Classic Reward Flights Generic Error when booking J seats on multiple legs

[Vee711]

I've come across this error recently and it's been a little frustrating. I've found a fix for it which I will write at the end of the post.

So I'm booking multiple Classic Reward tickets from BNE - MEL - HKG - TPE - NRT - HKG - SYD.

BNE - MEL (Y) QF
MEL - HKG (J) QF
HKG - TPE (Y) CI
TPE - NRT (J) CI/JAL
**Next two flights were booked at a later date **
NRT - HKG (J) CX
HKG - SYD (J) CX

Most the long-haul international flights I've managed to find J seats for. Great! But when it comes to going through the Classic Rewards platform and booking the first 4 flights, an error comes up (I don't remember what the exact error was but something along the lines of "there's a generic error in the system. Try again later"). I did a lot of trial and error by removing some of the legs to see which ticket was generating the error - I narrowed it down to BNE-MEL(Y)-HKG(J). So I called Qantas and explained what I was trying to book. She went through the process and agreed an error was coming up on her end as well and suggested that the MEL-HKG J seat probably doesn't exist. Fair enough.

I decided to do a bit more trial and error and here's where things started working - I tried booking MEL-HKG (J) by itself and it worked!!! I then booked the other 3 flights together as one booking and that was fine too! So now I've got the first 4 flights booked albeit in 2 separate bookings.

After a couple weeks, I decided to try my luck on the return flights. Managed to find NRT-HKG-SYD J seats. Perfect. Tried booking both legs and the same generic error came up. Decided to take the risk and book them separately to see if it might resolve the error and it did! I booked the HKG-SYD leg first because that was the longer flight and if it didn't work then I could at least consider alternative routes.

Now I've just got to ask QF to link up the flights at check-in so baggage can be transferred during the layover in Melbourne (which should be fine from experience). There's also the risk of flights getting delayed and because the flights aren't booked together, I may not have recourse if I miss the connecting flight.

So I guess my question is - does anyone know what causes the error when trying to book J flights? And is there another solution instead of having to book separately?

 

[Matt_01]

There was an article posted by a few years back about the error codes and what causes them. I cannot find the link however someone else may have it.

 

[dylarr]

There was an article posted by a few years back about the error codes and what causes them. I cannot find the link however someone else may have it.

This one here:

Qantas Website Error Codes (And How to Avoid Them)

If you've ever tried to make a complex booking using the multi-city booking tool on the Qantas website, you've probably encountered some of the many error messages that it often displays.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Vee711]

This one here:

Qantas Website Error Codes (And How to Avoid Them)

If you've ever tried to make a complex booking using the multi-city booking tool on the Qantas website, you've probably encountered some of the many error messages that it often displays.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Thanks! I had a look through this but I don't think the error I experienced is listed here.

I definitely remember the error including the words "generic" in there. Not sure if I can replicate the error again as I've already booked the flights..

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Trying to add a domestic connector in multi city will usually result in an error. There’s a hard block on sales and it doesn’t matter if each sector shows, the system won’t let you book it. If you are platinum or higher and get through to hobart, or are lucky enough to get to hobart some other way, they can add the domestic sector. But overseas call centres can’t do it.

The block works either way. Book BNE-MEL then MEL-HKG will show unavailable to the call centre.
Book MEL-HKG and the domestic sector suddenly disappears! The agents don’t understand this, and will tell you all sorts of things like ‘there’s no availability’, ‘you have outdated information’, ‘the website doesn’t update in real time’, or ‘qantas doesn’t fly between BNE and MEL after 8am, in any day of the year’.

Very frustrating. Agents will also tell you to book the sectors separately and they can add them to the same booking (NOT possible!). Agents don’t understand these domestic sectors can often be added for no cost at the through fare.

Domestic sectors automatically offered don’t have this problem. If you search MEL-HKG and the system offers MEL-SYD-HKG you’re fine. It’s trying to force a connection where it won’t work.

