Emirates (EK) Chauffer Service

[pomkiwi]

Have an upcoming trip in F with EK - LHR-DXB-CHC-BNE-DXB-LHR. CHC-BNE leg is via SYD with SYD-BNE in QF J (unable to book CHC-AKL-BNE on the website as it does not recognise the NZ Jetstar flight at the payment stage). I was able to book a car for my arrival in BNE which was confirmed on the website but had to cancel and rebook as hotel changed. Just had a phone call from EK saying QF had refused chauffeur drive as I was coming off a domestic flight. This was not a problem on the same journey in February.
Anyone any experience that might help me resolve with EK?

 

[pomkiwi]

Brief update. the option to book a car remained on my booking. I tried again (some threads on similar but not identical issues suggested that QF had gone back to more relaxed approach to some CD bookings). The booking was allowed as pending but then rejected. Finally they removed the option to book a car from manage my booking. Not sure this is what the 'rules' state but I find it difficult to be sure I can accurately the 3 pages of PDF that constitute the regulations for eligibility for Australian / NZ CD.

 

[Pushka]

We are travelling to and from a domestic airport as Qantas doesn't fly internationally to Adelaide and so far the bookings are sticking in the Qantas website. I had to call Emirates to link our bookings and they said they don't load the booking into their website until a couple of days prior to travel. I wonder what will happen.

 

[pomkiwi]

The issue in my case seemed to be that my routing took me CHC-SYD (with EK) then SYD-BNE with QF. If I had booked CHC-AKL (Jetstar) AKL-BNE (EK) all would have been fine. The eligibility criteria are complicated and I think still open to interpretation. If your booking for CD is showing as confirmed on the QF website you should be OK - mine was fine until I changed the hotel detination and I had the service on exactly the same trip earlier this year. Have a good trip (and it isn't really a deal breaker).

 

[Pushka]

It's weird. We had to split our booking and we now have two PNR's. I can't select Chauffeur Drive Adl-Syd to connect with the flight to BKK on Emirates (Qantas codeshare) but MrP can.

 

[Mal]

I saw a blog post earlier today (That I can't find now) that indicated that there are some changes coming. The main one is that only if you are on a QF or EK ticketed flight will you be entitled to the drive, if you were (for example) ticketed by CX it would be ineligible.

 

[Alanslegal]

I saw a blog post earlier today (That I can't find now) that indicated that there are some changes coming. The main one is that only if you are on a QF or EK ticketed flight will you be entitled to the drive, if you were (for example) ticketed by CX it would be ineligible.

Chauffer drive for EK and QF has been around for a while now. QF established this back in March 2013 for some of its long haul international flights.

 

[Mal]

Chauffer drive for EK and QF has been around for a while now. QF established this back in March 2013 for some of its long haul international flights.

The change is that unless QF or EK plate (sell) the ticket, you're not eligible for CD regardless of your cabin/ek flight number. Nothing to do with QF introducing CD.

 

[Alanslegal]

The change is that unless QF or EK plate (sell) the ticket, you're not eligible for CD regardless of your cabin/ek flight number. Nothing to do with QF introducing CD.

Ah ok, now I'm clearer So would it also mean, if I booked onto EK using AS miles, I would not be eligible for CD?

 

[JohnPhelan]

The change is that unless QF or EK plate (sell) the ticket, you're not eligible for CD regardless of your cabin/ek flight number. Nothing to do with QF introducing CD.

Yes, this was brought in a couple of months ago, from memory. Ticket needs to be either QF or EK issued.

 

[Pushka]

The chauffeur service is working well for us. Collected at home, then at Bangkok airport and today they've confirmed collection from Bangkok hotel to the airport.

 

[JohnPhelan]

The chauffeur service is working well for us. Collected at home, then at Bangkok airport and today they've confirmed collection from Bangkok hotel to the airport.

Did you have trouble finding the EK driver at BKK airport? On a recent flight there, we all came out at one of the Immigration/Customs exits (the one adjacent to our baggage carousel), looked around, no EK signs anywhere. So I walked the fairly long hike down to the next exit - where no EK pax would be exiting, because it's not where our luggage was - to see the guy with the EK sign hanging on the railing.

You'd think he'd have the smarts to check which carousel/exit his pax would be coming through ........

 

[Pushka]

Definitely had trouble finding him. BKK is pretty much a nightmare. I think the issue is that it's an agent for many airlines not just EK. There's a central area on level one. We just saw a sign on immigration that said gate 6 level 1 I think it was, for chauffeur service. And there were many at that waiting area.

We didn't find our sons hotel pick up last night so he just grabbed a taxi as it was an airport hotel so close by.

 

[Mal]

Ah ok, now I'm clearer So would it also mean, if I booked onto EK using AS miles, I would not be eligible for CD?

Yes, this was brought in a couple of months ago, from memory. Ticket needs to be either QF or EK issued.

Found the article. New Restrictions On Emirates Chauffeur Drive - One Mile at a Time Appears to be introduced on the 1st Jan 2015.

 

[Mal]

Is the change highlighted here ( Further Cuts to Emirates Chauffeur-Drive, This Time Impacting Qantas Codeshares - Point Me to the Plane - Point Me to the Plane ) - No drive if booked on a QF codeshare between Asia and Australia/New Zealand new?

 

[clifford]

Is the change highlighted here ( Further Cuts to Emirates Chauffeur-Drive, This Time Impacting Qantas Codeshares - Point Me to the Plane - Point Me to the Plane ) - No drive if booked on a QF codeshare between Asia and Australia/New Zealand new?

Fair enough isn't it? You need to fly the metal to get the bennies.

 

[Pushka]

Fair enough isn't it? You need to fly the metal to get the bennies.

You are flying on the metal. Just a Q codeshare.

 

[medhead]

I bit of over interpretation. It's only for flights between Asia and Australia/New Zealand. It is not for all EK flights ticketed by Qantas, as it is possible to get Qantas to ticket the EK flight number. Well it was when I booked a flight. Having said that I can't find the option to book this service for my flight SYD-AKL.

 

[pagingjoan]

I bit of over interpretation. It's only for flights between Asia and Australia/New Zealand. It is not for all EK flights ticketed by Qantas, as it is possible to get Qantas to ticket the EK flight number. Well it was when I booked a flight. Having said that I can't find the option to book this service for my flight SYD-AKL.

Your flight is QF code-share? Yes, sadly, not available for Oz-NZ flights.

And for EK bookings:

<Itineraries which are exclusively between New Zealand and Australia are not eligible for Chauffeur-drive. All other itineraries on Emirates-operated flights are eligible, including Business Class itineraries which involve a stopover in Australia.


For itineraries involving Qantas-operated flights, view the PDF of all applicable routes.


Chauffeur-drive cannot be used for inter-terminal transfers.>

 

[medhead]

Your flight is QF code-share?

No, it's an EK flight number on ek's A380.