QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic Reward seats?

[levelnine]

To add:
- There's a good chance you'll modify both the outbound and inbound simultaneously or cancel the entire trip in one go as it means you'll only be up for one change/cancel fee rather than two.

 

[shankoz]

You need to wait.

The bot can’t “find” inventory that hasn’t been loaded into the system yet.

Thanks @Captain Halliday - much appreciated. Will try 353 days out!

 

[sap1l]

Requested Ux1 on the following flights:

4 Oct QF1 I2 Rejected
5 Oct QF1 I4 Rejected
6 Oct QF1 I2 Approved
17 Nov QF38 I9 Approved
18 Jan QF35 I5 Rejected
19 Jan QF35 I4 Rejected

I'm surprised I got QF1 at I2 on a Sunday! On the other hand, I was hoping to get from SYD/MEL/BNE to SIN on the 18/19th, but loads are all really low. Maybe I'll try some more tomorrow.

 

[ozflier]

I was caught up in inability to get SYD-BNE reward seats next year connecting with an released reward flight LAX-SYD.
I applied for release of reward seats LAX-BNE direct - denied multiple times .
I was offered LAX-SYD but connecting flight to BNE denied .
I accepted the longer flight .
That agent was unable to explain why . even if standalone reward availability existed ( agent could see that ) for the SYD-BNE flight and plenty of i and d fares , the system would not release the connecting flight for me.
Not sure if this is some "married segment" and I know this has been discussed before on this thread.
Two further tries trying to add SYD-BNE rejected but this week , found an agent who could see availability and booked it for me . I tried to get him to tell me how he did it but would not share - acted like he just looked and it was there !
I am sure he was from Hobart - love to know the secret ( maybe it was just being patient and waiting but fare classes and standalone availability did not change ) as I would love to share the secret to colleagues on this thread .
I do know the Qantas booking system is a very complicated beast and I am very lucky to be Platinum!

 

[Point Ventures]

I was caught up in inability to get SYD-BNE reward seats next year connecting with an released reward flight LAX-SYD.
I applied for release of reward seats LAX-BNE direct - denied multiple times .
I was offered LAX-SYD but connecting flight to BNE denied .
I accepted the longer flight .
That agent was unable to explain why . even if standalone reward availability existed ( agent could see that ) for the SYD-BNE flight and plenty of i and d fares , the system would not release the connecting flight for me.
Not sure if this is some "married segment" and I know this has been discussed before on this thread.
Two further tries trying to add SYD-BNE rejected but this week , found an agent who could see availability and booked it for me . I tried to get him to tell me how he did it but would not share - acted like he just looked and it was there !
I am sure he was from Hobart - love to know the secret ( maybe it was just being patient and waiting but fare classes and standalone availability did not change ) as I would love to share the secret to colleagues on this thread .
I do know the Qantas booking system is a very complicated beast and I am very lucky to be Platinum!

I have had the same problem with the release of an international flight and they were unable to add the domestic connection, even though there were Classic Reward seats available on Qantas.com. They said they would have to request the release of the domestic seats as they couldn’t see the Classic Reward availability. I secured the international tickets, hung up, called back and got Hobart. They could see the domestic Classic Reward seats on a different system and added them to the booking.

 

[Ade]

On phone with QF now seeking 1x CR Y seat release CBR-MEL return. The agent on the phone is taking forever. She was quick to find the flights I wanted and quick to put in the request, but that's where the quickness stopped. She's put me on hold for 10 mins so far to calculate the taxes and another 10 mins or so to calculate the number of points required. I'd have thought that these information are quickly available or shown somewhere in the application that the call centre agents use to make bookings?

This is the first time, an agent has taken over 20 mins to calculate the points and taxes required for a simple route like CBR-MEL. I mean, by now, it should be fairly quick, one would assume.

My call was answered very quickly, but from the questions I was asked, it made me wonder if I got someone who is in training and my suspicions are turning out to be correct.

Still on the call for over 25 mins - calculating points required

Update: The call centre called in was NAN. Taking cue from my previous experiences, I asked explicitly if the ticket has been pushed to the right queue for ticketing and the agent confirmed that she has. From what I was told by an agent in HBA, the CR request tickets need to be pushed into a queue - this process is normally automated, but there have been instances where the automation will not pick up the PNRs that have CR requested seats in them and hence the need for someone to double check that the push is done. I checked my Amex to see if there is a transaction for the tax and there is. Now, will wait for the ticket to be issued. QF MyBookings page did not update yet.