In the second case it sounds like inventory control. Willing to sell NRT-HKG and HKG-MEL separately,but not willing to sell NRT-MEL as a through ticket for the single price.

 

[Vee711]

Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense.

Looking back at another booking I made last year, a similar thing happened. I tried booking for a J ticket to DFW from BNE, SYD or MEL. Found one from SYD to DFW but when I tried booking for BNE-SYD and SYD-DFW, it didn't work. I had to separate the two legs into separate bookings for it to go through.

 

[Seat0B]

I always have this problem trying to book connecting flights from CBR to/from SYD or MEL for international award flights. It will often let me book CBR-SYD (or MEL)-DXB-Europe-DXB-SYD (or MEL), but then point blank refuses to let me get home to CBR from the international leg. Frustrating.

 

[bullerdude]

Trying to add a domestic connector in multi city will usually result in an error. There’s a hard block on sales and it doesn’t matter if each sector shows, the system won’t let you book it. If you are platinum or higher and get through to hobart, or are lucky enough to get to hobart some other way, they can add the domestic sector. But overseas call centres can’t do it.

The block works either way. Book BNE-MEL then MEL-HKG will show unavailable to the call centre.
Book MEL-HKG and the domestic sector suddenly disappears! The agents don’t understand this, and will tell you all sorts of things like ‘there’s no availability’, ‘you have outdated information’, ‘the website doesn’t update in real time’, or ‘qantas doesn’t fly between BNE and MEL after 8am, in any day of the year’.

Very frustrating. Agents will also tell you to book the sectors separately and they can add them to the same booking (NOT possible!). Agents don’t understand these domestic sectors can often be added for no cost at the through fare.

Domestic sectors automatically offered don’t have this problem. If you search MEL-HKG and the system offers MEL-SYD-HKG you’re fine. It’s trying to force a connection where it won’t work.

In the second case it sounds like inventory control. Willing to sell NRT-HKG and HKG-MEL separately,but not willing to sell NRT-MEL as a through ticket for the single price.

Great explanation - thanks!!

Finally got caught by this issue trying to book a ASIA-AUS reward seat and then a domestic connecting flight the next day, which the multi-city engine happy displays and provides pricing, but then errors and fails when going to the payment page.

Contacting the call centre didn't help with the agents indicating there were no reward seats and then after some questions conceding they are available but they cannot be booked with no real reason provided.

Incredibly frustrating and I'd say there is a reasonable chance they are in breach of ACCC rules, specifically relating to false or misleading claims, by advertising flights and allowing you to select multi city itineraries (with pricing provided) that can never be successfully booked.

I've submitted a complaint to Qantas purely based on the facts... will see if they respond.

 

[Vee711]

Great explanation - thanks!!

Finally got caught by this issue trying to book a ASIA-AUS reward seat and then a domestic connecting flight the next day, which the multi-city engine happy displays and provides pricing, but then errors and fails when going to the payment page.

Contacting the call centre didn't help with the agents indicating there were no reward seats and then after some questions conceding they are available but they cannot be booked with no real reason provided.

Incredibly frustrating and I'd say there is a reasonable chance they are in breach of ACCC rules, specifically relating to false or misleading claims, by advertising flights and allowing you to select multi city itineraries (with pricing provided) that can never be successfully booked.

I've submitted a complaint to Qantas purely based on the facts... will see if they respond.

You should be able to book the legs separately. Not ideal but is possible. That's how I got around it.

Only downside of this method is that you need to account for delays because the legs weren't booked together

 

[aikman]

You should be able to book the legs separately. Not ideal but is possible. That's how I got around it.

Only downside of this method is that you need to account for delays because the legs weren't booked together

Another downside is that if you need to cancel you'll need to pay two lots of cancellation fees which is what stopped me from doing separate bookings.

 

[bullerdude]

Another downside is that if you need to cancel you'll need to pay two lots of cancellation fees which is what stopped me from doing separate bookings.

And also costs more points to book separately