Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Mr H]

So, is this ability to convert revenue/paid fares into classic rewards only possible if you are Qantas platinum? I had my MEL-NRT cancelled as well, but when I called up to request SYD-HND, the agent put me on hold for 30 minutes to check with support team and flatly said no. I am wondering if there is a magical set of words to use to get through.

My experience is that if the cancelled/rearranged flight is on the same metal as the redemption (i.e. a QF flight on a QF redemption; an SQ flight on an SQ redemption) then they are more likely to open a revenue seat to make up for the cancelled award seat. But if you start looking at changing dates or routes, or trying to get a QF seat opened to make up for a cancelled partner airline flight then you are less likely to get lucky. Always there is the option of HUACA.

 

[aaa99]

Definitely not platinum, lowly bronze in my case.

I think it is a case of calling again and trying with someone else. Mine had to put me on hold but not for as long as that. The whole call was only about 30 minutes which amazed me - just lucky I guess.

Thanks, maybe it is a case of date change as well for me that makes it tricky. As the date I am originally planned to fly on is a few days before QF launch the route, there is no other option.

 

[GaryLG]

Thanks, maybe it is a case of date change as well for me that makes it tricky. As the date I am originally planned to fly on is a few days before QF launch the route, there is no other option.

Could be it. If Japan does open up I'll need to work out the land arrangements which might need a change of date so dreading dealing with that.

 

[renatts]

Looks like mine is J on the travel document so I think that's okay?

J is a paid fare. Awards are U in business.

It may be part of the ticketing process to convert them, guess we’ll find out

 

[aaa99]

HUCA seems to have worked. The other agent booked me with no questions asked within 5 minutes. Whether I actually get the ticket or not is going to be anyone's guess.

Btw, it is okay to connect from QF to JL in HND right if both flights leave from HND and the transit is 4-5 hours?

 

[GaryLG]

J is a paid fare. Awards are U in business.

It may be part of the ticketing process to convert them, guess we’ll find out

Thanks and indeed we will. Being J might help if it comes to needing a date change then.

Post automatically merged: Feb 16, 2022

HUCA seems to have worked. The other agent booked me with no questions asked within 5 minutes. Whether I actually get the ticket or not is going to be anyone's guess.

Glad to hear it worked.

 

[aaa99]

False alarm, the agent booked me in Economy. Just realised this when I checked my booking again. I remember them confirming that they were booking me in Buisness.
Tried calling up again and got the same flat no!
Oh well, now I need to look for alternative options.

 

[GaryLG]

False alarm, the agent booked me in Economy. Just realised this when I checked my booking again. I remember them confirming that they were booking me in Buisness.
Tried calling up again and got the same flat no!
Oh well, now I need to look for alternative options.

That's crazy. Mine first suggested that but fortunately I could challenge her while we were still on the phone.

 

[aaa99]

Looking at the JL award availability, it looks like they open up quite a bit closer to the date. Fingers crossed, this holds true for the dates we are looking at.

 

[GaryLG]

Looking at the JL award availability, it looks like they open up quite a bit closer to the date. Fingers crossed, this holds true for the dates we are looking at.

Let's hope so then. Might make date changes easier.

 

[Mr H]

False alarm, the agent booked me in Economy. Just realised this when I checked my booking again. I remember them confirming that they were booking me in Buisness.
Tried calling up again and got the same flat no!
Oh well, now I need to look for alternative options.

You need to check what your booking shows. It sounds like it could now show you as booked on a Y flight on a date that works - in which case you will find your chances of getting a J seat opened will evaporate fast - as it would no longer be replacing a broken flight but just replacing an undesirable one.

 

[aaa99]

You need to check what your booking shows. It sounds like it could now show you as booked on a Y flight on a date that works - in which case you will find your chances of getting a J seat opened will evaporate fast - as it would no longer be replacing a broken flight but just replacing an undesirable one.

I cancelled the booking entirely and decided to start again as the whole journey was rebooked in Y despite the second part (HND-CDG) having availability in J.

Should I just book the first part (SYD-HND) in Y for now together with the HND-CDG in J?
In this case if the J opens up for that sector, can I call up to change just that particular sector?

 

[renatts]

I cancelled the booking entirely and decided to start again as the whole journey was rebooked in Y despite the second part (HND-CDG) having availability in J.

Should I just book the first part (SYD-HND) in Y for now together with the HND-CDG in J?
In this case if the J opens up for that sector, can I call up to change just that particular sector?

