Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[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!

Update: I got through again late tonight. After lots of wrestling with the booking, the agent (again in South Africa) put me on hold, purportedly because he needed to speak to Auckland, as he apparently couldn’t properly open/view the ticket himself.

Unfortunately, after a further 20 minutes, he checked in with me a couple of times and then apologised, saying he was actually on hold himself waiting to speak to someone in Auckland. So I was on hold with someone who was also on hold.

Ultimately he confirmed my mobile number and agreed to call me back within an hour, after he’d spoken with Auckland. I waited up - but he didn’t call back.

 

[flapper]

On my OWA for Sep 2022 I had CX flights to Europe. As CX are not allowed fo fly to Oz atm I was worried those flights would be cancelled if HKG is not allowed to open up by then. So I rebooked on QF5 to FCO, not as convienient as my CX flight but better safe than sorry. I was dealing with the new Fiji CC, they are easier to understand and seem much more knowledgable than Cape Town. The call dropped out during the booking and the operator even called me back.
I did have trouble getting it reticketed and it took 4 calls before I got someone who would do it will I waited also Fiji CC.
The call back service only seems to start operating at 7:30am and yes as usual I got call backs on multiple phones knowing even the simplest request is unlikely to be solved with one call.

 

[QF029]

I finalised my itinerary for June a few weeks ago. It still doesn't appear to be ticketed which is not a big deal except it would be reassuring to have it locked in be able to select seats on OW partner flights.

Any suggestions other than calling and pushing?

 

[Mr H]

I finalised my itinerary for June a few weeks ago. It still doesn't appear to be ticketed which is not a big deal except it would be reassuring to have it locked in be able to select seats on OW partner flights.

Any suggestions other than calling and pushing?

Definitely contact them to ask about ticketing. In the worst case scenario, partner airlines will reallocate unticketed seats.

 

[flapper]

I finalised my itinerary for June a few weeks ago. It still doesn't appear to be ticketed which is not a big deal except it would be reassuring to have it locked in be able to select seats on OW partner flights.

Any suggestions other than calling and pushing?

Have you checked your booking that all the flights are still there? Some airlines like QR and CX automatically delete their flights if the booking has not been reticketed within 24 hours of booking or making changes to the booking even if those changes are not to do with their flights. HOB and AKL know this and will call ticketing to get it done but Cape Town will usually insisit they can't do it but they can and should. It's a matter of HUACA. It took me 4 calls to get mine reticketed today, the Fiji CC did it for me. If I were you I would call ASAP.
It also pays to regularly check your booking online. I try and do it at least weekly. It is possible some flights may "drop off" and QF may not contact you or as someone recently reported the whole booking is cancelled.

 

[QF029]

Thanks for the feedback. All flights are still there. I'm speaking with an agent from Fiji at the moment and she's resending it with a request to ticket asap.

As an aside it's been great being able to call the QF Titanium Credit Card concierge as they have me talking with a rep in 5 mins (it's not always that quick). I signed up for the 150k points and the 2 F lounge invitations but it's a handy benefit. I'll only renew if they waive / significantly discount the fee.

 

[DC3]

It’s risky waiting much more than 24 hours for an eticket where airlines other than QF are involved. I follow up the next day. I lost an AA booking within 48 hours (due to incorrect processing at the Call Centre) and had to wait for the oneworld response to the QF request to reinstate. The only way that I discovered the problem was by monitoring my bookings.

It worked out OK in the end, but waiting for the response was a pain, as it’s only a request, nothing more.

 

[Mr H]

It’s risky waiting much more than 24 hours for an eticket where airlines other than QF are involved. I follow up the next day. I lost an AA booking within 48 hours (due to incorrect processing at the Call Centre) and had to wait for the oneworld response to the QF request to reinstate. The only way that I discovered the problem was by monitoring my bookings.

It worked out OK in the end, but waiting for the response was a pain, as it’s only a request, nothing more.

Waaaay back in 2007, I had a British Midland award flying SQ in First Class to Singapore - my first ever premium cabin international flight. It was only when I called SQ to Book The Cook two days before travel that I found out it had not been ticketed. It did work out in the end, but it was a very difficult wait to find out how it would end, and I dread to think what would have happened if I had waited to check in at the airport.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yeah. I remember back then SQ had a strict 24 hour ticket policy! Since relaxed.

 

[redwoodw]

I just had a very similar experience.

Fair warning, last time an overseas call centre booked us on paid tickets to fix a rescheduling issue I got a call two days later because the flights could not be ticketed.

The only positive is the Australian call centre will be the ones to call you to tell you the other agent has made a mistake.


That all said, I hope it goes through. QF9 to LHR then Finnair LHR to HEL works fine for us.

What was the outcome once the Australian call centre contacts you?

 

[renatts]

What was the outcome once the Australian call centre contacts you?

