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

[Ansett]

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

I Spoke during the week with a QF Customer Service person after emailing Lesley Greant and Cate Wellington and have to say it appeared to me that they have been surprised by the backlash and I have to say especially from forums such as this.

Had AFF and its members not been so vocal on this matter I am not sure that the changes to the avaiability of the 1300 number and the possibility that the MASA may reappear on the web, would have happened and or been a possibilitey . So as they say power to the people and it shows what can be done if people stand together.

I also doubt that things would have been taken so seriously by QFF with out the support and representation of AFF moderators and admin. A sincere thank you to all those involved in representing the forum.

WELL DONE AFF TEAM

PS it doesnt mean I am changing my flying back to QF will wait and see how things transpire

 

[TonyHancock]

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

QF WP am I correct in saying that QF will not be reviewing the MASA in the short term, or have I misunderstood. (If I remember correctly there was a plan to review after three months. This might have been at the general press conference, that others attended, rather than the AFF moderation one.)

 

[Limewood]

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

QF WP am I correct in saying that QF will not be reviewing the MASA in the short term, or have I misunderstood. (If I remember correctly there was a plan to review after three months. This might have been at the general press conference, that others attended, rather than the AFF moderation one.)

Going on what has been said the answer is no.

Mind you the big question has still not been answered "will ASA's be back on the QFF web site" to put a real end to this fiasco of hit and miss and so much wasted time.

 

[RooFlyer]

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

Going on what has been said the answer is no.

Mind you the big question has still not been answered "will ASA's be back on the QFF web site" to put a real end to this fiasco of hit and miss and so much wasted time.

Gotta be careful with words when talking Qantas. Its probably more like "will ASAs, at Classic prices / booked into U fare bucket be back on the QFF web site"

I reckon "mASAs" or whatever we now define them will continue to exist, but they will continue to be enhanced completely out of usefulness, on the web site or not.

 

[Limewood]

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

Yes and probably best not to use the word "enhanced" either.

 

[legroom]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

I just booked a TSV-BNE-DRW JASA return for April next year and the all point cost came to 91,173points, inclusive of taxes and surcharges. The classic award cost is 100,000 plus a co payment of $173.49...

Interesting

Wonder why and what happened to allow this 'anomaly'

Good on you !

Wished I had crossed path with that CSR!

 

[tm.smile]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

Interesting

Wonder why and what happened to allow this 'anomaly'

Good on you !

Wished I had crossed path with that CSR!

Tried to book SYD-BNE-TSV this morning though and was quoted all points at just over 80,000 and with co payment, 60,000 + $255 or so. So not far off old rates. Was higher than I thought, so left it for now. Will possibly get back to it later.

Edit: interesting to note the first CSR had no idea, so her screen 'froze' and she transferred me to someone else.

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

Interesting

Wonder why and what happened to allow this 'anomaly'

Good on you !

Wished I had crossed path with that CSR!

Maybe it was calculated at the TSV-DRW rate?

 

[tm.smile]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

Maybe it was calculated at the TSV-DRW rate?

Prevoously thoigh, that was about the JASA rate... Perhaps mASAs haven't changed much while the classics have increased.

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

Maybe it was calculated at the TSV-DRW rate?

Exactly. No 'anomaly'.

Classic: TSV-BNE-DRW = 691+1773 = 2464 miles = Zone 4 = 50,000 points for J
ASA: TSV-DRW = 1157 miles = Zone 2 = 24,000 points *minimum* for J

For ASA, all that matters is the distance from start to finish, irrespective of the route.

Frequent Flyer - Using Points - Qantas & Partner Classic Awards - Points Tables

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

One slight twist with the Classic award... the booking engine will also give you BNE-TSV-DRW requiring an overnight in TSV.

That then gets priced as two separate awards, one Zone 2 + one Zone 3 for a total of 60,000 rather than 50,000 points.

 

[legroom]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

For ASA, all that matters is the distance from start to finish, irrespective of the route.

