Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Danger]

Have I just made the biggest Rookie Mistake ever....

As part of my planned trip, the first sectors were hopefully SIN-HEL-ARN. My problem is that I could only ever book SIN-HEL at -361 on AY. When I waited for the HEL-ARN sector the next day to book multi city SIN-HEL-ARN, SIN-HEL was then not available. I booked SIN-HEL as a single trip as this was not a multi cities. It is a Classic Reward. Am I able to add to this sector as my sectors become available at-361/360? I couldn’t use QR as I need to use them later on in the itinerary.

Can someone please put me out of my misery either way....

Thanks
Zoom

Yes. What you've done is fine and shouldn't cause any issues. The recommendation is always to book flights when they become available, rather than wait for the whole thing. It's one reason why your initial outlay of points may well be over 140K/280K/420K. You will need to phone QF to add your additional flights, though and there's a cost to that (5K change plus a service fee unless in a premium cabin).

 

[DC3]

... I booked SIN-HEL as a single trip as this was not a multi cities. It is a Classic Reward. Am I able to add to this sector as my sectors become available at-361/360? I couldn’t use QR as I need to use them later on in the itinerary ..

Forget all about multi-city. Now that you have started the process and have a PRN, you just phone the QF Call Centre to keep adding or changing segments. 5,000 points per passenger for each time that you phone and change.

Will max out at 280,000 points for business class, plus all the the 5,000 point changes.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I’m extremely worried right now. I called up yesterday to add a couple of sectors to a QF One World Award in F. Seemed to go ok but I didn’t receive the new tickets and my card wasn’t charged.
Called up today to query it and they tell me CX have auto cancelled two sectors HND-HKG and HKG-SIN and we are now waitlisted for those flights while they try to sort it out with CX.
Anyone else have experience of this and if so is there anything I can do myself or just wait for them to fix it?
There are a lot of F flights on there which I’m worried will cancel if they don’t hurry up and sort it out.

EDIT Departure is early October

 

[zoom&boom]

Yes. What you've done is fine and shouldn't cause any issues. The recommendation is always to book flights when they become available, rather than wait for the whole thing. It's one reason why your initial outlay of points may well be over 140K/280K/420K. You will need to phone QF to add your additional flights, though and there's a cost to that (5K change plus a service fee unless in a premium cabin).

Forget all about multi-city. Now that you have started the process and have a PRN, you just phone the QF Call Centre to keep adding or changing segments. 5,000 points per passenger for each time that you phone and change.

Will max out at 280,000 points for business class, plus all the the 5,000 point changes.

Thanks for the very quick responses. I thought I was correct but being the first of these great value rewards I started to doubt myself.
I’ll have a fee fees to add stuff but even then it will still be great value.

Thanks again
Zoom

 

[Danger]

I’m extremely worried right now. I called up yesterday to add a couple of sectors to a QF One World Award in F. Seemed to go ok but I didn’t receive the new tickets and my card wasn’t charged.
Called up today to query it and they tell me CX have auto cancelled two sectors HND-HKG and HKG-SIN and we are now waitlisted for those flights while they try to sort it out with CX.
Anyone else have experience of this and if so is there anything I can do myself or just wait for them to fix it?
There are a lot of F flights on there which I’m worried will cancel if they don’t hurry up and sort it out.

EDIT Departure is early October

I don't have any experience but if QF sold you the seats but failed to ticket, surely it's up to QF to fix. What were you supposed to do, phone Cathay to ticket it for you?

 

[DC3]

... but I didn’t receive the new tickets and my card wasn’t charged.
Called up today to query it and they tell me CX have auto cancelled two sectors ...

I phoned Monday night and added some segments (2 x CX, 1 x QF) to an existing booking. Informed to expect a new e-ticket within the hour. Tuesday afternoon, and no e-ticket and no cc charge, so rang again. Mysteriously a totally different cc was quoted, as being refused. Re-processed, advised that e-ticket will be expedited, and will be within 10 minutes.

Tuesday night. No e-ticket although cc had been charged. Phoned again and all looked good. No CX or other issues. Received an e-ticket a few minutes later and all is fixed.

May be totally unrelated to your issue but it pays to keep on top of it, as you have done.

Edit: Most recent e-ticket was not auto-generated and needed manual intervention by the Call Centre to issue

 

[DC3]

I don't have any experience but if QF sold you the seats but failed to ticket, surely it's up to QF to fix. What were you supposed to do, phone Cathay to ticket it for you?

The lack of a cc charge may be a clue. A glitch resulting in no payment resulting in no booking. Not sure how long CX will hold the seats but thought that a few days, or more, was likely.

