AKL-CBR J booking - domestic connection offered only in Y?

[Mattg]

I've been looking at business class fares from AKL to CBR, which are obviously all via either SYD, MEL or BNE.

On certain random dates, but not others, all the connecting flights from SYD or MEL to CBR are in Y - even when booking full-fare Business Flex on aircraft which have J cabins and J seats available for sale when booking as a point-to-point flight.

It only affects some dates (e.g. 30 May) but not others, and BNE-CBR connections on the E190 are offered in J.

Anyone know what's going on?

 

[justinbrett]

Married segments I assume, they forgot (or chose not to) load J

Not that surprising, as it's often cheaper to fly SYD-AKL in J than it is to fly SYD-CBR in J.

 

[Mattg]

Another strange one...

 

[justinbrett]

Another strange one...

View attachment 320083

I guess that fare exists now we have QF3/4

But if you book on a 737/A330 obviously there is no Y+ cabin.

 

[ShrinkWrapped]

it's not a married segment logic issue, it's actually a manipulative QF search engine issue to maximize profits I've concluded. I've mentioned this before in a previous akl - per discussion, where the trans-continental books into economy on no matter the business fare (J, C, D or I).

there are published through D, C and J class fares available for through travel with domestic in their respective business fare class but you need to use a TA for it like Expedia, amex travel etc.

I suspect the QF website does it because the through fare earn much less revenue than actually selling the domestic J leg separately. for example, the D class AKL-PER via Mel/Syd/bne is 3100 NZD incl. tax.

a D class transcon syd-per-syd is 5719 AUD before tax when not on sale.....no wonder why they try to limit business domestic add ons...

but maybe I'm being cynical? but point is, you can force the actual fare into business via a TA or I suspect calling QF direct

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Yeah qf website has been like this for a while. Ex nz very difficult to find oz domestic legs in j on a j fare. Mel-syd vv and syd-bne vv the main exceptions.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Another strange one...

View attachment 320083

Interestingly, have been looking at MEL-SYD-CHC BC return( DSC to maintain SG) in February and all the Mel-Syd-Mel legs are in Y @Mattg!

 

[ShrinkWrapped]

Yeah qf website has been like this for a while. Ex nz very difficult to find oz domestic legs in j on a j fare. Mel-syd vv and syd-bne vv the main exceptions.

it's only hard if you use a QF search engine, it's easy if you use any TA or OTA. while there are some married segment restrictions it's been very easy far to get D fares. there are no published I fares beyond the three eastern ports I can find

 

[Flyfrequently]

Interestingly, have been looking at MEL-SYD-CHC BC return( DSC to maintain SG) in February and all the Mel-Syd-Mel legs are in Y @Mattg!

**edit** this could have been MEL-SYD legs to Wellington- too much searching for me in the early hours

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

it's only hard if you use a QF search engine, it's easy if you use any TA or OTA. while there are some married segment restrictions it's been very easy far to get D fares. there are no published I fares beyond the three eastern ports I can find

Thanks. For simple itineraries I prefer to use airline as easier in the event schedules change (which is quite common these days).

Good to know its mainly qf website creating restrictions, so can weigh up options. Of course it would be better if qf didn't create these obstacles.

 

[justinbrett]

The why makes sense (blocking of J domestic fares that are more expensive than the international J fares to NZ), but it's a little weird they've blocked the married segments on QF (it's not a search issue, you can do a multi city booking and it won't allow them to be combined), but they haven't done it for external bookings.

I guess QF gets a large portion of its bookings directly so maybe it's not a huge issue.

 

[Mattg]

it's only hard if you use a QF search engine, it's easy if you use any TA or OTA. while there are some married segment restrictions it's been very easy far to get D fares. there are no published I fares beyond the three eastern ports I can find

Well I ended up booking AKL-MEL-CBR in J. Booked a day later than I originally wanted and was able to get it all in I class

Booked on the Qantas website.

 

[nancypants]

I know it sounds stupid but are you certain it’s not just that they’ve loaded an all Y configuration 717?

 

[Mattg]

I know it sounds stupid but are you certain it’s not just that they’ve loaded an all Y configuration 717?

Not a stupid question. I did check that but no, all the 717 flights I was looking at had J cabins.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

I know it sounds stupid but are you certain it’s not just that they’ve loaded an all Y configuration 717?

The same issue arises on other domestic flights with 737 or a330.