Has anyone had success with the call-up "Marginal" xASA's?

[KVK]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

My first attempt at the phone in. Rang at 1145 today (30/12/13), 1300 366 587, entered my FF No., pressed 1 for domestic travel.
Got through to Betty in Melbourne and asked for "Any seat award in U class"
Betty knew exactly what I was after, asked for details of dates, destinations etc.
I had looked at the Qantas page for Classic awards, but asked Betty for what was available in U class.
She let me know, booked the tickets and we waited for about 2 minutes for the cost to come through.
Dec 30 / Jan 2014/ J / SYD-BNE-TSV-BNE-SYD / 48,000 pts / $356.52 / hopefully 400SC (includes $7 CC fee)
Extremely helpful service from a charming Betty, all booked by 1152
I still miss the ability to do it on line though

Apologies, forgot to thank Jessica Tam for the great spreadsheet and all the other posters for their advice on this. Very helpful

 

[Deleted member]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

Just in case anybody else is in the same boat...& dare I say it, while there's still time...

JASA booking made this time last week, to help me get to WP for the first time, still had not ticketed by this evening, despite appearing under "My Bookings" when logged in. Looked up at the clock, & thought I'd better call, to be sure, to be sure. Spoke to very helpful CSR, who informed me my booking had been "Rejected" (which he read off the screen in front of him) for some reason.

As my heart rate rose, I then proceeded to open my Expert Flyer saved searches just in case...

He couldn't work out why my booking had been rejected, so placed me on hold for ~5 min while he checked with the Help Desk. All sorted, & reassured E-Ticket should appear in the next few hours. Phew!!

This happened to me some time ago. And it wasn't something I became aware of until I went to check in.
I did "eventually" make the flight.
In the end no reason or excuse was given. I now check well in advance to be certain.

 

[Deleted User]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

Happy New Year everybody... Here's an interesting fact... In 2013 my total points burn was 506,000 points used on upgrades and xASA's (U Fare Class) I only used my points for actual flights so no points spend with Qantas epiQure or buying kitchen appliances etc. from the Qantas Store

Points burnt since June 26th = 416,000 (82% of total annual point spend)

From the looks of it I have been "shocked" into burning points on xASA's since their removal off the website, i think this shows that I'm very keen for them to remain available... This got me thinking, I wonder how vast the number of points have been burnt in the second half of this year by AFF members...? I'd also suggest that December 2013 was also a month with some "big" burn rates...

Mostly it's been a successful exercise booking xASA's since June 26th, however there were some "speed humps" a few months ago where Red Roo had to assist. Saying all this I know it's not going to happen, but I'd dearly love xASA's to return to the website in the future....

 

[moa999]

I would like to see the extra cost to Qantas of all the call centre time in booking these masa's given most are taking 20min at a time

 

[Newk]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

Happy New Year everybody... Here's an interesting fact... In 2013 my total points burn was 506,000 points used on upgrades and xASA's (U Fare Class) I only used my points for actual flights so no points spend with Qantas epiQure or buying kitchen appliances etc. from the Qantas Store

Points burnt since June 26th = 416,000 (82% of total annual point spend)

From the looks of it I have been "shocked" into burning points on xASA's since their removal off the website, i think this shows that I'm very keen for them to remain available... This got me thinking, I wonder how vast the number of points have been burnt in the second half of this year by AFF members...? I'd also suggest that December 2013 was also a month with some "big" burn rates...

Mostly it's been a successful exercise booking xASA's since June 26th, however there were some "speed humps" a few months ago where Red Roo had to assist. Saying all this I know it's not going to happen, but I'd dearly love xASA's to return to the website in the future....

In the last six months of 2013 (apologies first version said 2012) these are my rough burns:

mASA: 462,500
Classic awards: 108,000
Expensive ASA: 179,370
Shop: 16,500


yes, yes I admit I spent some points in the shop. Red face. But I do like to keep the turn over going. And my FitBit thingy is going very well too

I still have 58,000 left and SWMBO has 500k plus. Time to get them on the move soon

and edit to add: I might work out my first 6 months too given that's sort of what you were asking

 

[rogerkambah]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

In the last six months of 2012 these are my rough burns:

mASA: 462,500
Classic awards: 108,000
Expensive ASA: 179,370
Shop: 16,500


yes, yes I admit I spent some points in the shop. Red face. But I do like to keep the turn over going. And my FitBit thingy is going very well too

I still have 58,000 left and SWMBO has 500k plus. Time to get them on the move soon

and edit to add: I might work out my first 6 months too given that's sort of what you were asking

My burns in 2013 were all JASA (280,000). Took me from NB to WP (with help from DSC in Nov/Dec). Call-up JASAs accounted for 96,000 pts. Also spent 180,000 on mrs rogerkambah.

No points spent on epiQure but they gave me some points along with 3 Billecart Salmon and 3 Taittinger!

