Qantas ticket class visibility?

[RichardMEL]

If you weren't a member of AFF, would you even know there were sub classes beyond first business premium and economy.

I know from many conversations that none of my group of occasional flyer friends bar one was aware they even exist.

Most of them do not understand nor have any interest in those funny things that appear called status credits. They just watch points accumulate hopefully for their next "free" flight in the future.

Absolutely agree with this.

My issue is the airline deciding for us that we're not imterested(or at least using that as the reason why they make it so difficult) and not giving us the choice.

If someone isn't interested, it's no big deal if they offer up "Economy (H)" prior to booking. Yeah some may wonder what it is, but most would ignore it, or find it helpful. Or again, provide a "details" link.

I get the mentality that such "technical details" may confuse, and for most don't make any difference (aftr all, the booking class is mostly only important for those crediting away from QF - and may be part of the thinking).

Imo it's just not being transparent and the cynic in me thinks it has nothing to do with "people not being interested."

However it is true that Jie Public mostly do not care and those of us in this AFF "bubble" are a bit dufferent - as in any nuche group).

 

[PERLHR]

So why don't the other airlines do the same if Qantas is so clever and knowledgeable what the pax wants to see? Absolutely rubbish. They should show it. I know lots of people who want to see it. What makes QF so blooming special? . Technical details? Oh come on....trying to understand the fare structure is more complicated when prices arrive on the desktop plus all the conditions of cancellations etc. Honestly!!

 

[wandering_fred]

QF showing the fare class means that members of the airline partner flyer programs can upfare (for very modest amounts in many cases) and earn substantially more into their accounts, costing QF $$.
Or even possibly understanding that an E class Red Edeal fare ONLY earns in QFF...
Understanding the "rules" enhances the experience of wandering
Fred
PS Formerly OW Emerald with AA and OW Sapphire with CX
They enhanced their programs?

 

[encryptededdy]

QF showing the fare class means that members of the airline partner flyer programs can upfare (for very modest amounts in many cases) and earn substantially more into their accounts, costing QF $$.

Awakening a bit of a dead thread, but I can't imagine that the cost to upfare (Sale -> Saver or Saver -> Flex) is less than the amount Qantas has to pay another FFP for Points or SCs.

I feel I'd be pretty confident in saying that Qantas would make a profit off someone booking up to Saver from Sale, even if it means they now have to pay the other FFP some money.

I think it's just a lack of IT resources or a lack of direction mandating this requirement from the Qantas side.

 

[wandering_fred]

Actually there can be quite a bit of "enhancement in earnings" within the Qantas major fare categories. You do not always need to spend big $$. Look at the real fare codes in the partner crediting for QF flights to OneWorld partners. Qantas has multiple prices with in each fare category.
With AA
QF Economy classes HKLMV earn 50%
QF Economy classes SNGOQ earn 25%
QF Economy class E earn nothing
Saver is a QF catch all catergory. One of the insights learned while wandering
Fred

 

[encryptededdy]

Actually there can be quite a bit of "enhancement in earnings" within the Qantas major fare categories. You do not always need to spend big $$. Look at the real fare codes in the partner crediting for QF flights to OneWorld partners. Qantas has multiple prices with in each fare category.
With AA
QF Economy classes HKLMV earn 50%
QF Economy classes SNGOQ earn 25%
QF Economy class E earn nothing
Saver is a QF catch all catergory. One of the insights learned while wandering
Fred

I agree, but on the Qantas website (the topic here) you can't just book one specific fare code. You can only pick from Sale, Saver, and Flex.

 

[wandering_fred]

On the contrary, Qantas tickets can be purchased via the old fashioned route, known as a travel agent.
Which makes the ticket class (ie fare code) much more visible. Not of particular interest to QFF members but of much greater importance to OW partner FF members.
Not just Australians are wandering
Fred

 

[tdimdad]

I agree, but on the Qantas website (the topic here) you can't just book one specific fare code. You can only pick from Sale, Saver, and Flex.

