Timing QR release and other questions

[squid01]

Need to be clearer too - midnight in which time zone…?

I’m in AEDT sorry.

 

[ramamba]

6. Will be needing to add an infant (unborn currently) to the booking later. What is the process for that and what would be the charge (any extra taxes or points)? Will that also count as a change fee which needs to be paid?

Interested in this too, have you done any further research or enquiries with VA/QR?

 

[ben95]

Will be needing to add an infant (unborn currently) to the booking later. What is the process for that and what would be the charge (any extra taxes or points)? Will that also count as a change fee which needs to be paid?

Did this earlier this year with a VA rewards redemption on SQ. Was very straight forward. Called up once the we got the passport issued paid a small fee (was some weird amount like 37.4 AUD presumably airport taxes) and a ticket for the infant is issued to the existing booking reference. The lap infant also shows up on SQ’s website which then automatically unlocked the bassinet seats for me to choose as well.

I’d imagine the process would be the same for a VA redemption on QR metal.

 

[drron]

QR certainly do release F awards after the original release of awards. They then appear on VA immediately if less than 330 days.
I wanted a specific day in August next yer BKK-DOH. Was after J awards but I had used seats-aero for notification if an award appeared. Late last week notified F awards were available through VA so I booked immediately though it was 1 day earlier than planned. selected seats immediately an the seat plan showed all F seats available.

 

[rurounimaikeru]

Any further data points on this?
I'm looking at travel May/June 2027 MEL-DOH-ATH and struggling to see any pattern for release of awards on QR/VA.

As per some other posts, J inventory at T-330 days out doesn't seem to release (just Y). But then I see occasional 2 x J rewards scattered around throughout in months prior.

Currently there's some J MEL-DOH at 27 Dec, and 2 x J for ATH-MEL on 26 Dec. Obviously this is Christmas/NYE so not sure if that's a factor.

Assume best strategy is perhaps, book what's available (J or Y) and then set seats.aero alerts to change to J if/when becomes available closer to departure?

 

[Hunter4vr]

Any further data points on this?
I'm looking at travel May/June 2027 MEL-DOH-ATH and struggling to see any pattern for release of awards on QR/VA.

As per some other posts, J inventory at T-330 days out doesn't seem to release (just Y). But then I see occasional 2 x J rewards scattered around throughout in months prior.

Currently there's some J MEL-DOH at 27 Dec, and 2 x J for ATH-MEL on 26 Dec. Obviously this is Christmas/NYE so not sure if that's a factor.

Assume best strategy is perhaps, book what's available (J or Y) and then set seats.aero alerts to change to J if/when becomes available closer to departure?

Unfortunately there won't be a pattern as the seats are available almost a month earlier through Qatar's Privilege Club, whatever hasn't been snapped up should (but not always) be available via Velocity. Late June until August will also be the blackout / peak pricing for Qatar which means you might struggle finding seats with Velocity initially.

I'd monitor what comes out and just book if the dates are remotely acceptable for your plans.

 

[Tiki]

I'm trying to get my head around the QR J seats that book as F seats. It's messing up availability to IST and SAW at least using AA miles. They will put BNE-DOH in J and DOH-IST/SAW in Y instead of J or F. My dates aren't open yet, I want this for March 2027 just doing dummy runs to assess availability trends. I much prefer to use AA due to low taxes.