QUESTION: Qantas award booking when overseas

[Dr Ralph]

It's likely that I will be overseas (China, Canada and the US) when I know that award seats for future international bookings will be released on the Qantas web site. I just wanted to check on people's experiences booking award seats whilst overseas. Anyone have a problem with Qantas geo-blocking the award website or not accepting your credit card for payments of the taxes whilst overseas and trying to book an award flight or any other potential problems? Any insights appreciated.

 

[Hvr]

Given you would be logged into your account I don't see why Qantas would have a problem especially if you're using your usual credit card.

If you travel a bit and use local wi-fi then a VPN for any interaction via the Internet is essential. So just use an Australian server and QF won't even know you're overseas even if you have booked your ticket through them.

 

[Silvia]

As Hvr mentions, if you use a VPN it would be helpful regarding sensitive details like your credit card.
If you are doing a reward booking ex AUS, it should direct you to the Australian website, so that should be OK.

 

[downgraded]

As Hvr mentions, if you use a VPN it would be helpful regarding sensitive details like your credit card.
If you are doing a reward booking ex AUS, it should direct you to the Australian website, so that should be OK.

Yet surely as soon as you leave your VPN, your traffic is on the internet anyway and as exposed or otherwise as it was ever going to be inside an https request

 

[Dr Ralph]

VPN not an option.

 

[Zanzara]

Hi. Not sure about China, but I’ve booked QF frequent flyer seats whilst in Canada and the UK before, for travel originating and ending, outside those countries without a problem. I think, from memory, they were on a variety of airlines including BA, CX and amazingly, considering how rare they release business class seats, even QF. Don’t think you need to be too worried.

 

[serfty]

I have has no trouble ever ..

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've never had a problem seeing availability while overseas. The issue in the past was QF's inability to ticket for departures ex some countries. China and Thailand used to be on this list but are now ok. New countries on the list are Qatar and Sri Lanka. But if your flight isn't departing from there it shouldn't be a problem.

In any event, contating resevations can get them to handle it as a 'pay in Australia' transaction. (Once you get through that is )

 

[Isochronous]

I've never had any issues with the QF website geoblocking.

 

[jboy90]

Done before with no issue

 

[AisleSeat]

Yet surely as soon as you leave your VPN, your traffic is on the internet anyway and as exposed or otherwise as it was ever going to be inside an https request

Correct. If you turn your VPN off, and continue accessing sites where you are making a payment/logging in etc.. then the probability of that data being intercepted increases (say by a man in the middle attack on public wifi for example).

@Dr Ralph If you're going to be logging into your QF account or any other sensitive websites while in China then I strongly recommend a VPN, even if you're going to be using the "secure" wifi at a hotel.

 

[EestiTiger]

I found the hardest part is if you have to ring Qantas as part of adding more legs to an existing OWA booking. I spent time last year, between wines in Würzburg, using Skype on my laptop to add a return CX leg to my booking.

 

[downgraded]

using Skype

Do QF have a Skype account to ring or is that with Skype to voice call?

 

[Franky]

It's likely that I will be overseas (China, Canada and the US) when I know that award seats for future international bookings will be released on the Qantas web site. I just wanted to check on people's experiences booking award seats whilst overseas. Anyone have a problem with Qantas geo-blocking the award website or not accepting your credit card for payments of the taxes whilst overseas and trying to book an award flight or any other potential problems? Any insights appreciated.

No probs here, booked some whilst in France earlier this year - CX flights on the QF site.

 

[p--and--t]

I've never had a problem seeing availability while overseas. The issue in the past was QF's inability to ticket for departures ex some countries. China and Thailand used to be on this list but are now ok. New countries on the list are Qatar and Sri Lanka. But if your flight isn't departing from there it shouldn't be a problem.

In any event, contating resevations can get them to handle it as a 'pay in Australia' transaction. (Once you get through that is )

Qatar is now a country ??

 

[Dr Ralph]

No probs here, booked some whilst in France earlier this year - CX flights on the QF site.

Thanks @Franky. Exactly what I was hoping to hear.

 

[JohnM]

Qatar is now a country ??

What else is it?

 

[p--and--t]

What else is it?

Sorry my perverse sense of humour, passing through there it feels like an airport with quite a bit of land.

 

[EestiTiger]

Do QF have a Skype account to ring or is that with Skype to voice call?

Skype to Voice call. Only saving grace was calling at a reasonable hour in my local timezone to get the call centre at a crazy hour when most of Australia was hopefully asleep