No more EK F on Alaska points - Will this affect QF too?

[Guvner]

Apologies if this has been posted somewhere before, I did a search to no avail.

Will this affect Qantas Frequent Flyer First Class bookings on Emirates?

Fly Emirates - Airline partners - Mileage Plan | Alaska Airlines

You can earn and redeem Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles on flights with Emirates.

www.alaskaair.com

" Book your First Class award travel with Emirates by March 31, 2021. Beginning April 1, 2021, Emirates will no longer allow partner access to First Class award bookings. Mileage Plan members can continue to redeem on the Emirates’ award-winning Economy Class and Business Class. "

 

[VPS]

OMG - that is very sad

 

[RichardMEL]

Well noting that is AS. Let's see if that affects QFF as they have a separate partnership with EK.

 

[Danger]

Is there an Alaska Air sub-forum that this thread could be moved to?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Note the timing.

Alaska joins oneworld the same day.

 

[hb13]

This is horrible news if true for all partners including QF - does anyone have any news on whether this will be applicable for QF members as well?

 

[Guvner]

Is there an Alaska Air sub-forum that this thread could be moved to?

Why? The thread relates to Qantas as a partner to Emirates. Yes, the announcement is on an AS website but it states “partner access”. Hence the question. If you know the answer then feel free to provide it and we’ll move on.

 

[sudoer]

Emirates Withdraws First Class Award Partner Availability On April 1, 2021

Emirates withdraws first-class award inventory from partners effective April 1, 2021.

loyaltylobby.com

LoyaltyLobby picked this up too, hopefully we get some clarity over the coming days on whether this does affect QF.

I'd love to know the split of revenue vs award pax in EK F. Surely award pax would make up the overwhelming majority on long haul routes..

 

[Matt_01]

I was looking for EK F rewards yesterday from AU to NYC for around Sep/Oct next year, there was F availability from MEL, BNE, PER-DXB-JFK.

 

[RichardMEL]

I have seen word, but not verified, that QF have indicated this does not affect QF/EK.

Just have to hold on for a statement and not jump to conclusions (though I too did some random searches yesterday and could not find F awards beyond April 1).

Let's just wait for something official.

 

[Danger]

Why? The thread relates to Qantas as a partner to Emirates. Yes, the announcement is on an AS website but it states “partner access”. Hence the question. If you know the answer then feel free to provide it and we’ll move on.

Fair enough.

Emirates Ending First Class Awards Booked With Partner Miles April 1, 2021? - View from the Wing

Alaska Airlines sent out a program update to Mileage Plan members informing that “Beginning April 1, 2021, Emirates will no longer allow partner access to First Class award bookings.” It’s possible that this restriction – no first class awards with partner miles – is for Alaska Airlines only...

viewfromthewing.com

Emirates Eliminating More Partner First Class Awards

Emirates will start restricting first class awards to members of its own Skywards frequent flyer program. Is this a big deal?

onemileatatime.com

 

[RichardMEL]

ET have confirmed with QF this does NOT apply to the QF/EK partnership (so, relax!)

Emirates confirms partner airlines to lose first class reward bookings

From April 2021, the frequent flyers of some Emirates partner airlines will be unable to use their points to book first class.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'd love to know the split of revenue vs award pax in EK F. Surely award pax would make up the overwhelming majority on long haul routes..

I dunno? Ex Australia we have the ‘Australia tax’ which makes awards attractive. But that doesn’t apply from many other places... EK F from Bali to Europe return was around AUD5000 when I was checking a few days ago (the fare seems temporarily gone from google flights at this minute). Ex BKK it’s AUD5200 return.

Swiss and Singapore have a fare of AUD7177 ex London to Sydney return, first class, roughly half the price of buying it ex australia. It puts the F cabin within reach without needing to fill it with award seats.

 

[sudoer]

ET have confirmed with QF this does NOT apply to the QF/EK partnership (so, relax!)

Great for QFFs if true - could actually be a positive thing if F awards are easier to come by!

 

[trippin_the_rift]

EK doesn't allow F redemptions to all their partners.
For example, Malaysia Airlines which has a similar partnership with EK as QF -- no F redemptions.

Looks to me it's more of a bye-bye Alaska, more than 'no more partner F seats'.

Could also be a contractual issue between AS and EK. Remember that AS suddenly increased EK redemptions a year or two ago? That would have cut the volume of F redemptions, and perhaps, in their contract - there are minimum commitments which are no longer being met.

 

[Matt_01]

Received an email from JL around the discontinuation of Emirates (EK) First Class award tickets for JMB members effective from 1 Sep 2. The content:

"This is to inform you that due to Emirates (EK) policy changes, JMB Emirates First Class award tickets will be discontinued effective September 1, 2021.

Already issued First Class award tickets can be used on/after September 1, 2021 if reservations have been made, miles have been deducted and ticketed by August 31, 2021."

 

[Mattg]

Received an email from JL around the discontinuation of Emirates (EK) First Class award tickets for JMB members effective from 1 Sep 2. The content:

"This is to inform you that due to Emirates (EK) policy changes, JMB Emirates First Class award tickets will be discontinued effective September 1, 2021.

Already issued First Class award tickets can be used on/after September 1, 2021 if reservations have been made, miles have been deducted and ticketed by August 31, 2021."

Hopefully this change is limited to JMB and doesn't foreshadow similar changes coming to QF...

 

[hossein_au]

Received an email from JL around the discontinuation of Emirates (EK) First Class award tickets for JMB members effective from 1 Sep 2. The content:

"This is to inform you that due to Emirates (EK) policy changes, JMB Emirates First Class award tickets will be discontinued effective September 1, 2021.

Already issued First Class award tickets can be used on/after September 1, 2021 if reservations have been made, miles have been deducted and ticketed by August 31, 2021."

They say tickets issued by 31 August 2021 are going to be honoured, but they have taken EK F redemption from their web site already...

 

[mviy]

Hopefully this change is limited to JMB and doesn't foreshadow similar changes coming to QF...

Indeed. Flying EK F on the A380 is one of the things on my travel to do list, but if F redemptions for QFF are removed then it'll drop off my list.

 

[hossein_au]

Indeed. Flying EK F on the A380 is one of the things on my travel to do list, but if F redemptions for QFF are removed then it'll drop off my list.

EK F on A380 is great, but on QFF?? Not the greatest value by any stretch... Last time I bothered to check, fuel surcharge for a 1-way trip to Europe was more than the cost of return ticket to Europe in economy!