QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic Reward seats?

[DejaBrew]

After a 5 minute hold, agent came back and was able to process the request. Unfortunately no dice for J or PE on QF292 at I5 and T5.

They giveth with one hand and taketh with the other

At least you got the right answer this time.

 

[exceladdict]

Interesting experience in that a recently released U request didn't have my (or Mrs excel's) qff numbers correctly attached. Bookings showed correctly on apps for both of us, so I assumed the app showing white boarding passes - instead of WP status - was a design enhancement when we flew the sectors.

Will now have to retrospectively apply for PC SCs, but thought I'd post here in case anyone else encounters the same.

To add further interest to this experience, the status credits for the Saturday flights showed up today (Tuesday) likely thanks to the lounge angel adding our qff numbers. At least in the future I know what it means if the boarding pass is not the right colour! Glad that I won't have to go through the Retro claim process though.

 

[Danger]

Trying for J on 2 April 2025 Melbourne to Jakarta. Currently not on sale so not requestable. Jakarta to Melbourne on 25th April 2025, currently on sale and requestable. Calling almost daily and always declined. The operator even says that J is wide open on both flights. Is this a popular route??

Where are you getting the "currently not on sale so not requestable" advice from?

 

[dvt]

Where are you getting the "currently not on sale so not requestable" advice from?

The operator is saying that the fare needs to be a 'sale' fare for them to be requestable.

 

[levelnine]

The operator is saying that the fare needs to be a 'sale' fare for them to be requestable.

The operator is wrong, but it is very common to hear it, especially from overseas operators, and there's not really anything you can do about it.

It also might not make any practical difference. There might be no availability in the requisite fare class, so the system will not allow the operator to submit the request, and they're simply telling you what they've been told by someone else as to why the system will not let them proceed.

 

[dvt]

The operator is wrong, but it is very common to hear it, especially from overseas operators, and there's not really anything you can do about it.

It also might not make any practical difference. There might be no availability in the requisite fare class, so the system will not allow the operator to submit the request, and they're simply telling you what they've been told by someone else as to why the system will not let them proceed.

I've called around 10 times over the last 3 weeks. I haven't got through to Hobart once. I've never had the Hobart team mention the sale thing, so it is very annoying

 

[justinbrett]

The operator is saying that the fare needs to be a 'sale' fare for them to be requestable.

I think (I hope) they mean sale class fares, ie I; not actually “on sale”.

There is no I availability on the 2nd. There is in later weeks and even a few days of U.

They might open it up closer to the date, not sure if this period is in school holidays or something.

 

[sudoer]

@dvt what availability is/was ExpertFlyer showing for the dates you are requesting?

 

[RichardMEL]

The operator is saying that the fare needs to be a 'sale' fare for them to be requestable.

I've written this before, and I'll briefly repeat.

This is not technically correct. However, I believe they're referring to the appropriate fare class bucket (eg: I for Business) for WP to request. Sale fares *generally* book into I inventory for example. However, flights can have I inventory but no sale fares simply if none are filed for the route in question.

So one can look at a flight via the booking engine and see nothing "on sale" but there could well be I inventory available. This is why a service like EF, or ideally, access to the GDS, is so helpful to tell.

Again, agents may just be using "sale fare" phrase to simplify the explanation for punters - and I would accept it on that basis (but then again, I look on EF first anyway, so I have a fair idea before requesting).

I don't think it's unreasonable for agents to go this route. It's fairly niche for non industry people (or geeks like me) to have awareness of inventory buckets, required buckets for various status levels to request release, and the like - and fin practical purposes, it's not a totally inaccurate explanation.

 

[dvt]

@dvt what availability is/was ExpertFlyer showing for the dates you are requesting?

I didn't check on EF. However, my flight from Jakarta has been on 'sale' for the last 2 weeks so this has always been requestable.

 

[justinbrett]

I didn't check on EF. However, my flight from Jakarta has been on 'sale' for the last 2 weeks so this has always been requestable.

It’s I0 I just checked it when I made my post a few minutes ago.

So for the purposes of what the operator was saying there is no “sale fare” for that date.

 

[SYD]

I didn't check on EF. However, my flight from Jakarta has been on 'sale' for the last 2 weeks so this has always been requestable.

Unfortunately, the date you’re looking is sold out (or never had) the “Business Sale” fare.



Compare that to a few days earlier.

