SC & FF points earn when buying extra seat "for comfort"?

[fabsnake]

I've done a search on these key words and didn't come up with anything close to what I am asking, so here's a new thread.

In some threads that I've looked at, members have mentioned that instead of buying a business seat, it is cheaper to buy 2 economy seats but leave one empty for extra space. It was also mentioned that you would get the relevant SCs and FF points for the empty seat as you have paid for it.

Well, I tried to do this yesterday with QFF over the phone while making a booking and paying for some of it with a credit voucher, and I was told unequivocally (after the operator went away to ask someone supposedly more knowledgeable) that if I purchased an extra seat and left it empty, I would NOT get the SCs or FF points for that empty seat, in addition to ones I earn for the seat I actually occupy.

Others must have done this before and found the opposite, why else would it be mentioned? Has Qantas changed the rules recently or was I just given a bum steer?

 

[serfty]

re: SC & FF points earn for buying extra seat "for comfort"?

I think the agent had the wrong impression.

Look here: Purchasing an extra seat for personal comfort

Purchasing an extra seat for personal comfort

Question

Can I purchase an extra seat for personal comfort?

Answer

Yes. Call your local Qantas office for more information about purchasing additional seats for personal comfort. Seat belt extensions can also be requested if required.

You can earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points for the extra seat subject to current Frequent Flyer terms and conditions.

I would call again and if you find a similar issue refer the agent to the above page.

 

[fabsnake]

thanks Serfty - do you have the URL to that page? I presume it's from the Qantas website?

It was the QFF customer service line I called and who gave me that advice.

sorry Serfty, didn't realise you had the link embedded in your reply before my previous reply - thanks!

I guess the "get out of jail free" statement for Qantas is the "subject to current Frequent Flyer terms and conditions." Can always use that to explain variation.....

 

[serfty]

The URL can be found by either quoting my post, mouse over on the link or clicking the link and reading the URL from the resultant page.

Another way is to go to www.qantas.com.au, select HELP then FAQ's.

After the FAQ's pages appears, enter "extra seat comfort" into the "Search by Keyword:" box and click Go.

The first item to appear should be: "1 Purchasing an extra seat for personal comfort"

 

[serfty]

...
I guess the "get out of jail free" statement for Qantas is the "subject to current Frequent Flyer terms and conditions." Can always use that to explain variation.....

I doubt it - basically that's there to indicate you must be a member of QFF to earn QFF points.

 

[fabsnake]

re: SC & FF points earn for buying extra seat "for comfort"?

I've just got off the phone to QFF customer service, and after the operator once again had to go ask someone else, the conclusion is that you CAN get SC & points for the empty seat, but you must keep your boarding passes and apply for the extras once you have returned as the system by default will only give you one set of SCs & points, it cannot recognise that an empty seat booked by a QFF member should also have the appropriate SCs & points credited to that member.
Is this what others have had to do to get their double SCs & points?

So, yes, I was given incorrect information originally.

 

[pshepvic]

re: SC & FF points earn for buying extra seat "for comfort"?

I've just got off the phone to QFF customer service, and after the operator once again had to go ask someone else, the conclusion is that you CAN get SC & points for the empty seat, but you must keep your boarding passes and apply for the extras once you have returned as the system by default will only give you one set of SCs & points, it cannot recognise that an empty seat booked by a QFF member should also have the appropriate SCs & points credited to that member.
Is this what others have had to do to get their double SCs & points?

Hmm - that sounds a bit silly. If the FF number is recorded against both bookings, and both check in, and both BPs are scanned confirming that the seats were "occupied" on the flight, then wouldn't it stand to reason that the system should credit you for both? Obviously what should happen and what does happen can be two different things...especially with the issues around crediting of flights recently.

Now on the subject of booking two seats - the general policy for double seat bookings for a "person of size" is that if you require two seats for the comfort of those around you, you should book and pay for 2 seats, and if the flight is not full, you can get a refund for the second seat. Could you argue that the same rule should apply in a situation where someone simply wants two seats but doesn't necessarily need them??

 

[oz_mark]

re: SC & FF points earn for buying extra seat "for comfort"?

Hmm - that sounds a bit silly. If the FF number is recorded against both bookings, and both check in, and both BPs are scanned confirming that the seats were "occupied" on the flight, then wouldn't it stand to reason that the system should credit you for both? Obviously what should happen and what does happen can be two different things...especially with the issues around crediting of flights recently.

In general, the system will not automatically credit you for the same sector twice in a day. So, even if you flew twice between Sydney and Melbourne in a day, on different flights, you would only automatically get credit for one.

 

[nonpop]

re: SC & FF points earn for buying extra seat "for comfort"?

