Difficulty in redeeming a J Class One World RTW ticket

[pyffii]

Have had no recent difficulty in redeeming a J class RTW ticket using Qantas/One World until now...Planning a 5 week trip for next June that looks like this...MEL-HKG-HEL-GVA-LHR-OSL-LHR-YVR-DFW-MIA-LIR-MIA-DFW-JFK-SYD-MEL...As a WP have had no issues holding sectors as they become available and when finalised ( takes many weeks particularly when using AA ) have had the ticket issued...But now the premium desk advises that they can no longer do this and that the entire trip must be booked at the one time...The problem with this is that online, seats seem to disappear within hours of J seats being released and so by the time 7-9 weeks elapses allowing one to be able to book, there is little hope of securing J class seats...additionally it appears as if no J class are offered presently for JFK-LAX ( ie QF 108 ).

Does anyone have any secrets as to how to "work" the system ?

Thanks in advance

 

[NM]

One option is to book the routing you want using dates available (i.e. a ATW itinerary over 1 week) and then make date changes later as seat availability is loaded. This can be messy though, as each time you need to push out all remaining flights as they must remain in the same order.

AA is very good at allowing such changes, but not sure if Qantas is going to charge you a penalty fee each time you make a date change.

 

[pyffii]

Thanks NM...Qantas will charge 2500 points for each change on that basis inorder to reissue the e-ticket...Not a real game changer in the scheme of things...But does it matter that the dates might not line up in the correct order due to say, AA and Qantas having different release dates ?

 

[drron]

Would it be easier MIA-JFK-DFW-LAX- Adds 1 sector but I only count 15.never have been able to get a J award JFK-LAX on QF.Accepted Y once:evil: and when we flew noted J virtually empty:evil::evil:.Since then dont even try for that sector.Though AA have 3 class service JFK-LAX-could ask to see if can get a J award on AA for that sector-several flights a day so should be easier.

 

[NM]

Would it be easier MIA-JFK-DFW-LAX- Adds 1 sector but I only count 15.never have been able to get a J award JFK-LAX on QF.Accepted Y once:evil: and when we flew noted J virtually empty:evil::evil:.Since then dont even try for that sector.Though AA have 3 class service JFK-LAX-could ask to see if can get a J award on AA for that sector-several flights a day so should be easier.

Note that a QF FF OneWorld Business Class Award books into economy/coach for AA domestic 2-class flights. Hence why I expect the OP is looking for 3-class trans-continental services.

 

[Batesy]

Do you mean a OneWorld award? If so this only allows for 5 stopovers.

 

[pyffii]

Yes, its a One World Award and its not the stops thats the problem its the inability to reserve award seats as they become available as Qantas insist on the booking being completed immediately..doing it that way would allow me to book my return sector but the outward bound sectors are seemingly all gone within days let alone 5 weeks later...I guess the only way out is as NM suggests and just put in any old dates to get the itinerary correct and then pay the 2500 point reissue fee each time the next sector award becomes available.

 

[Batesy]

So with a 5 stop award how could you do MEL-HKG-HEL-GVA-LHR-OSL-LHR-YVR-DFW-MIA-LIR-MIA-DFW-JFK-SYD-MEL... sounds like a few more than 5 stops. I booked a J Oneworld award recently and had five stops plus some transits. QFF were very specific on stopovers.

 

[pyffii]

Stops in GVA,OSL,YVR,LIR and JFK...But thats not the problem..The only real way to secure the dates you need is to ring and book the sector after 10.00am on the day in question and now Qantas wont allow you to "hold" the various sectors until your itinerary is completed.