Update 2: Tickets received in email and MyBookings page updated, points deducted.

 

[jonboixxx]

I was able to request 2xJ LAX-BNE next April within a few days of my target date. I requested exDFW but I believe that is less likely. Has anyone had recent success of exDFW release? I'm wondering whether it's worth trying at intervals. Also a basic question that I should know; from comments here, is the ticket only secure once the ticketing number is received, not just the PNR?

 

[exceladdict]

Also a basic question that I should know; from comments here, is the ticket only secure once the ticketing number is received, not just the PNR?

You should be pretty safe on a QF flight, but yes I'm always a little anxious until payment is taken (points and taxes) and the ticket number is issued.

 

[levelnine]

Has anyone had recent success of exDFW release?

Yes.

 

[ozflier]

I was able to request 2xJ LAX-BNE next April within a few days of my target date. I requested exDFW but I believe that is less likely. Has anyone had recent success of exDFW release? I'm wondering whether it's worth trying at intervals. Also a basic question that I should know; from comments here, is the ticket only secure once the ticketing number is received, not just the PNR?

I've tried to get 2J LAX-BNE seats in early april but been unsuccessful .
I did speak to a Hobart agent this am and she did tell me that there were seats accessible for Platinums on this flight for the 8 april!
Sadly this did not suit me.

 

[jonboixxx]

I've tried to get 2J LAX-BNE seats in early april but been unsuccessful .
I did speak to a Hobart agent this am and she did tell me that there were seats accessible for Platinums on this flight for the 8 april!
Sadly this did not suit me.

I aimed for 30th and ended up at 28th. I might still try for exDFW as it suits my plans a little better. I'm fortunate enough to always fly outside school holidays but interestingly the 8th that they offered you is within Qld holidays.

 

[Ansett]

Requested yesterday afternoon Release of 1 x J on QF128 HKG - SYD on the 9th June and granted earlier today.

 

[philr2000]

Does anyone have success stories of requesting release of seats where there is no availability showing for the relevant class on ExpertFlyer?

For example, I'm wanting to request three seats in Premium Economy for a particular date in August (Syd - Singapore on QF291) - EF shows no availability in this class...should i even bother calling? or is there hope?

 

[DejaBrew]

Does anyone have success stories of requesting release of seats where there is no availability showing for the relevant class on ExpertFlyer?

For example, I'm wanting to request three seats in Premium Economy for a particular date in August (Syd - Singapore on QF291) - EF shows no availability in this class...should i even bother calling? or is there hope?

No harm in asking, but my assumption is that your changes are extremely low. The worst that will happen is they say “no”.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Does anyone have success stories of requesting release of seats where there is no availability showing for the relevant class on ExpertFlyer?

For example, I'm wanting to request three seats in Premium Economy for a particular date in August (Syd - Singapore on QF291) - EF shows no availability in this class...should i even bother calling? or is there hope?

No experience but I would suggest that you are wasting your time.
They won’t even be able to submit it to the bot if the relevant fare class is zero and unless you are P1 there is no escalation for human intervention.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Does anyone have success stories of requesting release of seats where there is no availability showing for the relevant class on ExpertFlyer?

For example, I'm wanting to request three seats in Premium Economy for a particular date in August (Syd - Singapore on QF291) - EF shows no availability in this class...should i even bother calling? or is there hope?

If there’s no seats available in that cabin, there’s nothing for them to release.

Waste of your time, and the agent’s time.

 

[serfty]

Does anyone have success stories of requesting release of seats where there is no availability showing for the relevant class on ExpertFlyer?

For example, I'm wanting to request three seats in Premium Economy for a particular date in August (Syd - Singapore on QF291) - EF shows no availability in this class...should i even bother calling? or is there hope?

What class are you referring to? (e.g. For business, are you seeing J0?)

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Called the other day for a simple release of MEL-BNE in Y. Went the 'request' path because I didn't particularly fancy having to choose between a 6am departure on a Saturday morning (which did have a reward seat) or paying circa $350 cash one-way for a more desirable flight later that morning, so I could have a bit of a sleep in. All gee.

 

[henrus]

Called the other day for a simple release of MEL-BNE in Y

I’ve done it several times on domestic routes like that, I often wonder why they just don’t code the website to show P/P1s award space based on those fare buckets.

 

[BriarFlyer]

I’ve done it several times on domestic routes like that,

Same, esp to avoid those 6am departures. A few days back I tried for LST-MEL-SYD and now have more reasonable 9:55am dep.