Family Award Flight on CX

[Pvcmenace]

A deep desire to use stored FF points and for reasons of 'Family Planning' it has been decided that one final family holiday Mr & Mrs and Jnr2.5Menace for some time should be planned...

Fiji and Bali were high on the list, it has been 4 years since going to Bali on Australian Airlines (blah!) and Sep 09' Samoa and Fiji via QF, NZ and FJ, J class, not bad but not good.

Can't justify high points cost and limited availability short term to NAN(FJ) or DPS(JQ) so looked further afield and discovered CX fly's HKG-DPS and there was award availabilty within 4 weeks from MEL-HKG J class.

Called QFF discovered award availability for HKG-DPS return had an operated assisted booking done in 5 minutes.

Result 3 return trips MEL - DPS via HKG, in new J class for 592,500 points, less than 4 weeks from departure (booker on 29th mar dep 23rd april)

My questions:

First: Why was it so easy to get a CX award and no QF award seats anywhere?

Next question: We are welcome in the CX lounge, is it nice? My partner and I are NB have QP membership, can we use the QP lounge, i've only ever flown codeshare when it comes to lounge access?

Finally are there any high points to the CX service to look forward to?

I will post a trip report!

 

[NM]

First: Why was it so easy to get a CX award and no QF award seats anywhere?

Because QF believe they can sell their seats so don't need to "give them away" to their members. Qantas FF is a very large program relative to the local population base so lots of people looking for QF award flights. And CX just seems to be more generous with award availability.

Next question: We are welcome in the CX lounge, is it nice? My partner and I are NB have QP membership, can we use the QP lounge, i've only ever flown codeshare when it comes to lounge access?

As a Business Class passenger on a OneWorld flight you can use any One World business class lounge that is open at the airport terminal to which you have access on the day of departure. So in MEL you can use the Qantas Business Class lounge. In HKG you can use the CX, KA or QF lounges. I recommend finding the departure gate for your DPS flight and the nearest lounge is likely to be one of the two CX lounges. CX rarely uses the gates closest to the QF lounge. If the gate number is less than about 30 then probably best to use The Wing (entrance oposite Gate 2), if higher than 30, head to The Pier (entrance near Gate 64). QF's new Business Class lounge is good (entrance near gate 15), and good for access to odd numbered gates 15 to 19 and gates 20-30.

Finally are there any high points to the CX service to look forward to?

Try their "signature" drink. It does change from time to time and worth a try. The Kiwi, Coconut and Mint one (can't remember the name" is my favourite. They also serve JW Gold whiskey in J and the garlic bread is usually good.

 

[markis10]

My questions:

First: Why was it so easy to get a CX award and no QF award seats anywhere?

Classic Awards are always hard to get without good status, even then its not much better on many routes for those with status. However since the change in anyseat awards earning points and SC's, I expect a lot of people will have a look at that as an option moving forward.

To use an example , Mel-NAN is 50K each way classic and availability is limited in the next few months, forget school holidays. However on any given day there are around 15 options using Anyseat for a premium of 40% more points, that is 72K, you get back 3K in miles and 120SCs in J each way. So for 40000 extra points being used you get 240 SC's (routing via SYD) and much better availability, I think you can see why I am expecting more people to look at these as a better option.

 

[Pvcmenace]

Appreciate that thanks alot, NM, markis10

regards,

 

[JohnK]

Result 3 return trips MEL - DPS via HKG, in new J class for 592,500 points, less than 4 weeks from departure (booker on 29th mar dep 23rd april)

The herringbone layout?

First: Why was it so easy to get a CX award and no QF award seats anywhere?

I haven't looked at the statistics but I believe that CX is struggling a little with passenger numbers in the premium cabins and therefore release more premium award seats.

 

[Pvcmenace]

Yes the Herringbone layout, on all flights. Oh well low premium pax no. = good luck for me i guess.