QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic Reward seats?

[Kangol]

The auto assessment takes 30-60 seconds.

I believe @Kangol is saying that manual assessment after the bot has declined the request is a P1-only benefit.

I don't know whether the bot has declined my previous WP requests. The rep lodged the request with the bot, the request wasn't approved on the spot, and was then sent for manual assessment. But maybe the bot is capable of more than just approve/decline responses, and when a request is borderline, the bot sends it for manual assessment instead of declining? We will never know unless someone with hands-on experience of how the system operates can chime in.

In any case, it's clear from all the responses that there was some level of manual assessment for WP requests prior to the pandemic. As far as I'm aware, that hasn't been reinstated at this time. If the bot does not say yes, the answer is no.

I've been told when I was a WP that the auto/computer assessment can take up to 24 hours.
Whilst most yes results occur almost instantly, there are some that don't (I have had this before - a delayed yes that I only found out 24 hours later, told this was a system delay, not a manual intervention).

The value of the manual review is when you hit the end of the road and you are declined. It sounds like some WPs here have had an outright rejection, then been told that it would be sent for an Oliver Twist type "please sir, can I have some more?" manual review.

I've had this happen to me when as a WP (outright no, this is the end of the road for you) and specifically told a WP cannot request further assessment and only a P1 can.
Could not be any clearer.

Maybe something has changed, I wouldn't ever want to find out though

 

[serfty]

Late last Month I put in a manual request for U on a trans pac flight. I was already booked in X.

It was showing ... D9 I3 U0 ...

The bot rejected it and was suggested I try in a few weeks.

Today I noticed the flight had moved to D9 I9 U0, so called again. It was a bit strange - a PNR was created, the agent said they were refreshing but it had not come back with a result. In the end they gave me a PNR and asked me to call later.

After the call, I could see the PNR in "my bookings" and was even able to select a seat.

90 minutes or so later I received an email titled: "Your recent Classic Reward flight request"



So I called and 108,400 points and USD116 later I have a seat in Business.

 

[sudoer]

On Saturday I put it in an overly optimistic request for 2 x U on SYD-HND showing I2 with all other dates +/- 7 days showing I0.

After lodging the request the rep said the bot was "frozen" and she would get in touch with another department to "reboot it" (lol Qantas IT etc)

Got the exact same email as above but my request was declined.

@serfty Did your email come through at/around 12:15pm? Wonder if they did actually reboot the bot and it went through a backlog of requests.

 

[RichardMEL]

lol @ reboot the bot.

sounds like a dodgy java process got it's knickers in a knot.

Always a good idea to try turning it off and on again (as we say in The IT Crowd)

 

[serfty]

@serfty Did your email come through at/around 12:15pm? Wonder if they did actually reboot the bot and it went through a backlog of requests.

My original call ended approx. 10:50am today. The email came through timed at 12:16pm.

 

[sudoer]

I guess there was an actual backlog then!

 

[Matt_01]

Always a good idea to try turning it off and on again (as we say in The IT Crowd)

And if that does not work, hit it, reboot a second time and when all else fails call the IT service desk .

 

[RichardMEL]

And if that does not work, hit it, reboot a second time and when all else fails call the IT service desk .

So you know how the work experience kids work on development in their spare time, guess who works the Service Desk?!

 

[Matt_01]

I have been using points to book everything domestic, international, OWA etc some may get cancelled and rebooked as revenue, that is a future decision. With no points penalties, full refunds for taxes for myself using points makes more sense (on the basis you have them available). In the past 3-4 months I have requested:

• Domestic - multiple Y and J domestic flights usually x1 but up to x3 all approved by the bot.
• International J - SIN-MEL for 3 seperate fights also SIN-SYD, HKG-MEL most came from D inventory and approved by the bot.
• International J - SYD-HNL x2 for parents, I inventory, rejected by the bot, approved with manual review.
• International J - SYD-LHR x1 (QF 1) D inventory, rejected by the bot, rejected with manual review.
• International F - LAX-SYD x 1 (QF12) approved by the bot. When requesting this flight the agent seemed to be more excited than I was as she mentioned this was the first F request she had processed in 2 years and was keen to see the out come.

IME getting points flight out of AU is relatively easy, getting back can be more problematic.

