QFF Program has gone MAD

[Dustin]

For those of you who dont already know Qantas charges 5 000 points to book on the phone! what really annoys me is, you Cant book Sydney- Seattle online, As LAX- SEA Is operated by Alaska Airways. I'm sure this isn't the only route with this problem, that said dose anyone know a way around this? I joined QFF years ago, I'm a platinum member with lifetime Gold membership, and partner Gold, but the QFF program is really getting ridiculous, flying economy full price, it takes 16 trips SYD-MLB to earn 1 reward flight! Anyway, is there Anyway to evade the 5000 point fee for your loalty?

 

[kelpie]

Dustin, the points charge for a phone booking is not so new anymore but the lack of availability of flights online is what drives me nuts.

Like you I'm QFF platinum and Mrs kelpie is partner gold.

If I try to book award flights under her login, there is limited availability of flights.

If I try to book award flights under my login, the availability expands, but is still pretty inconvenient.

So I hit the phone. Amazingly everything becomes possible - award flights that were made up of 3 legs if you booked online make way for direct flights if you book over the phone. But all with an extra points penalty.

These days I never even bother to book award flights online, I just ring up Qantas and cop the points penalty so I'm not stuffing around with transfers and lost luggage at airports later on.

I suspect none of this is news for any of the veterans on this site.

God help you if you are any status below gold and are cutting it fine when it comes to points amassed vs points required for an award flight.

 

[Dave Noble]

For those of you who dont already know Qantas charges 5 000 points to book on the phone! what really annoys me is, you Cant book Sydney- Seattle online, As LAX- SEA Is operated by Alaska Airways. I'm sure this isn't the only route with this problem, that said dose anyone know a way around this? I joined QFF years ago, I'm a platinum member with lifetime Gold membership, and partner Gold, but the QFF program is really getting ridiculous, flying economy full price, it takes 16 trips SYD-MLB to earn 1 reward flight! Anyway, is there Anyway to evade the 5000 point fee for your loalty?

It is easy to avoid a 5,000 point booking fee since the offline booking fee is 2,500 ( Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Terms & Conditions ) and if you have been charged 5,000 I would contact them back and ask for a refund of the 2,500. There are not many ways to avoid this fee ( other than convincing QF to add SEA to the destination list ). The offline fine is a v annoying feature when the system is set up not to allow online bookings on a route

There are other options for collecting miles other than the QF scheme which is probably the easiest way to avoid such penalties

Using full fare economy, I reckon I can earn a reward flight on just 1 SYD-MLB trip given it being > 9,300 miles

Dave

 

[NM]

Using full fare economy, I reckon I can earn a reward flight on just 1 SYD-MLB trip given it being > 9,300 miles

Dave

and if you don't mind flying into MCO instead of MLB (MCO is about 45 miles south or MLB), you could take the AA Platinum Challenge. Using the most direct routing and full economy fare you would be AA Platinum by LAX and would earn over 31,000 AA miles for the return trip - more than enough for an award flight anywhere in or between Australia and New Zealand.

Oh yes, and AA do not charge their US$15 telephone booking fee for awards that cannot be booked on-line. Nor will they charge the fuel fines for the award flight - just real airport and government taxes.

 

[simongr]

I wondered how long it would take for AA to get mentioned Seems like another no-brainer - especially given LTG status. Only thing would be if the partner gold is important to you.

 

[Anna]

I have never been charged 5,000 points by Qantas for booking by phone when I have pointed out that it is a flight that I am unable to book on-line.

 

[Dave Noble]

I have never been charged 5,000 points by Qantas for booking by phone when I have pointed out that it is a flight that I am unable to book on-line.

They can be quite insistent about the 2,500 charge for booking over the phone

Dave

 

[Dave Noble]

I wondered how long it would take for AA to get mentioned Seems like another no-brainer - especially given LTG status. Only thing would be if the partner gold is important to you.

Indeed. With LTG , to me, it would seem to be a no brainer to go for AA PLT ( or EXP if doing enough to attain it ) .

Dave

 

[Dustin]

When I told them I couldn't book the flight online the not so helful ladie told me tough, its a policy she could do nothing about! Happy Helpful Staff all the time!

 

[Dave Noble]

When I told them I couldn't book the flight online the not so helful ladie told me tough, its a policy she could do nothing about! Happy Helpful Staff all the time!

I am not surprised. This is not a fee that I am aware of generally being waived and is an issue I did discuss with Jenny Chamberlain when she was in charge of QFF and I didn't get a feeling that it was going to be removed. I did suggest that changing the system to allow typing in of a 3 letter airport code rather than having to pick from the limited choices would circumvent the problem, but that has never been implemented

Dave

 

[jakeseven7]

I know this doesn't apply to flights you can't actually book online, but a couple of times when I have been in a massive rush, I just ring QF get them to search for flights/dates then make some noise in the background and go 'Oh my wife just walked in and said she booked our seats this morning - I'm really sorry to waste your time, bye' Then I go online and book the dates they pulled up for me. Has worked twice now lol.

 

[Dave Noble]

I know this doesn't apply to flights you can't actually book online, but a couple of times when I have been in a massive rush, I just ring QF get them to search for flights/dates then make some noise in the background and go 'Oh my wife just walked in and said she booked our seats this morning - I'm really sorry to waste your time, bye' Then I go online and book the dates they pulled up for me. Has worked twice now lol.

I don't see the benefit here since , if you are going to do it online, you might as well search online anyway.

Dave

 

[Soundguy]

One option could be to book the flights online at whatever dates are showing available then contact the QFF office by phone to change the dates. If you are silver or higher there is no penalty to change dates provided it is the same routes.

 

[Chucksta]

I'm a QFF GOLD. Does that mean i can change issued FF flights free of charge? No 5000 Point penalty/????

Is that for international and domestic?


thanks

Chucksta

 

[NM]

I'm a QFF GOLD. Does that mean i can change issued FF flights free of charge? No 5000 Point penalty/????

Is that for international and domestic?


thanks

Chucksta

If just making a date/time change and no change to the routing, then the fee is 2500 and its called a Revalidation Service Fee. This fee has been known to be waived for some Gold and Platinum FF members, but its not a published benefit of Gold or Platinum status.

The 5000 fee is for cancellation of an award, and technically that is what is done if you change the routing as they cancel one award ticket and issue a new one. I have not head of the cancellation/re-issue fee being waived.

 

[jakeseven7]

I don't see the benefit here since , if you are going to do it online, you might as well search online anyway.

Dave

Sorry I should have explained.

If you are relying on the QF website that only searches a certain amount of days in advance, runs slowly sometimes and on a route that there aren't many seats available then I save myself the time and call them.

Takes them 2 seconds.

(I don't have access to any expertflyer or anything)

 

[mick]

If just making a date/time change and no change to the routing, then the fee is 2500 and its called a Revalidation Service Fee. This fee has been known to be waived for some Gold and Platinum FF members, but its not a published benefit of Gold or Platinum status.

Actually, Soundguy was right, this also applies to Silver FF members. I've been PS for about ten years and have often changed my award flight date/times without the Revalidation Service Fee being charged. Each time it was explained that it was because of my Silver status that the fee was waived.

 

[serfty]

OT; Yep, this is one available for the QF PS; unlike the ability to book Award WHY flights in T class. i.e. See T3 X0 then SG and above can book an award seat; PS (inc. QP) can't.