FJ-operated (Fiji Airways) flight

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dairyfloss

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G'day Folks - I've got one I've not come across before, and couldn't find much, if any info about... I've just booked return flights via the QF website to Fiji for a short break with the family - yay! For the outbound flight, there was no QF-operated service, and so I'm on an FJ operated, QF marketed flight.

Seats for the FJ operated flight cannot be selected on QF MMB (it's a Window/Aisle preference only), and on the FJ MMB page, the QF booking reference returns an error saying "The system is unable to retrieve this trip, please contact your TravelSupport Desk if further details are needed." This error may be as the flight is yet to be ticketed, I suppose?

To those in the know - will I need a unique FJ booking reference to manage this on FJ's site, or is is something only the FJ call centre is likely to be able to help with? Also, as a QF WP on FJ, should I expect any special treatment in so far as seating on the booking goes?

The QF app is already telling me to 'Relax at the International First Lounge' in Sydney before departure... so hopefully at least that part will work!

Thanks,
Matt.
 
This is similar to the situation with QF marketed flights operated by AirCalin between SYD and NOU.
On my recent flight I kept trying every day and some days it actually let me into the seat map and I was able to grab a seat (1H).
This was mysteriously changed to 1F but I persisted and eventually it let me in again and I was able to change it back to 1H.
Presumably there must be an FJ specific PNR but you might have to call and ask them for it.
 
... the QF booking reference returns an error saying "The system is unable to retrieve this trip, please contact your TravelSupport Desk if further details are needed." This error may be as the flight is yet to be ticketed, I suppose? …

I would keep a close eye on this. I've received that error and in my case it was caused by not being ticketed. Furthermore, as my cc did not receive a hit (which on my card is almost instantaneous), I rang the Call Centre. There was a glitch at the QF end, being a cc that I had never heard of.

If the e-ticket hasn't come through yet, phone now, I suggest. Don't be put off by how " it can take 24-48 hours to ticket"

Edit: The e-ticket can come through in 10-15 minutes, even for international bookings, if someone at the Call Centre end is proactive about it.
 
I would keep a close eye on this. I've received that error and in my case it was caused by not being ticketed. Furthermore, as my cc did not receive a hit (which on my card is almost instantaneous), I rang the Call Centre. There was a glitch at the QF end, being a cc that I had never heard of.

If the e-ticket hasn't come through yet, phone now, I suggest. Don't be put off by how " it can take 24-48 hours to ticket"

Edit: The e-ticket can come through in 10-15 minutes, even for international bookings, if someone at the Call Centre end is proactive about it.
Yes - for some reason I always seem to have delayed ticketing with my bookings. Could be as I use GVs to buy most flights and they don't finish as neatly in the back end? I'll give QF a shout tonight.

Cheers,
Matt.
 
Yes - for some reason I always seem to have delayed ticketing with my bookings. Could be as I use GVs to buy most flights and they don't finish as neatly in the back end? I'll give QF a shout tonight.

Cheers,
Matt.

If you play your cards right, the Call Centre may offer to "walk it through".
 
This is similar to the situation with QF marketed flights operated by AirCalin between SYD and NOU.
....

Eery coincidence seeing this thread tonight - as just today I was looking at options for a short family holiday, and when I considered Noumea and Nandi I was too hesitant as I saw that the QF sold tickets are only codeshares. Seat selection is very important for me being too tall and travelling with family of four. I also wondered if QF status helps there - but I suspect it would not?
 
Eery coincidence seeing this thread tonight - as just today I was looking at options for a short family holiday, and when I considered Noumea and Nandi I was too hesitant as I saw that the QF sold tickets are only codeshares. Seat selection is very important for me being too tall and travelling with family of four. I also wondered if QF status helps there - but I suspect it would not?
Happy to inform you that is not the case.
There are QF metal flights to NOU. QF91 SYD-NOU and QF92 return are QF marketed and operated on QF metal.
 
QF do have a few flights to SYD-NAN. Four per week last time I looked.

Booking a QF ticket on FJ doesn't help much for seat selection but it can help with baggage allowances.

