QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic Reward seats?

[bussyboy]

Oh and Roo got it this time!

Was a tough battle, but you got there!

Not sure why using the Spa needed convincing! I can't wait to have an opportunity to try this

 

[Medicus]

Success today asking for a CR Business seat to be released from CGK to MEL on a Wed in early October! EF showing J9D9I9 (Which it still is. I suspect I may be the only person in J at the moment. I'm not sure how popular this route is...)
I was answered by an offshore call centre, but I couldn't pick the accent. (Didn't sound SA. Maybe asian?) Was all seamless and done in 30 mins (had to wait 20 mins for the call to be answered.)
Not sure it's worth 57,000 points for 6hrs 40 mins, but it'll still be better than Y!
Cheers,
Medicus

 

[ShrinkWrapped]

I’m surprised how nice the computer is to me

had to make some booking changes since other half couldn’t go with me
cancelled 2 x US-AKL rewards in U

requested jfk-Akl QF4 U x 2 in October school holidays, bot confirmed automatically. First date declined, but second approved. I’m a happy camper!

ticketed within 30 minutes too. Lovely Millie helping me at Hobart (forgot to add this part!)

 

[MrMickeyg]

I’m surprised how nice the computer is to me

had to make some booking changes since other half couldn’t go with me
cancelled 2 x US-AKL rewards in U

requested jfk-Akl QF4 U x 2 in October school holidays, bot confirmed automatically. First date declined, but second approved. I’m a happy camper!

ticketed within 30 minutes too. Lovely Millie helping me at Hobart (forgot to add this part!)

Interesting.. i lodged a request 2 days ago, no bot was available so it went for manual review. 2 days had passed i had not heard anything. I called them asking for a status update, and was apologetically told that the request had been screwed up when created. The agent deleted it completely and started again, and this time got the computer approval on the spot. The first time i called was SA I think. Anyway all ends well, 1 x U QF22 DFW-MEL in July (availability was J9 C9 D9 I9).

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Not sure why using the Spa needed convincing! I can't wait to have an opportunity to try this

I think my partner did not want to indulge herself too much in the lounge, lest she turn to the dark side and actively encourage me to retain Platinum this year!

-RooFlyer88

 

[DejaBrew]

Ok, so I'm very new to the whole WP requesting release of seats thing so hoping for some advice please? I understand that to have Int J seating released, you would need to have seating in the I bucket (although this is never guaranteed for successful release).

I'm looking at a flight (operated by 737) that is currently showing in EF as having J3 C3 D2 I1 U1.

Ideally I'd like to get 2 x U award seats on that flight, so I'm wanting to know whether I should request release of the I bucket seat first (to know I've got access to 2 x seats) before booking anything, or whether it's smarter to grab the U award seat and then request release of the I seat (and hope for success!)?

I do have a backup option for the same day where I can (currently) get 2 x U award seats, but that particular flight is far from preferred.

Cheers!

 

[CorporateFlyerMEL]

not all agents know how to request - rang late today and specifically requested release of FF seats on domestic flights in March - agent set up booking and sent request, long delay and then said no answer (which was red flag as I understood bot gave answers on domestic flights immediately) and I should keep monitoring - gave booking reference. When went into booking after call saw that both flights confirmed but in N class, no mention of X class confirmed or requested. Did not look right - rang back and got competent agent who requested X class and got confirmed and said was not sure what the previous agent had done.

 

[madrooster]

so I'm wanting to know whether I should request release of the I bucket seat first (to know I've got access to 2 x seats) before booking anything, or whether it's smarter to grab the U award seat and then request release of the I seat (and hope for success!)?

Request 2 seats in one go. If you take up the 1 U class, you are more likely to get a reject for the second seat.

 

[DejaBrew]

Request 2 seats in one go. If you take up the 1 U class, you are more likely to get a reject for the second seat.

Thanks @madrooster, that's what I was suspecting might have been the case.

