How to change my ex-CAI RTW ticket to a JL flight?

[chan1108]

I contacted the Qantas account on Twitter to try to change my RTW ticket, but the agent I spoke with today told me that the Qantas system couldn't find any available JL flights for rebooking unless making a new booking. This is a common issue I encounter when speaking with Qantas phone agents as well.

I checked some ex-HND flights on the Qantas website and found that these flights can only be booked using points while no JL flight listed in searching results. I asked the agent if they were using the wrong portal, but they told me about the availability of D class seats, not award ticket seat.

Yesterday, the Twitter agent I spoke with was able to find JAL flights, but his response was too slow for me to complete the reissue during their working hours. So, which agent made a mistake? Is it really true that the Qantas round-the-world ticket rebooking system can't find JL flights?

 

[bam71]

So they didn’t check that you were on an award ticket as opposed to a global explorer or ONEWORLD explorer?

 

[chan1108]

So they didn’t check that you were on an award ticket as opposed to a global explorer or ONEWORLD explorer?

I asked the agent chated with me today if he going to the award portal, but he told me about the d class availability, which belong to oneworld explorer not to award ticket.

 

[bam71]

So you’re on an award ticket ex Cairo?

 

[chan1108]

So you’re on an award ticket ex Cairo?

No, I paid for the RTW ticket when EGP depreciation in mid March.

 

[RichardMEL]

No, I paid for the RTW ticket when EGP depreciation in mid March.

Then D class is relevant for a paid fare.... assuming the fare you booked books into D - which most of them do as noted above.

Maybe you need to phone then rely on twitter?

 

[bam71]

OK - so paid ticket ex Cairo - ONEWORLD or global explorer. Now it makes sense. D class is what you are chasing. The availability of D class will change between a new booking, or, in your case, an already established booking. When INSIDE the PNR (booking), availability of seats, in your case D class, will be different than if you have a look online from OUTSIDE the booking. Hence, when you check for D class ex HND, on either JL or QF, it may show up as being available, but this is not for YOUR booking :-(. There is no portal the reservations guys use. What you are being offered is D class availability for your particular booking.

 

[chan1108]

Then D class is relevant for a paid fare.... assuming the fare you booked books into D - which most of them do as noted above.

Maybe you need to phone then rely on twitter?

Everyone told me that twitter agent do better than the phone agent, since phone agent like to reprice the whole ticket no matter the first segment was flown or not.

 

[Himeno]

A few years ago, on a oneworld RTW ticket, I wanted to change a ITM-HND flight to an earlier flight on the same day. On prior trips, that hadn't been a problem, just went to the JL counter and asked to move flights.
That time however, they said I had to talk to Qantas. So I went off to contact Qantas. No answer on the phone, so went to twitter.
Some back and forth on twitter and the QF agent said they couldn't see anything available.
ITM has a big departures board above the security checkpoint which shows availability for each flight. Upon saying that, they sent back a message saying that they couldn't see anything in their system, ask JAL.
Went back to the JL counter and showed them the message from QF, and they then changed the flight.

 

[serfty]

It is over a decade since I was last game enough to book one of these using Qantas Agents (or American after being told thatAKL and MEL were on the same country).

Given the $thousands needed to book these, it is simply not worth the risk these day to use Qantas as the booking Agent. Last one I booked I used an independent travel agent - it was 'plated' with Qantas (081-). Their fee was much less than the Carrier Surcharges they saved by employing certain carriers for certain segments.

This does not help @chan1108 however. @chan1108, do you have a tool such as expert flyer where you can look for D class on your needed routes/dates?

 

[williamsf1]

The rules of OneWorld is any airline can service the ticket .. have you tried to call JL to get them to service the booking? The reason why the QF agents cannot see the availability as you described is JL would be applying some point of commencement type control of the inventory of that flight

Just a warning ..depending on what changes you are doing.... and you are on an " Egypt Special" you could be up for a significant additional collection

 

[serfty]

Just a warning ..depending on what changes you are doing.... and you are on an " Egypt Special" you could be up for a significant additional collection

If the first segment of such a booking has already been traveled, there is nothing in the rules about repricing if the fare level has increased.

