Biz Class - Call centre and E190

[juliusg]

Had several good 737-800 flights in biz, one of them was where I paid up the ticket from Saver to Biz in the lounge. Without a penalty, just the fare difference.

All this is in the quest for double status credits so I can hit Plat asap. Today I called the Velocity number, pumped in my ten digit member number after turning left and right (there does not appear to be any special treatment for Silver or Gold on that phone number IMHO), and tried to buy up a Saver fare to Biz, Melb - Adelaide. Firstly, the DJ 223 was showing online as biz seats at $499 on E190, but the call centre said no biz service on that flight. So what happens when someone buys that fare online?

Then they wanted to charge me $80 fee to pay up. I said I'd managed to do this without the fee recently, and the lady went off to ask the supervisor again.

But after 17 minutes, I called off.

I wonder what the group-think is about the change fee from Saver to Biz, in this situation (where the Biz fare is the most expensive in the bucket, so to speak). Do QF do this? Then there is the mysterious the situation re the E190 and biz service on DJ 223 on 28 Feb. I thought Biz was an option there, albeit in the former PE seats? And that's what the website is selling people, even though I could not buy it from the call centre.

All out of whack?

Thanks folks!

 

[pshepvic]

Personally I think there should be no change fee to upgrade to Business on the same flight. It should be treated the same as an upgrade credit or points though - ie. the same fare conditions as the original ticket (to stop people that want to cancel a flight without penalty, from upgrading to biz then canceling and getting a full refund). Not sure what Qantas do in this regard.


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[Bolthead]

Had several good 737-800 flights in biz, one of them was where I paid up the ticket from Saver to Biz in the lounge. Without a penalty, just the fare difference.

All this is in the quest for double status credits so I can hit Plat asap. Today I called the Velocity number, pumped in my ten digit member number after turning left and right (there does not appear to be any special treatment for Silver or Gold on that phone number IMHO), and tried to buy up a Saver fare to Biz, Melb - Adelaide. Firstly, the DJ 223 was showing online as biz seats at $499 on E190, but the call centre said no biz service on that flight. So what happens when someone buys that fare online?

Then they wanted to charge me $80 fee to pay up. I said I'd managed to do this without the fee recently, and the lady went off to ask the supervisor again.

But after 17 minutes, I called off.

I wonder what the group-think is about the change fee from Saver to Biz, in this situation (where the Biz fare is the most expensive in the bucket, so to speak). Do QF do this? Then there is the mysterious the situation re the E190 and biz service on DJ 223 on 28 Feb. I thought Biz was an option there, albeit in the former PE seats? And that's what the website is selling people, even though I could not buy it from the call centre.

All out of whack?

Thanks folks!

I agree when upgrading to business there should be no charge. The fares are higher enough to absorb any extra labour (button pushing) to make the change. When you hit Plat you get your 4 included upgrades (notice I didn't say free - let's face it you pay for it somewhere) and they don't charge you to change a flexi to business.

 

[muppet]

Then they wanted to charge me $80 fee to pay up. I said I'd managed to do this without the fee recently, and the lady went off to ask the supervisor again.

Hi juliusg

QF certainly do charge this fee. It's the fee as specified for the class and the fare difference to the same or higher value.

 

[mardy]

I thought the upgrade fee only applies to saver fares anyway.
Otherwise everybody would just upgrade to a Flexi or Business fare whenever they needed the flexibility.

Airlines have also been known to waive the fees on certain occasions (as you've no doubt experienced) but i don't think it should be counted on, after all that is why they are called Saver fares.

 

[pshepvic]

I thought the upgrade fee only applies to saver fares anyway.
Otherwise everybody would just upgrade to a Flexi or Business fare whenever they needed the flexibility.

Airlines have also been known to waive the fees on certain occasions (as you've no doubt experienced) but i don't think it should be counted on, after all that is why they are called Saver fares.

Fare enough (pardon the pun) if only changing to a Flexi, but if upgrading to J it's a bit unreasonable when the fare will be 3-5 times (or more) the original saver price - and certainly a lot more than the fee.


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