Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Azusa]

Hi all,
So having my first leg of OWA secured, i am trying to book the remaining legs gradually. One of the leg is from MCO to MXP and up until mid Aug 2020 in the calendar there are plenty of BA flights operating between those two destinations. But anything after that there is hardly anything, and calculating based on BA release theirs at around 354 days out, i should be seeing flights available around 5/6 Sep next year shouldn't i?
Am I too early or i am in a bad luck situation where there is just simply no flights in Sep 2020?

 

[flapper]

Hi all,
So having my first leg of OWA secured, i am trying to book the remaining legs gradually. One of the leg is from MCO to MXP and up until mid Aug 2020 in the calendar there are plenty of BA flights operating between those two destinations. But anything after that there is hardly anything, and calculating based on BA release theirs at around 354 days out, i should be seeing flights available around 5/6 Sep next year shouldn't i?
Am I too early or i am in a bad luck situation where there is just simply no flights in Sep 2020?

I can see J seats MCO-LGW on Sep 2 & 6. Seats on both flights for Sep 6. There seem to be seats on LHR-MXP everyday. You may have to book the MCO-LGW seats on the day they are released. Seats for 7 Sep available now too.

 

[DC3]

FYI - some positive news (well I think). I just had to change a classic award that was booked last week. Turns out the points cost is based on date of PNR, so I was able to change my booking, but at the previous (pre-18 Sep) points costs. I am also getting a refund on some of the taxes, presumably because the carrier charges have come down.

Maybe some good news on making changes to our pre-18th September OneWorld award bookings.

Pathetic [Where are the advertised extra award seats? ] Post # 63

 

[Aristotle9]

Maybe some good news on making changes to our pre-18th September OneWorld award bookings.

Expected that but good to know. There may be issues with some carriers in the booking but I assume so long as the booking number stays the same it should be fine.

 

[gilldo]

One of the issues I've heard mentioned on a number of sites regarding OneWorld and QANTAS Classic awards relates to missed flights and cancellations.

Specifically, I've heard that if you have, say, a five leg around the world trip planned, and you miss the second or third leg of your flight for some reason, that all other legs are cancelled and you lose the points as well. is this correct? If so, have there been cases where people have got around this?

We're planning a full 5-stop trip to the USA and Canada next year using QF/AA/CX (or JL) and wouldn't like to find myself stranded and dipping into my pocket to get home should this go wrong. Knowing the rules (which I can't seem to find in any official sense) would help.

As a supplementary question, what happens in situations like this when the carrier cancels the flight? Do I lose these remaining flight legs as well?

 

[Kangol]

One of the issues I've heard mentioned on a number of sites regarding OneWorld and QANTAS Classic awards relates to missed flights and cancellations.

Specifically, I've heard that if you have, say, a five leg around the world trip planned, and you miss the second or third leg of your flight for some reason, that all other legs are cancelled and you lose the points as well. is this correct? If so, have there been cases where people have got around this?

We're planning a full 5-stop trip to the USA and Canada next year using QF/AA/CX (or JL) and wouldn't like to find myself stranded and dipping into my pocket to get home should this go wrong. Knowing the rules (which I can't seem to find in any official sense) would help.

As a supplementary question, what happens in situations like this when the carrier cancels the flight? Do I lose these remaining flight legs as well?

Yes, if you no show for a leg, then the rest of the ticket is cancelled.

If a carrier cancels the flight, they are obliged to arrange for an alternative to get to your destination.

 

[gilldo]

Yes, if you no show for a leg, then the rest of the ticket is cancelled.

What if you have commenced your journey (completed leg 1 at least), and then want to change or cancel one leg of the remaining journey? Obviously the change would need to be made prior to flight closing time (so they wouldn't be 'no shows' as such).

Can I make these sort of changes, or am I locked in?

 

[aikman]

What if you have commenced your journey (completed leg 1 at least), and then want to change or cancel one leg of the remaining journey? Obviously the change would need to be made prior to flight closing time (so they wouldn't be 'no shows' as such).

Can I make these sort of changes, or am I locked in?

You are locked in.

 

[Azusa]

I can see J seats MCO-LGW on Sep 2 & 6. Seats on both flights for Sep 6. There seem to be seats on LHR-MXP everyday. You may have to book the MCO-LGW seats on the day they are released. Seats for 7 Sep available now too.

Thanks flapper, but i can't really book them in separate legs can I for OWA? wouldn't that classed as a stopover? or as long as its shorter than 24 hours it would be fine?

 

[gilldo]

You are locked in.

Appreciate the advice, but it makes no sense in this world why a no-show should negate all further travel. It costs the airlines nothing, but disadvantages the customer immensely.

 

[flapper]

Thanks flapper, but i can't really book them in separate legs can I for OWA? wouldn't that classed as a stopover? or as long as its shorter than 24 hours it would be fine?

