Qantas/KLM reward booking and seat selection

[Atleastonce]

I have an upcoming revenue booking in J on QF MCY-SYD. SYD-SCL. SCL-EZE. and return. The SCL-EZE and EZE-SCL flight are on KLM and are booked as J and show as J on the original booking but on ticket show as a “business saver/premium economy”. The seat guru seating map has economy comfort and business. I cannot select seats for these flights only the QF flights and don’t have a reference number or booking number to access the KLM site. Is this as simple as contacting QF to try and work it out, or do I need to try and contact KLM, though their terrible “contact us” section of their web site. Any suggestions please.

Edit: sorry this is a revenue fare. (First world problem, too many flights at the moment)

 

[CaptJCool]

Seems the QF Booking reference ought work on the KLM website

Qantas query . . I can't see any ticket numbers on KLM

Hi all 😊 I've been reading through many threads and am possibly worrying unnecessarily . . ? I have a business class booking, used Qantas points, flying with KLM. The confirmation (from Qantas) shows the ticket numbers (081 etc) plus the booking reference. It shows as upcoming trip when I...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

FYI
I know The QF 6 digit # worked on the IB website and the Royal Maroc

Two oddity I discovered…

IB allowed me to pick seats thru its website for two of us travelled together. One SG the other mere Bronze
IB gave me as SG Fasttrack But didn’t grant the privilege to my Bronzed son
OTOH booking direct with IB Gave only a 5 digit booking reference which Qantas wouldn’t accept

The second
Royal Maroc allowed me to pick a seat but didn’t allow my Bronzed son to do so

So who knows what surprises you’ll find

 

[SYD]

I have an upcoming reward booking in J on QF MCY-SYD. SYD-SCL. SCL-EZE. and return. The SCL-EZE and EZE-SCL flight are on KLM and are booked as J and show as J on the original booking but on ticket show as a “business saver/premium economy”. The seat guru seating map has economy comfort and business. I cannot select seats for these flights only the QF flights and don’t have a reference number or booking number to access the KLM site. Is this as simple as contacting QF to try and work it out, or do I need to try and contact KLM, though their terrible “contact us” section of their web site. Any suggestions please.

Yes, KLM has a 5th Freedom flight which I almost booked myself but given the short flight, the LA flight was adequate

But the KL J ought to come with lounge access (as a QF WP, I got lounge with LA anyway).

Seems the QF Booking reference ought work on the KLM website

Qantas query . . I can't see any ticket numbers on KLM

Hi all 😊 I've been reading through many threads and am possibly worrying unnecessarily . . ? I have a business class booking, used Qantas points, flying with KLM. The confirmation (from Qantas) shows the ticket numbers (081 etc) plus the booking reference. It shows as upcoming trip when I...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Try this otherwise call QF to see if there’s a seperate KL PNR.

FYI
I know The QF 6 digit # worked on the IB website and the Royal Maroc

Two oddity I discovered…

IB allowed me to pick seats thru its website for two of us travelled together. One SG the other mere Bronze
IB gave me as SG Fasttrack But didn’t grant the privilege to my Bronzed son
OTOH booking direct with IB Gave only a 5 digit booking reference which Qantas wouldn’t accept

The second
Royal Maroc allowed me to pick a seat but didn’t allow my Bronzed son to do so

So who knows what surprises you’ll find

Not sure the about the relevance of IB woes, but RJ.com can be useful for seat selection on Amadeus bookings.

 

[Flyfrequently]

I have an upcoming reward booking in J on QF MCY-SYD. SYD-SCL. SCL-EZE. and return. The SCL-EZE and EZE-SCL flight are on KLM and are booked as J and show as J on the original booking but on ticket show as a “business saver/premium economy”. The seat guru seating map has economy comfort and business. I cannot select seats for these flights only the QF flights and don’t have a reference number or booking number to access the KLM site. Is this as simple as contacting QF to try and work it out, or do I need to try and contact KLM, though their terrible “contact us” section of their web site. Any suggestions please.

This may be of some help @Atleastonce


We had QF CR J last year HKG-AMS-LIS and were able to select seats, had lounge access etc.
We enjoyed KLM and although 777, the cabin crew were terrific.

 

[ANstar]

KL also charge for seat selection in J so you may have to wait until checkin unless you want to $$

 

[Flyfrequently]

KL also charge for seat selection in J so you may have to wait until checkin unless you want to $$

They didn't last September for CR J, perhaps a recent enhancement @ANstar ?

 

[CaptJCool]

They didn't last September for CR J, perhaps a recent enhancement @ANstar ?

