Accessing status benefits via FQTS while avoiding earning any points

[muppet]

Hi all

I’m travelling with my new employer that doesn’t permit staff to earn FF points.

Is it possible to access WP seat selection options using FQTS on Qantas and Virgin but leaving the point earning field blank?

I.e. I want WP benefits but not earn points and SCs?

I tried calling but you can imagine how that went . Hoping there may be an option via the travel agent.

thanks
M

 

[Mwenenzi]

If your employer has a corporate TA they will be used what can~cannot be done.
Similarly likely will be 1 or more co-workers who play the ff miles/points and status game.
With some employers can earn SC but not ff miles/points.

 

[Hvr]

If your employer's TA does the bookings they know what fare codes to book. In fact their contract with your employer will specify what benefits pax receive.

 

[oz_mark]

Is your employer government? Is so, adding your FF number as normal will not result in you getting points (but you will get SC).

 

[Stealthflyer]

Is your employer government? Is so, adding your FF number as normal will not result in you getting points (but you will get SC).

Which government does this? The one I work for simply asks us to not be swayed by points and to consider redeeming points for a work flight if we’ve earned points from previous work flights. It’s pretty vague.

 

[muppet]

Which government does this? The one I work for simply asks us to not be swayed by points and to consider redeeming points for a work flight if we’ve earned points from previous work flights. It’s pretty vague.

The Federal Government has contracts with QF and VA that mean fares are non-points earning.

 

[muppet]

Is your employer government? Is so, adding your FF number as normal will not result in you getting points (but you will get SC).

Nope. Hence the thread.

Anyway. Seems to be impossible based on airline call centre, corp TA and another thread where I read that QF doesn’t use FQTS (can’t tell with VA but probably less likely).

I will travel like a plebb to avoid accidentally earning points.

 

[CaptJCool]

https://www.qantas.com/agencyconnect/au/en/policies/book/seating/select-a-seat.html#preferred-seating

This might be a way around “missing out” on a seat up the front ?

 

[Cynicor]

This is a very odd thread. It seems as if adding the ff number would award points, as opposed to the fare not earning points, and that for some reason that isn’t allowed by the company?

If the fare is just non points earning surely it’s simple.
And if the fare does earn points, surely it doesn’t matter whether the company knows or not??

 

[2APlease]

Nope. Hence the thread.

Anyway. Seems to be impossible based on airline call centre, corp TA and another thread where I read that QF doesn’t use FQTS (can’t tell with VA but probably less likely).

I will travel like a plebb to avoid accidentally earning points.

I can confirm that Qantas uses FQTS as it has screwed me up royally.
Booked Mel/Syd/Yvr under my QFF but subsequently flew Japan Airlines so much that it is now my primary Oneworld status account. So at the airport (since there was no online way to change the asssigned program even indirectly via Finnair) I asked for it to be changed to JL. Sure enough my boarding passes showed my Sapphire status but my points went to my QFF. Booking management now shows both programs so the checkin agent put my JL details into FQTS and left FQTV unchanged.
Bye bye Emerald this year!

 

[Ade]

Is it possible to access WP seat selection options using FQTS on Qantas and Virgin but leaving the point earning field blank?

I.e. I want WP benefits but not earn points and SCs?

Is your employer government? Is so, adding your FF number as normal will not result in you getting points (but you will get SC).

Nope. Hence the thread.

@muppet - just so I get my understanding right - you are QF WP, you are flying on a government fare, which is supposed to earn only SCs and not QF points. However, when you entered your FF number in the booking, you did not earn SCs or points? Where did you enter the FF number?

Some of my mates work for the government and they normally enter their FF number via QF MMB or the government TA enters it when they make a booking. All of my mates have received their SCs, but no points - all flying QF (as recently as yesterday). I had to Google what FQTS was and What I don't know is (and my mates don't know is), if FQTS was involved in their bookings.

Wondering Is your situation different to my mates' ?

 

[muppet]

@muppet - just so I get my understanding right - you are QF WP, you are flying on a government fare, which is supposed to earn only SCs and not QF points. However, when you entered your FF number in the booking, you did not earn SCs or points? Where did you enter the FF number?

