Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[davel]

There are (at least) 3 significant dates in play here:

A. The date the itinerary is first established (Booking Date);​

B. The date of the first flight in the itinerary on Booking Date (First Booked Flight);&​

C. The date of the first flight in the itinerary after the last itinerary change has been made (First Actual Flight).​

In regards to A, I'm being told on the phone by Qantas that 1 year from A is when First Leg must commence. I don't think this is correct at all. Anyone able to shed light?

I think that C is a bit of a stretch as it means that you can perhaps have infinite validity (if you want to keep paying the change fee). Those that got away with this I would say they just got lucky.

 

[knightfall88]

I called and got points back the next day.

Some I manage to be able to do on the Qantas Site but others I had to call up. The ones I could do online, got the refund in points within a week. The ones I called up, I had to wait 2 months for one of them and the other still waiting, I think its been 2 months+. Anyone else experience the same?

 

[ozflier]

Qatar was said to be starting up Brisbane to Doha flights late last month

Qatar Airways to resume flights to Brisbane – Business Traveller

The three times weekly service will relaunch on May 20, using a two-class A350-1000 aircraft…

www.businesstraveller.com

Qatar Airways returns to Brisbane!

Friday 15 May 2020: Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has welcomed news of Qatar Airways returning to Queensland with three weekly scheduled services between Doha and Brisbane Airport (BNE) commencing from 20 May (21 May BNE). The services will operate under existing bilateral rights until 30...

newsroom.bne.com.au

This would have been great news for Queenslanders even if only 3 flights per week.
Unfortunately, they don't show up anywhere on the Qatar website or Expert Flyer.
Have I missed something in the media or has Qatar just decided it is all too hard at this time ?

 

[PineappleSkip]

Looks like there are a couple of cancellations. Don’t think demand would be right up there ATM.



Next scheduled flight out of BNE is tomorrow


cheers skip

 

[ozflier]

Looks like there are a couple of cancellations. Don’t think demand would be right up there ATM.
View attachment 219317


Next scheduled flight out of BNE is tomorrow
View attachment 219316

cheers skip

Ta for that - I was looking in early 2021 for possible dates - probably too far ahead in the current circumstances.

 

[jfl]

I'm seeing absolutely no availability with BA from JNB-LHR in April 2021 (Y or J). Is this normal? I can go JNB-DOH-LHR but I'm trying to get as much distance out of the award as possible...

 

[ozflier]

I'm seeing absolutely no availability with BA from JNB-LHR in April 2021 (Y or J). Is this normal? I can go JNB-DOH-LHR but I'm trying to get as much distance out of the award as possible...

Have you tried JNB-CPT-LHR ?
First sector would be on Comair a BA subsidiary.

 

[jfl]

Have you tried JNB-CPT-LHR ?
First sector would be on Comair a BA subsidiary.

Thanks. A little more availability but not around the dates we were hoping. JNB-DOH-LHR it is!

Just booked:
- SYD-JNB Y
- JNB-DOH-LHR J
- LHR-HND J

Later on we will be booking:

- HND-HEL
- HEL-CPH-HEL (surface segment)
- HEL-HND-SYD

Total is 34,545 miles. Any flaw in my plan?

 

[ozflier]

Thanks. A little more availability but not around the dates we were hoping. JNB-DOH-LHR it is!

Just booked:
- SYD-JNB Y
- JNB-DOH-LHR J
- LHR-HND J

Later on we will be booking:

- HND-HEL
- HEL-CPH-HEL (surface segment)
- HEL-HND-SYD

Any flaw in my plan?

Looks ok.
Where are your stopovers ?
I'm guessing that you dont want to fly on Finnair to from Stockholm.

 

[jfl]

Looks ok.
Where are your stopovers ?
I'm guessing that you dont want to fly on Finnair to from Stockholm.

Stopovers are JNB, LHR, HND (the stopover in the middle - flying back to AU on another award) and HEL. HEL-CPH-HEL will be with SAS (or even AAR if I get a good enough deal - closer to where we need to be).

 

[ozflier]

Stopovers are JNB, LHR, HND (the stopover in the middle - flying back to AU on another award) and HEL. HEL-CPH-HEL will be with SAS (or even AAR if I get a good enough deal - closer to where we need to be).

If the other award you are talking about is not related to the one under discussion , your itinerary looks ok to me.
If it is part of the same truncated OWA, then we would need to see the whole itinerary to confirm it is ok.

 

[jfl]

If the other award you are talking about is not related to the one under discussion , your itinerary looks ok to me.
If it is part of the same truncated OWA, then we would need to see the whole itinerary to confirm it is ok.

Correct, not related. Separate booking.

The entire booking for this will be:

SYD-JNB (stopover in JNB)
JNB-DOH-LHR (stopover in LHR)
LHR-HND (stopover in HND)
HND-HEL (stopover in HEL)
HEL-HND-SYD (trip completion)

 

[ozflier]

Correct, not related. Separate booking.

The entire booking for this will be:

SYD-JNB (stopover in JNB)
JNB-DOH-LHR (stopover in LHR)
LHR-HND (stopover in HND)
HND-HEL (stopover in HEL)
HEL-HND-SYD (trip completion)

Looks good to me - enjoy your trip.

 

[Danger]

With Qantas's latest round of change and cancel policies, is it correct to assume that one of these classic awards could be changed free of charge an unlimited number of times up to 31 October?

 

[Captain Halliday]

I think it’s one free change.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

I’ve made 2 separate changes in the last few weeks, both just adding flights to an existing itinerary. In both instances, no change fee points were charged.

 

[stoney]

Some I manage to be able to do on the Qantas Site but others I had to call up. The ones I could do online, got the refund in points within a week. The ones I called up, I had to wait 2 months for one of them and the other still waiting, I think its been 2 months+. Anyone else experience the same?

I had one lot of points returned reasonably quickly but it is now more than the 8 weeks stated by Qantas and still waiting on the taxes and surcharges of over $3k to be refunded. Cheap money for Qantas.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Some I manage to be able to do on the Qantas Site but others I had to call up. The ones I could do online, got the refund in points within a week. The ones I called up, I had to wait 2 months for one of them and the other still waiting, I think its been 2 months+. Anyone else experience the same?

Converted several QF bookings to vouchers about 19 March. All went through fine apart from one (mixed revenue-award booking) Still waiting for that one. 2 emails following up with response to both 'Keep waiting'. Waiting for Godot perhaps?

cheers Didi

 

[stoney]

Thank you so much for this. It really gives me hope.

I am going to call and try your method.

Did you already book a new ticket? (if flights have opened up)

Once again, much appreciated.

I took the cancellation option and so it will cost me 76k points to rebook but I guess I can defer without worrying about the time frame of the new booking.

 

[adenda]

I’ve made 2 separate changes in the last few weeks, both just adding flights to an existing itinerary. In both instances, no change fee points were charged.

Does anyone know if the Qantas change fee waiver until 31 October applies to NEW OneWorld Classic Rewards? I possibly made the wrong choice in getting a full points/cash refund of my 280k itinerary as I'll now need to burn 318K but if I can book our itinerary piece by piece as avaialbility appears without being charged change fees it may will actually work out.