In looking up KLM revenue flights just now
There’s no charge for European business class seat selection.


Mind you the European J asking price is way beyond what I would willingly pay

 

[SYD]

In looking up KLM revenue flights just now
There’s no charge for European business class seat selection.
View attachment 406304

Mind you the European J asking price is way beyond what I would willingly pay

OP is flying across South America on points.

It actually added quite a few more points mixing and matching QF CR J Oz to SCL (on QF metal) and then KL to/from EZE.

 

[CaptJCool]

OP is flying across South America on points.

It actually added quite a few more points mixing and matching QF CR J Oz to SCL (on QF metal) and then KL to/from EZE.

You’re right

KLM Bus Light & Standard have no free seat selection before checkin ON that route
Bus Flex & Flex extra do

 

[SYD]

You’re right

I didn’t say yay or nay on seat selection.

KLM Bus Light & Standard have no free seat selection before checkin ON that route
Bus Flex & Flex extra do

A CR fare is neither, but probably does come with seat selection and lounge access (v some of these “unbundled” fares creeping around).

 

[Horatio]

We bought a revenue J fare CBR-SYD-SCL-EZE return last year (Sept-Oct). The EZE-SCL leg on return was with KLM. While booking we were able to select our seats in what was clearly a business cabin layout. However, we then had the same issue as you, @Atleastonce - the KLM flight showed up as Premium Economy on the ticket once issued.

I assumed that meant we were getting an Economy Comfort seat, depite paying for business (for whatever reason). For a short flight it wouldn't have been the end of the world, so I didn't try to investigate/resolve it. But on check-in, we were given the same J class seats I originally selected. And we had access to the Aerolineas Condor lounge, which was nothing special, but fine for a short time early in the morning.

Irrelevant side note - the SCL-EZE leg on the way over was in LATAM's Premium Economy, and it was a fabulous flight with probably the best dessert I've ever had on an aircraft.

 

[Horatio]

Also, @Atleastonce, I meant to add this point. As you'd know, the KLM flight leaves Ezeiza pretty early in the morning. Last year we stayed the night before our flight at a lovely simple hotel just a few minutes from the airport in the very safe Barrio Uno. Here's a link if you're interested - posadadelasaguilas.com.ar/

Cheers,
Horatio

 

[jase05]

A CR fare is neither, but probably does come with seat selection and lounge access (v some of these “unbundled” fares creeping around).

I presume KLM is similar to AF in that the last points redemption I did with AF they still wanted a fee for seat selection but once I inputted my ITA Executive Club number the fee disappeared.

 

[SYD]

I presume KLM is similar to AF in that the last points redemption I did with AF they still wanted a fee for seat selection but once I inputted my ITA Executive Club number the fee disappeared.

Biz or whY seats?

 

[jase05]

Biz or whY seats?

Biz, CDG-DXB

 

[SYD]

I presume KLM is similar to AF in that the last points redemption I did with AF they still wanted a fee for seat selection but once I inputted my ITA Executive Club number the fee disappeared.

It appears to be a relative new (Apr 2023) development for long-haul routes. Yes, avoidable with FF status (and another nail in the coffin for “I don’t need status if flying J” argument).

Air France & KLM Add Seat Fees In Business Class

As of April 2023, Air France and KLM have started charging fees to assign seats in business class for most travelers. Here's the logic.

onemileatatime.com

Unclear if SCL<->EZE counts as “long haul”? That would be an even bigger scam.

A pox on them and their little Delft houses…!

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

If you can access Virgin Atlantic miles that's a much cheaper way of redeeming KLM flights in many cases

 

[Atleastonce]

Update: I spent over an hour on the phone today with Qantas who were unable to assist at all. I finally found a Sydney phone number for KLM and with my QF booking number they were able to confirm my J seat selection but with a $196.00 fee for the 2 flights for the 2 of us. Wasn’t expecting the fee but was ok with it given the confirmation of J seats .

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Update: I spent over an hour on the phone today with Qantas who were unable to assist at all. I finally found a Sydney phone number for KLM and with my QF booking number they were able to confirm my J seat selection but with a $196.00 fee for the 2 flights for the 2 of us. Wasn’t expecting the fee but was ok with it given the confirmation of J seats .

Feels like a pretty steep fee.

 

[jase05]

Feels like a pretty steep fee.

KLM and AF charge $49 per person to select J seats prior to checkin if you have no status so $196 would be correct.
I just booked DPS-SIN on KLM and only 2 and bit hour flight and they wanted $49 per passenger to select a J seat. Entered my ITA Executive club number and the charge is waived