Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[cjd600]

Will there be any fee involved with booking via phone?

For Economy there is an 8000 points assistance fee (per passenger) - but if you advise you could not complete the booking online, they should waive this.
Business class has no assistance fee.

 

[wingtip626]

Earlier this week I made the final change to my booking, adding in two JL flights. Pleased to have the trip all confirmed and ticketed.
My itinerary (including positioning flights and surface sectors) takes me to Thailand, Greece, London, Iceland, New Caledonia, Japan, and China.

Unfortunately, the taxes came to a total of ~$2300. Qantas were unable to provide a breakdown so I am unable to verify this figure. But I do know they had to manually calculate the taxes due to some unusual routings in my booking.

Nonetheless, I am very much looking forward to this trip!

 

[Jacques Vert]

Will there be any fee involved with booking via phone?

If you tell them that you tried to book online but the system keeps returning an error, they should waive the fee but it may depend on the agent you get; there is also the chance the agent will tell you that each of your surface sectors must be counted as two stopovers (not correct but what can you do?)

I should have also suggested that you try a different browser: I've sometimes had success using Edge after getting repeated errors for the same itinerary using Chrome, and vice versa.

You could also try using the online tool during a quiet period (late night/early morning) as it could be a time-out error when pricing a complex itinerary.

Good luck.

 

[markyb]

IB, BA and AY should fly to Split (SPU) from MAD, LHR or HEL respectively for your Croatia leg.

I have previously seen 4x J on AY, CX and QR; it all depends on how you want to get home. Try all of the routes from HEL to Asia, and similarly legs to all of the different Australian ports from wherever you find availability in Asia - QR availability can be easier into PER, for example.

Your boys are going to be absolutely spoilt!

Thanks for that. At 1am this morning I was waiting on hold to Qantas again and discovered the BA executive club search tool, which revealed a little bit more availability than I'd found on Qantas' site. However, the taxes/fees/surcharges seemed incredible e.g. JFK-BOS-LHR $3000+, LHR-HND $2180 and MAD-DOH-CMB $1500 (all AUD). Does this sound correct? And might availability on the trip home still open up with some Oneworld carries, or is it all 'done' as it's only 9 months away?

 

[Jacques Vert]

Thanks for that. At 1am this morning I was waiting on hold to Qantas again and discovered the BA executive club search tool, which revealed a little bit more availability than I'd found on Qantas' site. However, the taxes/fees/surcharges seemed incredible e.g. JFK-BOS-LHR $3000+, LHR-HND $2180 and MAD-DOH-CMB $1500 (all AUD). Does this sound correct? And might availability on the trip home still open up with some Oneworld carries, or is it all 'done' as it's only 9 months away?

Have you considered setting up some alerts on Expert Flyer?

We'd be happy to come home via Spain, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Japan - my fear is that as a bronze FF I won't find 4 J seats home in early Sep.

Your bronze status won't make any difference to your booking opportunities with airlines other than QF (and even then, only when booking between 297 and 353 days in advance). Forget the direct flight from Sri Lanka: no chance of 2 x J seats on that one, let alone 4!

 

[JohnM]

I should have also suggested that you try a different browser: I've sometimes had success using Edge after getting repeated errors for the same itinerary using Chrome, and vice versa.

I was poking around reward availability using Firefox today and it was hopelessly stalling, but Chrome worked. PITA, but always worth trying a different browser before phoning.

 

[k_sheep]

Earlier this week I made the final change to my booking, adding in two JL flights. Pleased to have the trip all confirmed and ticketed.
My itinerary (including positioning flights and surface sectors) takes me to Thailand, Greece, London, Iceland, New Caledonia, Japan, and China.

