Can QF call centres combine two PNR's into one?

[madrooster]

I booked SYD > LAX as a business classic award on Qantas arriving on Friday and then booked LAX > DTW as a separate economy classic award on Qantas (operated by AA).

You cannot link QF and another carrier - the system won't even let you.

 

[Mwenenzi]

I've got a question related to this. I booked SYD > LAX as a business classic award on Qantas arriving on Friday and then booked LAX > DTW as a separate economy classic award on Qantas (operated by AA). Would it be safe to assume that me calling in to link the reservations will do nothing in terms of re-protection should I encounter delays leaving Australia (my stopover in LA is 12 hours)? I'm also guessing that Qantas won't through check my bags to Detroit either on account of it being separate itineraries and that overnight layover in LA?

Even if QF tagged your bag with the DTW flight you need to pick up bags at LAX and process USA LAX immigration & customs with all your checked and carry on bags. Then bag drop for the DTW flight (if AA accept 12 hours before). Unsure is SYD can-will issue a boarding pass for the separate LAX-DTW AA marketed AA operated flight.

AA have recently changed (back) the guidelines for protection on separate AA-OW flights. A long FT thread on that topic (go to the last posts)

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Even if QF tagged your bag with the DTW flight you need to pick up bags at LAX and process USA LAX immigration & customs with all your checked and carry on bags. Then bag drop for the DTW flight (if AA accept 12 hours before). Unsure is SYD can-will issue a boarding pass for the separate LAX-DTW AA marketed AA operated flight.

The main benefit here would be that the 3 checked bag allowance (at 32 kg) would be recognized for the subsequent flight up to DTW. If it was separate I would have to remove those tags and check in as though it was a brand new flight. Now in theory I should still have 3 checked bags flying economy on American since when I made that booking I was a OneWorld Emerald (Qantas Platinum). But it's always nice to have the peace of mind knowing my bags will be accepted for that next trip up to DTW without the spectre having to argue with the agent on AA baggage policies.

AA have recently changed (back) the guidelines for protection on separate AA-OW flights. A long FT thread on that topic (go to the last posts)

Thanks for pointing that out. For those curious, the policy can be found at this AA website, scroll to the heading which states Separate Tickets, quoting from there:

When a customer is holding separate ticket(s) on AA to/from a oneworld carrier in the same or separate PNR, they should be treated as through ticketed customers.

In the event of a disruption on the originating ticket, the carrier responsible for the disruption is required to reroute the customer to their final destination.

Travel Agents will need to contact AA Reservations for protection and reissue assistance.

AA Reservations 1-800-433-7300 (U.S. and Canada)

Outside the U.S. and Canada, reference Worldwide Reservations Numbers

If the IROPS occurred in a flight on the AA ticket and a refund request is placed, the AA 001 ticket must be refunded through AA and the oneworld through the stock owners refund department.

In other words, if Qantas were to some how completely mess up this trip resulting in me arriving more than 12 hours later into LAX then they will be required to reaccomodate me on another flight to DTW (i.e. reprotection). This would be in addition to whatever statutory rights I have under Article 19 of the Montreal Convention (i.e. reimbursing me for hotel night not used, meals, and any other out of pocket expenses incurred that are proximate to the disruption).