[Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10April

[JohnK]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

And Kevin Rudd was never,never, never "read my lips" coming back either....BUT !!!!!!!

He was the "enhancement" that Labor had to have and he has a much better chance of winning the next election than the Any seat award has of surviving past the next election....

 

[JohnPhelan]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

I don't know about mea culpa. I'm still sure I read it. Just can't back up my memory.

It was in QF's media release the day it was announced.

 

[Isochronous]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

its the same for a lot of things... if you don't ask or don't know then you don't get.

people for example who spend hundreds of dollars in extended warranties for appliances or computers... complete waste of money given ACCC protection extends your warranty well beyond the supposed 'one year' the manufacturers give you. or people who don't know they can get a one-off speeding fine converted to a caution (and not have to pay), or people that don't ring their bank and ask for a better interest rate.

all these things are possible and all people need to do is ask!

you would think the very first question anyone would ask would be for a fee waiver if you couldn't complete ANY transaction on line via the qf website. and you'd also think anyone would escalate that if they didn't get the answer they wanted. (or alternatively be happy to throw away $60 per passenger.)

I think a separate thread in another forum would be a good idea to discuss the warranty issue.

 

[Mumfreqflyer]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

I made a booking over the weekend. I was looking at Classic award flights on Friday and went to book on Saturday for today (Monday) but they were gone. Not wanting to wait until today to book flights for Tuesday departure and Wed return, I booked the Classic award and was going to call up this morning to get it changed to an JASA and pay the extra money.

Low and behold, the operator said they knew nothing and you can't change a Classic to an ASA and why was I waiting to call up today when they are open 24 hours a day! :/

I had to call up yesterday as the ticket hadn't issued yet and the reason for that was because the Qantas website quoted 72,000 but the correct points should have been 80,000 points because there is a stopover because the Perth - Syd flight gets in at 10:30pm and there is no flight until Port Macquarie until 8am the next morning.

This isn't a problem as I have now paid for accommodation, but why would the Qantas site quote 72,000 points then not issue the ticket because it should be 80,000 points??? I originally had the flight going into Coffs but needed to go into Port Macquarie so if I hadn't called up to change this yesterday, would anyone have contacted me about the flights being 'rejected' because the Qantas system couldn't charge the correct amount of points in the 1st place!

FWIW flights are Perth - Sydney (Tues) - Port Macqauarie (Wed) and back again all on Wednesday night.

I have sent Red Roo a PM specifically asking about the JASA query, but it shouldn't be this hard.

Also, why should I be penalised for wanting to book an ASA on a weekend when it is for a departure in 2 days because the call centre is only available 9am-5pm Mon to Fri but then again, the lady I just spoke to knew nothing about ASA's!!!? I did ask the Qantas operator yesterday about ASA but as usual they say points plus pay :/

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

been following this thread and I am disgusted at Qantas' mishandling of this. What an absolute joke! very unhappy customer here.

 

[medhead]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

I made a booking over the weekend. I was looking at Classic award flights on Friday and went to book on Saturday for today (Monday) but they were gone. Not wanting to wait until today to book flights for Tuesday departure and Wed return, I booked the Classic award and was going to call up this morning to get it changed to an JASA and pay the extra money.

Low and behold, the operator said they knew nothing and you can't change a Classic to an ASA and why was I waiting to call up today when they are open 24 hours a day! :/

I had to call up yesterday as the ticket hadn't issued yet and the reason for that was because the Qantas website quoted 72,000 but the correct points should have been 80,000 points because there is a stopover because the Perth - Syd flight gets in at 10:30pm and there is no flight until Port Macquarie until 8am the next morning.

This isn't a problem as I have now paid for accommodation, but why would the Qantas site quote 72,000 points then not issue the ticket because it should be 80,000 points??? I originally had the flight going into Coffs but needed to go into Port Macquarie so if I hadn't called up to change this yesterday, would anyone have contacted me about the flights being 'rejected' because the Qantas system couldn't charge the correct amount of points in the 1st place!

FWIW flights are Perth - Sydney (Tues) - Port Macqauarie (Wed) and back again all on Wednesday night.

I have sent Red Roo a PM specifically asking about the JASA query, but it shouldn't be this hard.

