QR withholding award seats from Qantas?

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF @schnitzel travellers bro

Personally, I can't see the issue with the declining QR availability on QFF. If they were there, and you got a QR award seat, you'd probably lose it at some stage due to Qantas' ticketing incompetence.

 

[burmans]

One door closes and another opens.
Fantastic for those of us with a booty of VA points.

And/or AA points. Qatar via AA has served me well recently.

 

[AFF Editor]

Just saw the AFF article comparing the availability of QR awards on QFF versus Virgin and must admit, it is somewhat biased. Sure the QFF classic awards on QR flights is more limited to coach, but there are lower taxes and fees (€200 versus $155 AUD). I'm not gonna do a currency exchange rate but I reckon the Euro is much weaker than the AUD !

-RooFlyer88

A moderate variation in the carrier charges is not really relevant when the seat is simply not available through one of the two programs.

I'm not sure where the bias is here?

 

[schnitzel travellers bro]

And/or AA points. Qatar via AA has served me well recently.

You taking advantage of rhe current AA points promo purchase? Cheers

 

[QF_Flyer]

And/or AA points. Qatar via AA has served me well recently.

Indeed, and I'm sure I read somewhere last year (probably pure speculation) about an AA deval on the horizon (with them being the last US legacy to not be revenue based), which makes it an ideal time to burn.

I had 60k left which I used on MEL-SYD-BNE-APW-NAN-SYD-MEL in J, love region based pricing, although nothing will beat the old South Pacific-Europe 80k in F that AA used to offer. My very first F redemption. But I'm going OT now!

 

[schnitzel travellers bro]

Terrible change. I've got flights next week on QR going to the Middle East in Economy and back in First, booked with Qantas Points back when this wasn't a problem. Hope there are no changes that require re-ticketing

I wish you well especially with your first sector. Qr are notorious for cancelling to put revenue into those.seats.

 

[Phoenix-1]

You could get Qatar seats 4 days out (including F) but seems like that's stopped too. Can't find anything after 25 Feb.

 

[AFF Editor]

I think business/first awards on QR are still available using Qantas points but only for a few days in advance.
Per-Doh first class available until thurs 23rd Feb when using Qantas points
Adl-Mel-Doh business class available until thurs 23rd Feb when using Qantas points

Only able to book business/first class awards on QR a few days in advance is pretty much useless.

You are correct. I've had another look and QR award seats in Business & First are now being made available to Qantas Frequent Flyer members up to 3 days prior to departure. I've updated the article.

That's obviously not useful for most people, but better than nothing at all.

 

[henrus]

I've got a particular Qatar flight (in economy) in mind which I can see on other oneworld sites and VA but it doesn't appear on the QF site. Is it even worth me calling QF to ask if they can book it or would that be a waste of breath?

 

[jase05]

I've got a particular Qatar flight (in economy) in mind which I can see on other oneworld sites and VA but it doesn't appear on the QF site. Is it even worth me calling QF to ask if they can book it or would that be a waste of breath?

Waste of time IMO but what have got to lose apart from a few hours on the phone

 

[PineappleSkip]

I agree schnitzel travellers bro - I used to enjoy ET - but recently I've gone way off them...

Too much grandstanding at ET - well done AFF !

I might be missing something. I used to travel ET regularly but never saw a schnitzel offered on them or in the lounges in Addis.

Cheers skip

 

[MELso]

I might be missing something. I used to travel ET regularly but never saw a schnitzel offered on them or in the lounges in Addis.

Cheers skip

Check the poster's name @PineappleSkip @rigram was responding to.

 

[JayTee]

URGENT ASSISTANCE:

Last year I made a redemption book for two passengers ( myself and family member) travelling from Adelaide to Europe on Qatar business class ( avios redemption). The first name on the booking for my family was recorded as their usual preferred name. However, now that they received their passport, the first name is the one which is their birth name. I called Privilege club and they said because it's not a name correction but instead a name change, I need to cancel the booking and make a new one.

I am concerned that if I cancel the booking, it is probably unlikely the business class seat will become available to then rebook it using the correct first name.

Does anyone know what I should do ? Is there a possibility to know if the seat will be available under redemption on that date? In any event, I know I have to cancel the booking as regardless of what class its booked in, the passenger cannot travel using the existing booking first name.

Looking forward to your expert advise / experience

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

do you have enough points to rebook immediately or would you need to wait for the refund to process ?

 

[JayTee]

do you have enough points to rebook immediately or would you need to wait for the refund to process ?

I have enough points.

 

[JayTee]

I have enough points.

I should add that the flight is in late May. So should I cancel now and cross my fingers that the seat makes its way to the ' redemption ' list ( if there is actually such a thing) OR cancel it close to the date with the same hope. I am looking for other availability in different states but it appears for some reasons nearly everyone in Oz has decided to travel overseas in May.

 

[mick]

I should add that the flight is in late May. So should I cancel now and cross my fingers that the seat makes its way to the ' redemption ' list ( if there is actually such a thing) OR cancel it close to the date with the same hope. I am looking for other availability in different states but it appears for some reasons nearly everyone in Oz has decided to travel overseas in May.

I can only tell you about my experience when I had QR909 SYD/DOH booked for 26 May in Z (First) via an AA award and cancelled it 1.5 weeks ago. I was surprised to find the flight reappeared and was bookable on both AA and BA award booking engines within minutes. I'm not sure I'd wait until closer to departure to cancel because demand will probably be high and so they may not return the seat to award inventory. Warning though, YMMV. Good luck!

 

[Flightseeker]

Hi JayTee,

How did you get on?

 

[JayTee]

Hi JayTee,

How did you get on?

All sorted. When I tried to rebook it, it was gone. Anyways, after several calls and online chat, it was the online chat person who fixed it up in no time.

 

[JayTee]

Question: I am trying to find award availability from Doha to Australia ( Sydney or Adelaide or Melbourne) in mid June. Can someone please explain or confirm if June ( travelling to Oz) is peak season?

There are absolutely no seats in business using award during the month of June. Every now and then I see one seat at the start of June but within a day or so, that seat is gone too.

Who decides when to release award seats for redemption. ?

If I am not seeing availability for Mid June, is it an indication that I have no hope of securing a seat closer towards the month of June...

If I call their privilege club team, am I wasting my time if I ask them to release an award seat ?