Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[exceladdict]

comforttravel previously asked
I haven't been able to find the rules that apply to:
a) if a city has >1 airport (eg London, Paris, Tokyo, New York) and you transit that city (<24 hrs) by arriving at 1 airport (eg LHR) and depart at a 2nd airport (eg LGW), is that counted as a transit, or is it counted as a stop in LHR and also an additional (surface) sector LHR-LGW with 26 miles applied for the (surface) sector?
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I'm also interested in the response to that as I plan to arrive at Haneda(HND) and depart from Narita(NRT) within 24 hours. Is HND regarded as a stopover and also an additional (surface) sector HND-NRT? Thanks.

I believe it is not counted as a stop (nrt-hnd), only because if it is, my current itinerary would not meet the rules. Booked by searching one leg from kul to kix and ended up kul-nrt-hnd-kix (if i recall correctly).

However this could be completely wrong and I would suggest it is completely up to the phone agent you get.

Try booking it online and see if it lets you.

 

[Aristotle9]

I'm also hoping that's the case. Unfortunately, it seems that there's nothing concrete from QF at this stage, just some Call Centre opinions.

I'm all but certain so long as the booking was made before the announcements it would definitely be and most likely circa June-Sept would fall under the same (system limitations aside). Well we'll know soon enough!

And welcome to AFF.

Thx mate - hoping to contribute and help the community grow!

 

[LA10]

I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on your itinerary (sorry) but I too am interested in the thought of two trips. I see you intend to commence in Singapore and end in Mel. For the OWA do you know if the total mileage will be calculated as, 'SIN-MEL or SIN-SIN? (I think I've read that it would be SIN-SIN?) Please correct me if I am wrong!

You're correct, it would be SIN-SIN.

Thanks for all the help so far.

I narrowed my choices down to 2 main options:

1. mel - sin (transit) - doh - lhr (stop, internal flights around Europe) - fra - hkg (long stop - make my own way to MEL and back to HKG) - tyo - dfw - lax - mel

2. SIN-DOH-HEL-HKG-SYD-LAX-SYD-SIN (MEL-SIN my own way).

What are your thoughts on the above? My concern is that finding QF flights from MEL - anywhere in the US if difficult at the best of times, so trying to find both way could be difficult if I'm looking about 10-11 months out. Hence I'm thinking going to LAX/DFW via Tokyo or HKG would be a better option.

My third option was SIN - DOH - HEL- hkg- MEL - TYO - LAX- TYO -SIN, but this is 35,355!

I now need to rejig this a little...going to the US first then Europe later in the year. Will come back with a new plan!

 

[Ktan89]

How many surface sectors are allowed on this booking. Can you also visit (stopover) the same country twice but to different cities?

 

[Rtw]

No, don't wait. Book as soon as any one of your desired flights become available.

In theory, more economy seats should be available if for no other reason than the fact there are simply more economy seats on planes to begin with. But it's not a science so that can't be relied on.

Again in theory, no, what you see online should be it. That said, it's not uncommon for a phone agent to be able to see seats that aren't available online so if you're not seeing what you want, it doesn't hurt to phone. Frustratingly, the opposite is also true in that if you find something online, you might be told by a phone agent that they can't see it.

Thanks for the reply,
Could you tell me what the negatives are of booking this way, how does it eventually get combined into a OWA trip if I book in segments? Do I pay tax fees each booking ? And is it additional points booking this way?
Advice is much appreciated

 

[Ktan89]

Thanks for the reply,
Could you tell me what the negatives are of booking this way, how does it eventually get combined into a OWA trip if I book in segments? Do I pay tax fees each booking ? And is it additional points booking this way?
Advice is much appreciated

Every time you add a segment or make a change it will cost you a fee of 5,000 points + you will pay the tax fee for each segment added.
If the booking is within the OWA rules it will automatically cap at 280k.

 

[LA10]

I'm spending my Monday morning at work playing with GC mapper, so much fun!

 

[adenda]

I'd keep pushing back on this. Ask the agents who deny you what the rule is you're supposedly violating. Another suggesting might be to jump on the phone and plan the exact same itinerary you've already got, but on different dates, in the hope that you'll get an agent telling you what you've planned is valid. Then ask them to look at your existing itinerary and do what you want.

At the end of the day, though, I wouldn't be losing your entire trip over a short hop between MEL and ADL.

SUCCESS! - got my last flight added.
I decided to try one more time and after again being told the the flight couldn't be added I pressed on what rule was not being complied with and initially got the response:

"It's because there are different airlines and processing change or adding another leg may cause discrepancies with the booking. "

I basically ignored this and continued to ask if tech support could advise what was the issue and all of a sudden I was chatting to a new agent who said they were working on adding the flight and shortly after advised it was done! Their explanation was:

"The error is with re-issuing a points booking with Iberian Airlines. It wont allow a tax quote. Each tax for all the airlines have to be calculated separately which isn't the normal procedure. "

So thanks to a couple of very helpful QF agents (Melody and Kaz) who persisted with a system that didn't want to cooperate I got there.

