Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Jacques Vert]

It feels like there is less availability than there was 2-3 years ago or maybe its that I can see less because I am bronze status. I have been checking every day for business class flights from Aus to Europe for 2 people for March / April / May 2023 and it is extremely difficult if not impossible to find. I literally cannot see any emirates flights what so ever. I was questioning if there are even any emirates code share classic reward fares still being offered.. Qatar are offering first class but no business class on certain routes to europe..

Availability is certainly very tight at present; people have built up large numbers of points during the pandemic and airlines are not back to full schedules yet = high demand, limited supply.

Don't know what routes you are searching but remember that as a bronze you don't have access to J seats on QF until 297 days before departure, by which time most, if not all, seats will have been snapped up by members with higher status than you. You will need to look elsewhere.

 

[blu]

We now have an E-ticket/Itinerary. Does that mean all "ticketing" has been completed, I think it doesn't?
(original edited for content)

 

[blu]

no business class on certain routes to europe..

Our forward journey in March has three sectors with an ovenight stay, using two airlines to get there. We only saw economy availability through Singapore and needed to look at other route options.

 

[andye]

Just a data-point on call-centre times
I am Bronze making multiple date and one airport change on two Y awards (one 4 pax, one 1 pax) that needed to partially align
Called at 2125 AEST on Monday night. Told 1-2 hr wait
Got through to Cape Town at 56 minutes. Additional 1 hour on phone making the changes (with some unplanned due to website availability of 5xCGK-DOH-CAI seats not being replicated at their end)
Said would call back in 30 minutes-did so at 34 minutes
Said ticketing in 24-48h
Fingers crossed

Edit:showing correctly next morning in MMB but no ticket yet

Just to follow up on this

Gave a reminder call 40 hours later and they were still in queue for ticketing
The single pax ticket was issued at 48h
The four pax at 73h

Curiously a points refund for 1 of the 4 pax travellers has appeared in my QF account today. Is this a red flag even though ticketed?

 

[vetrade]

Curiously a points refund for 1 of the 4 pax travellers has appeared in my QF account today. Is this a red flag even though ticketed?

Certainly wouldn't categorise it as a red flag. Worst they can do is take the points back.
I wouldn't tell anybody about it, (especially jealous relatives), but maybe it's a bit late now that you've told everyone on AFF.

 

[andye]

Certainly wouldn't categorise it as a red flag. Worst they can do is take the points back.
I wouldn't tell anybody about it, (especially jealous relatives), but maybe it's a bit late now that you've told everyone on AFF.

Mums the word . None of my relatives have the foggiest about what goes on with points

 

[spade1686]

I have a Classic Rewards booking for later this year (Qatar to Europe) in which i would like to change the routing (fly into London rather then Paris and fly out of Rome rather then Frankfurt). The call centre advised that i can not make such changes with a classic rewards booking?

My only option seems to be to cancel my original booking and hope the flights are still available once i get my points back. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? Seems ridiculous to me that i cant make any changes (apart from flight dates), I’m willing to pay any differences in terms of taxes or points

 

[DC3]

I have a Classic Rewards booking for later this year (Qatar to Europe) in which i would like to change the routing (fly into London rather then Paris and fly out of Rome rather then Frankfurt). The call centre advised that i can not make such changes with a classic rewards booking?

HUACA

Is there availability? As long as there is availability, changes can be made to award bookings

 

[spade1686]

HUACA

Is there availability? As long as there is availability, changes can be made to award bookings

There is availability based on my checks. My concern is using the call centre to make changes (if they allow it!) have read some horror stories of people losing bookings

 

[DC3]

There is availability based on my checks. My concern is using the call centre to make changes (if they allow it!) have read some horror stories of people losing bookings

Well, the only way to make changes is via the Call Centre.

Otherwise make a new booking, on-line, and cancel the original. As long as your points balance is sufficient

Edited

 

[Mr H]

Try another agent. Do not ever, ever plan on flights continuing to be available in the future or cancelled flights being returned to availability.

