Qantas Award Charges Outrageous

[JohnK]

Has anyone noticed any weird things with award bookings involving 3K?

BKK-SIN-SYD has always been 28,000 points but for some reason coming up with 37,600 points online.

The one-way taxes of ~$234 continue to be ridiculous.

 

[Mattg]

Has anyone noticed any weird things with award bookings involving 3K?

BKK-SIN-SYD has always been 28,000 points but for some reason coming up with 37,600 points online.

The one-way taxes of ~$234 continue to be ridiculous.

Not specifically 3K, but I have noticed strange things whereby the QF website is pricing connecting flights as 2 separate awards where a long connection (e.g. 23 hours) is applicable. How long is the connection time in Singapore in your example?

 

[JohnK]

How long is the connection time in Singapore in your example?

Just over 2 hours or around 8 hours depending on how risky I feel.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Has anyone noticed any weird things with award bookings involving 3K?

BKK-SIN-SYD has always been 28,000 points but for some reason coming up with 37,600 points online.

The one-way taxes of ~$234 continue to be ridiculous.

It looks like the system is incorrectly calculating the two flights. It should all come from the Qantas award table and instead they have added the QF flight and JQ flight.

Here's the rules:

Important Information:
~~ If a Classic Flight Reward Trip includes any flight with a Jetstar (JQ), Jetstar Asia (3K), Jetstar Japan (GK) or Jetstar Pacific (BL) flight number and a flight number from an airline on the Qantas Classic Flight Reward table, the Qantas Points required for that Trip will be calculated using the lowest quoted points level of either:
a) the Qantas Classic Flight Reward table; or
b) the sum of points, breaking the Trip into multiple Trips wherever the carrier code changes between those carriers that are eligible for the Jetstar table and those carriers that are eligible from the Qantas table.
If the Classic Flight Reward Trip only includes flights with a Jetstar (JQ), Jetstar Asia (3K), Jetstar Japan (GK) or Jetstar Pacific (BL) flight number, or a combination thereof, the Jetstar Classic Flight Reward table will apply.
​

Maybe it's complicated because BKK-SIN-SYD is 4783km. The top of the relevant band is 4800. Close enough sometimes for the system to think it's in the higher band.

Calling QF should be able to price it correctly for you.

 

[rock86]

This has been a problem since the IT 'upgrade', all award booking legs are being calculated as individual legs.

You'll need to ring them for it to be priced correctly.

 

[JohnK]

Maybe it's complicated because BKK-SIN-SYD is 4783km. The top of the relevant band is 4800. Close enough sometimes for the system to think it's in the higher band.

Calling QF should be able to price it correctly for you.

Calling does get the correct award but lucky I know it should be 28,000 QFF points. I bet there are people out there who are booking this award right now and not only paying exorbitant fuel surcharges but also using more points. I wonder if QF will refund the points they are taking in error. Think not.

 

[kamchatsky]

Just did a check on HNL-SYD Economy award for 2 adults and 2 children.

Using QFF points on QF4, cost is 140000 QF points (or 35000 each) + $1189.64USD or 1554.26 AUD (or $388.57 AUD each person)
Using VA points on HA451, cost is 168000 VA points (or 42000 each) + $178.32AUD (or $44.58 AUD each person)

Needless to say I used VA points to redeem the flights, even though it is slightly more points required. But it is amazing that QF fuel surcharges is so ridiculously high.

 

[rock86]

Just did a check on HNL-SYD Economy award for 2 adults and 2 children.

Using QFF points on QF4, cost is 140000 QF points (or 35000 each) + $1189.64USD or 1554.26 AUD (or $388.57 AUD each person)
Using VA points on HA451, cost is 168000 VA points (or 42000 each) + $178.32AUD (or $44.58 AUD each person)

Needless to say I used VA points to redeem the flights, even though it is slightly more points required. But it is amazing that QF fuel surcharges is so ridiculously high.

Anything from the USA will attract a massive QF surcharge.

 

[SydneySwan]

Anything from the USA will attract a massive QF surcharge.

I thought all QF surcharges were massive. Any examples to the contrary? I would really like to know.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I thought all QF surcharges were massive. Any examples to the contrary? I would really like to know.

AU-USA one way on QF-EK wasn't too bad at ~$650. Still a lot compared to some other programs, but not near the $1000 levels some have come up against.

 

[Limewood]

Anything from the USA will attract a massive QF surcharge.

Reason we always use QFF points and go out of HKG, just boooked CX x 2 in J HKG/JFK/HKG fees were a paulty $192 in toto can fly direct to many other cities and miss LAX too.

 

[Mattg]

I was under the impression that fuel surcharges are illegal on bookings originating in Brazil. So how does Qantas explain charging USD295 (over $400) on a one-way award from GRU-SCL-SYD?

FWIW, the taxes are under USD50 if you choose the LATAM flight from SCL to SYD.

 

[Kremmen]

I thought all QF surcharges were massive. Any examples to the contrary? I would really like to know.