The other thing that frequently works to advantage is booking one way tickets as that is often considerably cheaper. FJ do recognise any QF status though their checkin lines often don't have have QF listed. The same applies for the immigration lines.

The new FJ lounge in NAN is very good with a great selection of food and drinks.
 
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I've just had the good folks at the QF Premium line help with ticketing my booking, and it seems the gift voucher PNR origin was once again the cause for the delay, but with no real explanation as to why it happens.

In any case - using the ticket number I'm now able to get at the MMB content on FJ, but alas, no available seats to select (though EF tells me otherwise), so I'll get onto them over the phone tomorrow and see what can be done. If nothing , I might need to set an alarm for online check-in like in my pre-status days some decades ago! Is there anything like T-80 on FJ??

Cheers,
Matt.
 
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I've just had the good folks at the QF Premium line help with ticketing my booking, and it seems the gift voucher PNR origin was once again the cause for the delay, but with no real explanation as to why it happens.

In any case - using the ticket number I'm now able to get at the MMB content on FJ, but alas, no available seats to select (though EF tells me otherwise), so I'll get onto them over the phone tomorrow and see what can be done. If nothing , I might need to set an alarm for online check-in like in my pre-status days some decades ago! Is there anything like T-80 on FJ??

Cheers,
Matt.
Usually on these code shares each carrier has access to a certain allocation of seats.
So the seats you can see on EF might be allocated to FJ.
 
That depends on the codeshare arrangement.
Indeed. Hence "these codeshares" not codeshares in general.
I am not 100% sure of the arrangement with FJ but I know this is how the codeshare with SB works.
If you go into seat selection on QF91 or QF92 you will only see half the seats in the J cabin.
The rest are blank. Not blocked or occuppied, just spaces with no seat icons.
Those seats are available for PAX on SB issued tickets.
 
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As I mentioned above if you book a QF ticket the seat options aren’t very good. There is no access to the forward Y cabin though I have no idea where the real cutoff is.
I have never actually looked to see if they have something equivalent to the Qantas T-80 arrangement.
 
Circling back with some answers for those interested, now that I've navigated my way around this process.

Firstly, once your ticket is issued, you will be able to access the booking on FJ's website, but it won't be using the same Qantas PNR. That PNR continues to give me the error I received before ticketing. With the QF Ticket number, however, I was able to locate the unique booking reference for FJ - an option to use the ticket to look up the booking is given after the failed PNR search.

Once I had this FJ PNR, a few changes could be made online, but seat selection was - as suggested - very limited. On the 330 we're on (an older leased aircraft), selection was/is restricted to rows 30 and behind (the last 5 rows on the plane! :oops: ). Forward cabin seats are supposedly available for purchase online, but weren't there for me to do that, and so perhaps doesn't happen on codeshare bookings, or maybe it's this leased metal that is the problem. I was able to make some other updates to contacts etc. which were not transferred over from the QF booking, and to add a meal type for my young son.

I then rang FJ directly, and asked them what I can do to be grouped together with my preference toward the front of the economy cabin, and was told I just needed to pay A$10 per person. Easy! I did that and was able to select the forward-most available seats (2 rows back from the front), and confirm them on the spot. The e-mails and confirmations were sent through immediately.

Cheers,
Matt.
 
dairy floss,
Is there a reason for booking the QF codeshare rather than booking direct from FJ?

Habit? I think more so it was to secure the QF status and points (although I've later found out that these apply on the FJ code, as well?), and also to minimse the risk of pain at the entryway to the QF F Lounge! Had I have known what fun awaited, I might have done differently!

Cheers,
Matt.
 
Habit? I think more so it was to secure the QF status and points (although I've later found out that these apply on the FJ code, as well?), and also to minimse the risk of pain at the entryway to the QF F Lounge! Had I have known what fun awaited, I might have done differently!

Cheers,
Matt.
I pick which ever is cheaper on the day and that’s normally though not always FJ.
 
I pick which ever is cheaper on the day and that’s normally though not always FJ.
If I can be assured of the other elements working, I'll do the same.... but to be honest it's not likely to be a conundrum I come across with FJ, often!

p.s. I think price was the same or thereabouts - late bookings & during school hols.

Cheers,
Matt.
 
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