Also, why should I be penalised for wanting to book an ASA on a weekend when it is for a departure in 2 days because the call centre is only available 9am-5pm Mon to Fri but then again, the lady I just spoke to knew nothing about ASA's!!!? I did ask the Qantas operator yesterday about ASA but as usual they say points plus pay :/

That sounds wrong. A stopover is greater than 24 hours. You're only looking at about 10 hours. Should be a stopover. Wiser people than me will give better advice, hopefully.

 

[oz_mark]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

I'm not sure if anyone has tried before, but I have never heard anyone trying to change a classic to an ASA after it has been booked. As for the stopover, according to the T&Cs

'Stopover' in relation to:
(a) an Australian domestic Itinerary, means a break of journey at an intermediate point when onward travel does not take place on the same calendar day; and

 

[serfty]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

That sounds wrong. A stopover is greater than 24 hours. You're only looking at about 10 hours. Should be a stopover. Wiser people than me will give better advice, hopefully.

That's for international itineraries, for Domestic it's "same day".

That makes it tough for east bound itineraries from the west coast.

 

[Mumfreqflyer]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

I'm not sure if anyone has tried before, but I have never heard anyone trying to change a classic to an ASA after it has been booked. As for the stopover, according to the T&Cs

But when I did the Perth - Coffs via Sydney (Coffs was original booking so Port Macquarie shouldn't be any different) and return, the total amount of points quoted on the booking and payment screen was 72,000 + cash of $159.

I can't understand why it says points 72,000 and processes the booking and it EVEN showed up in my brothers account under his bookings, but then it rejects it because the system made a mistake and should have charged 80,000 points.

FWIW, I wanted to do it all in 1 day and send him on the midnight flight but there were no award seats available so I have now paid $150/night for him to stay at one of the hotels close to the airport.

 

[Mumfreqflyer]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

Also, I would have booked an ASA on Saturday over booking a Classic if you could still do them online.

Classic's are such a waste of points when you get no status credits or points! It's not like I 'made a mistake' booking a classic when I wanted an ASA, I just couldn't book an ASA.

 

[kevrosmith]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

I'm not sure if anyone has tried before, but I have never heard anyone trying to change a classic to an ASA after it has been booked. As for the stopover, according to the T&Cs

garybatz relayed their story regarding this over in another thread... http://www.australianfrequentflyer....one-had-success-call-51720-14.html#post855338

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

It is all getting too hard. Just accrue points in the Card program and pick and chose who, when and where you fly with, damn sight easier.

If it ain't brokemn don't fix it. the system worked well because people could "surf" to their hearts content now it is "just too hard"

 

[dede]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

It is all getting too hard. Just accrue points in the Card program and pick and chose who, when and where you fly with, damn sight easier.

If it ain't brokemn don't fix it. the system worked well because people could "surf" to their hearts content now it is "just too hard"

I think Qantas want to make it too hard. Time for another loyalty program I think, this is another benefit that's being "enhanced" to the point that there's no reason to want to make it to WP.

 

[kooky]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

Yes, CX AsiaMiles via Amex Business Accelerator doesn't seem bad for businesses. 2 points per $1 first $50k spend, 1:1 transfer (only 176k J return SYD-LHR, or, 50k J return SYD-AKL - and I presume a LOT less taxes!). The bulk of people wouldn't care about SG status when you are flying J anyway? Has a thread been started for CC spend options post-MASA?

Also, I was wondering, since the MASA number was only buried in the email for those that GOT the email, I presume the bulk of the people phoning that number will have read about it on AFF? With the mods getting invited, I sort of get the feeling they've put that number in for the forum to keep the forum peeps happy! They might just need a handful of staff on salary a year to keep it going (say $200k), this keeps those forum people saying nice things online (once things settle down), and the rest of the world, will be none the wiser (it'll just stay an insider-thing, like those that ask for speed camera warnings, etc). I can see that making sense since overall they wanted to simplify the booking engine. Also, I presume they wouldn't have done the phone line thing if they didn't want to keep the forum peeps happy, so it might just stay around. my 2c.

 

[whatmeworry]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

been following this thread and I am disgusted at Qantas' mishandling of this. What an absolute joke! very unhappy customer here.

Qantas pretend they care and they tell us serfs and plebs many lies whilst they tell the exalted few the real truth...

This is not a mishandling of customer service rather this is a deliberate attempt by Qantas to get rid of ASA's. I can predict they will justify the total removal in 3 months because they will say QFF members now significantly* book less ASA's.