It seems to me that the perverse answer to this is always to use other airlines (BA, AA or AS) to book QF awards and QF to book awards on other airlines. I would generally value a QF pt at about half the value of AA/UA, but those airlines have raised their transatlantic award costs, so that is one part of the world where QF can actually be better value!
e.g. Best Points and Miles for Aer Lingus Business Class in 2018

I was under the impression that fuel surcharges are illegal on bookings originating in Brazil. So how does Qantas explain charging USD295 (over $400) on a one-way award from GRU-SCL-SYD?

Looks like Brazil might have reverted. Maybe someone should ask Qantas?
YQ fuel surcharges in Brazil now allowed | Meanie.Me – Honest flight and travel reviews

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I was under the impression that fuel surcharges are illegal on bookings originating in Brazil. So how does Qantas explain charging USD295 (over $400) on a one-way award from GRU-SCL-SYD?

FWIW, the taxes are under USD50 if you choose the LATAM flight from SCL to SYD.

All airlines charge different fees. For example, the same flight on QF or LA marked may have different costs broken up into 'taxes and fee's in addition to the base ticket price.

QF Classic Award redemptions are more than actual airport taxes. Effectively, QF Loyalty can charge anything they want for a redemption. Even more confusing is that many airlines can charge fuel surcharges, but they don't actually collect (or keep) the revenue - which is done by the agent who sells the ticket.

Click on the number to see the breakdown of the additional (non-points cost). You won't see YQ.

 

[Mattg]

All airlines charge different fees. For example, the same flight on QF or LA marked may have different costs broken up into 'taxes and fee's in addition to the base ticket price.

QF Classic Award redemptions are more than actual airport taxes. Effectively, QF Loyalty can charge anything they want for a redemption. Even more confusing is that many airlines can charge fuel surcharges, but they don't actually collect (or keep) the revenue - which is done by the agent who sells the ticket.

Click on the number to see the breakdown of the additional (non-points cost). You won't see YQ.

It actually doesn't give you the option of seeing a fare breakdown on the Qantas website when booking ex Brazil.

There is no YQ when redeeming QF points for LA flights, and the taxes payable for LA flights on the same route come to USD49. So the only possible explanation for the high charge is a Qantas carrier charge being applied to the SCL-SYD sector. Which shouldn't be allowed due to Brazilian law. Unless I am missing something?

Although Qantas can normally charge whatever it wants for a redemption booking, this is not the case in Brazil as these kinds of extra charges are illegal.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Looks like Brazil might have reverted. Maybe someone should ask Qantas?
YQ fuel surcharges in Brazil now allowed | Meanie.Me – Honest flight and travel reviews

onemileatatime also ran the story of fuel surcharges being allowed, but then retracted that. There is (was) some confusion over the new laws and whether they now allowed fuel surcharges. Some argue the law didn't change, but TAP has been charging them anyway: Brazil Eliminates Their Ban On Airline Fuel Surcharges - One Mile at a Time

I wonder if the surcharge comes in because QFFF considers it two separate flights once you break the award table going from LATAM to QF? Different tables, therefore separate flights (although all on the one ticket), therefore they can charge fuel for the SLC-SYD?

 

[SOPOOR]

onemileatatime also ran the story of fuel surcharges being allowed, but then retracted that. There is (was) some confusion over the new laws and whether they now allowed fuel surcharges. Some argue the law didn't change, but TAP has been charging them anyway: Brazil Eliminates Their Ban On Airline Fuel Surcharges - One Mile at a Time

I wonder if the surcharge comes in because QFFF considers it two separate flights once you break the award table going from LATAM to QF? Different tables, therefore separate flights (although all on the one ticket), therefore they can charge fuel for the SLC-SYD?

what a mess

 

[Mattg]

onemileatatime also ran the story of fuel surcharges being allowed, but then retracted that. There is (was) some confusion over the new laws and whether they now allowed fuel surcharges. Some argue the law didn't change, but TAP has been charging them anyway: Brazil Eliminates Their Ban On Airline Fuel Surcharges - One Mile at a Time

As far as I'm aware, the Brazilian law is still in place.

I wonder if the surcharge comes in because QFFF considers it two separate flights once you break the award table going from LATAM to QF? Different tables, therefore separate flights (although all on the one ticket), therefore they can charge fuel for the SLC-SYD?

I guess in practice that may be why the Qantas website is pricing it like this. But that doesn't make it correct.

 

[Anna]

Classic award in J MEL - LAX: 96,000 points one way.

Pay cash for a Y fare MEL - LAX and (attempt to) use points to upgrade from Y to J: 90,000 points one way.

Seriously QF??

The QFF program has become an absolute joke. In 2001 I flew F return from ADL to Buenos Aires and it cost me 100,000 points for the whole trip.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Classic award in J MEL - LAX: 96,000 points one way.

Pay cash for a Y fare MEL - LAX and (attempt to) use points to upgrade from Y to J: 90,000 points one way.

Seriously QF??

The QFF program has become an absolute joke. In 2001 I flew F return from ADL to Buenos Aires and it cost me 100,000 points for the whole trip.

Hmmm.... while I agree this is a terrible price/use of points, I wonder if it might actually be of some use when it comes to downgrade compensation?

Instead of the 'standard' $700 QF offers for a downgrade J->Y from the USA to AU, it would appear that a points compensation of 90K would also be an appropriate option for a remedy. Hard for QF to argue against this given it's published.