QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic Reward seats?

[boomy]

Hi boomy,

I've always thought that QF very, very seldom release further reward inventory closer to a fly date. Where do QF say that your chances increase within a month of the flight?

Regards,

BD

It's the advice I've received from different agents at platinum desk and from SST when several request to open seats were denied.

Seems QF changed their strategy and are not releasing as many seats as before on popular routs which they predict will sell out but instead will release those seats closer to date if still available. Make sense from from a business point of view, not so good for us tho.

 

[Quickstatus]

It's the advice I've received from different agents at platinum desk and from SST when several request to open seats were denied.

Seems QF changed their strategy and are not releasing as many seats as before on popular routs which they predict will sell out but instead will release those seats closer to date if still available. Make sense from from a business point of view, not so good for us tho.

If the airline releases seats close to departure it will be bad for customers because if they don't get the seats they will have to buy a more expensive fare bucket.

 

[BD1959]

It's the advice I've received from different agents at platinum desk and from SST when several request to open seats were denied.

Seems QF changed their strategy and are not releasing as many seats as before on popular routs which they predict will sell out but instead will release those seats closer to date if still available. Make sense from from a business point of view, not so good for us tho.

Sort of makes sense for QF, what does the (potential) passenger do?

1. Go for an alternative at time of booking which is less convenient but still available as an Award? (Different route, different Class same route, different carrier etc)

2. Buy a revenue ticket and forget about trying closer for a Classic Award?

3. Buy a (more expensive) refundable ticket in the hope of something opening up and then hit the phones daily for the two weeks prior to departure?

4. Hold off doing anything and hit the phones?

Strikes me that 3. and 4. would up the volume on the Call Centre - that can't be good business for QFF. In that instance a better option would be something similar to the Domestic Upgrade request. Happens online and goes into a queue to clear rather than continually calling. Regardless of whether calling or online, at some stage you'd have to bite-the-bullet and purchase if nothing in the Classic Award bucket opens.

Food for thought - especially the thought that this is just another nudge of discouraging spending the points on flights.

Regards,

BD

 

[MrJetset]

If you think by being polite and addressing the agent by name has an impact on an award release request than you simply don't understand how it works.

There are several factors at play:

1) Non Premium agents are poorly trained. Never attempt this on a weekend. Even if successful, I have always had the ticketing stall because they failed to include some data
2) Some routes and/or days are blocked by internal policy and at the droid level even if the agent tries. I have seen such a policy that refers to specific regions, date ranges and days of the week.

The agent has no sway on any of the above so believing your charm has an affect is far from fact.

 

[Quickstatus]

Yes the agent can do no more than be the human interface between QF practices and the customer. At worst being nice does no harm. At best even if it does not get you what you want you feel better, less urge to rant in AFF.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

The other thing on this, my understanding was that requesting Y or Y+ award seats was never a benefit, and the benefit extended only to WP and above (or perhaps some SG back in the day) and that it was for J or F award seats only. I may be totally wrong here, but that was my understanding.

Regarding the agent, if they won't actually put a request in the system, then you have no idea whether the 'droid' will come back as successful or not. The comments upstream seem to indicate an unwillingness to even place the request, which is where your attitude may come into play. In addition, I have had some of the best service from QF staff around or after midnight AEST, including award release seats, so YMMV.

 

[Princess Fiona]

The other thing on this, my understanding was that requesting Y or Y+ award seats was never a benefit, and the benefit extended only to WP and above (or perhaps some SG back in the day) and that it was for J or F award seats only. I may be totally wrong here, but that was my understanding.

Regarding the agent, if they won't actually put a request in the system, then you have no idea whether the 'droid' will come back as successful or not. The comments upstream seem to indicate an unwillingness to even place the request, which is where your attitude may come into play. In addition, I have had some of the best service from QF staff around or after midnight AEST, including award release seats, so YMMV.

You can request Y seats. I did this last year successfully.

 

[Moindardt]

In my situation, I would be horrified if the person didn't find me polite. I believe manners are a fundamental basics. I'm the guy who always says the meal was wonderful even if it was atrocious so I didn't upset the person and can avoid confrontation, even when I really know I should say something.

Aside from that, both of them tried every flight to Australia in all classes for 3, 4, 5 & 6 people (obviously tried 6 and down to 3). We can't go 2 as we have 4 kids. And yes you can request Y and Y+.