 

[BLK343]

I have been using points to book everything domestic, international, OWA etc some may get cancelled and rebooked as revenue, that is a future decision. With no points penalties, full refunds for taxes for myself using points makes more sense (on the basis you have them available). In the past 3-4 months I have requested:

• Domestic - multiple Y and J domestic flights usually x1 but up to x3 all approved by the bot.
• International J - SIN-MEL for 3 seperate fights also SIN-SYD, HKG-MEL most came from D inventory and approved by the bot.
• International J - SYD-HNL x2 for parents, I inventory, rejected by the bot, approved with manual review.
• International J - SYD-LHR x1 (QF 1) D inventory, rejected by the bot, rejected with manual review.
• International F - LAX-SYD x 1 (QF12) approved by the bot. When requesting this flight the agent seemed to be more excited than I was as she mentioned this was the first F request she had processed in 2 years and was keen to see the out come.

IME getting points flight out of AU is relatively easy, getting back can be more problematic.

Thanks for sharing in detail your experience @Matt_01. As a data point, have those successful requests made as WP or WP1?

 

[jakeseven7]

I’ve never actually even thought of this or asked - but can you request release of seats on domestic flights?

 

[Captain Halliday]

I’ve never actually even thought of this or asked - but can you request release of seats on domestic flights?

Yes.

 

[Matt_01]

Thanks for sharing in detail your experience @Matt_01. As a data point, have those successful requests made as WP or WP1?

P1, after posting I remembered there were another couple of flights that I had requested back to AU that had been knocked back.

I’ve never actually even thought of this or asked - but can you request release of seats on domestic flights?

Yes you can, I have had no issues getting up to 3 seats released in Y and x2 in J. Pre covid I had often had to request x2 J domestic when connecting to/ from international flights that would work in with what we were after rather than what was on offer.

 

[BLK343]

As a data point, I had noticed availability of up to P7 on QF2 in last June 2022 but the next day, they were gone for all dates. Initially thought it got snapped up but the loads remained F9, A9. Looks like they were incorrectly loaded.

Decided to call to see whether an extra seat can be requested, the system rejected my requests within a minute but agent provided me a PNR (as suggested in post above). Received an email (as per the post of @serfty) a few days later (could have been due to weekend) to call back. Unfortunately still rejected. I can only conclude that QF is still unclear when to bring the A380 back on this route although EF shows from 20 June 2022 onwards ...

 

[MrJetset]

It was incorrectly loaded when they scheduled the change. If you booked it and were ticketed then you would have got them but it was gone within 12 hours when rev management realised the mistake.

 

[kevinyhli]

Data point - tried to request SYD-SIN and MEL-SIN for 2x J, both flights showing J9D9C9I9 - bot said no. Agent did comment people were requesting for SIN and there had been many occasions where the bot rejected the request despite plenty of selling availability

 

[TripleB]

Just tried to get 2 J seats opened on SYD-LHR-DRW - expert flyer showing I9 on each of the days I asked for (3 different days out and back) and Qantas premium could see the I9 before they sent it to yield. Came back as a flat no for all dates within a minute. The very helpful lady at Qantas premium said that I wasn't the first person to get a no on LHR even though it was showing I9.

 

[serfty]

Last Week I was successful for the second U class release for QF94 in the last six weeks - this one for March.

Got through to a Tassie agent, chewed the fat for the 45 seconds it took to be granted.

 

[nickolas]

Late last Month I put in a manual request for U on a trans pac flight. I was already booked in X.

It was showing ... D9 I3 U0 ...

The bot rejected it and was suggested I try in a few weeks.

Today I noticed the flight had moved to D9 I9 U0, so called again. It was a bit strange - a PNR was created, the agent said they were refreshing but it had not come back with a result. In the end they gave me a PNR and asked me to call later.

After the call, I could see the PNR in "my bookings" and was even able to select a seat.

90 minutes or so later I received an email titled: "Your recent Classic Reward flight request"

* IMAGE SNIPPED *

So I called and 108,400 points and USD116 later I have a seat in Business.

@serfty Could you lend some insights on how many days out from the flight was the second attempt vs first one?

As a data point for my current experience:

Called today (31/01/22) as WP aiming for U seat release - attempting as one way there SYD-LAX (07/02/22) and then one way back YVR-SYD (14/02/22).

Outcome was:
SYD-LAX (07/02/22) - Immediate no from Platinum agent didn't even try to submit, and no surprises there as I checked loading before at J9 C9 D0 I0 U0

YVR-SYD (14/02/22) - He tried, lodged request, still a no from the bot, even with loading at J9 C9 D9 I8 U0

These flights are 7 and 14 days out respectively. I will give it another go at < 72 hours before each of the flights to see if very close proximity lends any success, and again at around 24 hours before the flight to see if this changes anything. Worst case I am hoping for my other W (PE Flex) with pending Classic upgrade to come through

 

[serfty]

@serfty Could you lend some insights on how many days out from the flight was the second attempt vs first one?

Nine weeks and six weeks.