On-line Booking with the Qantas

[mbeder]

I recently attempted to book a Sydney - Cape Town – Sydney trip on the Qantas website using Frequent Flyer points. I’m web literate and have booked numerous domestic and international flights on-line, plus there’s usually a 1,000 bonus for booking on-line.
However, I soon discovered that I could only book Sydney-Johannesburg-Sydney at a cost of 90,000 points on the web, which sounded OK. I then just needed to organise a Cape Town-Johannesburg- Cape Town ticket, which I was happy to pay for using cash, and was quoted a couple of hundred $ to do so my travel agent. During my conversation with my travel agent, she indicated that I should try book the full trip over the telephone using points as it “should be possible”.
I duly phoned the Frequent Flyer call centre, and was delighted, but somewhat surprised, to find that they were able to book me a Sydney - Cape Town – Sydney ticket, with code share flights on BA/ComAir for the Cape Town-Johannesburg- Cape Town legs for a total of 80,000 points! So not only did I save the cost of the Cape Town-Johannesburg- Cape Town legs, but I also saved 10,000 points.
The Qantas operator indicated that the on-line booking system on the website only offers limited routes, and anything out of the ordinary, like connecting flights or side trips are not easily done.

 

[Rick93]

1,000 points online booking...

Sorry to tell you this..... but QANTAS dropped the 1,000 point online booking bonus last September.

Gordon

 

[straitman]

As someone mentioned somewhere else re booking with DJ. Even with QF you really need to look at the big picture. Sometimes it is better to book a return & sometimes it is better to book two one way tickets.

Also a good idea to open several sites at once to get the best price as sometimes they vary dramatically. e.g.
Qantas, travel.com.au, Webjet, HWT and even Flight centre. Sometimes one will offer a special that the others don't and sometimes they just show different rates. 8)

Strange, but true and there appears to be no real logic in how it works. It just becomes a game in trying to beat the system.

 

[thadocta]

As someone mentioned somewhere else re booking with DJ. Even with QF you really need to look at the big picture. Sometimes it is better to book a return & sometimes it is better to book two one way tickets.

Also a good idea to open several sites at once to get the best price as sometimes they vary dramatically. e.g.
Qantas, travel.com.au, Webjet, HWT and even Flight centre. Sometimes one will offer a special that the others don't and sometimes they just show different rates. 8)

Strange, but true and there appears to be no real logic in how it works. It just becomes a game in trying to beat the system.

Considering he was talking about booking AWARD flights, none of the above is relevant, particularly your first paragraph, since it is NEVER better to book two one-way awards compared to a return award.

Dave

 

[straitman]

On-line Booking with Qantas (Non award)

thadocta,

Considering he was talking about booking AWARD flights, none of the above is relevant, particularly your first paragraph, since it is NEVER better to book two one-way awards compared to a return award.

Since the title of the topic was (is) "Your Tips / On-line Booking with the Qantas" I considered (and still do) this an appropriate place for the comment I made :!:

There was never any suggestion, if you read what I said, that I was talking about "AWARD flights" or the post from mbeder. I hope you are able to work that out this time :!:

Alternately, just be a little less aggressive with your response (then so will I) :!:

 

[thadocta]

I beg to differ - the OP had a vague topic header, and then went into what they wanted to say. What they wanted to say was fairly specific, in that it referred to award bookings and the difficulties involved with booking them.

I concede that the topic subject could have been better chosen, but your reply had absolutely NOTHING to do with what was in the thread - and replies generally - or are at least supposed to - have something to do with what came before them. They are not supposed to be totally neutral to ALL of the preceding posts.

So, AFAIAC, my original comments stand, otherwise people will be free to post stuff irrelevant to a thread (but *vaguely* relevant to the subject line) and be able to get away with it.

Dave

 

[straitman]

Communication

I concede that the topic subject could have been better chosen, but your reply had absolutely NOTHING to do with what was in the thread - and replies generally - or are at least supposed to - have something to do with what came before them. They are not supposed to be totally neutral to ALL of the preceding posts.

