The next DONE4 planning thread

[adrian]

Okay time to seek more help.

1. The advice above gives me one too many flights (arriving into sydney is 16 - so can only have 4 more. I need 3 X's before NRT not 4. Being a maths teacher you would think i could figure this out huh?

2. Going from HKG - LHR I have the choice of CX, BA or QF. What would you recommend?

thanks again

I think that CX have their new lie-flat beds on that route. I like the new BA beds (not everyone does), but CX has consistently excellent service & great AVOD, so that would clinch it for me. I'm trying out the new CX beds on a YVR-JFK sector in a couple of weeks, and if they are better than BA, then CX will be my new carrier of choice!!

 

[Dave Noble]

2. Going from HKG - LHR I have the choice of CX, BA or QF. What would you recommend?

thanks again

I would also suggest trying out CX on a flight with the new seating

Dave

 

[serfty]

1. The advice above gives me one too many flights (arriving into sydney is 16 - so can only have 4 more. I need 3 X's before NRT not 4. Being a maths teacher you would think i could figure this out huh?thanks again

-SYD-DRW-PER-SYD/MEL-NRT gives 270 SC's and >5600 miles

2. Going from HKG - LHR I have the choice of CX, BA or QF. What would you recommend?

CX is considered to give consistently better service than both BA and QF, but if you are crediting to QFF, you lose any Status bonus that may apply as an SG/PS/WP. So it's a choice of Points (nearly 6000 as WP) v. Service.

 

[Dave Noble]

-SYD-DRW-PER-SYD/MEL-NRT gives 270 SC's and >5600 miles
CX is considered to give consistently better service than both BA and QF, but if you are crediting to QFF, you lose any Status bonus that may apply as an SG/PS/WP. So it's a choice of Points (nearly 6000 as WP) v. Service.

There is a big plus (imo) of CX over QF to LHR that offsets the small loss of miles in that CX will provide a car transfer service from LHR to your destination ( up to a maximum of 42 driven miles ). For me, this has a value of GBP70 each way over taking a minicab service

Dave

 

[serfty]

That is a big plus.

FWIW, Do they provide this service to LHR?

 

[dragonman]

There is a big plus (imo) of CX over QF to LHR that offsets the small loss of miles in that CX will provide a car transfer service from LHR to your destination ( up to a maximum of 42 driven miles ). For me, this has a value of GBP70 each way over taking a minicab service

Dave

Agreed that this is a big plus. How do you arrange this? I tried to find out on the CX web site but no luck.

 

[Dave Noble]

That is a big plus.

FWIW, Do they provide this service to LHR?

If departing from LHR on CX they do. On an ATW ticket would seem likely that would only get the opportunity to use the car one way since would be unlikely to be both arriving and departing on CX. On the r/t tickets I use, I can get a CX car in both directions

Dave

 

[Dave Noble]

Agreed that this is a big plus. How do you arrange this? I tried to find out on the CX web site but no luck.

It is very well hidden, though apparantly is there somewhere ( its the CX easter egg ) ... If you phone CX reservations in the UK and ask for the car transfer they will know what you are talking about; some agents may think that the ATW ticket is not eligable and if you get one, get them to check with someone else or just do the phone back technique

Dave

 

[dragonman]

It is very well hidden, though apparantly is there somewhere ( its the CX easter egg ) ... If you phone CX reservations in the UK and ask for the car transfer they will know what you are talking about; some agents may think that the ATW ticket is not eligable and if you get one, get them to check with someone else or just do the phone back technique

Dave

Turns out that if you look on FT in the cathay forum there is a thread on this.

 

[Dave Noble]

Turns out that if you look on FT in the cathay forum there is a thread on this.

I wasn't aware of any discussion of FT on it, but it is definitely a good reason to use CX methunks

Dave

 

[NM]

Of course if crediting to AA, you do earn the status bonus for CX flights, and only need to be Platinum status to earn 100% bonus miles. This is why my recent DONE4s have earned more AA miles than QF miles for the same itinerary.