In general, the system will not automatically credit you for the same sector twice in a day. So, even if you flew twice between Sydney and Melbourne in a day, on different flights, you would only automatically get credit for one.

Perosnally I find it does credit me correctly when I fly the same leg in the same day twice e.g I sometimes have to do Syd > Mel > Syd in the morning ... then in the afternoon will repeat it Syd > Mel (but usually not return to Syd until the following day).

 

[goldy]

re: SC & FF points earn for buying extra seat "for comfort"?

Hmm - that sounds a bit silly. If the FF number is recorded against both bookings, and both check in, and both BPs are scanned confirming that the seats were "occupied" on the flight, then wouldn't it stand to reason that the system should credit you for both? Obviously what should happen and what does happen can be two different things...especially with the issues around crediting of flights recently.

Now on the subject of booking two seats - the general policy for double seat bookings for a "person of size" is that if you require two seats for the comfort of those around you, you should book and pay for 2 seats, and if the flight is not full, you can get a refund for the second seat. Could you argue that the same rule should apply in a situation where someone simply wants two seats but doesn't necessarily need them??

You only have one booking reference and only get one BP with "EXST" in the service info box.

A simple email to the FF service centre sorts out the second lot of points and SC's. Its not ideal, but really isnt a drama. Ive found that the points and SC's post as a "points adjustment" instead of the actual flight details, but does count toward the 4 QF sectors. Might be a system limitation from their end.

No refund on the second seat unless the T&C's allow it as the second seat has identical fare rules. But if you have the second seat refunded, then you wont get the second seat, and knowing QF, they'd put someone next to you on purpose!

 

[serfty]

Relevant post from another thread:

Yes, but you cant book it yourself online, as the system will cancel the second booking in your name. You must call QF and there must be 2 seats in the same fare class available for you to book the second seat for what they call "comfort". They waive all the service fees because it can only be booked through them but you must pay the CC fee. Youll see the second seat it in your FF profile as EXST. You only get one boarding card (BC) which will have EXST written in the service info area at the bottom of the BC. The beauty of this is that you only pay the actual fare (plus GST) on the second seat and not the taxes.

Like I said, the second seat points and SC's do NOT automatically credit, but a quick email to the FF service centre sorts that out.

Smart way to get some comfort and full Y SC's.

If your really desperate for SC's you can even book 3 seats!! In my case, I needed the luggage allowance, and its good to know that if you have status with QF, the extra luggage benefits extend to each extra seat purchased.

 

[pmdg7444]

re: SC & FF points earn for buying extra seat "for comfort"?

You only have one booking reference and only get one BP with "EXST" in the service info box.

A simple email to the FF service centre sorts out the second lot of points and SC's. Its not ideal, but really isnt a drama. Ive found that the points and SC's post as a "points adjustment" instead of the actual flight details, but does count toward the 4 QF sectors. Might be a system limitation from their end.

No refund on the second seat unless the T&C's allow it as the second seat has identical fare rules. But if you have the second seat refunded, then you wont get the second seat, and knowing QF, they'd put someone next to you on purpose!

AS you all know, theres currently a companion J sale. Wonder if this would work, anyone use a companion sale to have an empty seat beside them in the past and be credited 2x SC + FFs?

 

[connieguy]

re: SC & FF points earn for buying extra seat "for comfort"?

...If your really desperate for SC's you can even book 3 seats!! In my case, I needed the luggage allowance, and its good to know that if you have status with QF, the extra luggage benefits extend to each extra seat purchased...

Thanks for that post. Good to know. Just might come in handy some day in the near future.

 

[goldy]

re: SC & FF points earn for buying extra seat "for comfort"?

AS you all know, theres currently a companion J sale. Wonder if this would work, anyone use a companion sale to have an empty seat beside them in the past and be credited 2x SC + FFs?

Interesting concept and itd be great if it worked as i think the companion sale for 2 people is still less than a normal J fare (to AKL anyway!)

BUT, I don't think it will for 2 reasons. Firstly the T&C's state that 2 people must travel together, and the way in which the extra seat is booked would not have "2 people" travelling together. Secondly, the companion fare includes all taxes on both fares, whereas with the extra seat, you dont need to pay the taxes, just the base fare plus GST.

Give it a go and let us know how you get on. Qantas just might surprise us.

Thanks for that post. Good to know. Just might come in handy some day in the near future.

The third seat in this case isnt booked as an EXST like the second seat is , but has to have a passenger name which QF usually make up to be EXST(first name) and then your surname. This confuses the hell out of checkin staff who cant understand why you have 3 seats booked for yourself, and who EXST "surname" is, despite extensive notes in the booking. A simple explanation usually gets you on your way and you have to email the FF service centre for the extra 2 sets of points and SC's.

