QF early-2017 award availability - restricted to elite status holders?

[BD1959]

I'm very glad I grabbed those award seats when I did because if the current situation persists it looks like premium award seat availability is going to be pretty much non-existent ( on those routes) for us lowly NB people on Qantas metal from now on.

It's not just Qantas metal, I've just spent 20mins looking at US availability ex SYD for 353 Days (and the month prior) using Mrs BD's NB Account.

LAX: Only availability is either Y on QF metal or CX for anything else. Basically means - even if you have the points to spend - you cannot fly F all the way if you are NB. For WP: F available a few days direct from SYD, others via MEL or BNE (obviously J to those) with J available a variety of QF options on most days. Funnily enough not a lot of Y+.

SFO: Only Y on QF. No premium offered in any form. WP has various days with all 3 classes on QF73.

DFW: 15hrs in Y on QF; 34 hrs in J on QR (personally, I think I'd opt for QR J !!); WP has choice of 4 QF classes across many days on QF7.

Clearly the implication is that if you are NB and you're looking to head to the US, you don't deserve to buy QF's premium product - or anyone's F - regardless of the number of points you hold.

Should make for an interesting marketing conundrum!

Regards,

BD

 

[N860CR]

It's not just Qantas metal, I've just spent 20mins looking at US availability ex SYD for 353 Days (and the month prior) using Mrs BD's NB Account.

LAX: Only availability is either Y on QF metal or CX for anything else. Basically means - even if you have the points to spend - you cannot fly F all the way if you are NB. For WP: F available a few days direct from SYD, others via MEL or BNE (obviously J to those) with J available a variety of QF options on most days. Funnily enough not a lot of Y+.

SFO: Only Y on QF. No premium offered in any form. WP has various days with all 3 classes on QF73.

DFW: 15hrs in Y on QF; 34 hrs in J on QR (personally, I think I'd opt for QR J !!); WP has choice of 4 QF classes across many days on QF7.

Clearly the implication is that if you are NB and you're looking to head to the US, you don't deserve to buy QF's premium product - or anyone's F - regardless of the number of points you hold.

Should make for an interesting marketing conundrum!

Regards,

BD

It's not just the US... I can't find anything for CGK, MNL, SIN or JNB which usually have some availability.

 

[serfty]

I am finding this OK, as a WP it's the best availability for P & U I have seen in years.

Can anyone see much difference between WP & SG? (I don't have access to an SG account to check anymore.)

 

[cjd600]

I am finding this OK, as a WP it's the best availability for P & U I have seen in years.

I'll have to move some points across Uncle Serfty. so you can book my next 4 x J to LAX/SFO and back

 

[Ewing]

Can anyone see much difference between WP & SG? (I don't have access to an SG account to check anymore.)

I'm happy to do a search. I've had no issues redeeming as an SG.

Checking SYD-LAX for example, I can see oodles of availability in Feb/Mar 2017. Screenshot: https://shaun.net/x/CzOJj

Just last week I booked SYD-DXB-CDG (F then Z for EK) and LHR-PVG-SYD (U on BA/QF) on the exact dates I wanted in October.

 

[cjd600]

I'm happy to do a search. I've had no issues redeeming as an SG.

Checking SYD-LAX for example, I can see oodles of availability in Feb/Mar 2017. Screenshot: https://shaun.net/x/CzOJj

Just last week I booked SYD-DXB-CDG (F then Z for EK) and LHR-PVG-SYD (U on BA/QF) on the exact dates I wanted in October.

Is the J/P availability on QF metal when you click on a date.

I show the attached as NB, but zero of the Y+/J are on QF metal. (Mainly CX, but have also seen EK,QR options in J and above)
Only Y across the board on QF metal for all dates

 

[Ewing]

Is the J/P availability on QF metal when you click on a date.