 

[Matt_01]

From memory pre covid I think AY had implemented a policy of only releasing J seats much closer to the date of travel possibly T-14 rather than T-361. Does any one know if AY has gone back to this, a few weeks or months back J on AY was wide open and I could see x3 seats in J SIN-HEL-CDG and return but now can only see availability in Y. I do not need to book at this point in time but as I am planning to get 2 trips from the one ticket starting AKL, the first trip is to Japan returning to AU which is booked. Stay in AU for 6 months then head off to Europe and back to AU not yet booked but AY fitted in nicely as it would be the second OW carrier and kept me under the milage limit.

If AY has gone back to the T-14 release window I may have to re think my options.

 

[Captain Halliday]

From memory pre covid I think AY had implemented a policy of only releasing J seats much closer to the date of travel possibly T-14 rather than T-361. Does any one know if AY has gone back to this, a few weeks or months back J on AY was wide open and I could see x3 seats in J SIN-HEL-CDG and return but now can only see availability in Y. I do not need to book at this point in time but as I am planning to get 2 trips from the one ticket starting AKL, the first trip is to Japan returning to AU which is booked. Stay in AU for 6 months then head off to Europe and back to AU not yet booked but AY fitted in nicely as it would be the second OW carrier and kept me under the milage limit.

If AY has gone back to the T-14 release window I may have to re think my options.

It was T-60 for partner awards.

However, I’m unable to confirm if they’ve gone back to it. Hard to tell if the lack of availability is due to restricting partner awards or general supply/demand + schedule changes due to Russia.

 

[flapper]

From memory pre covid I think AY had implemented a policy of only releasing J seats much closer to the date of travel possibly T-14 rather than T-361. Does any one know if AY has gone back to this, a few weeks or months back J on AY was wide open and I could see x3 seats in J SIN-HEL-CDG and return but now can only see availability in Y. I do not need to book at this point in time but as I am planning to get 2 trips from the one ticket starting AKL, the first trip is to Japan returning to AU which is booked. Stay in AU for 6 months then head off to Europe and back to AU not yet booked but AY fitted in nicely as it would be the second OW carrier and kept me under the milage limit.

If AY has gone back to the T-14 release window I may have to re think my options.

AY did go back to 360 days earlier this year but I haven't been checking lately.

 

[flapper]

I have a Classic Rewards booking for later this year (Qatar to Europe) in which i would like to change the routing (fly into London rather then Paris and fly out of Rome rather then Frankfurt). The call centre advised that i can not make such changes with a classic rewards booking?

My only option seems to be to cancel my original booking and hope the flights are still available once i get my points back. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? Seems ridiculous to me that i cant make any changes (apart from flight dates), I’m willing to pay any differences in terms of taxes or points

QR always release married segments from Oz to Europe and they can't be split. You can only rebook a new flight from Oz to Europe and can't change an individual segment. QR are like the Pope they don't allow divorce.

 

[jjslow]

Hi all,

Newbie with a quick question - trying to book my first OAW itinerary, what happens to a booking in the event of COVID border restrictions changing/cancelled flights? Does the entire rest of the itinerary get binned?

 

[blu]

Is interlining agreement still current with MH > QR?

 

[vetrade]

Hi all,

Newbie with a quick question - trying to book my first OAW itinerary, what happens to a booking in the event of COVID border restrictions changing/cancelled flights? Does the entire rest of the itinerary get binned?

Generally the part of the itinerary unaffected by the Covid restrictions or cancellations would remain intact, but it depends on whether the particular circumstances made it impossible for you to bypass the restricted areas and connect to the rest of your itinerary.
Don't expect airlines to come to your rescue in the event of Covid interruptions - you need travel insurance cover just in case

 

[blu]

If a J award seat is lost due to slow ticketing, does it just disappear from MMB (& not default to economy for example)? One of my flights no longer shows the Travel Class.

 

[vetrade]

If a J award seat is lost due to slow ticketing, does it just disappear from MMB (& not default to economy for example)? One of my flights no longer shows the Travel Class.

Prior to ticketing coming through, I had one MH flight not showing the class on our J booking but once it was ticketed it did show it as a "U" class (J) award seats.