It's only a stopover if it's longer than 24 hours. You can transit a city twice only plus one stopover.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

—- snip
Knowing the rules (which I can't seem to find in any official sense) would help.
— snip

For the rules, follow this link (in particular, clauses 13 & 14):

Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions | Qantas

These Terms and Conditions form the basis of Qantas Frequent Flyer, to protect both Members and the Qantas Group.

www.qantas.com

 

[CaptainCurtis]

I'm starting to plan my second OWA in J for a trip next September. Been racking my brains to work out how I can maximise value. Here are my thoughts thus far..

I need to be in Tel Aviv by late September. El Al unfortunately isn't part of OW alliance, so it looks like I'll need to fly SYD-HKG-TLV in CX (or potentially QF for the first leg).

The plan is then to spend some time in Europe (most likely Greece/Croatia). Can't seem to find any European cities nearby that OW partners fly to from TLV. Anything glaring that I'm missing? Worst case this can be a surface sector.

Will then look to return to Sydney. There's a few options here (e.g. CDG-HND-SYD on JL or CDG-HKG-SYD in CX). My understanding is that returning to Sydney will end the OWA ticket. As such, I've thought about paying for a cheap flight to Auckland, and then starting the OWA from there.

SYD-AKL (paid)
AKL-HKG-TLV on CX
TLV to somewhere in Europe - ideally find a OW partner that can accomodate this, otherwise paid surface sector.
CDG-HND-SYD on JL or CDG-HKG-SYD on CX

My calculations have this at about 23,424 miles, so I still have ~11,000 miles to play with. The intention would then be to do a second trip sometime later. Visiting South Africa is an option, but I don't think I would have sufficient miles remaining to be able to return to Auckland within the 35,000 limit. Another option is the Maldives, but again, squeezing this within the 35,000 limit looks problematic. The only solution I can think of is to ditch Auckland and start the trip from somewhere closer to Hong Kong - any recommendations?

An alternative is to then fly SYD-HNL on QF, but it doesn't look like any OW partners would be able to get me back to AKL to end the trip. Could I just book HNL-SYD-AKL and not take the final leg? My calcs suggest this leaves me with 8 miles to spare...

 

[Daver6]

You can also get to TLV on OW carriers by getting to LHR and then BA. Other options are QR to AMM via DOH and then RJ from AMM to TLV. Yet another option is QR to LCA and then a paid flight to TLV (should be pretty cheap).

Getting to somewhere in Europe from TLV is going to mean either BA to LHR, IB to MAD or RJ to AMM and then onwards from there.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

You can also get to TLV on OW carriers by getting to LHR and then BA. Other options are QR to AMM via DOH and then RJ from AMM to TLV. Yet another option is QR to LCA and then a paid flight to TLV (should be pretty cheap).

Getting to somewhere in Europe from TLV is going to mean either BA to LHR, IB to MAD or RJ to AMM and then onwards from there.

I've been trying to avoid LHR, but its definitely an option. I quite like the SYD/AKL-DOH-LCA with QR idea - spend a few days checking out the beaches in Cyprus and then a cheap flight across to TLV. Historically I've struggled to find much J availability on QR, but maybe I'll be lucky.

 

[pottsy]

You can also get to TLV on OW carriers by getting to LHR and then BA. Other options are QR to AMM via DOH and then RJ from AMM to TLV. Yet another option is QR to LCA and then a paid flight to TLV (should be pretty cheap).

Getting to somewhere in Europe from TLV is going to mean either BA to LHR, IB to MAD or RJ to AMM and then onwards from there.

Agree. I am flying QR Melb to Amman, in April, then RJ Tel Aviv.

 

[pottsy]

I've been trying to avoid LHR, but its definitely an option. I quite like the SYD/AKL-DOH-LCA with QR idea - spend a few days checking out the beaches in Cyprus and then a cheap flight across to TLV. Historically I've struggled to find much J availability on QR, but maybe I'll be lucky.

I've just booked J on QR, for April.

 

[gilldo]

So what does 'OneWorld Connect' membership actually mean with Fiji Airways?

Can I include Fiji in a OneWorld RTW trip booking, or is that for full members only?

 

[gilldo]

What if you have commenced your journey (completed leg 1 at least), and then want to change or cancel one leg of the remaining journey? Obviously the change would need to be made prior to flight closing time (so they wouldn't be 'no shows' as such).

Can I make these sort of changes, or am I locked in?

Now having done some further reading today (thanks for the link to the rules There'sOnlyOneJimmy), it appears that if there are still reward flights available, you can pay a reinstatement fee (5000 pts per person) and get those remaining flights back.

Has anyone ever done this? Tried and failed?? Would love to hear some feedback.

Travel insurance also seems to indicate that they will provide some form of coverage as well (where not covered by airline or other party AND you have a damn good unavoidable reason for missing your flight), but I still have my doubts
.

 

[Jacques Vert]

The only solution I can think of is to ditch Auckland and start the trip from somewhere closer to Hong Kong - any recommendations?

MNL and it will save you lots of $ in taxes.