Being relatively new to the forum I concede that my understanding of the methods / protocols of the forums may be wrong. Had you simply stated that the post was on the wrong forum (and why) I would respond appropriately. I only follow the examples of those (such as yourself) who often wander off threads. :?

Having said all this I suggest that we move on :arrow: and that we all use each others experiences to the maximum. I believe that with 35 years + experience in the front & the back of the a/c and in aviation management I probably have a something to offer. :wink:

I stand by my sign off line :!:

 

[thadocta]

Which part of the industry have you worked in? I have worked for QF, both in res and departure control, as well as having worked in retail travel. Now I am a traveller, and have reached the giddy heights of scum (I hope to make wanka this year - that is FlyerTalk nomenclature, btw! ) so do a LOT of flying, mostly domestic on discount Y (and believe me, it is no mean feat, making it to scum in discount Y, with most of the flights I do being worth a mere 10 status credits, and needing 600 to requalify for scum).

Dave

 

[straitman]

thadocta,

To answer your :?: . Many years military flying, through to working (aviation) for an oil company at present. (Plus a lot in between.)

I don't envy all your flights, and though the extra points would be great I'm happy doing the limited trips I now do.

cheers,

 

[thadocta]

No problem Bill - I just like to know where people are coming from.

As far as ME going off-topic, I never directly go off-topic - although, having said that, things tend to wander. One post goes *slightly* off-topic, you reply to that (going even *slightlier* off-topic) and then replies go on from there, and before you know it the whole thing degenerates into a discussion about beer. (Not that there is anything wrong with that!)

As far as the flights go, I don't mind them, I am an aviation enthusiast, and as an SG (scum gold) I get QF Club access prior to flights (and as a beer enthusiast, I am not averse to the Hahn Premiums in the lounge). I have also been known to take multi-stop flights on the same flight number (thus no extra FF points or SC's, just the extra landing/take-off) just to get the take-off rush.

I enjoy flying, which I suppose is why I hold a pilits license (only drawback is that I need to be under 0.00 when flying - and there is no joy in the QF Club then). I actually enjoy a lot of things about flying. Call me mad, but there you go. (And plenty HAVE called me mad!)

Dave

 

[redrat]

Ah, the anonymity of "talking" on a discussion site. But we're now seeing a little bit of the personal side of at least two members.

At the risk of topic drift don't you ever wonder if someone in the industry may recognize you by your writings now that you've revealed a little about yourselves?

I figure you could log in under another pseudonym but that would be too tedious especially with your pseudonym well recognized on at least two websites that I frequent.

I've noticed get togethers at the FT website & often wondered if I were to type into this website - "all those reading this in QC Sydney business centre please raise your hand" & look up to see who is really around at the same time so we could grab a beer together.

 

[QF WP]

Redrat, that is why I post my QF WP travelling again threads so that perhaps I might meet one or two similar travelling and BB enthusiasts. Having met Dave at both FT QC get-togethers, I'd share a beer with him anytime, anyplace. Similar with any of the regular posters here.

I'd post the same here but doubt a similar response...but always willing to give it a go, as I'm sure Cliff would welcome me too as well.

I'm doing BNE/MEL/BNE this week, so will try and post the details in a separate thread.

Now that Straitsman and Dave have setled their differences (Dave would have preferred HP's at 30 yards at a QC with the loser buying the next shout!).

 

[redrat]

LW, alas I'm paying the ultimate price for flying *A in March. (I have to fly with them if I visit airline clients that are in the *A).
After consuming a few relaxants in J (or whatever ANZ calls it), the a/c pulled into AKL but didn't get a gate. When walking down the stairs my left foot rolled but unfortunately I was on the edge of a step where I came down on it and broke my ankle.

Thankfully (if there is anything to be thankful for), I'd already requalified for Plat. So with the clock not restarting until Jun 03, I'm not too bad off after all.

 

[straitman]

Now that Straitsman and Dave have setled their differences (Dave would have preferred HP's at 30 yards at a QC with the loser buying the next shout!).

I'll happily shout any time I'm at the QC :!: