QR award availability down to 219 days???

[KarenD]

It's always been avail at 10am 361 days out,well at least for the past month. I have been tracking award avail out of SYD to DOH and into LHR and yesterday all the rewards direct from Australian cities to DOH disappeared. I was planning on booking my flight this week at 361 days but they are all gone. I believe Qantas can see it at their end but consumers can't. Hope it's just a glitch but even if it is, it's very badly timed for me! Anyone know anything?

 

[Pug1]

NB? And I can confirm there has been nothing out of Adelaide for over a month. Same deal. Monitoring closely as well.

Hi Pushka, I live in Canberra now and have been checking Qatar for Canberra to Oslo for next August. I can see Sydney to Oslo most days but never from Canberra. I phoned Qantas and they advised to book Sydney to Oslo if I can and phone them within 24 hours to see if they can add the Canberra Sydney leg on Qatar. As you pointed out it would be much more convenient to get on Qatar in Canberra rather than risk the August fog and the bus/train from Domestic to International in Sydney. My dates come up next week so cross fingers for me.

 

[Battymum]

YesI too have noticed a definite lack of award availability from either SYD, MEL or ADL to DOH.
Have been tracking for months, they were releasing everyday like clockwork - but this week - definitely nothing after the 15th of August which was released on the 20th.

Also nothing on the return. ADL was always a safe bet - but nothing there either.
There are flights from Perth but only F availability.

Hoping it’s a temporary thing. I am looking at September 2020 so have a couple of weeks up my sleeve.

 

[Pushka]

YesI too have noticed a definite lack of award availability from either SYD, MEL or ADL to DOH.
Have been tracking for months, they were releasing everyday like clockwork - but this week - definitely nothing after the 15th of August which was released on the 20th.

Also nothing on the return. ADL was always a safe bet - but nothing there either.
There are flights from Perth but only F availability.

Hoping it’s a temporary thing. I am looking at September 2020 so have a couple of weeks up my sleeve.

Is it ok to say ‘good’ that others are experiencing the same issues as I’ve reported earlier then

 

[Pug1]

We can but hope! Good luck with the September award flights Battymum. The prices quoted for two J one-way flights from/to Oz give you a fright.

 

[Battymum]

I wonder if it would have anything to do with it being the end of European Summer holidays. Although I don’t see how that affects flights from Australia.

 

[Battymum]

We are hoping for early September - not tied to school holidays - but want to avoid European school holidays.
Couldnt be flying in J if I have to pay.

Sucking it up in a couple of weeks going to LHR in Y - I have ptsd thinking about it.

 

[Pug1]

We are hoping for early September - not tied to school holidays - but want to avoid European school holidays.
Couldnt be flying in J if I have to pay.

Sucking it up in a couple of weeks going to LHR in Y - I have ptsd thinking about it.

just checked Perth/DOH/Oslo as a matter of interest for 10/8/2020 and flight came up with J Perth to Doha and Y Doha to Oslo so there is some availability. See screen shot a few minutes ago.

 

[Pug1]

just checked Perth/DOH/Oslo as a matter of interest for 10/8/2020 and flight came up with J Perth to Doha and Y Doha to Oslo so there is some availability. See screen shot a few minutes ago.
View attachment 183942

sorry it was Perth to Doha in F then Y to Oslo

 

[Battymum]

Yeah that seems to be an option - but requires more points -
Although very tempting to fly first class!!!

 

[KarenD]

Is it ok to say ‘good’ that others are experiencing the same issues as I’ve reported earlier then

It's good to feel like you're not the only one in this predicament. Kicking myself for not booking last week, but who could have known this would happen!
I looked at all the alternatives but would prefer to avoid extra connections if we can. Don't quite have enough points to get home if we go via Perth in F.
All we can do is wait in hope, I was hoping to book tomorrow, but plan B was to book the week after so have a bit of time but not heaps! Otherwise will try for Emirates I guess!

 

[Battymum]

Gahhh - I always knew I was going to have to book my return on the new points tables - but the goal posts have just moved massively.
Trying not to get too worked up about it - I can’t book anything yet anyway will look at what’s available when I can.

 

[Pushka]

Cathay seems to have great availability. That’s what we ended up doing as Qatar never showed.

