Trying to synchronise a Done4 for me and a separate Award Booking for Mrs Paddy

[Paddy55]

While I've learned a lot from this forum, and made it to WP as a result, I'm trying to plan a trip in Jul 10 and I need some help else we'll have to plan for Jul 11 instead!

Background: I'm WP with 200,000 FF points, Mrs Paddy is FF with no status but 100,000 points.

What we'd like to do is travel to FRA next July together; me as part of my first DONE4, and Mrs Paddy on an award flight, in Bus class, sitting together. It seems QF5/6 are not having First Class sold, so sitting together in 3 or 4 E&F would be fantastic, and perhaps improbable.

I think it might work like this:

1. I plan to purchase a DONE4 ex DPS through the AA RTW desk given it seems about the cheapest option open.

2. Using my new WP leverage I assume I could combine our points onto my account and get Mrs Paddy a Bus Class award (?)

3. Again using my WP leverage I would then call Qantas to see how we might sit together on QF5... especially in P with J service if it is available.

Some questions:

1. Have I got the above right and has anyone done something like that before?

2. Can I make the DONE4 booking and then cancel/change dates if I can't get Mrs Paddy onto QF5 with me?

2. By travelling SYD-DPS to pick up my RTW ticket, then DPS-NRT-SYD as the first legs before April 10, Mrs Paddy will be Partner Gold. Will that provide any assistance in getting this all to happen as I need to?

Additional advice always appreciated.

Paddy

 

[serfty]

OK, firstly, it's going to be very difficult to put a Business class award together at this late stage.

Late?

Yes Late!:-|

To get any coherent oneworld award booking with Qantas, You needed to be looking to book July flights no later than August the year before.

In answer to your Questions:
1.

Yes and No; this has been done before and the best way seems to be to book the award flights first (in a routing valid for xONEx itineries), the book the DONEx on the same flights. (Award availability for a flight does tend to relate to also having D class availability on the same flight.)​

2.

ONEx booking are cancel-able with a 5% charge. Most changes (ex DPS) should be free. (Ticket price changes/tax variance may cause some additional payment). However, this is putting the cart before the horse - see #1.​

2'.

Mrs Paddy will get a 50% status bonus on QF, AA abd BA flights. That's about it as your booking would by then be well set.​

 

[Paddy55]

Serfty

Thanks for the advice.
Sounds like you have book the award flights as soon as the flights open.

Generally how early should DONE4s be booked? I know 1 yr would be perfect, but sometimes life isn't perfect.

Paddy

 

[serfty]

Depending on you routing, booking DONEx's 3-4 months out is generally OK.

D is discount Business class and some routes/times have very little availability.

 

[dajop]

What we'd like to do is travel to FRA next July together; me as part of my first DONE4, and Mrs Paddy on an award flight, in Bus class, sitting together. It

Are you planning on doing the entire trip together or just to FRA? (ie will Mrs Paddy try and follow you around on the DONE4 or will she be travelling separately back from FRA).

If you just want to get to FRA together - it should not be a problem if you don't want to travel around weekends - QF engine showing quite good availablility for J class redemptions SYD-FRA on MON/TUE/WED in Jul 2010.

If you want to get the whole trip together, that may be infinitely more complicated and may require some creativity in routing using difft OW carriers.