Would you mind sharing your routing? Looks like a great trip and I might try to copy it

 

[RoseD]

I have started the 280k J awards and in my second stop. I will continue in June with the remaining segments Adl-Syd-Nrt, Nrt-Yvr, Sfo-Hkg. Qantas has cancelled the segment Adl-Syd Qf738 and replaced with Qf740. I have accepted the change but has not received the new E-ticket itinerary. The 3 international flights were confirmed long before I started the J awards. Am I in danger of losing the international flights whilst waiting for the new e-ticket? I’m nervous.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I have started the 280k J awards and in my second stop. I will continue in June with the remaining segments Adl-Syd-Nrt, Nrt-Yvr, Sfo-Hkg. Qantas has cancelled the segment Adl-Syd Qf738 and replaced with Qf740. I have accepted the change but has not received the new E-ticket itinerary. The 3 international flights were confirmed long before I started the J awards. Am I in danger of losing the international flights whilst waiting for the new e-ticket? I’m nervous.

Just call and ask for it to be reticketed.

 

[knobbs]

Bit of a pickle here, as part of our RTW J booking for this year we are travelling BGO-ARN-LHR.

BGO - ARN: Arrive 12:40 (Finnair)
ARN - LHR: Depart 13:20 (British Airways)

The airlines are different but part of the oneworld alliance. Does anyone know if they check the baggage through? I have had 2x different statements from the Qantas agents, one was going to call Finnair but then hanged up on me after they were ringing them. They also wanted to charge 5k change fee + 8k service fee per passenger (26k total) to change the connecting flight to a later time. I am worried if we miss this flight the rest of our itinerary will be forfeited. If baggage is checked through it should be fine, if not then we won't make the connection.

 

[markyb]

Have you considered setting up some alerts on Expert Flyer?



Your bronze status won't make any difference to your booking opportunities with airlines other than QF (and even then, only when booking between 297 and 353 days in advance). Forget the direct flight from Sri Lanka: no chance of 2 x J seats on that one, let alone 4!

Thanks for the suggestions, but pretty frustrated here after spending hours again today searching for 4 J seats from Croatia or Greece in early September. Can get to Asia but every seat from there seems gone, bar Tokyo (and that's after a LHR-HND trip with JAL that costs $2200 in extras).

Can anyone see availability for 4 pax in J from Croatia, Greek Islands or nearby to Sydney in early September? I'm stuck and currently on hold waiting for Qantas to answer at the 43min mark and counting...

 

[bobcat]

Does anybody have experience with taxes changing dramatically between booking and ticket confirmation?

I was advised that $X was owed a few days ago during a call, having added final few legs to complete oneworld booking.
Agreed to pay, provided CC details and patiently waited for email to come through.
Qantas rep in South Africa (I missed a call from an Australian agent) just told me the operator made an error and I actually owe 8 x $X.
No conversation entered into and told I risk losing flights if I don't agree to new charges immediately.

Is this common? Any ideas on how to resolve - ideally with paying the charge that was quoted and agreed on?

 

[Daver6]

Does anybody have experience with taxes changing dramatically between booking and ticket confirmation?

I was advised that $X was owed a few days ago during a call, having added final few legs to complete oneworld booking.
Agreed to pay, provided CC details and patiently waited for email to come through.
Qantas rep in South Africa (I missed a call from an Australian agent) just told me the operator made an error and I actually owe 8 x $X.
No conversation entered into and told I risk losing flights if I don't agree to new charges immediately.

Is this common? Any ideas on how to resolve - ideally with paying the charge that was quoted and agreed on?

So they acknowledge the original operator made an error? They'll have a recording of this. I'd suggest the cost of that error is the airline's and not the consumer's. You entered into an agreement with the information provided. Both parties accepted this and there is a recording of this. I don't see how they can legally try charge you more know.

The question becomes, can you be bothered fighting this? Someone else might be able to suggest the best avenue to do so. Another option is social media shaming I suppose.

 

[bobcat]

So they acknowledge the original operator made an error? They'll have a recording of this. I'd suggest the cost of that error is the airline's and not the consumer's. You entered into an agreement with the information provided. Both parties accepted this and there is a recording of this. I don't see how they can legally try charge you more know.

The question becomes, can you be bothered fighting this? Someone else might be able to suggest the best avenue to do so. Another option is social media shaming I suppose.