 

[ozflier]

I've written this before, and I'll briefly repeat.

This is not technically correct. However, I believe they're referring to the appropriate fare class bucket (eg: I for Business) for WP to request. Sale fares *generally* book into I inventory for example. However, flights can have I inventory but no sale fares simply if none are filed for the route in question.

So one can look at a flight via the booking engine and see nothing "on sale" but there could well be I inventory available. This is why a service like EF, or ideally, access to the GDS, is so helpful to tell.

Again, agents may just be using "sale fare" phrase to simplify the explanation for punters - and I would accept it on that basis (but then again, I look on EF first anyway, so I have a fair idea before requesting).

I don't think it's unreasonable for agents to go this route. It's fairly niche for non industry people (or geeks like me) to have awareness of inventory buckets, required buckets for various status levels to request release, and the like - and fin practical purposes, it's not a totally inaccurate explanation.

I have agents who seem to know the ropes and will tell you the form of words in the response from the 'bot" - eg a couple of months ago , I wanted biz seats SYD-SIN released and "biz sale"fares were on sale and EF said I 9 .
No seats were available to be released to a platinum - the 'bot" said - "u" seats have already been over allocated for that flight !
It is handy to know so now I ask what the bot says in full when it says no !

 

[dvt]

Unfortunately, the date you’re looking is sold out (or never had) the “Business Sale” fare.

View attachment 410691

Compare that to a few days earlier.
View attachment 410692

When making a dummy booking for 2nd April, the business cabin is totally empty apart from the first row being blocked out. I can't even get a seat released in economy and the operator told me that there are lots of seats available. However, one of them did say that the allocation for classic point seats had been exhausted.

I'm hoping that there is an imminent sale coming up, hopefully!

 

[levelnine]

one of them did say that the allocation for classic point seats had been exhausted.

If that operator is correct, that means you're not getting an award seat released on the flight, no matter how much the fare class availability changes.

 

[dvt]

If that operator is correct, that means you're not getting an award seat released on the flight, no matter how much the fare class availability changes.

The same operator also said to try closer to the time as availability will often change

 

[levelnine]

The same operator also said to try closer to the time as availability will often change

The two statements cannot both be correct.

In any case, it really is a question of how much you value your time. If you have all the time in the world, you can call every day if you really want.

 

[sudoer]

I didn't check on EF.

You should have - it is the quickest and most reliable way to find which flights you can request seats on.

The Qantas website will only show Business Sale seats when there is both I class inventory (which you need for a request) AND a valid Business Sale fare loaded (which you don't need to lodge a request). Therefore using the QF website is not ideal as you may not be seeing all the flights you can potentially request seats on.

The cost of EF is tiny in comparison to the value it offers. You will save yourself hours of pain both on the Qantas website and on the phone with QF operators.

 

[dvt]

You should have - it is the quickest and most reliable way to find which flights you can request seats on.

The Qantas website will only show Business Sale seats when there is both I class inventory (which you need for a request) AND a valid Business Sale fare loaded (which you don't need to lodge a request). Therefore using the QF website is not ideal as you may not be seeing all the flights you can potentially request seats on.

The cost of EF is tiny in comparison to the value it offers. You will save yourself hours of pain both on the Qantas website and on the phone with QF operators.

Thanks for the advice. I've bought a subscription and I've set up some alerts.

QF39 on 2nd April is the flight that I'm interested in. Having looked at the seat map, 80% of the seats are blocked, and around 5% are occupied. 0% are occupied in business.

What can I make of this? My initial thoughts are that the flight is lightly sold, would I be correct?

 

[sudoer]

Having looked at the seat map .. What can I make of this? My initial thoughts are that the flight is lightly sold, would I be correct?

Using the seat map can confirm when a flight is mostly sold, but an unallocated seat map does not necessarily indicate that the flight is lightly sold.

The Flight Availability tab is going to be more useful for requesting seats. The particular flight you are looking at (2APR25 MEL-CGK QF39) has unusual Flight Availability this far out - only Flex Business (J) and Flex/Semi-Flex Economy (YBHKM) inventory is available.

Qantas may be expecting high demand for this flight and is not releasing any Sale inventory in any cabin. VIC school holidays start on 4 April, I don't know if there are any major events in Jakarta/Indonesia around that time.

You could try request 30MAR25 if that date works for you.



Flying via SYD on 31MAR25 is also an option.