Still no contact and still no eticket. Bookings are holding so far, but Finnair and Qantas aren’t ruthless with auto cancel like Qatar.

There will almost certainly have to contact me, my booking no longer qualifies as a one world award because it’s only QF and Finnair. I’ve found a BA internal flight that I need anyway to add when they do eventually call.

Oh and the taxes will be double - gone from JAL and AY via HND to QF via LHR.

So yeah.. even if the full fare conversions are approved they’ll need to call me.

 

[redwoodw]

Still no contact and still no eticket. Bookings are holding so far, but Finnair and Qantas aren’t ruthless with auto cancel like Qatar.

There will almost certainly have to contact me, my booking no longer qualifies as a one world award because it’s only QF and Finnair. I’ve found a BA internal flight that I need anyway to add when they do eventually call.

Oh and the taxes will be double - gone from JAL and AY via HND to QF via LHR.

So yeah.. even if the full fare conversions are approved they’ll need to call me.

Same case here.
MEL-NRT-FRA in U was cancelled on JL and QF agents placed me on MEL-LHR-FRA on full fare economy (Y), pointed that out and was changed to C. Stuck in C now for two days with what the agent describes as a pending request convert full fare to reward seats. They give different answers everytime though. Wonder what'd happen if two months went by and I just rock up at the airport.
My back up booking on JL/AY was also messed up. SYD-HND on JL and HND-HEL-LHR on AY but AY canceled their HND flights and moved me over to NRT (impossible to transit between HND and NRT now). Flights are now gone...

 

[renatts]

Same case here.
MEL-NRT-FRA in U was cancelled on JL and QF agents placed me on MEL-LHR-FRA on full fare economy (Y), pointed that out and was changed to C. Stuck in C now for two days with what the agent describes as a pending request convert full fare to reward seats. They give different answers everytime though. Wonder what'd happen if two months went by and I just rock up at the airport.
My back up booking on JL/AY was also messed up. SYD-HND on JL and HND-HEL-LHR on AY but AY canceled their HND flights and moved me over to NRT (impossible to transit between HND and NRT now). Flights are now gone...

So I spoke too soon..

I just received the eticket at 11:30am QLD time

It’s all ticketed, no extra money, no extra points, still C class business..

I have a dilemma. The agent accidentally removed the first leg of my flights home. Do I call again to have it fixed and risk losing it all, or do I pay cash for the connecting flight (AMS - HEL)..

 

[redwoodw]

So I spoke too soon..

I just received the eticket at 11:30am QLD time

It’s all ticketed, no extra money, no extra points, still C class business..

I have a dilemma. The agent accidentally removed the first leg of my flights home. Do I call again to have it fixed and risk losing it all, or do I pay cash for the connecting flight (AMS - HEL)..

How many days was this after the Australian call centre contacted you?

 

[renatts]

How many days was this after the Australian call centre contacted you?

They never did
I spoke to the overseas centre yesterday I and just expected a call to tell me they had made a mistake, which is what has happened in the past when I got put onto revenue tickets by overseas call centres

Im not sure if that can still happen now that it’s been ticketed, this is a first for me.

No change in taxes, no change in points..

 

[ChrisMars]

Anyone knows if a flight on an affiliate airline metal of a oneworld partner, marketed by the oneworld parnter, can be used in a oneworld reward itinery?
More precisely in my case: Air Nostrum (affiliate of Iberia), on an IB ticket reward.

 

[renatts]

Anyone knows if a flight on an affiliate airline metal of a oneworld partner, marketed by the oneworld parnter, can be used in a oneworld reward itinery?
More precisely in my case: Air Nostrum (affiliate of Iberia), on an IB ticket reward.

From my understanding it has to be operated by a oneworld partner, not just marketed by one.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Anyone knows if a flight on an affiliate airline metal of a oneworld partner, marketed by the oneworld parnter, can be used in a oneworld reward itinery?
More precisely in my case: Air Nostrum (affiliate of Iberia), on an IB ticket reward.

AirNostrum is an Affiliate member of OneWorld, and can safely be used in an OWCA itinerary.
I have done so in the past.

 

[DC3]

Anyone knows if a flight on an affiliate airline metal of a oneworld partner, marketed by the oneworld parnter, can be used in a oneworld reward itinery?
More precisely in my case: Air Nostrum (affiliate of Iberia), on an IB ticket reward.

Cape Town is waiting for your call.

However, as a WP you will probably get Hobart.

Edited

 

[flapper]

Anyone knows if a flight on an affiliate airline metal of a oneworld partner, marketed by the oneworld parnter, can be used in a oneworld reward itinery?
More precisely in my case: Air Nostrum (affiliate of Iberia), on an IB ticket reward.

I have wondered this myself. It seems to have the same status as Iberia Express and I can confirm Iberia Express flights can be included in a OWA. I don't think you will really know until you try and add a flight to a OWA. I doubt even HOB CC will know the answer. Let us know how it goes.