See sections 16(a)1 & 16(a)2
oneworld Explorer Rules

 

[chan1108]

It is over a decade since I was game enough to book one of these using Qantas Agents.

Given the $thousands needed to book these, it is simply not worth the risk these day to use Qantas as the booking Agent. Last one I booked I used an independent travel agent - it was 'plated' with Qantas (081-). Their fee was much less than the Carrier Surcharges they saved by employing certain carriers for certain segments.

This does not help @chan1108 however. @chan1108, do you have a tool such as expert flyer where you can look for D class on your needed routes/dates?

I checked on both ITA MATRIX and expertflyer, both of them told me JL has enough D class for the flight I want to change to. I just don't know why Qantas agent told me there is no D class available for JL flight.

 

[chan1108]

The rules of OneWorld is any airline can service the ticket .. have you tried to call JL to get them to service the booking? The reason why the QF agents cannot see the availability as you described is JL would be applying some point of commencement type control of the inventory of that flight

Just a warning ..depending on what changes you are doing.... and you are on an " Egypt Special" you could be up for a significant additional collection

Thanks, I just arrived in Japan at KIX, I'd like to go to JL's counter to try to make the change.

 

[chan1108]

If the first segment of such a booking has already been traveled, there is nothing in the rules about repricing if the fare level has increased.

See sections 16(a)1 & 16(a)2
oneworld Explorer Rules

However Qantas tend not to obey the rules. Someone in flyer talk said he was asked to pay additional AUD5000 for city change after he had flown 3 segments.

 

[Himeno]

However Qantas tend not to obey the rules. Someone in flyer talk said he was asked to pay additional AUD5000 for city change after he had flown 3 segments.

A lot of airline agents don't understand the rules for RTW fares. I used to be able to make flight changes. which the rules say are free (date/time changes to future flights after departure), without a problem by talking to the airline that was operating the flight I wanted to change.
It's gotten much harder in recent years, starting from the time around the AA/US merger with agents saying to talk to the airline that issued the ticket (even when you want to change their flight) and some completely insane replies (such as MH telling me to talk to SQ when asking to change an MH operated flight on a DONE3).

Part of the problem recently has been a lot of the better agents who knew about these products left during covid, and I suspect that most of the remaining agents think that the RTW fares are the same as their normal fares and attempt to apply the change fees for a Business Saver fare.

 

[chan1108]

OK - so paid ticket ex Cairo - ONEWORLD or global explorer. Now it makes sense. D class is what you are chasing. The availability of D class will change between a new booking, or, in your case, an already established booking. When INSIDE the PNR (booking), availability of seats, in your case D class, will be different than if you have a look online from OUTSIDE the booking. Hence, when you check for D class ex HND, on either JL or QF, it may show up as being available, but this is not for YOUR booking :-(. There is no portal the reservations guys use. What you are being offered is D class availability for your particular booking.

Weird. Why I can't use all available D class?

 

[williamsf1]

If the first segment of such a booking has already been traveled, there is nothing in the rules about repricing if the fare level has increased.

See sections 16(a)1 & 16(a)2
oneworld Explorer Rules

The OP is not very clear on exactly what changes they are trying to do ... so one can only speculate so the following could apply


If the rerouting results in an increase to the number of continents previously charged, the ticket shall be recalculated. Ticket may be reissued to any applicable Explorer fare validating all rules of the new fare except for restrictions on retroactive use. Rerouting fee applies when the resulting fare is less than or equal to the original fare. No refund applies.See Upgrading provisions when recalculation results in a new fare basis at a higher value

 

[serfty]

Weird. Why I can't use all available D class?

Because generally these days Qantas telephone agents appear to be at worst incompetent at best untrained on these fares.

 

[Himeno]

Weird. Why I can't use all available D class?

Different availability for different points of sale. The amount of D seats, on the same flight, can be different for someone buying in the US compared to someone buying in Australia.
Things like married segments, etc can also interfere.