Inserting QFF No. into AA booking

[Altair]

Then your flight must have been a QF flight booked on the aa.com website.

Nothing very interesting about that really. AA.com bookings are made through their Sabre reservation system and hence AA.com will provide the Sabre booking reference. Since the itinerary involved at least one flight on an airline that uses Amadeus reservation system (such as QF or BA), the Sabre system pushed the booking info to Amadeus which creates its own booking reference number.

Qantas.com and Checkmytrip.com use Amadeus to retrieve the reservation information and hence need to use the Amadeus booking reference number.

That implies to me that the booking did not include an AA flights and only included QF (and/or BA) flights. Hence Sabre does not need to keep the info once its been pushed to Amadeus. Checkmytrip always used Amadeus booking reference numbers and so does Qantas. AA uses Sabre. So what have seen is perfectly normal and to be expected.

Yes you are completely right:!:
I did not know that AA uses Sabre but I did know QF uses Amadeus.

 

[Soundguy]

After spending ages on the phone to AA in England (who apparently had to contact the AA office in Delhi) they finally agreed to accept my Australian CC 'just this time'. I have just recieved confirmation by e-mail, just days from the flight.

I worry about you guys that have shifted everything from QF to AA. Sure the points burn is much better (although transfering points from an Australian CC is not very efficient) but it seems AA could hardly care less about any Australian customers. What's to stop them doubling the AA points requirements for award flights to/from Oz next week?

 

[Dave Noble]

After spending ages on the phone to AA in England (who apparently had to contact the AA office in Delhi) they finally agreed to accept my Australian CC 'just this time'. I have just recieved confirmation by e-mail, just days from the flight.

I worry about you guys that have shifted everything from QF to AA. Sure the points burn is much better (although transfering points from an Australian CC is not very efficient) but it seems AA could hardly care less about any Australian customers. What's to stop them doubling the AA points requirements for award flights to/from Oz next week?

The issues with booking with AA can be circumvented in many cases though there is an issue with their booking centre here. Given that they don't fly to Australia, having an office here was perhaps costing more than it is worth.

As far as awards go, they do have United et al to compete with and keep em honest. They are not likely to make major changes to their scheme since they want to remain competitive whilst QF doesnt have the same competition

Dave

 

[Soundguy]

The issues with booking with AA can be circumvented in many cases.....

Care to expound a little more on this Dave - or direct me to where I can find this info here?

Thanks...... I have several other US domestic flights to book right now & aa.com has turned out to be a hassle this time.

 

[vt01]

I worry about you guys that have shifted everything from QF to AA. Sure the points burn is much better (although transfering points from an Australian CC is not very efficient) but it seems AA could hardly care less about any Australian customers. What's to stop them doubling the AA points requirements for award flights to/from Oz next week?

I'm not worried.. It would take a lot of devaluing of points to come close to the pitiful QF scheme. I wish I had switched years ago.
eg. Just got back from a SYD-EDI return which gave me sufficient AA points for 2 x SYD-PER return for 40k with 10k points to spare. The same thing with QF would be 72k. So my trip would only get me 1.5 tickets with nothing to spare!
As an added bonus I got F class bonus even though my ticket was only J. That was an extra 2600 points..
AA have always been very helpful when I've talked to them. But it's on ly the US office I have spoken to so far.. I also haven't done any web bookings with them..

 

[simongr]

I'm not worried.. It would take a lot of devaluing of points to come close to the pitiful QF scheme. I wish I had switched years ago.
eg. Just got back from a SYD-EDI return which gave me sufficient AA points for 2 x SYD-PER return for 40k with 10k points to spare. The same thing with QF would be 72k. So my trip would only get me 1.5 tickets with nothing to spare!

One of the key benefits at the moment for me is the 100% status bonus with Platinum. I know I would hit QF WP in about march - but between now and then I have about 50K miles to fly in J between now and then. So getting the 100% bonus is worth about an extra 25K points over the same period.

I wouldnt also forsee AA changing the rules specifically for south pacific areas as I just dont think we are big enough for them to even think about us. What is potentially more of risk is they change the rules that they require four segments on AA metal to requalify. I am really hoping I hit exec plat next year - which with 2 rtn trips to US or Europe plus three trips into asia - I might just scrape through and get those 8 upgrades

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Yes you are completely right:!:
I did not know that AA uses Sabre but I did know QF uses Amadeus.

See my blog entry for a listing of CRS used by many airlines

 

[vt01]

I wouldnt also forsee AA changing the rules specifically for south pacific areas as I just dont think we are big enough for them to even think about us. What is potentially more of risk is they change the rules that they require four segments on AA metal to requalify.

Yes, agree here.. I've heard that BA enforce their 4 segment rule (for some). I guess I just need to make sure I do an annual trip to the US.

 

[Soundguy]

So, you folk that regularly use AA, what is your secret to booking flights?

If I use aa.com it may or may not accept my Australian credit card, and it takes several days to find out. My last booking was only US$267 and it was not accepted until I went over it on the phone to the UK office who said "just this time" they would OK it.

Or if I book over the phone I pay extra and loose the AA points bonus offered by using their website. Do they readily accept Australian CC's over the phone perhap? Is this how you always book?

 

[Dave Noble]

So, you folk that regularly use AA, what is your secret to booking flights?

If I use aa.com it may or may not accept my Australian credit card, and it takes several days to find out. My last booking was only US$267 and it was not accepted until I went over it on the phone to the UK office who said "just this time" they would OK it.

Or if I book over the phone I pay extra and loose the AA points bonus offered by using their website. Do they readily accept Australian CC's over the phone perhap? Is this how you always book?

If you are booking a flight for travel on AA, then one easy way is to make the booking online and then just hold the booking ; you can then pay over the phone with the Australian office in India.

Dave

 

[Soundguy]

If you are booking a flight for travel on AA, then one easy way is to make the booking online and then just hold the booking ; you can then pay over the phone with the Australian office in India.

Dave

Ah.... thanks Dave, that's a good idea - I will try this. Presume the old AA North Sydney number switches one through to AA in Delhi.

Be nice if you could book QF via the AA website in this way also.

 

[Dave Noble]

Ah.... thanks Dave, that's a good idea - I will try this. Presume the old AA North Sydney number switches one through to AA in Delhi.

Be nice if you could book QF via the AA website in this way also.

The old 1300 number goes to India iirc. Unfortunately it is only AA flights which can be held online , when travel is with another carrier, full payment is needed straight away

Dave