10 pts / $ for Qantas Vouchers - Back for Xmas 2014

[scheps]

So all bonus points are supposed to post by end of Feb/first week of March?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

So all bonus points are supposed to post by end of Feb/first week of March?

Depends when you buy them of course

Last year the experience seemed to be that if you redeemed prior to receiving the voucher via email first, points didn't post without being chased.

I seem to recall receiving early-mid December purchases around late January.

 

[astrosly]

As I wrote open jaw and multi city trips can be done using vouchers. All entirely within the terms and conditions.

SYD-LHR-FRA-SYD. How can this be done using vouchers? Not within the terms and conditions.

If you lack the imagination to move beyond a definition of multi city to see that a given trip can be achieved by a number of means that is your problem.

No amount of imagination is going to get the above on voucherS ...! I certainly don't appreciate the personal attack just because you can't move past your situation to others' situations. I am quite aware that some can be done; clearly your itineraries, but not everyone's, which is what I have been trying to say.

Take this example, entirely domestic and entirely factual as I booked this recently:
I am travelling Armidale to Ayers Rock and back next year.
- I can do just a straight return ticket, yes, but I can't make the 6.30am flight outbound (only option that comes up using a voucher!) so I will have to book to leave the day beforehand and o/n in Sydney. Can't do all this on a voucher!
- OK, use a voucher for ARM-SYD, done. Now I need to book SYD-AYQ-ARM, can't do on a voucher!
- OK, split rest of outbound and inbound, no problem, voucher for SYD-AYQ, done.
- Return flight AYQ-ARM, I want (a) Flex-E for the sectors AYQ-SYD and then Disc-E for SYD-ARM, and (b) must be on the same ticket BECAUSE of the connection times I don't want to risk a late arrival into Sydney and miss the Armidale flight and then be left with "sorry, but that is on a different PNR so no protection for you". It doesn't take much imagination to understand this is one of the reasons people want or indeed need to put all flights on one booking rather than scatter them around different PNRs. Can't do it on a voucher! So I book this last the only way I can to get these criteria: as a multicity and therefore, no voucher.

Yes it could have been achieved but it was NOT what I wanted in the booking and I certainly did use my imagination to get this booked the way I needed it as demonstrated above. And that is the point I'm making - people want or need certain conditions on their bookings which just can't be done with vouchers and it is not a lack of imagination, it is a lack of flexibility in voucher conditions.

 

[astrosly]

Can the vouchers be used on Emirates flights with QF codes to New Zealand or is it Qantas metal flights only.

Yes they can, but only in certain routing combinations.
e.g. PER-SYD-AKL: no, only QF. SYD-AKL, yes QF codeshares on EK and LAN.
I seems that if the codeshar is the only flight then it can but if you have more than one flight then it is all QF or nothing. I noticed it does this with JQ too (but no complaints here).

 

[fersea]

This isn't an argument, I agree with you and am far from a QF apologist, I do however have a systems architecture background and for whatever reasons, QF have chosen to implement it this way.

From a systems perspective they have chosen the quickest and dirtiest method to do this, off the back of their customer care vouchers.

What I am saying is that it would be a significant investment to implement as you propose and little gain to QF from doing so.

Let's be honest, outside 10x points offers, how many of these do you think they actually sell in a year?

You are assuming that the only revenue Qantas generates is from flights. I would have thought that it was an easy problem to fix but I am speaking from a point of ignorance. And I was more highlighting the problem rather than the solution.

 

[opusman]

people want or need certain conditions on their bookings which just can't be done with vouchers and it is not a lack of imagination, it is a lack of flexibility in voucher conditions.

Exactly, and the lack of flexibility is because Qantas have chosen to kludge vouchers in as a feature of their existing booking system. If they instead treated them as a form of payment (like every other company that issues gift vouchers does), rather than a changeable booking, all of the inflexibility would instantly disappear.

 

[scheps]

Depends when you buy them of course
.

Oh just assuming 8 weeks post promotion end date of 31st of December hence those dates. I assume phone calls would be needed after that (need to draw a line somewhere, don't let it drag on etc). And also good to know when points will post therefore can be used.

 

[basso]

Yes it could have been achieved but it was NOT what I wanted in the booking and I certainly did use my imagination to get this booked the way I needed it as demonstrated above. And that is the point I'm making - people want or need certain conditions on their bookings which just can't be done with vouchers and it is not a lack of imagination, it is a lack of flexibility in voucher conditions.

Vouchers have a particular use case - and one of the things is that they are gift vouchers, intended for you to buy and gift to someone else. Gift Vouchers were not designed around the point hackers that frequent this site, If you don't like the conditions then they are not for you. As for why they work the way they do, one would guess they went to Amadeus as their provider, and asked them for s solution....

