Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Hutto]

I just cannot get an answer from Qantas customer service operators about booking a "one world RTW classic reward flights", specifically Business class. So hoping you can direct me to an answer.
If numerous rules are meet, eg travel less than 3500 miles, only book on one-world partner airlines etc etc then up to 16 segments with 5 stopovers business class travel can be booked and the 'cost' is capped at a total of 318000 frequent flyer points.
As the travel can be booked over a 12 month period I am currently looking a booking the 1st leg of my travel. However the total cost of these flights will only total approximately 280000 frequent flyer points.
My question is if I book these '1st leg' flights now (that do not total more than 31800 points), then add further flights to the itinerary in several months, will the system recognise the booking as qualifying as a "one world RTW classic reward flights", and cap the total points at 318000?

 

[yaksha98]

I just cannot get an answer from Qantas customer service operators about booking a "one world RTW classic reward flights", specifically Business class. So hoping you can direct me to an answer.
If numerous rules are meet, eg travel less than 3500 miles, only book on one-world partner airlines etc etc then up to 16 segments with 5 stopovers business class travel can be booked and the 'cost' is capped at a total of 318000 frequent flyer points.
As the travel can be booked over a 12 month period I am currently looking a booking the 1st leg of my travel. However the total cost of these flights will only total approximately 280000 frequent flyer points.
My question is if I book these '1st leg' flights now (that do not total more than 31800 points), then add further flights to the itinerary in several months, will the system recognise the booking as qualifying as a "one world RTW classic reward flights", and cap the total points at 318000?

Yes provided you meet all the conditions for the OWA fare and the changes are made before you take the first flight

 

[motef]

I just cannot get an answer from Qantas customer service operators about booking a "one world RTW classic reward flights", specifically Business class. So hoping you can direct me to an answer.
If numerous rules are meet, eg travel less than 3500 miles, only book on one-world partner airlines etc etc then up to 16 segments with 5 stopovers business class travel can be booked and the 'cost' is capped at a total of 318000 frequent flyer points.
As the travel can be booked over a 12 month period I am currently looking a booking the 1st leg of my travel. However the total cost of these flights will only total approximately 280000 frequent flyer points.
My question is if I book these '1st leg' flights now (that do not total more than 31800 points), then add further flights to the itinerary in several months, will the system recognise the booking as qualifying as a "one world RTW classic reward flights", and cap the total points at 318000?

Do no ask call centre to book a RTW

Book the first flights you can in one go online and then as the remainder flights become available call the call centre and ask that you would like to add a flight to your exisiting booking. Again do not mention RTW or OWA, it doesnt matter. If your flights meet the criteria it will cap out at 318k points

 

[Warragul]

Do no ask call centre to book a RTW

Book the first flights you can in one go online and then as the remainder flights become available call the call centre and ask that you would like to add a flight to your exisiting booking. Again do not mention RTW or OWA, it doesnt matter. If your flights meet the criteria it will cap out at 318k points

Provided the agent does not say they cannot add a flight to the itinerary, you need to create a new one and we'll link them.

Had that a few times in the last couple of weeks, when I replied that most of the flights on that specific booking were manually added, they've gone and sought advice and come back and said yes we can. On one hand thats good to get past that, but then the dreaded ticketing issue looms if they manage to get the addtion done correctly - which to their knowledge could not be done up til a few minutes earlier.

 

[Mr H]

Provided the agent does not say they cannot add a flight to the itinerary, you need to create a new one and we'll link them.

This is incorrect. Booked flights cannot be linked.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Do no ask call centre to book a RTW

Again do not mention RTW or OWA,

This is especially important (including in this thread) because a RTW and a One World Classic Flight Award are totally different things.

Mixing the terms will confuse both the QF staff (those who know the difference) and less experienced readers of this thread.

This thread is about the Qantas Oneworld Classic flight reward. There is no requirement to go RTW.* Details can be found: Qantas Oneworld Award Not Just for Round-the-World Trips

Oneworld’s round-the-world product is very different. It’s called the Oneworld Explorer. Details of which can be found: Guide to the Oneworld Explorer Round-The-World Ticket

 

[Hutto]

This is especially important (including in this thread) because a RTW and a One World Classic Flight Award are totally different things.

Mixing the terms will confuse both the QF staff (those who know the difference) and less experienced readers of this thread.

This thread is about the Qantas Oneworld Classic flight reward. There is no requirement to go RTW.* Details can be found: Qantas Oneworld Award Not Just for Round-the-World Trips

Oneworld’s round-the-world product is very different. It’s called the Oneworld Explorer. Details of which can be found: Guide to the Oneworld Explorer Round-The-World Ticket

Thanks that sounds like the best tip on this topic. Hopefully assist with confusion at the booking operator end

 

[Warragul]

This is incorrect. Booked flights cannot be linked.

In this scenario agreed, 100% but this is what I've been told by call centre staff. I think what they mean by linked is include a comment in each booking referring to the other and the connecting nature if their itineraries. Doesn't create any obligation for the airline to do anything in the event of delay etc.

If a booking has travel on say QF & AA, there would be a separate AA booking/reloc to the QF one as AA is hosted on a different system to QF. Technically, these bookings are said to be linked.

