Qantas multi-stop pricing

[Horatio]

Hi everyone

This is my first post, although I have lurked for a while and found some great tips and information from many of the regular contributors. My question relates to the pricing of multi-stop domestic trips. Apologies if this has been brought up before – I did a search but could not find anything.

A few weeks ago my wife and I were looking to book a one-way flight from MEL to CBR with Qantas. Over each of the last few years we have been able to accumulate about 500 status credits and find ourselves looking for cost-effective and justifiable ways to gain the last 100 or so and maintain Gold. We have also been comped a couple of times but feel we may have outstayed our welcome on that front.

Anyway, the price for MEL to CBR was $83, so we looked for a way to gain some extra SCs through a more creative itinerary as we have no time pressures on the day. We decided to fly MEL to ADL, then ADL to CBR via SYD as a multi-stop. The price of the first leg was $69 and the second $125, for a total of $194. We were pretty pleased with this as the extra 25 SC would have cost $111. However, when we clicked through to the confirmation page, the price had dropped to $168, meaning the extra 25 SC only cost us $85.

My question is whether there was a glitch in the system that caused the price reduction, that we somehow got lucky, or whether this is part and parcel of the multi-stop pricing as there are certain charges that the traveller does not get slugged for twice on this type of itinerary?

Thanks

Horatio

 

[serfty]

G'day Horatio, welcome to AFF.

This is a well known way to increase SC's. Before the days of huge taxes/levies/surcharges it was a lot more popular. Fuel fines alone last year were adding ~$25 per additional sector

These day the effect of this type of pricing is far more noticeables since Qantas removed the fuel fines saving ~$25 per additional sector.

Not all fares allow this however, but many do. e.g. One can route MEL-SYD-AKL for ~$20 more than MEL-AKL but cannot do the same with SYD-MEL-AKL.

 

[JohnK]

My question is whether there was a glitch in the system that caused the price reduction, that we somehow got lucky, or whether this is part and parcel of the multi-stop pricing as there are certain charges that the traveller does not get slugged for twice on this type of itinerary?

I have noticed on a number of multi-trip bookings getting an unexpected discount on the total cost of the individual flights. Is it a glitch in the system? Possibly but unless you have an inside contact at QF it would be difficult to know the answer.

 

[serfty]

It's not a glitch.

For example ADL-CBR

Assuming you have purchased an O class red e-deal this would be an "OSXI" fare.

The base cost of this is currently $106.49 and the routing rules for this fare are:

ADL-CBR SUN-26APR09 QF                                         
TAXES/FEES NOT INCLUDED                                        
ADULT FARES                                                    
     CX    FARE   FARE     C  AP  MIN/    SEASONS...... MR GI DT
           AUD    BASIS             MAX                        
  1  QF   106.49  OSXI     O                            R  EH  
                                                               
SPECIFIED          ROUTE: 9009 
ADL-CBR                                
ADL-MEL-CBR                                                    
ADL-MEL/SYD-CBR

So one can route ADL-CBR or ADL-MEL-CBR or ADL-SYD-CBR all for this base $106.49 fare.

Of course then you need to add Taxes, Levies and Surcharges (AKA +++ or

) which often means the more segments, the higher the total cost (but not always).

e.g. Currently:

• ADL-CBR: 106.49 + 34.51 = $141.00
• ADL-MEL-CBR: 106.49 + 34.51 = $141.00
• ADL-SYD-CBR: 106.49 + 44.47 = $150.96

As I posted earlier, the removal of the Domestic Fuel Fines has made these multi segment more viable; last year going via MEL would have added ~$25 to the cost.

 

[JohnK]

I was looking at a routing last night SYD-BNE-CBR-SYD and the individual sectors added up to $203 but when clicking on the next screen it came down to ~$198. Not a big saving but different to original quote. Funny enough for ~$20 more I can route SYD-BNE-SYD-CBR-SYD but the timing is unsuitable with either early in the morning or late at night.

Perhaps I could try SYD-CBR-SYD-BNE-SYD at ~$4.50/SC. But it would end up being a long trip up to BNE.

 

[NM]

Perhaps I could try SYD-CBR-SYD-BNE-SYD at ~$4.50/SC. But it would end up being a long trip up to BNE.

And with your reputation for delayed flights between SYD and BNE, might not be such a good idea .

 

[JohnK]

And with your reputation for delayed flights between SYD and BNE, might not be such a good idea .

Yes and I would probably have way too many by the time I got to BNE.

 

[Horatio]

Thanks Serfty. That explains it perfectly, especially given that the difference was $25, give or take a few cents.

Cheers, Horatio

 

[Grooba]

Great information again guys - this place is such a wealth of information for the FF!

 

[Mal]

I had a weird one tonight, and glad I double checked with the Qantas site in the end..

Priced an international flight on Qantas tonight via SYD. It was about $1560 all up.

Checked my other TA sources, and found they were offering $1350 or so.

Thought a difference that much wasn't right.

Plugged the same journey into the Multi-trip booker, selected the same flights etc, and Qantas undercut them by a few $

Work that out how you want!