Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Mr H]

There a lot of phantom availability on JL right now.

 

[flapper]

QF has stopped triaging repeat callers to more experienced operators. They are also pushing staff to complete calls in under 10 mins maybe that's a reason why so many operators 'can't see' the reward availabilty we can.

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/qantas-not-triaging-repeat-callers/?fbclid=IwAR08FvfPOsi7UOSYcG58AOHn46hwibsC-G2yOEbgZpLwH2nMs7VdfKu-4ME

 

[MelbFlyer]

QF has stopped triaging repeat callers to more experienced operators. They are also pushing staff to complete calls in under 10 mins maybe that's a reason why so many operators 'can't see' the reward availabilty we can.

Shooting themselves in the foot IMO.

I'm glad I've finished and don't have a OWA booking anymore - only just regular awards bookings with a simple 1-2 legs maximum per PNR - nothing like a 5-6+ leg OWA booking).

I'm yet to make any changes but if it's anything like the BS I had last year (having to call 100+ times to request just some simple changes done with award seats that are showing online), it will be painful to change.

 

[Mr H]

Every now and then, call centre agents tell you something that reveals how their processes work. Apologies if I am telling people something they already know.

I asked why my redemption booking had not been ticketed after three days when I had been told it would be done within 24-48 hours.I had stressed the importance of ticketing quickly to avoid losing the MH and CX flights in the booking.

I was told by an agent today (helpful and Fiji-based) that bookings are put into different queues according to how far away travel was. My travel commences in December so I had been put in the ultra-slow queue. The agent told me she had moved my booking to a fast queue and she would call me in 24 hours with a progress update.

I had thought that QF were (now) committed to ticketing award bookings quickly so I was surprised to hear of the slow queues.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

My travel commences in December so I had been put in the ultra-slow queue.

You’re lucky; mine got put in the far-Q…

 

[madrooster]

I was told by an agent today (helpful and Fiji-based) that bookings are put into different queues according to how far away travel was. My travel commences in December so I had been put in the ultra-slow queue. The agent told me she had moved my booking to a fast queue and she would call me in 24 hours with a progress update.

I had thought that QF were (now) committed to ticketing award bookings quickly so I was surprised to hear of the slow queues.

This is correct... but for itineraries involving certain carriers, of which CX and MH are on the list, they're supposed to call their seniors to issue the ticket immediately.

 

[Catweazle]

Seems real tricky to get anything from MRU back to MEL, SYD, ADL or wherever on the east coast. Meanwhile, the QFF website isn't helping me much when it comes to searching for MRU to Asia where we could pick up a separate flight home to MEL on $$ or points. 2 pax traveling mid October. Thoughts? Playing around with honeymoon ideas.

Maybe this is a sign we should just stick to a top end QLD resort...

 

[yaziyo]

Seems real tricky to get anything from MRU back to MEL, SYD, ADL or wherever on the east coast.

Considering you've put this on the Oneworld thread, you should know that the single oneworld connection to Mauritius is on BA to London.

The other non Oneworld Qantas partners I can see that fly there are Air France to Paris and Emirates to Dubai. I don't expect Qantas points, or the Qantas website in general, to be of any use for getting from Mauritius to Australia.

See www.flightconnections.com

 

[Mr H]

Maybe this is a sign we should just stick to a top end QLD resort...

I remember watching Muriel's Wedding and thinking Hibiscus Island looked romantic.

 

[AussieByrd]

You’re lucky; mine got put in the far-Q…

Mine too I think... Despite calling again at the ~52 hour mark yesterday to enquire about why my change hadn't been ticketed, 40 min (mostly on hold) with the agent, and a promise of "I'll call you back", I've had crickets and no tickets.

 

[funnybrus]

Mine too I think... Despite calling again at the ~52 hour mark yesterday to enquire about why my change hadn't been ticketed, 40 min (mostly on hold) with the agent, and a promise of "I'll call you back", I've had crickets and no tickets.

Send an email to [email protected]. I did on Sunday night after a similar timeframe and got an apology and a ticket within half an hour.

 

[AussieByrd]

Hi all... looking for ideas or advise (or just commiseration, if I just need to keep slogging/hoping). I'm currently trying to find flights for the final leg of our actually-around-the-world Oneworld booking (pending ticketing of my most recent change... sigh). The final leg is getting back to Brisbane from Japan (preferably Tokyo... but open to other ideas) in late January 2025.

We're flying economy (x4 - 2 adults, 2 under 12s).

Route options I've found using all (except Qatar) Oneworld carriers (yay www.flightsfrom.com) that could work for us are:
NRT-BNE
HND-SYD-BNE
NRT-MEL-BNE
NRT-HKG-BNE
HND-HKG-MEL-BNE
NRT-HKG-SYD-BNE
HND-MNL-SYD-BNE
NRT-MNL-SYD-BNE

Obviously least legs preferred, but I'd take whatever I can get.

I generally have no problems finding reward seat options flights other than the "somewhere-to-Australia" leg (i.e. Japan to MNL/HKG seem to have decent options, plenty of options for SYD/MEL to BNE), but almost nothing for Japan to Australia / HKG to Australia / MNL to Australia.

Early this week I did find a single HND-SYD (JAL) and SYD-BNE (QFF) option that showed up on the Qantas site for about 3 days, but despite 7 different calls (and 4 hours on calls), none of the agents I spoke to could see the availability (and its now gone from Qantas).