If you need that date and aren’t really flexible then yeah, book it now and check religiously. You can just call to change, very easy.

Even if you want to change date if another day shows availability later then you can just call and change.
Awards are fully flexible, but usually attract a 6000pt per person fee. They’re currently waiving that, but I’m not sure for how long because I’m indifferent to it.

 

[renatts]

Let's hope so then. Might make date changes easier.

I just checked my booking, and while it’s still not ticketed, somehow the agent has deleted one of my internal European flights … which is part of my trip home… which means I get the pleasure of calling again

 

[GaryLG]

I just checked my booking, and while it’s still not ticketed, somehow the agent has deleted one of my internal European flights … which is part of my trip home… which means I get the pleasure of calling again

Wonderful, not!

At least if my experience is anything to go by a call in the morning doesn't leave you on hold for long.

 

[Captain Halliday]

So, is this ability to convert revenue/paid fares into classic rewards only possible if you are Qantas platinum? I had my MEL-NRT cancelled as well, but when I called up to request SYD-HND, the agent put me on hold for 30 minutes to check with support team and flatly said no. I am wondering if there is a magical set of words to use to get through.

Not necessarily. I’m WP and had a JL cancellation last year and they wouldn’t budge.

Ended up cancelling the entire OWA because I couldn’t find an alternative.

I’d be please if this was a change of heart, but I suspect it’s a case of people getting lucky.

 

[Mr H]

I cancelled the booking entirely and decided to start again as the whole journey was rebooked in Y despite the second part (HND-CDG) having availability in J.

Should I just book the first part (SYD-HND) in Y for now together with the HND-CDG in J?
In this case if the J opens up for that sector, can I call up to change just that particular sector?

Only book if you are willing to fly SYD-HND in Y. That is the likeliest outcome. And yes, book all the flights you want on that booking being aware you will pay J miles for it all. The change fees are waived for all bookings made right now - and that change fee waiver applied right up to the date of the first flight.

 

[AshM]

Hi, sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong thread - so please point me in the right direction if I'm in the wrong place. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions about how to fix the problem of a vanishing Qantas oneworld classic reward ticket.

Essentially, I had a fully-booked, paid and ticketed itinerary, including eight flights, for travel between July and Sept 2022.

In the months after booking it last year, there were a few bumps but nothing catastrophic. For example, Qantas double-charged me for some fees/taxes but they refunded the second charge when I called up and pointed it out. Subsequently, a couple of the legs disappeared - but they were reinstated when I called up to see what had happened. (You really have to be eagle-eyed!) Then, late last year, Qantas cancelled the MEL-SYD-SFO leg(s) - due to the SYD-SFO route remaining suspended - but I called up again and they fixed it by re-routing via LAX.

Today, however, I noticed the booking was gone entirely. No trace of it in my bookings list - and the booking reference wasn't recognised when I plugged it in.

I called up today to see what had become of the ticket and to get it reinstated. After more than 1.5 hours on hold, I got through to the dreaded South African call centre. The woman who answered looked up the booking history/notes and eventually said that the ticket had been "refunded" due to being a "duplicate" booking. But there is/was no duplicate ticket. (My partner has a linked booking but only for the first leg - ie. out of Australia - and her ticket remains in place.)

I asked when the ticket was purportedly refunded - as I hadn't received any notification of it - and she said 16 December (ie. two months ago). But I haven't received a refund of either the 318,000 points or the fees/taxes. And I still need the ticket!

I was put on hold as the woman allegedly went to speak to her "help desk line" for advice. I sat there for a further 25 minutes waiting for her to return ("I'll kindly place you on a brief hold," she'd said) but she never returned - and I ultimately was simply disconnected from her end.

Given how hopeless the call centre is, what is the best way for me to get the ticket reinstated?

My partner's MEL-LAX ticket remains unaffected but my well-planned, eight-leg business class itinerary has disappeared in a puff of smoke (and the points/fees aren't anywhere to be seen either).

I'd be grateful for any advice/tips. Thanks!

 

[Oubline]

Hi, sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong thread - so please point me in the right direction if I'm in the wrong place. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions about how to fix the problem of a vanishing Qantas oneworld classic reward ticket.

Essentially, I had a fully-booked, paid and ticketed itinerary, including eight flights, for travel between July and Sept 2022.

