Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Captain Halliday]

@Familyman1 It’s unclear from your post if you don’t understand the explanation provided by @madrooster or if you just don’t agree with the response.

If it’s the former, perhaps this explanation of Married Segment Control that I provided to another AFFer some months back may assist your understanding.

Wiki - "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

 

[Familyman1]

@Familyman1 It’s unclear from your post if you don’t understand the explanation provided by @madrooster or if you just don’t agree with the response.

If it’s the former, perhaps this explanation of Married Segment Control that I provided to another AFFer some months back may assist your understanding.

Wiki - "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I understand what married segments are. I guess the take home message here is that we should not assume that the people at the Qantas Premium Call Centre understand what they are. I guess we should assume there is incompetence in every call centre.

 

[jetpack]

I wish I could still put the Qantas call centre in as high regard as you do. Sadly I see it only as a call centre that thinks its ok to have normal wait times of one hour or more and a culture that encourages hanging up on customers. I've spoken to a few premium call centre agents thinking that they sounded knowledgeable and helpful only to be disappointed because nothing ends up getting done and I have to call back again anyway to try and get the same issue resolved.

 

[melbkate]

Thanks for the update on your Finnair problem Vladi. You haven't really been given a proper explanation for the problem. But it will help me decide what I should do. Based on your experience, Madrooster's advise (and the support from his fan club), it will probably be safest for me and my wife to give up on Finnair and fly from Singapore to Germany with Qatar. I can see business class availability and I think the flights will include QSuites. As mentioned earlier, I had no problem booking SIN-HEL-DUS for my sons and daughter in economy with Finnair but Qantas's computers were not allowing these connections in business. Our family can reunite in Germany for Christmas in winter 2019.

No worries (btw Vladi was the finnair person on messenger) If the segments I have which is AY HEL-NRT then QF NRT-MEL are married I believe the Qantas booking system married them when I booked as it also has 'transfer time' on the booking ref.

I researched every segment individually on BA and Qantas. And added them 1 by 1 when I booked the flights with a rep. I didn't book the NCE-HEL at that time as I was hoping for a better flight from Bordeaux which is a new route for Finnair. I believe I would have been able to start from NCE and get same flights though as I also did a multi-booking test. I don't know much but I wish they could divorce those flights, there has to be a way!

 

[Familyman1]

No worries (btw Vladi was the finnair person on messenger) If the segments I have which is AY HEL-NRT then QF NRT-MEL are married I believe the Qantas booking system married them when I booked as it also has 'transfer time' on the booking ref.

I researched every segment individually on BA and Qantas. And added them 1 by 1 when I booked the flights with a rep. I didn't book the NCE-HEL at that time as I was hoping for a better flight from Bordeaux which is a new route for Finnair. I believe I would have been able to start from NCE and get same flights though as I also did a multi-booking test. I don't know much but I wish they could divorce those flights, there has to be a way!

Sorry about the mix up with your name. I am not an expert on married segments but I believe they are only between flights from the same airline. So AY HEL-NRT then QF NRT-MEL would not be married. It would be NCE-HEL and HEL-NRT that are married.

 

[melbkate]

Sorry about the mix up with your name. I am not an expert on married segments but I believe they are only between flights from the same airline. So AY HEL-NRT then QF NRT-MEL would not be married. It would be NCE-HEL and HEL-NRT that are married.

oh okay. well if you get any joy, do let us know. I also have another separate issue with an Iberia connection that changed so can't make 2nd flight in time, but qantas can't cancel 1 leg without canceling the other which I don't want to do. So now in my booking I have 2 IB flights MAD-EAS one at 1pm (linked to FC)-MAD) the other at around 6pm. . hmmm. And I got charged 5,000 points for the pleasure.

 

[pyffii]

oh okay. well if you get any joy, do let us know. I also have another separate issue with an Iberia connection that changed so can't make 2nd flight in time, but qantas can't cancel 1 leg without canceling the other which I don't want to do. So now in my booking I have 2 IB flights MAD-EAS one at 1pm (linked to FC)-MAD) the other at around 6pm. . hmmm. And I got charged 5,000 points for the pleasure.

I had a similar issue and it took 5 phone calls to QF to finally find a "senior" in Hobart who fixed the issue and immediately issued our new etickets ....So I suggest keep ringing until you find the right consultant !!!

 

[Jacques Vert]

It's not that I am refusing to believe you. I am just trying to make a decision between whose opinion is likely to be more accurate. The Qantas Premium Call Center person and his supervisor who worked on this problem for over an hour, with my specific booking details and with access to the booking systems of all the Oneworld airlines in front of them (and who concluded there is a glitch in the system), versus your opinion which is based on years of experience and I'm sure is also very reliable. I guess I will find out what the story is eventually. Thanks for your help.

My money's on Madrooster.

I have no faith in the QF call centre agents (with an occasional exception), and supervisors are worse because they won't entertain the possibility that they could be wrong.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

oh okay. well if you get any joy, do let us know. I also have another separate issue with an Iberia connection that changed so can't make 2nd flight in time, but qantas can't cancel 1 leg without canceling the other which I don't want to do. So now in my booking I have 2 IB flights MAD-EAS one at 1pm (linked to FC)-MAD) the other at around 6pm. . hmmm. And I got charged 5,000 points for the pleasure.

I think that you need to get the 1pm flight removed from your itinerary. My understanding is that if you do not fly any sector, then all subsequent sectors are automatically cancelled. That would be bad...