 

[scheps]

Vouchers have a particular use case

I agree, however, they could also make it more user friendly, to encompass all types of bookings. But it is their choice not to. I am sure they are aware of that and there should be a reason behind the decision.

 

[JohnK]

Let's be honest, outside 10x points offers, how many of these do you think they actually sell in a year?

How many people know about the $7.70 saving by using these vouchers?

I am booked solid through to August 2015 so I will not be purchasing too many vouchers this time around but if at point in time I need to book some flights then I will purchase a $50 voucher to use on those flights.

 

[eminere]

How many people know about the $7.70 saving by using these vouchers?

Not me, prior to this thread. Could've saved me some hefty booking fees for my trips earlier this year.

Now I know.

 

[GalaxyNexus]

Whoa, it's 30$ off any international booking then? Also, same trick apparently apply to Jetstar.

 

[drsmithy]

Vouchers have a particular use case - and one of the things is that they are gift vouchers, intended for you to buy and gift to someone else. Gift Vouchers were not designed around the point hackers that frequent this site, If you don't like the conditions then they are not for you. As for why they work the way they do, one would guess they went to Amadeus as their provider, and asked them for s solution....

People used to how normal gift vouchers work, though - basically like cash - may be in for a rude shock.

Is there a way to find out whether or not a particular flight at a particular price is available for use with one of these vouchers, without having already purchased it ?

 

[serfty]

...

Is there a way to find out whether or not a particular flight at a particular price is available for use with one of these vouchers, without having already purchased it ?

Any simple one-way or return serach booking originating in Australia can be booked with these. My Process is -

• find availability on the flight/price you want using one-line one-way or return searches.
• Buy Gift Voucher (record PNR).
• Wait for Email confirmation and one day.
• Use voucher to search same flights - select and proceed.
• Of course, there is the risk that the sale expires or fare bucket runs out while arranging the voucher.

 

[basso]

People used to how normal gift vouchers work, though - basically like cash - may be in for a rude shock.

The whole idea of a voucher is that you give it to someone else. That is why it is called a gift voucher. They then get to use it in accordance with its T&Cs. If you use it within the restrictions of the gift voucher, it is very much like cash.

 

[JohnK]

Yes they can, but only in certain routing combinations.
e.g. PER-SYD-AKL: no, only QF. SYD-AKL, yes QF codeshares on EK and LAN.
I seems that if the codeshar is the only flight then it can but if you have more than one flight then it is all QF or nothing. I noticed it does this with JQ too (but no complaints here).

Not quite true.

Try BNE-CNX. Offers both PG and QF codeshare flights for BKK-CNX in 3 segment itinerary.

 

[jackrayers]

Hey guys, sorry if this has been answered earlier but couldn't find anything directly on it.

I'm hoping to book an itinerary that includes two US airways flight codes in it, with a single QF code (Sydney to Dallas), and then on return two United Airlines flights along with Dallas to Sydney.

Would this itinerary be eligible under a voucher or is it purely for QF flight codes?

Cheers in advance!

 

[JohnK]

I'm hoping to book an itinerary that includes two US airways flight codes in it, with a single QF code (Sydney to Dallas), and then on return two United Airlines flights along with Dallas to Sydney.

Would this itinerary be eligible under a voucher or is it purely for QF flight codes?

Welcome to AFF jackrayers.

The vouchers don't appear to have restrictions on codeshares available. I have found in some instances limited flights available but generally all flights bookable (one way or return ex-Australia) should be available to be booked using the voucher.

If you let me know the itinerary and dates I can check using an existing voucher.

 

[jackrayers]

Welcome to AFF jackrayers.

The vouchers don't appear to have restrictions on codeshares available. I have found in some instances limited flights available but generally all flights bookable (one way or return ex-Australia) should be available to be booked using the voucher.

If you let me know the itinerary and dates I can check using an existing voucher.

Hi John, thanks for the welcome!

Planned itinerary is as follows:
SYD to PWM: 18th Jan '15: QF7 -> US1795 -> US4553
PWM to SYD: 8th June '15: UA3701 -> UA280 -> QF8

Thanks again for the help, it's much appreciated!

 

[JohnK]

Planned itinerary is as follows:
SYD to PWM: 18th Jan '15: QF7 -> US1795 -> US4553
PWM to SYD: 8th June '15: UA3701 -> UA280 -> QF8

It would appear that it is not possible to book flights to PWM using gift voucher. Only PDX is possible.

Glitch? I guess you can call and find out.