Also the itinerary was re-ticketed within about 2 hours so didn't have any nightmares with lost bookings that others have experienced.

So if your itinerary complies with the rules be persistent - especially, it seems, if you have Iberia flights in your itinerary

Thanks Danger and others for suggesting pushing back - I was ready to admit defeat.

So, I tried the text late this afternoon. After a bit of to-and-fro, we eventually got on track.

This is an extract:

Q: For any changes made to my existing bookings from 18th September, change fees aside, will the cost of my award be 280,000 points, or will it be re-assessed as 318,000 points, please?

A: I believe that your booking will still be honored.

Q: Thank you. So, do I take it that my Qantas OneWorld Award bookings, made for 280,000 points prior to 18th September, will not be re-assessed as 318,000 points for changes after that date. I understand that normal change fees may apply. The Qantas website seems to lack any information on this.

A: You are correct. You will only be looking at the change fee of 5000 points + any changes tax differences.

However, I'm not really convinced. Is this an opinion rather than fact? I would advise anyone who is after an answer to do webchat or text for themselves.

Edited: For content. "Q:" and "A:" added for clarity

Unfortunately I think they're wrong and changes made after September 18 to bookings - no matter when they were initially made - will be charged at the new, higher points levels.

The reason I say this is that after making my initial OWA booking several weeks ago and having 280,000 points deducted per passenger I've had to make 4 separate change requests. Looking at my points account, on each occasion my account was credited back the 280,000 points and then re-charged 280,000 points plus the 5,000 points change fee (per passenger). In effect the original transaction was reversed and a whole new points transaction was processed - and tickets reissued.

Just my opinion - I too haven't seen anything concrete from Qantas

 

[flapper]

SUCCESS! - got my last flight added.
I decided to try one more time and after again being told the the flight couldn't be added I pressed on what rule was not being complied with and initially got the response:

"It's because there are different airlines and processing change or adding another leg may cause discrepancies with the booking. "

I basically ignored this and continued to ask if tech support could advise what was the issue and all of a sudden I was chatting to a new agent who said they were working on adding the flight and shortly after advised it was done! Their explanation was:

"The error is with re-issuing a points booking with Iberian Airlines. It wont allow a tax quote. Each tax for all the airlines have to be calculated separately which isn't the normal procedure. "

So thanks to a couple of very helpful QF agents (Melody and Kaz) who persisted with a system that didn't want to cooperate I got there.

Also the itinerary was re-ticketed within about 2 hours so didn't have any nightmares with lost bookings that others have experienced.

So if your itinerary complies with the rules be persistent - especially, it seems, if you have Iberia flights in your itinerary

Thanks Danger and others for suggesting pushing back - I was ready to admit defeat.

I’ve previously had trouble adding IB flights and had been told taxes have to be calculated manually.
This may cause agents difficulty when you add other flights, as it has me in the past. However, on my current itinerary I have IB flights and I didn’t have any problems with adding them or other flights.

 

[Danger]

SUCCESS! - got my last flight added.
I decided to try one more time and after again being told the the flight couldn't be added I pressed on what rule was not being complied with and initially got the response:

"It's because there are different airlines and processing change or adding another leg may cause discrepancies with the booking. "

I basically ignored this and continued to ask if tech support could advise what was the issue and all of a sudden I was chatting to a new agent who said they were working on adding the flight and shortly after advised it was done! Their explanation was:

"The error is with re-issuing a points booking with Iberian Airlines. It wont allow a tax quote. Each tax for all the airlines have to be calculated separately which isn't the normal procedure. "

So thanks to a couple of very helpful QF agents (Melody and Kaz) who persisted with a system that didn't want to cooperate I got there.

Also the itinerary was re-ticketed within about 2 hours so didn't have any nightmares with lost bookings that others have experienced.

So if your itinerary complies with the rules be persistent - especially, it seems, if you have Iberia flights in your itinerary

Thanks Danger and others for suggesting pushing back - I was ready to admit defeat.

Superb result. Laughable on many fronts, of course, not just because you had to call 500 times but because the alleged issue with the final domestic segment on QF was entirely unrelated to the actual reason, an IB flight on the other side of the world. It's so outrageously complicated it's not funny.

 

[LA10]

Are there any issues with this proposed one:

MEL-SFO (stop) - [travel to PHL and NY myself] - HKG (stop) -[make my own way to melb return to hk] - TYO - LHR - VIE- AMS-DOH-SIN-MEL.

I'm unsure whether I will go straight from london to VIE.

 

[Danger]

Are there any issues with this proposed one:

MEL-SFO (stop) - [travel to PHL and NY myself] - HKG (stop) -[make my own way to melb return to hk] - TYO - LHR - VIE- AMS-DOH-SIN-MEL.

