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

[Pdl7]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

I had success today with the 1300 number. BNE to MEL in Business early Sept (1 way)
Classic Award - 24k points plus $36
Online 'points plus pay - 75k points :/
So I rang up to find out the JASA points
JASA - 24k points plus $5. Yes please!

A couple of surprising things on the call:
- I was told that the ASAs were normally pretty expensive
- the customer service rep could see that I had a 'hold' on a classic award seat ( I was browsing the Classic seat booking at the same time). But she asked if I wanted the same flight - it might be a way to communicate more easily. (If you can get a Classic on the ASA)
- the CS needed my QFF login pin to determine the point cost!!?! Does this mean that ASAs will be targeted or just that they are using the same website, but not giving non-qantasers access??

Good luck everyone with your ASA bookings. (Does anyone else keep terribly mis-spelling ASA on their smart phone keyboard.)

 

[gizzard]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

JASA - 24k points plus $5.

Only $5 that's either a mistake or simply astonishing!

 

[Pdl7]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

I didn't stop to ask if it was an error.

I did ask what the 100%point cost was, to see if it was worth the 1 minute to process the credit card, but it was 30k points. So I paid the $5.

 

[Buzzard]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Booked a simple JASA BNE-SYD-BNE (32,000 points plus $216) over the phone... took 4 minutes... operator Maureen was brilliant!

Does Maureen have a direct number :?::?:

There... Maureen's name is now in neon lights.... well highlighted anyway!

 

[Isabelt28]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Yes, I booked the immediate return flight. I was a bit embarrassed about booking it (but why should I be?) so warned the rep beforehand that she wouldn't understand what I was booking but I might change the flight anyway. The return was 48k points plus $377.30. I'm not sure how that compares with the pre-MASA price but I was prepared to pay it for the 240 SC, in fact, I booked 2 such trips to give myself a head start to retaining SG.

Thanks Gizzard. I think that's about the same. I will let you know how I go with booking....

 

[Limewood]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Does Maureen have a direct number :?::?:

There... Maureen's name is now in neon lights.... well highlighted anyway!

I think there are 3 Maureen's there so hopefully its the right one

 

[BVT]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Last night tried to book a JASA and was told firmly and categorically that ASA's are only available on the web and are four times the price of a classic award only an idiot would do that!

BVT: " Could you check with a supervisor, as the rules have recently changed, I think"
QFCSA: "I don't need to, I know I am correct. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Civility would be a good start!

 

[Limewood]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Last night tried to book a JASA and was told firmly and categorically that ASA's are only available on the web and are four times the price of a classic award only an idiot would do that!

BVT: " Could you check with a supervisor, as the rules have recently changed, I think"
QFCSA: "I don't need to, I know I am correct. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Civility would be a good start!

As we keep saying its a right royal mess.

 

[TheInsider]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

As we keep saying its a right royal mess.

Just goes to show how popular they actually are, mustn't be getting many calls if so many agents don't know what they are doing.

 

[MarcB]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Seems as though there are some very differing experiences being described about the level of knowledge/service. On the issue of the points cost (direct/indirect etc), however, I think there is something kooky going on.

A quick look at the T&Cs as they relate to ASAs (which by definition includes MASAs) indicates:

15.3.1 The Points required for an Any Seat Award (or the Points required plus the amount of any money payment required for Points Plus Pay options) shown at this website, or jetstar.com (as the case may be), will include all identified surcharges (including fuel and insurance surcharges), GST and taxes, fees and carrier charges (including all ticket taxes) other than any Award Assistance Fee, any local airport fees and charges collected at the time of check-in and any fees (and GST on those fees) payable where an Accepted Payment Card is used to pay any money required to obtain that Award.

and
15.3.2 The number of Points and the amount of any money payment required to obtain an Any Seat Award are as described in the 'Bookings' section at this website or at jetstar.com (as the case may be).

Neither of these use the words that are used for a Classic Award which states:

14.4.1 The Points required for a Classic Award Itinerary will be calculated as a one way Trip or series of one way Trips and will be the sum of the Points required for each Trip in that Itinerary.

Hence why indirect itineraries attract a higher cost for classic awards.

Further, when you go to this page:

Frequent Flyer - Using Points - Qantas & Jetstar Any Seat Awards

It clearly says:

How many points are required? - This is variableand will be quoted at the time of booking;

and

Can Points Plus Pay be used? - Yes, if you don’t have enough points, you can use Points Plus Pay on all flights, but minimum points levels apply.

Taken together, all this seems to indicate that regardless of the "total" points cost of the sectors for an ASA (including a MASA), you should be able to redeem for as little as 5,000 points plus the "pay" component. (i.e. a potential enhancement).

What I find strange is that under the old system, the base MASA fare classes (X,Z,U,P) had quite a low underlying "cash" value hence why they were such good value. This should not have changed - and if they are indeed being booked correctly, this should not be an issue. So what is going on??

 

[ozflier]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

I tried to book a JASA this morning on the correct number - agent said not possible!!

At long last I am seeing the error of my ways and no longer compromising my lifestyle to maximise QFF points.

I had even foregone the Woolies EDR fuel discounts to get extra miles.