Thanks for your quick response. Yes. They acknowledged the smaller amount (which I had agreed to be charged to the card provided) was communicated but that was a mistake and insisted there is no scope for that original amount to be honoured. Essentially, do not pass go unless I pay 8x the original amount.

And yes, this also struck me as the case. Unclear whether it's illegal or unethical but even more unsure on what I can actually do about it. The threat of losing flights (as anyone who has attempted to book/booked one of these oneworld fares can appreciate) is pretty powerful.

Will make another call tomorrow and hope to resolve. Was hoping someone in this fine community might have had a similar experience and can advise how it was resolved. Feel free to send a direct message if you'd rather not post publicly.

 

[wingtip626]

Would you mind sharing your routing? Looks like a great trip and I might try to copy it

I’ve sent you a PM.

 

[JohnM]

Does anybody have experience with taxes changing dramatically between booking and ticket confirmation?

I was advised that $X was owed a few days ago during a call, having added final few legs to complete oneworld booking.
Agreed to pay, provided CC details and patiently waited for email to come through.
Qantas rep in South Africa (I missed a call from an Australian agent) just told me the operator made an error and I actually owe 8 x $X.
No conversation entered into and told I risk losing flights if I don't agree to new charges immediately.

Is this common? Any ideas on how to resolve - ideally with paying the charge that was quoted and agreed on?

I guess one factor for us to consider is the quantum.

Is 8 x $X a ludicrous amount of money or is it a handful of $$? Was $X a small enough sum that it may have triggered the thought that it could have been an error?

Is there any reason why you didn't provide the actual amount of $X so we could see whether it looked vaguely applicable or not?

 

[JohnM]

Does anybody have experience with taxes changing dramatically between booking and ticket confirmation?

I was advised that $X was owed a few days ago during a call, having added final few legs to complete oneworld booking.
Agreed to pay, provided CC details and patiently waited for email to come through.
Qantas rep in South Africa (I missed a call from an Australian agent) just told me the operator made an error and I actually owe 8 x $X.
No conversation entered into and told I risk losing flights if I don't agree to new charges immediately.

Is this common? Any ideas on how to resolve - ideally with paying the charge that was quoted and agreed on?

I also notice that the AUD-ZAR exchange rate is around the 9 mark. Could this be the root of the error?

 

[bobcat]

I also notice that the AUD-ZAR exchange rate is around the 9 mark. Could this be the root of the error?

The problem was caused by a previous change not being correctly processed and charged by Qantas. This didn't come up when final flight was initially added (by a South African rep), nor in last night's conversation (with a South African senior). Explained this morning by operator from Hobart, who admitted fault and was apologetic for misinformation.

Not overly happy with resolution but another very good advertisement in always trying to speak with someone from the Australian call centre. Obviously easier said than done!

Upside is booking is now complete (touch wood, still waiting for the ticket email).
Can't thank everyone enough for their help, guidance, links, information and responses to silly questions in past few months. Has made planning and booking so much easier than it otherwise would be.

 

[flychrisfly]

I have started the 280k J awards and in my second stop.

??? Oh you mean a 280K oneworld J award

 

[flychrisfly]

Bit of a pickle here, as part of our RTW J booking for this year we are travelling BGO-ARN-LHR.

BGO - ARN: Arrive 12:40 (Finnair)
ARN - LHR: Depart 13:20 (British Airways)

The airlines are different but part of the oneworld alliance. Does anyone know if they check the baggage through? I have had 2x different statements from the Qantas agents, one was going to call Finnair but then hanged up on me after they were ringing them. They also wanted to charge 5k change fee + 8k service fee per passenger (26k total) to change the connecting flight to a later time. I am worried if we miss this flight the rest of our itinerary will be forfeited. If baggage is checked through it should be fine, if not then we won't make the connection.

You mean oneworld J award booking...
If the airlines allowed it to be booked then you'll be fine, as it's all one ticket. Yes, the bags will be checked through. 40 mins is a decent amount of time at ARN and even if you miss the connection you'll be looked after without any tickets being cancelled (unless it's your fault for sitting in the bar while your plane leaves!)