From the book of rules:
14.3.9 If a Member fails to board a Flight Segment of an itinerary containing only Classic Flight Reward Flight Segments, the remaining Segments will be cancelled. The cancelled Segments will only be reinstated if Classic Flight Reward seats are available. If any Segments are reinstated, the Reinstatement Fee will apply (see the Fee Schedule). In addition the Points required for the entire Itinerary including both travelled and reinstated Segments will be recalculated and any additional Points required will be deducted from the Member's account.

 

[melbkate]

I think that you need to get the 1pm flight removed from your itinerary. My understanding is that if you do not fly any sector, then all subsequent sectors are automatically cancelled. That would be bad...

From the book of rules:
14.3.9 If a Member fails to board a Flight Segment of an itinerary containing only Classic Flight Reward Flight Segments, the remaining Segments will be cancelled. The cancelled Segments will only be reinstated if Classic Flight Reward seats are available. If any Segments are reinstated, the Reinstatement Fee will apply (see the Fee Schedule). In addition the Points required for the entire Itinerary including both travelled and reinstated Segments will be recalculated and any additional Points required will be deducted from the Member's account.

Thanks yes definitely want to remove the changed (2 hours earlier!) IB flight MAD-EAS but Qantas rep couldn't do it - again as the first leg FCO-MAD gets cancelled as well! She was trying to work it out and we got cut off so when I logged back in saw she booked the later flight MAD-EAS I wanted but the other flights are also still there. Am getting on the phone tomorrow.

 

[melbkate]

I had a similar issue and it took 5 phone calls to QF to finally find a "senior" in Hobart who fixed the issue and immediately issued our new etickets ....So I suggest keep ringing until you find the right consultant !!!

Oh thanks yes am calling back tomorrow. I have found the Hobart call centre to be really helpful in general too.

 

[Rajith Bandara]

Hi all,
I have upcoming RTW in J, booked through QF Classic Rewards with 280K points. Just wondering, the possibility of upgrading to F in some of the segments. Especially in segments with JL and QR. Is this even possible? either with miles or cash.
many thanks

 

[cjd600]

Hi all,
I have upcoming RTW in J, booked through QF Classic Rewards with 280K points. Just wondering, the possibility of upgrading to F in some of the segments. Especially in segments with JL and QR. Is this even possible? either with miles or cash.
many thanks

No.
With points, on availability, changing any single sector from J to F will throw your total points to the 420k F award rate.
And I don’t think QF Classic Awards on partner airlines can be upgraded to F with cash.

 

[Aussiejosh]

Hi all,
I have upcoming RTW in J, booked through QF Classic Rewards with 280K points. Just wondering, the possibility of upgrading to F in some of the segments. Especially in segments with JL and QR. Is this even possible? either with miles or cash.
many thanks

nope

 

[Rajith Bandara]

No.
With points, on availability, changing any single sector from J to F will throw your total points to the 420k F award rate.
And I don’t think QF Classic Awards on partner airlines can be upgraded to F with cash.

As expected, Cheers

 

[KiwiBoy]

Hi friends,
Booked my J OWA for late next year, unfortunately I had to book the final SCL -> SYD leg thru Qantas ($335 fuel surcharge) as LATAM (no fuel surcharge) was not available. Has anyone had experience booking award seats on the LATAM flight? The availability seems very sporadic.
Ta

 

[sietes]

Hi friends,
Booked my J OWA for late next year, unfortunately I had to book the final SCL -> SYD leg thru Qantas ($335 fuel surcharge) as LATAM (no fuel surcharge) was not available. Has anyone had experience booking award seats on the LATAM flight? The availability seems very sporadic.
Ta

I had no luck trying to book LA to SCL or in the reverse trying SYD or MEL. Even when i could see availability i was told it was unavailable for whatever reason. I ended up booking the Qantas flight SCL-SYD with surprising results... to follow...

 

[sietes]

So after what felt like months of attempts but was actually more like three intense weeks following a month of planning i finally have booked my first 280k for two of us for August/September next year. Couldn't get many flights i wanted and more HUACA than i care to remember (although usually Qantas hung up on me) before i finally got onto an operator i could get the booking with. Couldn't book online as i guess it was too complex...

MEL-SIN (QF) ~22 hour stopover
SIN-HKG-LHR-FCO (CX/BA)
FCO-MAD-RAK (IB)
CMN-MAD (IB)
MAD-SCL (IB)
SCL-SYD-MEL (QF)

I was very worried what the surcharges were going to come out to when on the phone to the operator as i was too tired of going through the process to reject anything. To my surprise it came out at circa $780 per person. Needless to say we booked. Not the ideal routing or airlines, but hey, we got to redeem some points at excellent value so we won't be complaining.

 

[TanBish]

Can I ask what happens if married segments seem very close together (Doha - 45 minutes between flight from Chicago and to Bali)....and you miss it due to this scheduling? There would be no other flight to DPS that day...

 

[Aus ATC]

So after what felt like months of attempts but was actually more like three intense weeks following a month of planning i finally have booked my first 280k for two of us for August/September next year. Couldn't get many flights i wanted and more HUACA than i care to remember (although usually Qantas hung up on me) before i finally got onto an operator i could get the booking with. Couldn't book online as i guess it was too complex...

MEL-SIN (QF) ~22 hour stopover
SIN-HKG-LHR-FCL (CX/BA)
FCL-MAD-RAK (IB)
CMN-MAD (IB)
MAD-SCL (IB)
SCL-SYD-MEL (QF)

I was very worried what the taxes were going to come out to when on the phone to the operator as i was too tired of going through the process to reject anything. To my surprise it came out at circa $780 per person. Needless to say we booked. Not the ideal routing or airlines, but hey, we got to redeem some points at excellent value so we won't be complaining.

Great result - but where is FCL? I guess you mean FCO?