 

[motef]

In this scenario agreed, 100% but this is what I've been told by call centre staff. I think what they mean by linked is include a comment in each booking referring to the other and the connecting nature if their itineraries. Doesn't create any obligation for the airline to do anything in the event of delay etc.

If a booking has travel on say QF & AA, there would be a separate AA booking/reloc to the QF one as AA is hosted on a different system to QF. Technically, these bookings are said to be linked.

That’s incorrect.

All flights are booked by Qantas and contained within one PNR issued by and managed by Qantas as the booking carrier. The carrier operating the flight and any booking in that carriers system is technically irrelevant in the OWA.

 

[JohnM]

Thanks that sounds like the best tip on this topic. Hopefully assist with confusion at the booking operator end

Exactly this issue has come up repeatedly - and I mean repeatedly - on this thread. I've given up clarifying it.

But I just knew @Captain Halliday would have more stamina than me.

Peeps must stop referring to a OWA as RTW. It is no wonder the agents get confused and frustrated when peeps phone up.

 

[Warragul]

That’s incorrect.

All flights are booked by Qantas and contained within one PNR issued by and managed by Qantas as the booking carrier. The carrier operating the flight and any booking in that carriers system is technically irrelevant in the OWA.

From a booking/ ticketing view perhaps. When travelling, checking in on AA without their reloc would be problematic.

 

[motef]

From a booking/ ticketing view perhaps. When travelling, checking in on AA without their reloc would be problematic.

Yes but that has nothing to do with the original question which was about booking.

 

[Captain Halliday]

But I just knew @Captain Halliday would have more stamina than me.

Mrs H calls it “stubborn”, but I’ll let her know it has been independently and impartially assessed as “stamina”.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Peeps must stop referring to a OWA as RTW. It is no wonder the agents get confused and frustrated when peeps phone up.

I don’t think it would make a jot of difference. Most agents have been so poorly trained they have barely any idea what they’re doing

 

[Kerrodt]

I don’t think it would make a jot of difference. Most agents have been so poorly trained they have barely any idea what they’re doing

All the more important reason for going to the agents with the correct terminology. If the caller is confused and using the incorrect terminology to the agent then what hope does a poorly trained agent have - "garbage in - garbage out". Then when it all turns to custard over the phone and the agent becomes more confused and flustered and hangs up on the caller to escape the drama - the caller goes ballistic because they were "treated so poorly by the agent" when in fact they went into the call without knowing themselves what they were talking about or asking for.

It's a bit like walking into a fruit shop and asking the shop assistant for "some fruit" - the shop assistant offers you an orange - you then shout at the shop assistant because what you actually wanted was an apple and they stuffed things up on you. Apples and oranges are both fruit right? How could the shop assistant ever get this wrong??

 

[SydneySwan]

It's a bit like walking into a fruit shop and asking the shop assistant for "some fruit" - the shop assistant offers you an orange - you then shout at the shop assistant because what you actually wanted was an apple and they stuffed things up on you. Apples and oranges are both fruit right? How could the shop assistant ever get this wrong??

 

[Mr H]

All the more important reason for going to the agents with the correct terminology. If the caller is confused and using the incorrect terminology to the agent then what hope does a poorly trained agent have - "garbage in - garbage out". Then when it all turns to custard over the phone and the agent becomes more confused and flustered and hangs up on the caller to escape the drama - the caller goes ballistic because they were "treated so poorly by the agent" when in fact they went into the call without knowing themselves what they were talking about or asking for.

It's a bit like walking into a fruit shop and asking the shop assistant for "some fruit" - the shop assistant offers you an orange - you then shout at the shop assistant because what you actually wanted was an apple and they stuffed things up on you. Apples and oranges are both fruit right? How could the shop assistant ever get this wrong??

I agree that using incorrect terminology will not lead to the right outcome, but the point here is that mentioning OWA will also likely lead to confusion. The agents do not know the rules and have a habit of hanging up when they feel out of their depth. If you want a fruit analogy, it would be like asking for citrus sinensis fruit and wondering why you are told they haven't got any when you can see it in front of you.

 

[MelbFlyer]

Possibly book the sectors you can online and then call to add the remaining ones ?

Not that easy unfortunately, as 90% of the time, the agent can't see the reward seats we can see online.

I've also called up 100+ times and get the same or similar response each time:
- We can't see the reward seats you see online
- Those reward seats are for new bookings only
- There are no reward seats available (yet as I'm on the phone, I can see them online)
- You may be able to get through to the final step of the booking, but it may / will crash before payment is able to be finalised

etc etc.

I understand wanting to maximise points via a OWA (by adding more and more flights to an already capped itinerary), but sometimes it's just too bloody difficult with Qantas agents.

If only reward bookings could be changed online - that would be a miracle.

Not all of us are Platinum and have the privilege of getting through to Hobart.

 

[SydneySwan]

If only reward bookings could be changed online - that would be a miracle.

That would be nirvana and utopia rolled into one. However with Qantas IT budget around $10 per annum it is never going to happen.

 

[DC3]

… Those reward seats are for new bookings only …

But this is a new flight booking. A new flight is to be added to the itinerary.