 

[11sjw]

I’m extremely worried right now. I called up yesterday to add a couple of sectors to a QF One World Award in F. Seemed to go ok but I didn’t receive the new tickets and my card wasn’t charged.
Called up today to query it and they tell me CX have auto cancelled two sectors HND-HKG and HKG-SIN and we are now waitlisted for those flights while they try to sort it out with CX.
Anyone else have experience of this and if so is there anything I can do myself or just wait for them to fix it?
There are a lot of F flights on there which I’m worried will cancel if they don’t hurry up and sort it out.

EDIT Departure is early October

Yes but I picked it up in time, ie the flights hadn't been snapped up by others. The lady that answered my frantic call said it would've been up to QF to make good. Seems like that hasn't happened.

 

[11sjw]

The lack of a cc charge may be a clue. A glitch resulting in no payment resulting in no booking. Not sure how long CX will hold the seats but thought that a few days, or more, was likely.

Seems like it's <24 hours.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Seems like it's <24 hours.

About 6 hours in fact......

 

[cjd600]

I’m extremely worried right now. I called up yesterday to add a couple of sectors to a QF One World Award in F. Seemed to go ok but I didn’t receive the new tickets and my card wasn’t charged.
Called up today to query it and they tell me CX have auto cancelled two sectors HND-HKG and HKG-SIN and we are now waitlisted for those flights while they try to sort it out with CX.
Anyone else have experience of this and if so is there anything I can do myself or just wait for them to fix it?
There are a lot of F flights on there which I’m worried will cancel if they don’t hurry up and sort it out.

EDIT Departure is early October

Had the same thing, but with QR flights dropping off.
QF tried to offer 'alternatives' but I insisted they needed to sort out the ticketed flights that were originally on my booking.
And so they did, not sure how they remedied it with QR.

 

[ellen10]

Our long awaited and agonising booking process has finally become a reality. First flight CX Syd to HK in J done, I was sure I would get to checkin and the agent wouldn’t have any record of our bookings. Now sitting in the lovely Qantas Hong Kong lounge a lovely shower just taken and now awaiting our flight to Dublin.
Dreams do come true and many thanks to those who assisted and encouraged me along the booking experience.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Phew!!!
E-ticket arrived overnight. Credit card charged. CX must have released the Awards back again.

 

[11sjw]

Phew!!!
E-ticket arrived overnight. Credit card charged. CX must have released the Awards back again.

Great to hear!

 

[Ktan89]

I probably know the answer already but I need reassurance..
I'm in the middle of booking my RTW and it's all good for 280k until Qantas released it's GREAT news
I can't complete my booking until October and by that time the points required will change to 318k.. there is absolutely nothing we can do about this correct?

 

[motef]

I probably know the answer already but I need reassurance..
I'm in the middle of booking my RTW and it's all good for 280k until Qantas released it's GREAT news
I can't complete my booking until October and by that time the points required will change to 318k.. there is absolutely nothing we can do about this correct?

Correct

It will be 318k points

 

[Danger]

I probably know the answer already but I need reassurance..
I'm in the middle of booking my RTW and it's all good for 280k until Qantas released it's GREAT news
I can't complete my booking until October and by that time the points required will change to 318k.. there is absolutely nothing we can do about this correct?

I have been informed by a QF Premium agent that the points cost is determined by the booking date. Provided you have locked in your booking (i.e. it's maxed out at the 280K and met all the other requirements) by 18 September the charge will not increase to 318K when you make your change.

It's not clear from your post, however, if this applies to you as I'm not sure whether you will have met all the requirements of the award by 18 September.

 

[Ktan89]

It's not clear from your post, however, if this applies to you as I'm not sure whether you will have met all the requirements of the award by 18 September.

I don't think it applies to me. I've booked 1,2,3 legs at 261k points at the moment and can only book my 4th and 5th after September.

Are you saying if I complete my booking now by putting in dummy dates and lock in at 280k I can change dates later on and pay only 5k for the change?

 

[Danger]

I don't think it applies to me. I've booked 1,2,3 legs at 261k points at the moment and can only book my 4th and 5th after September.

Are you saying if I complete my booking now by putting in dummy dates and lock in at 280k I can change dates later on and pay only 5k for the change?

I've just checked my notes and I think it will actually apply in your situation. I was told that with respect to cost, "It's from the booking creation date so if you book it before 18 September, you'll be on the old rules." So it seems that you actually just have to have a booking in place, not have it completed which sounds like it's good for you.

That said, I would take it with a salt. If I was you, I'd hit up the chat feature (or call) and get that answer yourself.

 

[cambriamarsh]

I've just checked my notes and I think it will actually apply in your situation. I was told that with respect to cost, "It's from the booking creation date so if you book it before 18 September, you'll be on the old rules." So it seems that you actually just have to have a booking in place, not have it completed which sounds like it's good for you.

That said, I would take it with a salt. If I was you, I'd hit up the chat feature (or call) and get that answer yourself.

And please let us know the answer.