 

[Keith009]

I wasn't aware of any discussion of FT on it, but it is definitely a good reason to use CX methunks

Dave

Hmm - I've seen it advertised on the CX UK website on the 'business class' page but there's not a trace of it there now.

 

[simongr]

Gah - I hate CX and their booking of DONE4's

At the end of my CX issued July DONE4 I added syd-adl-per-syd as a daytrip. I then moved those flights to 14 April to park them for when I needed them. I just called CX to book them for December as follows:

4 Dec syd-adl QF739
4 dec adl-per QF580
6 dec per-syd QF599

They are having to go back to their fares people to check whether this is valid... There seems to have been some notation that Sydney was just a transit...

 

[simongr]

God I hate QF booking staff. CX absolved themselves of all responsibility and said to get QF to make the changes and reissue the ticket. I call QF and they manage to make the changes but advise of the $75 reissue fee - at this point I dont really care as that is a lot cheaper than a round trip ticket in J but I will have to go to the QF travel centre in the city.

Not a drama as I work 10 mins walk from there. I go in and they do the post it thing and I am advised of a $40 service fee - but no $75 fee. Not concerned about that.

As she is fiddling with the ticket comments on how easy this is compared to the complex one that she is trying to do. I remark regarding how I had to email CX the fare rules and she is stunned.

I explain it is because of the domestic flights after point of origin. At this point she tells me that is not permitted. I try to explain that there is no restriction and perhaps they are confusing Global Explorer with DONE4 but she cuts me off in mid-sentence without letting me explain regarding the deletion of that rule in Jul 2005. She informs me that we all train in our own businesses for a reason!

I give up at this point and my view to only ticket through AA is reinforced. I am now of the belief that QF management have instructed their staff on their interpretation of the rules. It is not explicity stated that you can return to the point of origin but conversely it is not prevented by the rules. QF could argue that they are right in their interpretation. I was tempted to email QF as it would be easier for me to book locally if they changed their policy but at this point given the lack of hassles with AA (except for payment) I will stick with AA.

 

[serfty]

... As she is fiddling with the ticket comments on how easy this is compared to the complex one that she is trying to do. I remark regarding how I had to email CX the fare rules and she is stunned. ...

Doh!

Lesson learned ... don't complicate matters with knowledgeable asides ... I have found this out with many experiences.

I often feel I know a lot more about my travel etc. that many people I may need to deal with in relation to it. I have found it is simplest to let them deal with any issues as they are employed to do. I just check and double check and intervene olny if necessary to ensure I get something close to the outcome I desire.

 

[simongr]

Agree - I was just wondering if I might stumble on someone who knew what they were doing. Sadly I just stumbled on the great QF DONE4 conspiracy.

 

[dragonman]

Okay after much appreciated help my DONE4 originates at NRT then FCO and onwards I arrive back home in SYD with 7 flights up my sleeve (to be taken later) and none yet taken in SWP or ASIA.

I would be grateful for hints on the last 7 flights which might make me the most SC's.

Thanks in advance.

 

[serfty]

Off the top of my head (almost certainly could be improved):

SYD-DRW-PER-SYD/MEL-AKL-HKG-KHI-HKG-CGK-NRT

-That's 860 SC's SYD--NR T on a done4.

 

[dragonman]

Off the top of my head (almost certainly could be improved):

SYD-DRW-PER-SYD/MEL-AKL-HKG-KHI-HKG-CGK-NRT

-That's 860 SC's SYD--NR T on a done4.

Thanks for your help!

 

[simongr]

OK - as a supplementary question...

Flying to HKG tomorrow with an F upgrade lodged about a month ago.

EF is showing F5/A5 so looks pretty open. But the seat map on EF is showing only row three unallocated - 4 empty seats. Is one to assume that upgrades have been "processed" in terms of seat allocation but QF are still willing to sell the seat from underneath the upgrader?

One thing I find interesting is that J is pretty much full per the seat map (again) - what slackers are flying during the day mid-week to HKG???