I heard you.

But I was sternly told on 2-3 occasions now on MASA booking for roundabout routes that 'commercial fare rules' apply to indirect itinerary e.g. SYD xMEL ADL and therefore they just ADD the segments together.

Maybe next time I will quote AFF to them.

Is there any sub-clause of the T & C that supports your remark?

 

[legroom]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

....Perhaps mASAs haven't changed much while the classics have increased.

I had done four MASA bookings so far.

No CSR allowed me to bring the points lower than those of equivalent Classic Awards.

So, that's the best I could hope for.

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

Is there any sub-clause of the T & C that supports your remark?

Not that I know of. And of course I have no way of knowing if anything has changed of late, other than that my own bookings have worked.

The more you know about how they've been priced in the past, the better your chances on the phone, I'd imagine.

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

indirect itinerary e.g. SYD xMEL ADL

That's perhaps not the best example... it's going to be 24,000 points regardless.

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

Five examples of sub-Classic JASA points from the "Has anyone had success with the 'call-up' cheap xASA method?" thread:

#146 HKG-MEL-BNE-CNS in J for 50,000 points + cash

#167 CBR-SYD-HBA-SYD-CBR for 32,000 points plus a little under $300

#375 ADL-BNE-TSV-BNE-ADL for 48,000 points plus $363

#392 ADL-PER-KGI for 25,000 points plus $192

#604 60,000 as the min for a trip to BKK where classic cost was 72,000

 

[madrooster]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

Exactly. No 'anomaly'.

Classic: BNE-TSV-DRW = 691+1773 = 2464 miles = Zone 4 = 50,000 points for J
ASA: BNE-DRW = 1157 miles = Zone 2 = 24,000 points *minimum* for J

For ASA, all that matters is the distance from start to finish, irrespective of the route.

Frequent Flyer - Using Points - Qantas & Partner Classic Awards - Points Tables

BNE-TSV-DRW is 690+1156=1846 miles.
BNE-DRW is 1773 miles.

Both are 36000 points...

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

BNE-TSV-DRW is 690+1156=1846 miles.
BNE-DRW is 1773 miles.

Both are 36000 points...

You're right, sorry.

We were talking about TSV-BNE-DRW.

So it should have read:

Classic: TSV-BNE-DRW = 691+1773 = 2464 miles = Zone 4 = 50,000 points for J
ASA: TSV-DRW = 1157 miles = Zone 2 = 24,000 points *minimum* for J

 

[muffy28]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

I'm in Cairns lounge after checking in for Cairns - Sydney - Brisbane that I booked with a JASA. Got a very strange look from the lady at check in when I said I was going to Brisbane via Sydney.

 

[legroom]

MASA (INT) fare rules - post June 26th

I should add though that these have NOT been booked post the MASA removal from the website, so might not be as helpful as first thought. I am posting these to show the variations that appeared when they could be booked on line as a reference point. I deliberately booked flights that could be changed, but some of the MASA's that booked in to First Saver and Business Saver could not be canceled. When I go to book my next JASA to PVG I'll be talking about Business Flex and Business Semi Flex with the agent.

Further to the request for MASA fare rules which you you should make, I would also add the following tip.

Once you are happy with the fare rules (cancellation / change etc... +/- penalty etc...), you could then ask the CSR to put a summary of those fare rules into the booking's "comments section" that they had canvassed the rules at the time of booking and "here is the summary".

They cannot added onto the e-ticket that we receive, nor could they email us the fare rules applicable to that booking.

After 3 attempts, I had met a CSR who stated my INT inbound MASA (LAX SYD) would be a fully refundable / changeable fare (5,000 pts cancellation fee applies) and would be prepared to put those fare rules into the "Comments" section of the booking for future reference.

The previous 3 CSRs all took the wrong medicine when they left home for work, I think.

So, I guess the lesson is "keep trying" until someone makes more sense than the last one.