As to options if I can't get a rewards flight, unfortunately flying QF is not one. A one way flight to Australia on QF is almost as much as a return which is double what you pay from Australia to US. A one-way with Virgin or Air-NZ is half the price. We also have enough points with SQ and AA for all 6 so if availability via Asia comes up we can do that. We are also coming back in January for skiing so I could book a return ticket for that, but it would be via Europe as it is cheaper and you get far more status for it. I have 8 SWU's to use somewhere so if there is a cheap AA flight, even to Asia. On our last trip my wife & kids went OSL-LHR-HKG-BNE while I went OSL-DOH-HKG-BNE the following day (not enough seats cause of cancelled flight), so now she is confident to fly back on a separate trip (so long as I put her on the first flight).

All in all, glad I have options so I will do something I have never done before and wait and see. My OCD combined with my wife's and 4 kid's OCD will have a hard time coping but it might be fun to not be totally organised.... right?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

In my situation, I would be horrified if the person didn't find me polite. I believe manners are a fundamental basics. I'm the guy who always says the meal was wonderful even if it was atrocious so I didn't upset the person and can avoid confrontation, even when I really know I should say something.

Aside from that, both of them tried every flight to Australia in all classes for 3, 4, 5 & 6 people (obviously tried 6 and down to 3). We can't go 2 as we have 4 kids. And yes you can request Y and Y+.

I think that might be the difference. Usually I already have booked one and am requesting one other to be released. I think I may have requested 2 seats years ago perhaps but can't remember the outcome.

This is probably why my requests are more successful than others looking for 3+ seats to be released.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

You can request Y seats. I did this last year successfully.

Good to know, but I wouldn't waste points on Y.

 

[boomy]

Sort of makes sense for QF, what does the (potential) passenger do?

My solution is to stock points/miles with multiple FF programmes which gives me access to more seats on more airlines.

Even tho QF points are relatively easy to obtain for "free" it doesn't meant it's going to be easy to use them to book seats on any route at any time and it will definitely not going to be cheap after all the taxes are included.

 

[hossein_au]

If you think by being polite and addressing the agent by name has an impact on an award release request than you simply don't understand how it works.

I am ALWAYS polite and address them by name, regardless of the intent of the call. I do not expect to receive any special treatment as a result. This is just good manners.

 

[MrJetset]

Obviously, that's not the point.

The point was there is little agency available to the agent to approve a request or increase its likelihood.

 

[hossein_au]

Obviously, that's not the point.

The point was there is little agency available to the agent to approve a request or increase its likelihood.

I appreciate if you could quote who you are responding to; it makes it easier to follow the thread.

If you think by being polite and addressing the agent by name has an impact on an award release request than you simply don't understand how it works.

I was replying to your post by specifically stating that being polite should be a matter of course without any expectation of special treatment. How was my reply not the point?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Good to know, but I wouldn't waste points on Y.

There are a couple of sweet spots (LDH, BME etc) where it's definitely not a waste of points IMO

YMMV of course

 

[boomy]

There are a couple of sweet spots (LDH, BME etc) where it's definitely not a waste of points IMO

YMMV of course

Or when you book last minute flight to PER and the cheapest Y ticket is $656 one way!

 

[hossein_au]

Or when you book last minute flight to PER and the cheapest Y ticket is $656 one way!

Same as flights to or from CBR. I have seen last minutes flights CBR-MEL-CBR for about $1600 in Y!

 

[JohnK]

There are a couple of sweet spots (LDH, BME etc) where it's definitely not a waste of points IMO

YMMV of course

Now that fuel surcharges appear to have dropped international economy is attractive again.

I have enough QFF points for 20 returns to Thailand which is 4 trips/year for 5 years and all I pay is ~AUD300 per trip. Or I can do a few trips in business. Why? Relative comfort for a hours that you forgot about as soon as you land?

So yes a truly YMMV on this one.

 

[hossein_au]

Now that fuel surcharges appear to have dropped international economy is attractive again.

I have enough QFF points for 20 returns to Thailand which is 4 trips/year for 5 years and all I pay is ~AUD300 per trip. Or I can do a few trips in business. Why? Relative comfort for a hours that you forgot about as soon as you land?

So yes a truly YMMV on this one.

I did not know fuel surcharges have been dropped from international economy! I was under the impression they dropped them on revenue tickets but kept them on reward tickets. If so, it does indeed make economy rewards a lot more attractive.

I am on the fence about the point you make (inclined towards your point of view though). Flying economy does nothing to me that a $50 massage cannot fix

 

[hossein_au]

I did not know fuel surcharges have been dropped from international economy! I was under the impression they dropped them on revenue tickets but kept them on reward tickets. If so, it does indeed make economy rewards a lot more attractive.

I am on the fence about the point you make (inclined towards your point of view though). Flying economy does nothing to me that a $50 massage cannot fix

I just checked, an economy return flight from Germany to Mel costs 120,000 QFF points plus over €570 (EUR) in fees. I have a wild guess that this consists mostly of fuel surcharges. Am I missing something?