Partner airlines that require/do not require a ticket to be reissued

[encryptededdy]

This is a bit of an esoteric question and is probably not relevant in the majority of cases, but I was reading the Classic Rewards T&Cs for a separate thread and came across this section.

Subject to this clause 14.7, the following changes are permitted to a Classic Flight Reward flight before departure of that flight, provided the booking contains one or more Flight Segments that are not within Australia, and the Flight Segment(s) being changed do not include a partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change. Any such change will incur a Change Fee (see the Fee Schedule) per passenger:

(a) change to flight number; and
(b) change to date of travel.

This is basically saying that after the commencement of travel, but before the departure of any given flight, you may change the flight number or date of that segment (i.e. not the routing), provided the segment being changed "do not include a partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change".

I can see this means in practice it would be able to possible to change the flight number & date of a Qantas segment before it departs, but what about partner airlines? What partner airlines fit the "partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change" clause?

Or in practice is this no partner airline at all (such that the wording could've just said "do not include a partner airline")?

 

[DAC1]

I believe it is the latter. madrooster posted in another thread recently saying that all partners require a reissue.

All partner carriers require a reissue.

 

[equus]

do not include a partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change

Could he how you read it. You are reading it as "that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change" as a qualifier on particular partner airlines. It should be probably be read (worded) as

do not include a partner airline because that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change

i.e. the "that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change" is not a qualifier on a particular partner airline, but an explanation of why changes can't be made if a partner airline is involved.

 

[encryptededdy]

Could he how you read it. You are reading it as "that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change" as a qualifier on particular partner airlines. It should be probably be read (worded) as

do not include a partner airline because that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change

i.e. the "that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change" is not a qualifier on a particular partner airline, but an explanation of why changes can't be made if a partner airline is involved.

Good point. Well, that's good to know anyway, although I wonder in practice if you tried to change a Qantas segment on an partially-flown international CR ticket, whether the call centre would actually be able to do that (or just throw up their hands and give incorrect information).

 

[Princess Fiona]

Good point. Well, that's good to know anyway, although I wonder in practice if you tried to change a Qantas segment on an partially-flown international CR ticket, whether the call centre would actually be able to do that (or just throw up their hands and give incorrect information).

I have changed QF segments on partially flown 318K Awards a few times no issues. Was not done via the call centre though. Done via my TA

 

[p--and--t]

Was not done via the call centre though. Done via my TA

That got my attention.

Was not aware a TA could make change or delete an awards booking. Didn't think it was possible.

I have spoken to TAs in the past who told me only Qantas call centre can make or change an award booking.

 

[equus]

Was not aware a TA could make change or delete an awards booking. Didn't think it was possible.

I believe it has always been the case, but it was mostly a matter of income. Back in the day, there was reasonable commission paid on international bookings based on the fare - and that's how agents made their money. As a reward booking has no fare, there was no commission, so they weren't interested.

Now days, the commission on fares is very low, and whilst it brings in some money, is not the bread and butter for an agency - they either make money by fee for service, or from other parts of the booking - I believe accommodation commission is still reasonable, and anyone who buys travel insurance via a TA is contributing handsomely to the TA bottom line.

If you have a good relationship with the agent, and they are making their money off your bookings in other ways, there is every reason for them to manage a rewards booking for you in order to maintain the other revenue streams.