 

[DejaBrew]

Very much a rookie question here (so apologies in advance), but is the request for release of seats made via the QFF support line, or via bookings? Logic suggests the latter, but just wanted to confirm.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Very much a rookie question here (so apologies in advance), but is the request for release of seats made via the QFF support line, or via bookings? Logic suggests the latter, but just wanted to confirm.

It's handled just like a normal phone booking over the phone (i.e. dial 13 11 31 then selection Option 1). It'll ask you for your QFF number and PIN and once that's in it'll tell you that you are being transferred to one of the Premium Agents. Then when talking to the agents say that you want to book a classic award for a specific date and have them have a look for you. They should ask you if you want to request seats to be released but if not, ask them to do so.

-RooFlyer88

 

[DejaBrew]

Cheers @kangarooflyer88

 

[muppet]

WP requested Ux2 from MEL - DEL with I6U1 available…. rejected seriously what is going on.

 

[Point Ventures]

WP requested Ux3 QF75 (SYD-YVR) for week of 9th December = successful. I have been waiting for QF to release I fare class for that week. It was withheld for some reason. Anyway, I fare class was released today and success. Already have seats home on QF76 (YVR-SYD) in U for the week before Christmas that were requested on 4th January.

 

[DejaBrew]

WP requested Ux2 SYD>CHC with I1U1 available... rejected. Agent put the available U seat on hold for me and requested Ux1... accepted.

Subsequently requested Ux2 CHC>SYD with I0U0 available. It was a "Hail Mary" which the agent was kind enough to submit... rejected (unsurprisingly). Still, you don't ask, you don't get.

Ultimately, Ux2 available on another flight that day, so agent put together two separate return flight bookings and linked them to ensure my partner (NB) would get the same seat selection availability as me.

All in all, got seats on my requested dates with 50% success rate in terms of preferred flights. Not complaining for my inaugural seat release request.

 

[dandandan]

It's handled just like a normal phone booking over the phone (i.e. dial 13 11 31 then selection Option 1). It'll ask you for your QFF number and PIN and once that's in it'll tell you that you are being transferred to one of the Premium Agents. Then when talking to the agents say that you want to book a classic award for a specific date and have them have a look for you. They should ask you if you want to request seats to be released but if not, ask them to do so.

-RooFlyer88

Is there a time period you have to request by? for example can agent put a request through for seats say two week out from when you call?, pretty sure a premium agent told me (about 6 months ago) it was too close to flight date for a seat request release.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Is there a time period you have to request by? for example can agent put a request through for seats say two week out from when you call?, pretty sure a premium agent told me (about 6 months ago) it was too close to flight date for a seat request release.

From my experience requesting seats, I've had no problem requesting it 8 weeks out (requesting MEL > PER classic award Nov 8 for a trip on Jan 9) and also 6 weeks out (requesting MEL > SYD classic award on Nov 11 for a flight departing Dec 23). I think others have had luck requesting it fairly close in. I should think that so long as it is more than 80 hours prior to departure (the magic time where flights move from Qantas' system to airport control) that should be no problem.

-RooFlyer88

 

[RichardMEL]

I've requested a couple of weeks out for international with no issue. i see no reason why not even within 24 hours - much like revenue tickets. If the space i available and they approve it it can be ticketed more or less instantly. Never heard of a time limit of requests.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I've requested a couple of weeks out for international with no issue. i see no reason why not even within 24 hours - much like revenue tickets. If the space i available and they approve it it can be ticketed more or less instantly. Never heard of a time limit of requests.

I suspect that is the case too. Presumably they could open something up last minute especially since they'll have a much better understanding of the loads 24 hours out versus say 8 weeks out. Indeed, yours truly managed to convince a QF F agent to move them from QF777 to QF9 without issues just a couple of weeks ago.

What would be interesting to try, and something I might consider doing, is simply waltzing up to the counter and having an agent at the airport request two classic award seats from their end. I'm unsure whether QF business class check-in agents at the domestic side or QF First class check-in agents at the international side have that power, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did.

-RooFlyer88

 

[RichardMEL]

Airport agents do not do res or ticketing functions and there are no longer ticketing desks like days of yore. Pretty sure an airport agent will say sorry and tell you to call res.