Qantas Award Booking Engine - Work in Progress?

[JohnK]

It is that time again! QF have introduced a new award booking engine since I planned the previous Oneworld RTW award but essentially some of the same issues are present.

• Finding availbility but route is not available and when I search again the availibility is there only to not be able to select it
• Error in database when trying to get a quote for taxes and surcharges on a 15 sector itinerary. If I keep the sectors to <10 it seems to quote the taxes and surcharges
• some flights not available although there is availability eg HKG-SYD is showing no availability on a certain date but HKG-SYD-MEL is showing availability on same date
• Connectivity issues try again later

I have mapped out where I wanted to go and checked each sector individually to confirm availability and then having difficulties trying to get a quote for the taxes and surcharges. Sure I can break up the itinerary into smaller segments but then I get quotes in AUD, CAD, USD and GBP.

The sratch itinerary so far is SYD-(SFO)-DFW-XNA-(STL)-CID-ORD-(YYZ)-LGA-LHR-(ATH)-LHR-HKG-SYD. It is 13 sectors and technically there are only 2 stopovers in YYZ and ATH. The good thing is the award booking engine recognises the itinerary as a Oneworld award and calculates only 140,000 QFF points required.

I called QF and explained the database error and they are happy to waive the 2,500 award assistance fee but the taxes and surcharges are coming out to ~$1,079. Is it possible that the reduction in international fuel surcharges has not filtered through to the award booking engine yet? Is the stopover and then departure from Canada adding to the higher cost?

Did someone mention that there was a way to calculate taxes and surcharges for an itinerary? It would be nice to work out where I am going wrong and amend the itinerary as needed.

 

[serfty]

See if you can book exactly the same route using the oneworld Explorer booking tool.

This would give a breakdown of taxes etc.

 

[ColinP]

The fuel fine reduction has filtered through to the award booking engine.

I booked 3x round trip awards to Japan on Saturday - Taxes were a tad under $1,100
I did a dummy booking of the same itinerary tonight - Taxes ~ $850 :evil:

 

[JohnK]

I was finally able to do a similar dummy booking, with 2 sectors less at 11 sectors, with the Oneworld explorer booking tool. The taxes and surcharges still came to ~$873. :shock: I was looking at a similar award a couple of months ago and taxes and surcharges were ~$800 and a similar award 2 years ago with 16 sectors had taxes and surcharges of ~$935.

I was expecting taxes and surcharges of ~$700 after the latest reduction by QF to international fuel surcharges but I must be dreaming.

 

[JohnK]

Still having issues and sent feedback to QF 4 days ago and I think it has gone into the too hard basket.

I have finally worked a 10 sector itinerary, actually 11 sector as one of these is a through flight with a transit in DFW, which I can book online that hopefully will not put stress on my 71 year old father and the taxes and surcharges are reasonable.

The final routing is SYD-(SFO)-xDFW-(STL)-LGA-(YYZ)-ORD-LHR-(ATH)-LHR-HKG-SYD and the taxes and surcharges are ~$820. Availability appears to be limited especially coming back during school holidays so I really need to jump on this quickly. I have not technically used the 5 stopovers so I may in an overnight in LHR and HKG, still not technically a stopover but a transit, which may change the taxes and surcharges.

My father is really excited, and to me this is priceless, and he telling me this will be his final trip back home. I hope not as I want to take him again in a few years but you never know.

I am really disappointed with Qantas especially with not being able to book online an itinerary with more than 10 sectors and the high taxes and surcharges. Anyway hopefully things work out....

 

[JohnK]

There is never a final itinerary. Because I have hesitated in booking the Oneworld award some flights are no longer available so I have now had to revise the routing again. The new routing is SYD-SFO-DFW-YYZ-ORD-CID-STL-IAD-LHR-ATH-LHR-HKG-PER-SYD.

What I found amazing is the review button works on this 13 sector Oneworld award which I assume means I will be able to book it online. Is there a possibility that due to my persistence Qantas has fixed the bug I reported a few weeks ago?

 

[straitman]

What I found amazing is the review button works on this 13 sector Oneworld award which I assume means I will be able to book it online. Is there a possibility that due to my persistence Qantas has fixed the bug I reported a few weeks ago?

Possible but unlikely :!:

More likely it is coincidence.

 

[JohnK]

Possible but unlikely :!:

More likely it is coincidence.

Thanks Bill. You have certainly shot down my confidence in a hurry.