The corporate travel booking systems seem also often enable you to see the available booking classes. Though, of course, if the company does BFOD, you may not be allowed to book into the next bucket.

 

[AFF Editor]

We asked Qantas if they would consider adding the fare class information to the booking flow on its website. You can read their response (and some other workarounds for finding the fare class) here:

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/how-to-find-qantas-fare-class/

 

[Brissy1]

You're supposedly only buying a "bundle of rights" which vary by ticket class. I would have thought that one should be informed of what one is buying.

 

[Virgin Bart]

What a lame response by Qantas.

 

[tdimdad]

It's not even a lame response from Qantas. It's a "won't do, don't even ask" response under the disguise of simplification, i.e. removing as many elements as possible, regardless how useful they'd be. Case in point: "simplifying" the training & skills of their offshore call centres.

 

[Beano]

For work my travel agent includes the booking class but as each type of fare, sale, flex, etc. has several letters associated with it, it's not much use to me other than knowing the main class of booking.

Post automatically merged: Mar 25, 2024

Any help here? What difference is there within a class of booking?

 

[PERLHR]

It's not even a lame response from Qantas. It's a "won't do, don't even ask" response under the disguise of simplification, i.e. removing as many elements as possible, regardless how useful they'd be. Case in point: "simplifying" the training & skills of their offshore call centres.

I suppose doing a dummy booking through Expedia checking the booking class for chosen flight and flight times etc, would.mean when carrying the booking through QF would result in the same booking class clearly shown as on Expedia?

 

[RichardMEL]

Any help here? What difference is there within a class of booking?

The main differences are price points and restrictions on fares.

QF's "simpler" categories are reasonable in this respect - ie Flex v Discount - most things within borad categories are the same, or similiar(eg a cxl fee may be go up the more discounted a ticket) but in general you're looking at price points.

Eg QF flex fares book into, usually Y B M H K buckets iirc - Y being the absolute full fare, and K being the cheapest price point. Most fare types in these ranges will be more or less the same though.

QF's logic is you don't need to know if it's a K fare or a Y fare because "flex" therefore they're making it simpler. To a degree. I disagree, but I am one who likes all the details

And of course important for partner earn, specially for more discounted fares.

 

[MikeG]

Are there any grounds to complain or request a refund, if after purchasing finding that a fare that was bought with the intention of upgrading with a classic upgrade is ineligible for upgrade?

 

[RichardMEL]

Are there any grounds to complain or request a refund, if after purchasing finding that a fare that was bought with the intention of upgrading with a classic upgrade is ineligible for upgrade?

Probably not, as the international fares - at least when sold durect from QF, do show if they can be uograded or not.

 

[MikeG]

Probably not, as the international fares - at least when sold durect from QF, do show if they can be uograded or not.

Didn't show me squat until I tried to upgrade the flight.

 

[Beano]

The main differences are price points and restrictions on fares.

QF's "simpler" categories are reasonable in this respect - ie Flex v Discount - most things within borad categories are the same, or similiar(eg a cxl fee may be go up the more discounted a ticket) but in general you're looking at price points.

Eg QF flex fares book into, usually Y B M H K buckets iirc - Y being the absolute full fare, and K being the cheapest price point. Most fare types in these ranges will be more or less the same though.

QF's logic is you don't need to know if it's a K fare or a Y fare because "flex" therefore they're making it simpler. To a degree. I disagree, but I am one who likes all the details

And of course important for partner earn, specially for more discounted fares.

When looking at the Qantas website you only have one option in each class but price may vary depending on availability, presumably hence the different letter. Is that what the letters mean? But do I get the same service whichever in each class I'm on? Is this something for Qantas bookkeeping? I will get the same points and SCs whatever the letter.

From https://www.qantas.com/nz/en/frequent-flyer/qantas-class-types.html

 

[RichardMEL]

Didn't show me squat until I tried to upgrade the flight.

Did you book via QF? The fares show pretty clearly. Eg:


Pretty clear.