Some of my mates work for the government and they normally enter their FF number via QF MMB or the government TA enters it when they make a booking. All of my mates have received their SCs, but no points - all flying QF (as recently as yesterday). I had to Google what FQTS was and What I don't know is (and my mates don't know is), if FQTS was involved in their bookings.

Wondering Is your situation different to my mates' ?

Hi @Ade

Yes, very different to your mates. I was not travelling on a government fare and I wanted to prevent myself earning points, while still accessing the benefits of being a WP.

The Australian Government has negotiated private fares that earn SC but not points. My employer is not the Australian Government and the fares it purchases do earn points and SC. However, my employer has a policy that says earning points and SC is not allowed, so if I put my FF number into the booking to access preferential seats, then I will earn points and be in breach of the policy.

In any event, my post was over a year ago and I sat in a crummy middle seat - the J Lounge couldn’t work out how to let me in without my QFF number on the booking and me earning points so just waved me through after lots of typing. But obviously without the WP number on the booking, my seat selection options were limited.

However, @2APlease seems to have found a way for Qantas to use FQTV and FQTS but only when you don’t want it.

 

[Ade]

Hi @Ade

Yes, very different to your mates. I was not travelling on a government fare and I wanted to prevent myself earning points, while still accessing the benefits of being a WP.

The Australian Government has negotiated private fares that earn SC but not points. My employer is not the Australian Government and the fares it purchases do earn points and SC. However, my employer has a policy that says earning points and SC is not allowed, so if I put my FF number into the booking to access preferential seats, then I will earn points and be in breach of the policy.

In any event, my post was over a year ago and I sat in a crummy middle seat - the J Lounge couldn’t work out how to let me in without my QFF number on the booking and me earning points so just waved me through after lots of typing. But obviously without the WP number on the booking, my seat selection options were limited.

However, @2APlease seems to have found a way for Qantas to use FQTV and FQTS but only when you don’t want it.

Okie. Now it totally makes sense. You are trying to avoid earning any SC/Points due to company policy. My mates' situation was different. Too bad QF doesn't seem to have a mechanism to add status to the ticket without earning SC/Points. I did some Googling and found that SQ has an option where the FF can be with one airline, but points can be credited to a different airline, which would have, I'm assuming worked in your favour. Just add QF WP to the status and leave the points one blank.

 

[Forg]

It’s not possible to donate FF points somehow, is it?

 

[justinbrett]

It’s not possible to donate FF points somehow, is it?

It is possible to call QF and ask for the points to be removed.

I have done it many times when some of my WoAG travel had accidentally earnt points. JQ was a frequent offender.

 

[samh004]

In any event, my post was over a year ago and I sat in a crummy middle seat - the J Lounge couldn’t work out how to let me in without my QFF number on the booking and me earning points so just waved me through after lots of typing. But obviously without the WP number on the booking, my seat selection options were limited.

Would it not have been possible to add your number to the booking to select seats, and then when entering the lounge, just ask them to remove the number?

I'm not sure why an employer would buy points-earning flights and not allow staff to earn points, just from the simple reason that they'd then earn QBR points themselves, which would save them on future bookings for employees. I don't own a business and even I know that

 

[muppet]

It is possible to call QF and ask for the points to be removed.

I have done it many times when some of my WoAG travel had accidentally earnt points. JQ was a frequent offender.

I tried once and was very specific with dates and flight numbers of 2 domestic flights of the points to be removed and the response was “So before I go ahead, just to confirm you want me to delete all the points (300,000) in your account.”

Needless to say I said no, leave them and quickly hung up the call.

 

[justinbrett]

I tried once and was very specific with dates and flight numbers of 2 domestic flights of the points to be removed and the response was “So before I go ahead, just to confirm you want me to delete all the points (300,000) in your account.”

Needless to say I said no, leave them and quickly hung up the call.

I just did it via email to the FF address, never had a problem.

 

[muppet]

I just did it via email to the FF address, never had a problem.

Same and they replied with a phone call. I’ve never attempted again.

 

[gaz0303]

What’s the reason a private company has this policy? Is purchasing management not trusting a bfod policy, government contract work or HR thinking that travelling for work is a perk not available to all?