Using QFF points for flights within South America

[PeterOwens]

Hi

Newbie question - I figure I should be able to use QFF points to book flights within South America on LAN but this doesn't seem possible online

Is it possible by calling QANTAS ?

Will I still be charged the extra points penalty for not booking online even when that isn't possible ?

Would like to book LIM-CUZ, JUL-LIM-IGU, IGU-GIG, GIG-EZE

[TABLE="width: 29"]
[TR]
[TD]Thanks

Peter[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[opusman]

Yes you can redeem QFF points for LAN flights but you can only do it over the phone. And they will charge you a phone booking assistance fee, which you can pay in cash or points.

 

[PeterOwens]

Thanks for your help

 

[Mark3000]

Great question, please let us know how you get on and how easy it is to find flights

 

[AWSH]

Hi

Newbie question - I figure I should be able to use QFF points to book flights within South America on LAN but this doesn't seem possible online

Is it possible by calling QANTAS ?

Will I still be charged the extra points penalty for not booking online even when that isn't possible ?

Would like to book LIM-CUZ, JUL-LIM-IGU, IGU-GIG, GIG-EZE

[TABLE="width: 29"]
[TR]
[TD]Thanks

Peter[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Great question, I want to do exactly the same thing. Please report back how you go!!

 

[juddles]

Me too. I live in Sth America and have a gazzillion QF points. Have always been too lazy to ring anyone. I am one of those people that prefers to spend three days working out how to do something online, just to avoid a half-hour phone call

 

[opusman]

Just as a point of reference, recently I made a couple of LAN bookings using QFF points:

LIM - CUS / JUL - LIM - 20000 pts + $19.60 ~~~ plus $35 phone booking fee, per passenger.
SCL - CAL - SCL - 28000 pts+ $27.60 ~~~ per pax, plus $60 phone booking fee, per passenger.


Why were the phone assist fees different? To be honest, I'm not sure Presumably one was charged at the domestic rate ($35), and one at the international rate ($60). I don't know which was correct and didn't want to risk ringing to ask in case they wanted more money.

 

[blackcat20]

I always find that asking nicely for the phone fee to be waived works in my favour...

 

[opusman]

I always find that asking nicely for the phone fee to be waived works in my favour...

Definitely worth a try, but I did ask both times and was denied.

 

[Mark3000]

Me too. I live in Sth America and have a gazzillion QF points. Have always been too lazy to ring anyone. I am one of those people that prefers to spend three days working out how to do something online, just to avoid a half-hour phone call

Ha ha that's hilarious, that is me exactly too.

 

[Red Roo]

Just as a point of reference, recently I made a couple of LAN bookings using QFF points:

LIM - CUS / JUL - LIM - 20000 pts + $19.60 ~~~ plus $35 phone booking fee, per passenger.
SCL - CAL - SCL - 28000 pts+ $27.60 ~~~ per pax, plus $60 phone booking fee, per passenger.


Why were the phone assist fees different? To be honest, I'm not sure Presumably one was charged at the domestic rate ($35), and one at the international rate ($60). I don't know which was correct and didn't want to risk ringing to ask in case they wanted more money.

Many AFFers are proud to say they know more than some of our phone consultants, and in this case your instincts were correct.

Both bookings listed above are considered to be domestic, and therefore you should have been charged a phone booking fee of $35 (or 3,500 Qantas Points) for each of them. $60 (or 6,000 Qantas Points) is charged for international bookings.

Upon further investigation, and as luck would have it, a system glitch meant that the incorrectly quoted $60 was never charged to your credit card. As a goodwill gesture on this occasion, I've arranged for this particular booking to be exempt of a phone assistance fee altogether.

This example has been passed on internally for follow up with the relevant consultant. Coaching is always better with illustrations, and I'd encourage you to contact us about such matters in future.

 

[opusman]

Upon further investigation, and as luck would have it, a system glitch meant that the incorrectly quoted $60 was never charged to your credit card. As a goodwill gesture on this occasion, I've arranged for this particular booking to be exempt of a phone assistance fee altogether.

Well what can I say but thanks!

(Also, interesting to know that RR is keeping track of who "opusman" is - I'd better start being nice from now on! )

 

[opusman]

By the way, to those in this thread asking about booking flights like this using points, the two phone consultants I spoke to were both very helpful and the process was extremely quick and easy - so don't be put off by the idea of having to do it over the phone as opposed to online.

 

[AWSH]

By the way, to those in this thread asking about booking flights like this using points, the two phone consultants I spoke to were both very helpful and the process was extremely quick and easy - so don't be put off by the idea of having to do it over the phone as opposed to online.

Great to hear, I've always been concerned that calling up and making difficult points bookings just makes me seem like a difficult customer, so I've only ever booked what was available online.

In my South American example, in addition to needing some internal points flights, I want to fly MEL-AKL-SCL and return on the same booking, with the MEL-AKL leg using points to fly in F on EK, and the other legs paid for in Y on LAN/QF.

The Mrs and I have never flown in F and this seems like a good opportunity, plus it would give us access to the Flounge in MEL.

Is this possible?

 

[TheRealTMA]

By the way, to those in this thread asking about booking flights like this using points, the two phone consultants I spoke to were both very helpful and the process was extremely quick and easy - so don't be put off by the idea of having to do it over the phone as opposed to online.

Sounds like we are starting to suck up to RR now

 

[opusman]

I want to fly MEL-AKL-SCL and return on the same booking, with the MEL-AKL leg using points to fly in F on EK, and the other legs paid for in Y on LAN/QF.

You could do that as QF8762 (EK) MEL-AKL and then QF321 (LA) from AKL-SCL. The mixed class would certainly be doable as separate bookings, but I'm not sure if you can do mixed class bookings on points - perhaps Red Roo can answer that. Or just call Qantas and ask.

 

[Bindibuys]

While researching for next trip, I was looking for AMM - DXB could not make on line come up, YET I could book DXB-AMM-DXB, which to me meant it was do-able, just not on-line. Quick call to QFF and they were able to tell me how many points etc for my 1 way request. So definitely worth a call.

May I apologise in advance to the poor soul who will get my call when it comes time to book??

 

[john john]

While in South America for several months on a couple of land sectors (SCL GYE and GYE CCS) of a LONE4 back in 2010 we found the Qantas office in Buenos Aires very helpful to book a few frequent flyer rewards (CUZ-LIM-GYE and JTC-MDE). Just go with good ID to get through security. Also very useful was a subscription to the KVS tool to investigate availability of FF seats on the many routes that aren't on the website (and again later in the trip for GBE-JNB-CPT-JNB in Africa). We had skype to a Qantas call centre as a back up option but it was great to be able to hand to someone a piece of paper with our desired routes knowing that there was seats on the flight and bucket we wanted. Using the KVS tool I noted that there was often availability of frequent flyer seats close to flight date.

 

[morfergus]

I too have been loathe to make phone bookings until last year when I wanted to book an internal flight in Japan because I couldn't get the flight I wanted online. So I made the call and found the consultant very helpful and got the flights I wanted, so will be more inclined to do so again. I don't recall paying a phone assistance fee either.

Another tip more relevant to travel in South America is to book on the local web sites in the local language. I did this for travel on Gol within Brazil a few years ago even though my Portugese was terrible. With the assistance of Google translate I could work out what to enter in each booking field and successfully hooked the flight for my wife and me, at a much cheaper price than booking it through the English language site.

 

[Beckk]

Im all abut finding it online as well!!