Who'd be willing to try for 4 seats at the next sale??:idea:

 

[AWA2602]

Buying Two Y Seats Rather a single J Seat

Recently read an interesting article about saving money by buying two Y-class seats rather than paying the hefty premium for a J-class seat, so thought I'd give this a go for recent personal trip from Sydney to London. The two Y-class seats cost me $5,100, which compared to my company's corporate J-class fare of $10,500 meant I'd saved 5,400 of my hard-earned dollars up front! So far so good!

On the points and status credit side of the equation I earned 42,344 points and 180 SC's flying in Y-class compared to 26,465 points and 240 SC's had I flown in J-class. In so far as a points-earning run this trip was a winner, not so good from an SC earning persepctive and definitley a massive win for the wallet.

Being WP, the other massive benefit of two Y-class seats was the combined 128kg checked luggage allowance...very handy after a massive shopping spree during the January sales in London. I'd only have had 64kg if I'd bought a single J-class seat.

So the big question is "would I do it again?"..... in short, I have to say that, despite being able to pump an extra $5,600 into my retail therapy, no I would rather have paid the difference and flown J-class.

For the SYD-SIN-LHR leg I had seats 51B and 51C (the 2nd row of Y-class on QF's A380) and thankfully for the overnight sector from SIN to LHR 51A was not occupied so I had all three seats to myslef and was able to get into a reasonably flat sleeping position by propping my head and shoulders up against the window and stretching my legs over three seats. My sleep was equally aided by sleeping pills and disturbed by crew and other passengers bashing my legs and feet as they stumbled about in the dark cabin.

Despite being WP and a bit of a novelty for the crew (and a few other passengers) for buying two seats, the food, in-flight service and overall experience was still very Y-class and left me asking "whY on earth did I do that?" right up until the 4th day after I'd arrived in London when the jet-lag and muscle aches finally ended (I'm 6'4", hence I usually fly J-class)!

On day 5 of my trip I called QF and requested an upgrade for one of my Y seats and was pleasantly surprised when I checked in that I had been bumped to First all the way home. Great to get home relaxed, rested and refreshed....but I would have preferred to arrive at the start of my vacation that way.

So for me two Y-class tickets with QF is definitely only going to be a one-off. Curious to know if any other members have had better or worse experiences travelling this way with other carriers

 

[awilcockson]

Re: Buying Two Y Seats Rather a single J Seat

Being WP, the other massive benefit of two Y-class seats was the combined 128kg checked luggage allowance...very handy after a massive shopping spree during the January sales in London. I'd only have had 64kg if I'd bought a single J-class seat.

How did that work?

Can you book two tickets in your name, and get double the allowance?

Did you eat two meals at each service?

 

[dk4]

Re: Buying Two Y Seats Rather a single J Seat

Thanks for posting, I have been considering a variation of this concept for a while, all be it related to Premium Economy (particularly on airlines where there is no enhanced F&B service in P.E. when compared to Y service). The proportional increase in price for P.E. (on some airlines) bares no relevance to the small increase in space (& therefore my comfort).

Buying two (discount) Y seats on these airlines seems better value than purchasing a single P.E. seat: both in terms of (reducing) dollars spent and (increasing) guaranteed personal space.

 

[AVC]

Re: Buying Two Y Seats Rather a single J Seat

"Would you like the Chicken or the Beef?"

"I'll have both thanks"

Still a bit risky, even lucking out with the three seats.

Theoretically, you could have bought four Y class, still been ahead financially (albeit by a small amount), but been WAAY ahead in the points department. Four seats across the middle would mean no leg bumping whatsoever.

Also means you luggage allowance would have been nearly more than would go in a small car. But if you were planning on using that much, you may have had to hire some sherpas

 

[awilcockson]

Re: Buying Two Y Seats Rather a single J Seat

Theoretically, you could have bought four Y class, still been ahead financially (albeit by a small amount), but been WAAY ahead in the points department. Four seats across the middle would mean no leg bumping whatsoever.

So are you guys saying that you can purchase multiple seats, on the same flights, in the same name, and earn points/SCs on all of the seats?

I really wouldn't have thought that was possible.

 

[dk4]

Re: Buying Two Y Seats Rather a single J Seat

So are you guys saying that you can purchase multiple seats, on the same flights, in the same name, and earn points/SCs on all of the seats?

I really wouldn't have thought that was possible.

Previous AFF discussion -
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ough-questions-qantas-19618-2.html#post266885 (2009)

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....t-flyer-program/can-you-earn-sc-ff-29006.html (2011)