*They will use the term "significantly" as the will skew the data into their advantage and thus justify the total removal of ASA's.

 

[kooky]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

For the credit card junkies: I think the whole QFF program has a certain convenience/laziness/stupidity tax built into it, the real bargains lie elsewhere - similar to the better quality, and, cheaper restaurant not lying on the main square, but down a side street. The real pros aren't using their ANZ cards into QFF, they're off using Amex cards into SPG/CX/AA, etc. Because many of us are lazy if we can get away with it (human nature in many ways), we used MASAs as an excuse to not get off our butts and shop around. Look at this whole MASA as the BEST thing that could have ever happened to you all! When you read pages like Asia Miles | Point Hacks you now can actually be motivated to give it a shot!

Just buy QP membership for a year, that sorts out your domestic free booze, then book all your QF J redemptions through AA, CX anyway. You still get to fly QF metal anyway! Anyway the more I think about the wind-down of MASAs, the more my eyes are opened to the big wide world out there.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

For the credit card junkies: I think the whole QFF program has a certain convenience/laziness/stupidity tax built into it, the real bargains lie elsewhere - similar to the better quality, and, cheaper restaurant not lying on the main square, but down a side street. The real pros aren't using their ANZ cards into QFF, they're off using Amex cards into SPG/CX/AA, etc. Because many of us are lazy if we can get away with it (human nature in many ways), we used MASAs as an excuse to not get off our butts and shop around. Look at this whole MASA as the BEST thing that could have ever happened to you all! When you read pages like Asia Miles | Point Hacks you now can actually be motivated to give it a shot!

Just buy QP membership for a year, that sorts out your domestic free booze, then book all your QF J redemptions through AA, CX anyway. You still get to fly QF metal anyway! Anyway the more I think about the wind-down of MASAs, the more my eyes are opened to the big wide world out there.

Co-branded airline credit cards have definitely lost their appeal, given the flexibility which Amex MR or Diners Club Rewards provide.

 

[QF WP]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

It was in QF's media release the day it was announced.

So why can't I find the Media Release on the QF website...hmmm, was it pulled??

The only information I can see is on this page, specifically:

How to Book an Any Seat Award Flight

• You can book up to 24 hours before scheduled departure (though some locations and fares require earlier advance booking).
• There are three ways to book an Any Seat Award flight:

1. Log in at qantas.com[SUP]**[/SUP], select your destination and travel dates, then select 'Search Flight'. On the results page check the 'View fares in Points' box above the flight options and select an available Qantas (QF) or Jetstar (JQ) seat. Once you have confirmed your preferred eligible Qantas or Jetstar seats, select the 'Use Points Plus Pay'[SUP]^^[/SUP] button and change the mix of Qantas Points and cash to your liking. Minimum points levels apply which are subject to change.
2. From 26 June 2013 Any Seat Award bookings made in reservation classes X, Z, U or P cannot be made online at qantas.com. To make an Any Seat Award booking in these classes please call 1300 366 587 (dial in +61 2 8222 2430 from outside Australia) between the hours of 0900 and 1700 AEST on Mondays to Fridays. In most cases the points required for Any Seat Awards booked in these classes are higher than those required for a Classic Award in the same class of travel on the same flight.
3. Make a booking by calling Award flight reservations; however an Award Assistance fee applies. [SUP]≠[/SUP]

It's not shown here or here either - both places where one might expect it

 

[oz_mark]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

So why can't I find the Media Release on the QF website...hmmm, was it pulled??

Not all media releases ever actually make it to that page. The not needing to pay a fee certainly was mentioned in passing in the AusBt article

Those award seats can still be purchased, but only by contacting the Qantas call centre, albeit without attracting the standard telephone booking feee.

One assumes that it must have been mentioned somewhere!

 

[QF WP]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

The not needing to pay a fee certainly was mentioned in passing in the AusBt article

One assumes that it must have been mentioned somewhere!

Yes, I would have thought it SHOULD also appear on this QF ASA page (with appropriate 26 June changes)...must be confused

I know I heard it in the "Social Media" briefing and have it in my notes. My that isn't enough to produce in order to advise the CSA that we don't pay a fee. Mentioning Red Roo's name might, however still not officially in writing.