Help with multi-city Qantas booking

[drebeans]

Hi all!

I'm new here, but am a avid points collector. I'm booking our first long haul business flight, but am having alot of trouble with multi-city selector on Qantas.

Im trying to book two business class flights for November 2024
1. Melbourne --> Tokyo
2. Tokyo --> JFK

For some reason, I kept getting this error message when I book the two business class seats. BUT, when I book the Tokyo > JFK leg on premium economy - I don't get an error and can proceed to payment.



I've called Qantas up twice and they told me to try at different times, browsers and that I'm booking to far in advance. But the flights work if I change classes so it's very confusing and I know there is availability on both flights.

Has anyone had this happen to them before and know what this error means?

 

[Seat0B]

Welcome to AFF @drebeans!

I’m wondering if this is a circle pacific issue? I’ve had trouble trying to hook Japan and US directly before and that was the issue - you can’t book these fares yourself, need a travel agent.

But that does not explain why it works for you for Y class tickets but not J.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can help out.

 

[drebeans]

Welcome to AFF @drebeans!

I’m wondering if this is a circle pacific issue? I’ve had trouble trying to hook Japan and US directly before and that was the issue - you can’t book these fares yourself, need a travel agent.

But that does not explain why it works for you for Y class tickets but not J.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can help out.

Yes this is very confusing! When I called up Qantas to ask if they could book on my behalf, they said they can't book Classic Rewards flights through the phone and that I had to find a way to do it online... very strange

 

[Scr77]

Seems to work for me. NB These are in and out of different airports.

keep trying. Use different browser and try a private tab Etc.

 

[drebeans]

View attachment 357614

Seems to work for me. NB These are in and out of different airports.

keep trying. Use different browser and try a private tab Etc.

Have you tried proceeding to payment? I get to this part as well, and enter my info - it's only until the proceeding to payment it errors out. I've tried private browsers, and on Chrome and Safari as well - still have the same error

 

[Scr77]

Have you tried proceeding to payment? I get to this part as well, and enter my info - it's only until the proceeding to payment it errors out. I've tried private browsers, and on Chrome and Safari as well - still have the same error

Yep, It crashes. Doesn’t even help if you leave a days of connection.

 

[madrooster]

Married segments - only available separately.

 

[drebeans]

Married segments - only available separately.

What does this mean?

 

[BriarFlyer]

It means that although each flight is available to book separately, you're unable to "marry" them together in the one booking. It's common with JL Business Class Classic Rewards. And no wonder you're confused, given the "advice" provided by those call centre agents.

 

[RichardMEL]

Also what you were told was just plainly not true. Phone agents can book classic rewards. Maybe the one you spoke to did not have the training (or worse still, doesn't have the tools somehow??) but they definitely can (but would be obliged to charge a fee in points for "phone assistance" but that's a whole other issue).

very disappointing you got that response from whoever you spoke with.

 

[drebeans]

It means that although each flight is available to book separately, you're unable to "marry" them together in the one booking. It's common with JL Business Class Classic Rewards. And no wonder you're confused, given the "advice" provided by those call centre agents.

This makes a lot of sense - thank you! Learn something new every day - it is confusing. I think we'll go for business on the way there, and fly premium economy to JFK. Such a shame the taxes from Japan are too pricey to book them both seperately

 

[drebeans]

Also what you were told was just plainly not true. Phone agents can book classic rewards. Maybe the one you spoke to did not have the training (or worse still, doesn't have the tools somehow??) but they definitely can (but would be obliged to charge a fee in points for "phone assistance" but that's a whole other issue).

very disappointing you got that response from whoever you spoke with.

Yeah I thought that was strange too! I think she may have been new but to be honest the Qantas call center staff aren't very well trained. She said that they can only book Points Plus Pay and not classic rewards...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This makes a lot of sense - thank you! Learn something new every day - it is confusing. I think we'll go for business on the way there, and fly premium economy to JFK.

Any reason for that combo? The JFK flight is longer and overnight. The flight from Australia is during the day… perhaps sit in premium economy and enjoy some good food, and catch some sleep on the TYO-JFK flight? Plus arrive reshreshed and ready to go!

 

[drebeans]

Any reason for that combo? The JFK flight is longer and overnight. The flight from Australia is during the day… perhaps sit in premium economy and enjoy some good food, and catch some sleep on the TYO-JFK flight? Plus arrive reshreshed and ready to go!

I just tried doing Melb to Tokyo in Economy, and Tokyo to JFK in Business but it bugged out again and gave me the same error! It's so weird - only if I select premium economy to JFK can I book these flights together to avoid the Japanese taxes.

I'm going to play around with the dates to see if I can get the business one on the way there

 

[Phoenix-1]

Have you considered a layover in Tokyo? If it's >24 hours between flights you'll avoid the married segment issue and if both flights are on the same PNR you'll also avoid the higher taxes ex-HND

 

[drebeans]

Have you considered a layover in Tokyo? If it's >24 hours between flights you'll avoid the married segment issue and if both flights are on the same PNR you'll also avoid the higher taxes ex-HND

I just booked! We want to spend some time there while we're already in Tokyo. We ended up booking business from Melbourne, and then premium economy to JFK. So annoying we couldn't to the business leg to JFK but the system didn't like that either

 

[Phoenix-1]

At least you managed to book it. Someone in the OWCA thread reported success in booking a married segment by calling up and changing the date of the flight after booking. You could give that a go.

 

[Seat0B]

they said they can't book Classic Rewards flights through the phone and that I had to find a way to do it online... very strange

Ok that is definitely not true. They can book CR on the phone, although they may charge you a $ or points fee if it is something that you could have done for yourself.

 

[drebeans]

At least you managed to book it. Someone in the OWCA thread reported success in booking a married segment by calling up and changing the date of the flight after booking. You could give that a go.

Ooo yes! Thank you for the tip - I'll give them a call tomorrow and see if I can change to a business class direct day. May as well try my luck.