Yep, although Mar 18 is via BNE:
https://shaun.net/x/fuzgI

Mar 16 has lots more options including F on QF11, but if I want J I need to go via BNE or via MEL:
https://shaun.net/x/oZKXG

 

[cjd600]

Yep, although Mar 18 is via BNE:
https://shaun.net/x/fuzgI

Mar 16 has lots more options including F on QF11, but if I want J I need to go via BNE or via MEL:
https://shaun.net/x/oZKXG

Thanks, much appreciated!

 

[Rallo]

NB here ,managed at the end of March to snag 2 Classic Awards in J MEL-LAX for February couldn't believe my luck!

 

[cjd600]

NB here ,managed at the end of March to snag 2 Classic Awards in J MEL-LAX for February couldn't believe my luck!

Assume that's for early Feb

There are still a few days in early Feb with 4 x J to LAX that I can see as NB!

Its after travel date 8 Feb that things dried up...and this thread started

 

[Rallo]

Assume that's for early Feb

There are still a few days in early Feb with 4 x J to LAX that I can see as NB!

Its after travel date 8 Feb that things dried up...and this thread started

Yes it is early February I really would have liked to travel later but it was too risky on waiting if anything else opened up so I grabbed what I could.

 

[cjd600]

Yes it is early February I really would have liked to travel later but it was too risky on waiting if anything else opened up so I grabbed what I could.

Smart move...nothing has opened up since

 

[Doctore1003]

I'm silver and just did a search for MEL-LAX in J for 2 pax and can see availability up to 24 Feb (both direct and via BNE/SYD) but after that, zilch.

 

[Radio8tiv]

what about availability to south America like the QF27,QF28 SYD-SCL route? I can only see economy seats either way, the whole month of may as I'm only a NB, I was just looking as in November I wanted to start booking a 280k J award, hopefully I can still see/get seats as a NB

 

[Doctore1003]

what about availability to south America like the QF27,QF28 SYD-SCL route? I can only see economy seats either way, the whole month of may as I'm only a NB, I was just looking as in November I wanted to start booking a 280k J award, hopefully I can still see/get seats as a NB

I can only see the occasional availability in PE on that route - nothing in J. (I'm only silver - higher status may have access to more.)

 

[TahoeSkier]

I'm silver and just did a search for MEL-LAX in J for 2 pax and can see availability up to 24 Feb (both direct and via BNE/SYD) but after that, zilch.

Interesting to see some availability for J/F creep back in across late Jan/Early Feb on QF93 and QF11 - searching as a Bronze.

Single seats only though - as soon as I search for 2x pax, availability vanishes apart from some Biz class BNE-LAX. Is it possible more than one seat is available on the above dates, but as a Bronze, QF only shows me one?

Would calling and requesting to book one of the above avails, but for 2x pax, potentially be more successful?

 

[BD1959]

Interesting to see some availability for J/F creep back in across late Jan/Early Feb on QF93 and QF11 - searching as a Bronze.

Single seats only though - as soon as I search for 2x pax, availability vanishes apart from some Biz class BNE-LAX. Is it possible more than one seat is available on the above dates, but as a Bronze, QF only shows me one?

Would calling and requesting to book one of the above avails, but for 2x pax, potentially be more successful?

2xJ via QF15 on 2-Feb, 4-Feb, 6-Feb, 7-Feb, 8-Feb, 9-Feb.

Regards,

BD

 

[TahoeSkier]

2xJ via QF15 on 2-Feb, 4-Feb, 6-Feb, 7-Feb, 8-Feb, 9-Feb.

Cheers

I noted quite good avails for 2x pax on QF15, but even though it makes things more difficult we really would want to be on 93 or 11.

 

[cjd600]

Also on QF15 (as NB)

2 x J 13 Feb
4 x J 14 Feb
2 x J 15 Feb.

Sure these weren't there a week ago.
Hhmmm.

 

[tania73]

Just a thought if they weren't there a week ago does this correlate to when they are released to AA