I'm unsure whether I will go straight from london to VIE.

If you're flying NYC-HKG, you're well over mileage: Great Circle Mapper. If you're flying SFO-HKG, you should be fine: Great Circle Mapper.

However, it's not clear where your stops beyond SFO and HKG are. You only have trhree up your sleeve.

 

[LA10]

If you're flying NYC-HKG, you're well over mileage: Great Circle Mapper. If you're flying SFO-HKG, you should be fine: Great Circle Mapper.

However, it's not clear where your stops beyond SFO and HKG are. You only have trhree up your sleeve.

Thanks for the quick reply. I was thinking of flying SFO to HKG to keep me within mileage.

Re the stops, I know, but mileage is my issue to doing more stops.

 

[Chief Wiggum]

I'm planning to fly from AUST or ASIA to MOSCOW.
Then travel 9800km east by train from Moscow to Vladivostock.
Then I want to pickup S7 out of VVO to KIX or ICH, to Manila then to AUST.

My question is does the enormous land/train sector in Russia break any OWA rules? From what I've read it does not but I figure it doesn't hurt to check with the experts

 

[Oubline]

Has anyone noticed that Cathay award space for the most part has suddenly disappeared?
I've tried searching in a few places. No go.
Not sure if it has anything to do with what's going on in HKG...

I have absolutely noticed that too! Almost no availability even for economy, in August 2020 at least.

Hi everyone, I’ve just booked the first part of what will eventually be a Oneworld Award (once later flights opens up).

I’m very aware that I can’t miss any leg otherwise the whole itinerary will be cancelled. Early on in my trip I have a 2 hour and 20 minute layover in NRT between JAL flights, which should be fine if all goes well. On the chance that I miss my second flight because the first is late, I understand JAL should find an alternative option for me to continue my journey.

Can anyone confirm that if this happens, as long as I keep flying with whatever option JL gives me, that the rest of my ticket would remain intact?

Many thanks for any help.

 

[Kangol]

Yes, because you are booked on the one ticket, if there is a misconnect, the onward carrier is responsible for arranging another connection to your destination.

 

[exceladdict]

Are there any issues with this proposed one:

MEL-SFO (stop) - [travel to PHL and NY myself] - HKG (stop) -[make my own way to melb return to hk] - TYO - LHR - VIE- AMS-DOH-SIN-MEL.

I'm unsure whether I will go straight from london to VIE.

You also may find flights to HKG require married segments and have trouble finding availability.

 

[LA10]

You also may find flights to HKG require married segments and have trouble finding availability.

Thanks for the insight. Might need to relook at this.

 

[Maki]

Thank you very much for the reply and the tips! I've managed to book SYD-NRT-JFK-HND all on JAL. The return leg from Tokyo to Sydney is still TBC as waiting to confirm lenghth of stay and points. But initial search over a number of days resulted in limited choices (mostly Jetstar!!)It's 5 months away, so hoping for the best. I'll post an update to the group as soon as I get the flight confirmed.
Cheers
Maki

Yes, you can book a segment at a time and later call to add on other flights. However, be aware that married segments may be at play. For example, JL may not make a SYD to Tokyo flight available to book as a standalone flight, instead requiring that it be booked in conjunction with another flight that does not result in a stop (i.e. not stopping in Tokyo for more than 24 hours). In your situation, that means while you may be able to find a seat from Sydney to Tokyo on one search and a seat from Tokyo to New York on another search, there may well be no seats Sydney to Tokyo to New York York. The result of this is that you then must use up one of your five stops in Tokyo. Ultimately, though, book as soon as you find a flight you want. If you know you're going to be making changes and therefore incurring the change fee anyway, it's the best approach.



No, don't wait. Book as soon as any one of your desired flights become available.

In theory, more economy seats should be available if for no other reason than the fact there are simply more economy seats on planes to begin with. But it's not a science so that can't be relied on.

Again in theory, no, what you see online should be it. That said, it's not uncommon for a phone agent to be able to see seats that aren't available online so if you're not seeing what you want, it doesn't hurt to phone. Frustratingly, the opposite is also true in that if you find something online, you might be told by a phone agent that they can't see it.

 

[pottsy]

I would be extremely grateful for any advice/insights? on the following itinerary?! I live in Melbourne.

I'd like to do two trips, one to Europe and the following to Sth America. However, this results in too much mileage (and with my limited knowledge I can't seem to get around that!) Can anyone else?
Has anyone managed anything similar and is it at all possible?
(Have only included SIN to allow for 2nd trip (and a flight to SCL?) but have also 'global mapped' BKK, which results in similar mileage.)

1st trip: MEL-AMM (stop) -TLV-CMN (stop)-RAK-LHR(stop)-SIN (stop).
(Own way SIN to MEL/MEL to SIN)
2nd trip: SIN-SCL (stop)-MEL
Total mileage: 36542................help