Has qantas changed there points usage calculation

[Chook legs]

Hi All,
I have been sitting on booking some flights for my wife and two kids using points until I had enough points this month. We are chasing Syd-GLA Rtn. I was just checking the calculator when I noticed that the amount of points required has increased. Until recently it was going to cost us 384000 points in total now it is saying 440000. Seems they now want 10000 points per person one way to GLA from LHR. Is this new? When did it come in?
I am totally cheesed off now as we wont have enough points to do it now and I am up for another airfare. AAARRRGGGHHHH
Any advise?

Cheers
Chook Legs

 

[Dave Noble]

Going to Glasgow involves travel on BA and BA is now no longer charged the same as Qantas and is now charged on the partner table ( with an exception for a few flights between london and asia , Asia and Australia , London and Australia )
Therefore the 384,000 is enough to get to London on Qantas in 1st class but the domestic flight costs 10k each way for a total of 404k

If travel the whole was was on BA, then the points cost would be 406k ( 1st class partner award the whole way )

I would suggest looking at the cost to purchase a cheap LON-GLA flight. Should be able to do it for < GBP100 . Taking a cpl of dates in March, BA has LHR-EDI r/t for GBP10 plus GBP71 tax for total GBP81. Given that you will be hit for around GBP49 taxes anyway ( wouldnt need to pay APD on a connection ) you may only going to be hit for an extra GBP32 on top of the 384k than you would have paid before

Dave

 

[Must...Fly!]

Did you pick exactly the same flights?

Often, for some reason, connecting flights might list at a points premium rather than priced as a direct service.

Eg PER-MEL on an award is 18,000.

PER-SYD-MEL can often be 18,000, but sometimes it goes up to 25,000.

Try a different combo of flights if you can!

 

[serfty]

Dave Noble has posted, the reason.

To re-iterate, the definition of BA flights changed a few months ago and (other than on JSA "Kangaroo" routes) now generates a new "trip" if transferring from Qantas.

 

[Chook legs]

Thanks for the replies. Yes they were the same flights and it was only 2 weeks or so ago that I checked and it was 384000.

Dave, when did they change the way it was calculated? Your right the cheapest way is to buy LHR-GLA but it was just a shock to see that it had changed without warning :evil:. Looks like an extra $500 to get everyone there!

Cheers

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks for the replies. Yes they were the same flights and it was only 2 weeks or so ago that I checked and it was 384000.

Dave, when did they change the way it was calculated? Your right the cheapest way is to buy LHR-GLA but it was just a shock to see that it had changed without warning :evil:. Looks like an extra $500 to get everyone there!

Cheers

It was announced a while back that it would be changing; I cannot remember when exactly it was announced and there were some posts on one of the fora here iirc

How do you work out that it is going to cost an extra $500

Australia - London will cost you 384,00 points plus taxes
London - Glasgow can cost around GBP10 plus taxes

The only extra cost would be about GBP10 plus GBP22 domestic air passenger duty so a total of GBP32 more than it would have been before

The taxes on Australia - Glasgow would have been higher than London due to additional fines and taxes for the domestic flight . The only extra is the base fare LHR-GLA plus GBP22

Unless you have about 8 people travelling ( and I doubt that you have found 8 award F seats ) it isnt going to be $500 extra

Taxes and fines for SYD-LHR-GLA 1st class r/t would have been $653
Taxes and fines for SYD-LHR 1st class r/t is $548
Saving on the original award of $105 ( approx GBP60)

If able to get a GBP71 ticket then this will cost $125 ... extra GBP11 a person

Total extra cost to you, $20 a ticket

 

[Must...Fly!]

How do you work out that it is going to cost an extra $500

Check the OP again, he is booking for his wife + 2 kids.

 

[serfty]

Here is the thread:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...ncrease-ba-redemption-levels-apart-20139.html

Effective 27 January 2010, some British Airways routes will move from the Qantas Classic Award table to the Partner Classic Award table, which will mean a slight increase in the points required for Classic Awards on those British Airways flights. ...

 

[Dave Noble]

Check the OP again, he is booking for his wife + 2 kids.

If you read the entirity of the post that you replied to ....

With 3 people the extra cost can be around 3 * $20 = $60 total ( see post 6) . This is a tad less than the $500 suggested . I would suggest that if there are award seats available, then there should be cheap tickets available

If QFF was like AAdvantage and didnt scam fuel fines on tickets then , yes, there would be a fair extra cost in having to buy an extra ticket. Given that of a GBP71 ticket r/t to EDI , all bar GBP10 of it would be classed under taxes and charges the extra cost per person is pretty small

Dave