In the months after booking it last year, there were a few bumps but nothing catastrophic. For example, Qantas double-charged me for some fees/taxes but they refunded the second charge when I called up and pointed it out. Subsequently, a couple of the legs disappeared - but they were reinstated when I called up to see what had happened. (You really have to be eagle-eyed!) Then, late last year, Qantas cancelled the MEL-SYD-SFO leg(s) - due to the SYD-SFO route remaining suspended - but I called up again and they fixed it by re-routing via LAX.

Today, however, I noticed the booking was gone entirely. No trace of it in my bookings list - and the booking reference wasn't recognised when I plugged it in.

I called up today to see what had become of the ticket and to get it reinstated. After more than 1.5 hours on hold, I got through to the dreaded South African call centre. The woman who answered looked up the booking history/notes and eventually said that the ticket had been "refunded" due to being a "duplicate" booking. But there is/was no duplicate ticket. (My partner has a linked booking but only for the first leg - ie. out of Australia - and her ticket remains in place.)

I asked when the ticket was purportedly refunded - as I hadn't received any notification of it - and she said 16 December (ie. two months ago). But I haven't received a refund of either the 318,000 points or the fees/taxes. And I still need the ticket!

I was put on hold as the woman allegedly went to speak to her "help desk line" for advice. I sat there for a further 25 minutes waiting for her to return ("I'll kindly place you on a brief hold," she'd said) but she never returned - and I ultimately was simply disconnected from her end.

Given how hopeless the call centre is, what is the best way for me to get the ticket reinstated?

My partner's MEL-LAX ticket remains unaffected but my well-planned, eight-leg business class itinerary has disappeared in a puff of smoke (and the points/fees aren't anywhere to be seen either).

I'd be grateful for any advice/tips. Thanks!

That honestly sounds so bad when you read that full history, so stressful. I hope it gets sorted out!

This might sound extreme, but I would seriously call repeatedly first thing in the morning until you get a Hobart call centre representative. Even if it takes 10 calls. I can’t see much hope for the other call centres putting in the work to resolve this properly.

 

[renatts]

Hi, sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong thread - so please point me in the right direction if I'm in the wrong place. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions about how to fix the problem of a vanishing Qantas oneworld classic reward ticket.

Essentially, I had a fully-booked, paid and ticketed itinerary, including eight flights, for travel between July and Sept 2022.

In the months after booking it last year, there were a few bumps but nothing catastrophic. For example, Qantas double-charged me for some fees/taxes but they refunded the second charge when I called up and pointed it out. Subsequently, a couple of the legs disappeared - but they were reinstated when I called up to see what had happened. (You really have to be eagle-eyed!) Then, late last year, Qantas cancelled the MEL-SYD-SFO leg(s) - due to the SYD-SFO route remaining suspended - but I called up again and they fixed it by re-routing via LAX.

Today, however, I noticed the booking was gone entirely. No trace of it in my bookings list - and the booking reference wasn't recognised when I plugged it in.

I called up today to see what had become of the ticket and to get it reinstated. After more than 1.5 hours on hold, I got through to the dreaded South African call centre. The woman who answered looked up the booking history/notes and eventually said that the ticket had been "refunded" due to being a "duplicate" booking. But there is/was no duplicate ticket. (My partner has a linked booking but only for the first leg - ie. out of Australia - and her ticket remains in place.)

I asked when the ticket was purportedly refunded - as I hadn't received any notification of it - and she said 16 December (ie. two months ago). But I haven't received a refund of either the 318,000 points or the fees/taxes. And I still need the ticket!

I was put on hold as the woman allegedly went to speak to her "help desk line" for advice. I sat there for a further 25 minutes waiting for her to return ("I'll kindly place you on a brief hold," she'd said) but she never returned - and I ultimately was simply disconnected from her end.

Given how hopeless the call centre is, what is the best way for me to get the ticket reinstated?

My partner's MEL-LAX ticket remains unaffected but my well-planned, eight-leg business class itinerary has disappeared in a puff of smoke (and the points/fees aren't anywhere to be seen either).

I'd be grateful for any advice/tips. Thanks!

I had something similar happen with my booking in 2020.
It was auto-refunded due to covid even after I had changed the dates from May to October because the booking reference was on the list.

5.5hrs on hold and the South African call centre told me too bad, just book again, then literally hung the phone up. No acknowledgment that I didn’t have the taxes or points back yet, and it was refunded without my consent.

Kept calling until I got either Hobart or Auckland (can’t remember, ages ago) and they reinstated the full booking. They also correctly told me my chances of going were basically 0%, but said to just keep pushing the booking until I can go.. which is what I’ve done.

Keep calling, it’s the only way to get it back.