 

[CaptJCool]

It's good to feel like you're not the only one in this predicament. Kicking myself for not booking last week, but who could have known this would happen!
I looked at all the alternatives but would prefer to avoid extra connections if we can. Don't quite have enough points to get home if we go via Perth in F.
All we can do is wait in hope, I was hoping to book tomorrow, but plan B was to book the week after so have a bit of time but not heaps! Otherwise will try for Emirates I guess!

Your other option is buy some top-up points?

How to Buy Qantas Frequent Flyer Points

Need some more Qantas Frequent Flyer points for your next reward?

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

And if there’s two of you, tou could top up and family transfer too

Perth - Frankfurt is 177,000 Points
Perth to Budapest,Vienna, Prague or Rome is 144,000 Points F (96,000 J)

Qatar Airways First Class Award Availability
is more generous than most other Aussie cities. It is commentated upon there.

 

[KarenD]

OK 10am today SYD to DOH August 20, 2020 came back online. Based on what's been happening, i panicked and booked it, but now have to sort out a change fee to add the onwards flight tomorrow, and hope it doesnt get snapped up while i'm waiting on hold or something with Qantas. But at least we have SYD to DOH booked!

 

[Battymum]

That’s good to know - did you book on the afternoon flight or the A380 night flight?

Booking the first flight when you can is always the best option and then adding the next leg later.

We hope to travel on a Saturday but when it comes online if the previous night flight is still available I will see it as a sign and book both legs together - saving a call to QF.
But otherwise will book what comes online for the Saturday and add the second leg the next day

- I haven’t looked today - tend to slack off on the weekend - that’s something I do on worktime!!

 

[KarenD]

That’s good to know - did you book on the afternoon flight or the A380 night flight?

Booking the first flight when you can is always the best option and then adding the next leg later.

We hope to travel on a Saturday but when it comes online if the previous night flight is still available I will see it as a sign and book both legs together - saving a call to QF.
But otherwise will book what comes online for the Saturday and add the second leg the next day

- I haven’t looked today - tend to slack off on the weekend - that’s something I do on worktime!!

We booked the a380 night flight but both were available. Qsuites would be awesome but we like the timing of the 9pm flight and hope to connect to qr7 in DOH which is q suites to london anyway.

I was planning on booking it all at once too, but after the last few days I lost confidence. All the flights from Doha to London were there too, albeit a day too early, but now they are all gone again, so I'm nervous for booking the onward leg, but feel better now that we at least have Sydney to DOH locked in. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. I'll be on Qantas sms, Facebook messenger and the phone line trying to get through right near 10am!

Hehe I check on work days too, and only on weekends when I have time

 

[Battymum]

Yes fingers crossed for you.
I am undecided about the QSuites vs the A380 - not so keen on the 8 hour transit in DOH but the afternoon flight would be better for enjoying the experience. For me, flying anywhere not up the back of the plane is a privilege, so will be grateful with either. The bar on an A380 is appealing.

You were right to grab what you can, when you can.
I have just looked now and see nothing on the 20th and whatever is there on the 19th is the Cathay flights.
So it must be some sort of glitch.
Let’s hope it gets sorted

 

[KarenD]

The afternoon flight didnt really connect to any qsuite flights from Doha to London, and we saved a day of annual leave if we fly out at 9pm as we cant work that day, but agree, happy to just get a seat up the pointy end!

I'm not feeling confident for tomorrow now that I've seen those DOH to LHR flights disappear. I wonder what the hold time is for qantas call centre at 10am on a Monday. Might call at 9 and see what it's like, as well as SMS and message on facebook. Fingers crossed I can make this work out!!

 

[Pug1]

The afternoon flight didnt really connect to any qsuite flights from Doha to London, and we saved a day of annual leave if we fly out at 9pm as we cant work that day, but agree, happy to just get a seat up the pointy end!

I'm not feeling confident for tomorrow now that I've seen those DOH to LHR flights disappear. I wonder what the hold time is for qantas call centre at 10am on a Monday. Might call at 9 and see what it's like, as well as SMS and message on facebook. Fingers crossed I can make this work out!!

Hi KarenD, each time I phoned Qantas recently the wait has been more than an hour so I used the call back facility and waited nervously. Good luck with yours