No longer .

It beggars belief that the new woeful award booking engine cannot allow for JASA fares on line.

 

[MelUser]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

I suggest that those wanting to do these call this number (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm)

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). 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.

 

[legroom]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

20 min of my lunchtime gone up in vapour.

Spoke to Esther who has not heard of it.

Alison then stated "yes, it could be done", transferring me to Vicky who had done "a few of these since 28th June".

However, point costs could not be lowered to match Classic as "commercial fare routing applies".

In other words, roundabouts (as shown to be available in Classic Awards) are not accepted and will be calculated as Sector 1 + Sector 2 at Classic rates.

They are all in U class, however suggesting that Vicky knew what she was talking about.

For direct, point to point, Vicky stated "Classic rates apply".

At my request, she went off to consult with another person (? Supervisor) and came back with the same answer: not possible to match Classic points cost for a roundabout MASA "because you get SCs and points".

I declined as the points / SC blew out from 300 to 400.

Will try again - another time.

 

[Ghostdunks]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

I suggest that those wanting to do these call this number (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm)

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). 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.

I don't think this would make any difference. As confirmed by RR and others, this just gets the caller to an agent at the right status level, any agent, bypassing the IVR. Not an agent specially trained to handle these ASAs, so you could still get a complete numpty(as evidenced by posts here)

all in all, this seems like a major FUBAR from a training point of view. The implementation of this "new process" seems to be about as well thought out and communicated as the training for priority boarding fiasco, which seems to be par for the course for QF. If training materials has been sent out as per what RR has communicated to us, then either some agents are ignoring it, or it hasn't got to them yet, which is piss poor considering this is about 3 weeks after they implemented it. Either way, its obvious that their agents are sorely lacking in the knowledge needed for this "new process". This doesn't apply to all of them, as some people here have had success albeit after the agent had to consult with a supervisor, etc..., but in general, it seems that the agents have been insufficiently trained to handle this.

If people are still getting agents who have no idea about this, I think its time to name them so that at least RR can feedback to their teams, and maybe find out where the gap is in their training process and fix it!! It may not be their fault they don't know about it, but it should still be addressed.

 

[legroom]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

If people are still getting agents who have no idea about this, I think its time to name them so that at least RR can feedback to their teams, and maybe find out where the gap is in their training process and fix it!! It may not be their fault they don't know about it, but it should still be addressed.

Have I missed the post from Red Roo requesting CSR names for "feedback" ?

That is way too much common sense, Ghostdunks.

 

[fall502]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Just tried to book a LHR to MEL flight, classic award available but could not get a JASA plus cash at a resonable cost. 128K points and around $5000. Will try again over the next few days. Agent very helpful but had only got back to work from leave.

 

[Limewood]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

How hard is it to give each Q operator the simple instructions on a piece of paper how it works, now beyond a joke.

 

[Newk]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

My experience:
QFF status: WP
Phoned: number given by RedRoo

Asked for: Any seat award (ADL return Melbourne) at classic rates and can I go indirect (ADL/SYD/MEL)? I had checked classic availability, at cheapish rates for this routing........... 32,000 plus $79.76 for direct and 48,000 points plus $138.87 for indirect

CSR: (premium desk) "J" (on reflection I'm not sure that naming CSOs is such a good idea, but YMMV)

Initial response: "No problems" with first request and "I don't think so" on the second......"but let's give it a try to be sure"

Result: JASA direct ADL MEL return. The choices of price points were 32,000 points and $218.76, 50,000 and $65 and 40,000 and $157. Note that the call confirmed that there seems to be no slider and I just had to give a points figure and a cash component was spat out by the computer. As previously noted.

All up time: less than ten minutes


Comments:


J was totally across the issue. Seems to have done it before: "I know some of you like to go those indirect routes to get the status credits".

confirms legroom's post that the wonderful cheap indirect JASAs are possibly gone. J's explanation, which fits with legroom's post is that now ASAs have to conform to "commercial fare rules" with sector charges, and that there isn't a correlation between what is cheap on classic indirect and ASAs.
Overall I'm happy. I've come to like J domestic (used to think it was only for Ws). I don't mind the cost. I like the SCs and points gained
Hence I intend to spend as many of my QFF points as I can on ASAs before they disappear. Hopefully I can snaffle an international one or two

Of course others may have different experiences and I'd love to continue to hear them


edit to add, (and some will know exactly what I'm talking about ): I just found out that debit card payments attract a much lower fee than credit cards

 

[FrankC]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

confirms legroom's post that the wonderful cheap indirect JASAs are possibly gone. J's explanation, which fits with legroom's post is that now ASAs have to conform to "commercial fare rules" with sector charges, and that there isn't a correlation between what is cheap on classic indirect and ASAs.

Wonder what will happen for routes that don't have direct JASA or only limited/day

edit to add, (and some will know exactly what I'm talking about ): I just found out that debit card payments attract a much lower fee than credit cards

Can you elaborate?
I presume that debit card payment does not earn points?

Cheers

 

[Isabelt28]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

I just don't understand, as some people have done it??? Gizzard advised he had done Mel-Syd-Asp??