So... is this a case of stuff hasn't been released yet? Or it's all be snaffled already? Is it likely any more seats will be released in future (I have until early September to add segments)? Any other route options anyone can suggest (noting that I'm a bit total-miles-constrained... I have 6,745 miles left to get home... so NRT-SIN-BNE is too far for example).

Thanks for any advice!

 

[AussieByrd]

Send an email to [email protected]. I did on Sunday night after a similar timeframe and got an apology and a ticket within half an hour.

Yep, probably need to at this rate... already had to do this once when they lost my LAX-NRT leg because of the delay in ticketing (got it back thank goodness).

 

[jase05]

Hi all... looking for ideas or advise (or just commiseration, if I just need to keep slogging/hoping). I'm currently trying to find flights for the final leg of our actually-around-the-world Oneworld booking (pending ticketing of my most recent change... sigh). The final leg is getting back to Brisbane from Japan (preferably Tokyo... but open to other ideas) in late January 2025.

We're flying economy (x4 - 2 adults, 2 under 12s).

Route options I've found using all (except Qatar) Oneworld carriers (yay www.flightsfrom.com) that could work for us are:
NRT-BNE
HND-SYD-BNE
NRT-MEL-BNE
NRT-HKG-BNE
HND-HKG-MEL-BNE
NRT-HKG-SYD-BNE
HND-MNL-SYD-BNE
NRT-MNL-SYD-BNE

Obviously least legs preferred, but I'd take whatever I can get.

I generally have no problems finding reward seat options flights other than the "somewhere-to-Australia" leg (i.e. Japan to MNL/HKG seem to have decent options, plenty of options for SYD/MEL to BNE), but almost nothing for Japan to Australia / HKG to Australia / MNL to Australia.

Early this week I did find a single HND-SYD (JAL) and SYD-BNE (QFF) option that showed up on the Qantas site for about 3 days, but despite 7 different calls (and 4 hours on calls), none of the agents I spoke to could see the availability (and its now gone from Qantas).

So... is this a case of stuff hasn't been released yet? Or it's all be snaffled already? Is it likely any more seats will be released in future (I have until early September to add segments)? Any other route options anyone can suggest (noting that I'm a bit total-miles-constrained... I have 6,745 miles left to get home... so NRT-SIN-BNE is too far for example).

Thanks for any advice!

Try MH via KUL or QF out of CGK

 

[AussieByrd]

Try MH via KUL or QF out of CGK

Thanks, but like SIN, both KUL and CGK would put me over 35,000 miles.

 

[elanshin]

Hi all... looking for ideas or advise (or just commiseration, if I just need to keep slogging/hoping). I'm currently trying to find flights for the final leg of our actually-around-the-world Oneworld booking (pending ticketing of my most recent change... sigh). The final leg is getting back to Brisbane from Japan (preferably Tokyo... but open to other ideas) in late January 2025.

We're flying economy (x4 - 2 adults, 2 under 12s).

Route options I've found using all (except Qatar) Oneworld carriers (yay www.flightsfrom.com) that could work for us are:
NRT-BNE
HND-SYD-BNE
NRT-MEL-BNE
NRT-HKG-BNE
HND-HKG-MEL-BNE
NRT-HKG-SYD-BNE
HND-MNL-SYD-BNE
NRT-MNL-SYD-BNE

Obviously least legs preferred, but I'd take whatever I can get.

I generally have no problems finding reward seat options flights other than the "somewhere-to-Australia" leg (i.e. Japan to MNL/HKG seem to have decent options, plenty of options for SYD/MEL to BNE), but almost nothing for Japan to Australia / HKG to Australia / MNL to Australia.

Early this week I did find a single HND-SYD (JAL) and SYD-BNE (QFF) option that showed up on the Qantas site for about 3 days, but despite 7 different calls (and 4 hours on calls), none of the agents I spoke to could see the availability (and its now gone from Qantas).

So... is this a case of stuff hasn't been released yet? Or it's all be snaffled already? Is it likely any more seats will be released in future (I have until early September to add segments)? Any other route options anyone can suggest (noting that I'm a bit total-miles-constrained... I have 6,745 miles left to get home... so NRT-SIN-BNE is too far for example).

Thanks for any advice!

Japan is highly popular and end of Jan being end of school holidays means the routes are likely extremely full.

The only other possibility i can think of is Japan - PVG (Shanghai) - SYD - BNE.

 

[AussieByrd]

Japan is highly popular and end of Jan being end of school holidays means the routes are likely extremely full.

The only other possibility i can think of is Japan - PVG (Shanghai) - SYD - BNE.

Thanks, will check that out. I'm fine coming back a little after school starts back (that was the option that popped up briefly), but I'm guessing a few people think the same.

 

[AussieByrd]

There a lot of phantom availability on JL right now.

I think I've faced this, with a recent HND-SYD segment that no agent could ever see the availability of.

 

[Fifi2207]

Thanks, but like SIN, both KUL and CGK would put me over 35,000 miles.

Credit card sign up bonus points? Or purchase some points could still be cheaper than buying 4 return seats...

 

[AussieByrd]

Credit card sign up bonus points? Or purchase some points could still be cheaper than buying 4 return seats...

Points are not the issue... got plenty. But fare rules for the Oneworld mean your total travel distance cannot exceed 35,000 miles. I could book the last leg separately (or just try to buy cheap-ish Jetstar flights), buut would prefer to save the points/cash.