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

In net terms, I burnt 248,000 points on JASAs in 1H 2013 and 250,000 on JASAs (and one FASA) in 2H. The last couple of months have included many cancellations and re-bookings for obvious reasons.

 

[Deleted User]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

In the last six months of 2012 these are my rough burns:

mASA: 462,500
Classic awards: 108,000
Expensive ASA: 179,370
Shop: 16,500

Good effort... I assume you mean 2013... NOT 2012...?

766,370 points in 6 months, that works out to a weekly average of ~30,000 points... impressive average there Newk

 

[Newk]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

First half 2013:

Classic awards: 72,000
Upgrades: 196,000
ASAs: 272,700 (edit to add that these would have all been classified as so called marginal ASAs)

so to answer your question Shintaro I have also burned more on mASAs in the last half of the year. I think it's because I don't want to be lumbered with a pile of points if mASAs are taken away completely. Another possibility is that it's easier to book on the phone now

 

[Newk]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

Good effort... I assume you mean 2013... NOT 2012...?

766,370 points in 6 months, that works out to a weekly average of ~30,000 points... impressive average there Newk

yeah, sorry, fixed that up.
This is a great idea...although I'm sure QFF knows how many points and dollars are coming through mASA bookings.....it's great for us to see. Another way would be to look at the spreadsheet. But I don't put all my bookings there especially if they are common routings. I am sure others are the same

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

But I don't put all my bookings there especially if they are common routings. I am sure others are the same

Right. I haven't (deliberately) put anything through that's already on the spreadsheet.

 

[Deleted User]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

I suspect that the removal of MASA's off the website, and the program wide DSC offer in December has significantly reduced AFF members points balance in the QF program rather dramatically..

Wonder what Qantas think of all of this when they see so much interest in these types of redemptions... the "spreadsheet" https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvpG2hDkgv4fdHY3U3k1MThWMF9SVGh0cHp5RWdVeXc&usp=sharing indicates 12.8M points & $87k in co-pay on xASA bookings since their removal off the website...!

But I guess realistically, for the whole program thats not really a big number of points...is it? :mrgreen:

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

But I guess realistically, for the whole program thats not really a big number of points...is it? :mrgreen:

I'd say not... and I also reckon these things are basically impossible to book for someone not on AFF... I tried explaining them to my dentist the other day (at his request . and he ended up saying he just wouldn't bother going through such a rigamarole.

 

[Newk]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

I'd say not... and I also reckon these things are basically impossible to book for someone not on AFF... I tried explaining them to my dentist the other day (at his request . and he ended up saying he just wouldn't bother going through such a rigamarole.

LOL gla, gla, ploints, gla, dllla, oh that hurts, swallow, qfantus, chlep figyhts, gla, gla, swallow. No wonder dentist didn't understand

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

LOL gla, gla, ploints, gla, dllla, oh that hurts, swallow, qfantus, chlep figyhts, gla, gla, swallow. No wonder dentist didn't understand

Yeah, and throw my accent into it all and there's no hope.

But I still think the odds of about 99.99% of all QFF members booking a mASA under the current system are infinitesimal.

 

[Newk]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

Yeah, and throw my accent into it all and there's no hope.

But I still think the odds of about 99.99% of all QFF members booking a mASA under the current system are infinitesimal.

Even before I joined here and they were still available on the web site, I didn't appreciate the strange prices that got thrown up from time to time. In a way I can understand that taking them down (accidentally or deliberately) has simplified the booking process for the great majority of QFF users. And in my heart of hearts I guess that is probably better for QFF overall. But it won't stop me whining . Certainly the least that could be done is to stop the first response of many of the phone centre operators--- "they are available on line".

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

I didn't appreciate the strange prices that got thrown up from time to time.

I certainly understand that... but I still come across similar things booking cash fares.

I think if they were ever to get rid of them, the best time would be after a non-targeted double SCs offer.

 

[Newk]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

I certainly understand that... but I still come across similar things booking cash fares.

I think if they were ever to get rid of them, the best time would be after a non-targeted double SCs offer.

I know the discussion about this has been done to death, I really do, but a "status credit cash add on" to classic redemptions would solve everyone's problems IMHO. If it could be programmed into the booking engine that is .

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Sucessful ASA Bookings booked at classic rates Reference Guide

I know the discussion about this has been done to death, I really do but a "status credit cash add on" to classic redemptions would solve everyone's problems IMHO. If it could be programmed into the booking engine that is .

When all is said and done, I would semi-willingly sacrifice the better-priced options such as CBR-SYD-HBA for something like that.

But I wouldn't trust the current IT team to program their way out of a paper bag even if given clear instructions.

 

[daturtle]

Thanks for reposting Jessica. If anyone an help with ideas on getting out of Isa on a JASA, that would be wonderful!!

Where exactly are you looking to go? I've flown three JASAs out of here this year.