RTW Classic Rewards adding flights

[inline64]

Hi Brains Trust,
I have booked a RTW Business Class Classic Reward Flight (not the 1st time), when I made the booking it was capped at 318,000 per person, now that I want to add some additional flights and now Qantas want to charge me a additional 540,000 points plus fees and taxes. Is this correct I thought I could add additional flight just for the fees and taxes and a 5000 point per person change fee, am I missing something?
BTW the two flights I want to book are only 175,000 points plus fees and taxes on the Qantas website, so why would I want to spend 540,000?

 

[ChrisMars]

Hi Brains Trust,
I have booked a RTW Business Class Classic Reward Flight (not the 1st time), when I made the booking it was capped at 318,000 now that I want to add some additional flights and now qantas want to charge me a additional 540,000 points plus fees and taxes. Is this correct I thought I could add additional flight just for the fees and taxes and a 5000 point per person change fee, am I missing something?
BTW the flight I want to book at only 175,000 points plus fees and taxes, so why would I want to spend 540,000?

Two things might happens:
- the agent is unqualified and wrong
- your itinerary with the added leg doesnt fall within the OWA rules anymore

We can help you check if your itinerary is still correct, you will need to share the details (airport and operating airline).

 

[inline64]

Two things might happens:
- the agent is unqualified and wrong
- your itinerary with the added leg doesnt fall within the OWA rules anymore

We can help you check if your itinerary is still correct, you will need to share the details (airport and operating airline).

Thanks, I thought that but I feel it's within OWA rules.

Melbourne-Perth (transit)-London Qantas
Helsinki-Hong Kong Finnair (stop over)
Hong Kong-Singapore Cathy (transit) Singapore - Melbourne Jetstar

Wanting to add

London to Thessaloniki British Airways (stop over)
Athens to Helsinki KLM (stop over)
Could it be the KLM leg?

 

[DC3]

Could it be the KLM leg?

Ah, KLM. Is KLM a member of oneworld, now?

 

[inline64]

Ah, KLM. Is KLM a member of oneworld, now?

You can book it on the Qantas website.

 

[DC3]

You can book it on the Qantas website.

That is not the answer to my question Don’t worry, the question was probably rhetorical.

Anyway, if you are after the 318K fare, then all airlines need to be part of oneworld.

 

[RichardMEL]

You can book it on the Qantas website.

Yes, but the 318k capped reward is specifically a oneworld reward - can only use OW carriers on it - not other QF partners like EK, FJ and... KL.

 

[Oubline]

You can book it on the Qantas website.

Jetstar also can’t be included unfortunately.

 

[BriarFlyer]

Both the Jetstar and KLM flights will disqualify this itinerary as a Oneworld Classic Flight Reward.

 

[inline64]

Yes, but the 318k capped reward is specifically a oneworld reward - can only use OW carriers on it - not other QF partners like EK, FJ and... KL.

So am I correct then, if I add the BA flight only it will be the fees and charges plus 5000pp for the change?

 

[RichardMEL]

So am I correct then, if I add the BA flight only it will be the fees and charges plus 5000pp for the change?

Yes, BA would work if there's availability.

I suspect the extra 540k points are those flights being booked as "points plus pay" as separate to the OWA you have constructed, but I could be wrong on that one.

 

[BriarFlyer]

So am I correct then, if I add the BA flight only it will be the fees and charges plus 5000pp for the change?

If you include the Jetstar flight, the total points calculated should be the total of all flights. Not the 318,000 maximum of a OWA.

 

[encryptededdy]

Are you booking for more than one person? Are they perhaps quoting 540k for multiple people instead of per person?

I suspect the extra 540k points are those flights being booked as "points plus pay" as separate to the OWA you have constructed, but I could be wrong on that one.

I don't think you can mix CR & Points + Pay on one booking so I think it's unlikely to be that. Also, I doubt Qantas can actually price a cash fare with that mix of carriers / routes.

 

[elanshin]

I'm surprised that in your original booking, it capped at 318k if it had a Jetstar flight.

In your current attempt to add flights KLM will immediately invalidate OWA as it's skyteam not one world. It needs to be One world member airlines not Qantas Partners.

 

[RichardMEL]

Yeah, on a rethink it's most likely just adding up individual sector costs in points - which is clearly a LOT (and no, you can't add a Lot flight ).

 

[frodo]

Yeah, on a rethink it's most likely just adding up individual sector costs in points - which is clearly a LOT (and no, you can't add a Lot flight ).

OP's original booking works out to be 329,700 points by adding up all the individual sectors, so it still doesn't really make sense why it would be capped with an ineligible JQ flight there in the first place

144,600 points MEL-LHR on QF
90,000 points HEL-HKG on AY
43,800 points HKG-SIN on CX
51,300 points SIN-MEL on JQ

 

[inline64]

Thanks everyone, I take away some lessons, better research on my behalf next time, asking the Qantas call centre I want to book a RTW ticket many times and asking does this qualify. Been told by them yes it does, but now finding out it doesn't. Once again appreciate the feedback

 

[Kerrodt]

Thanks everyone, I take away some lessons, better research on my behalf next time, asking the Qantas call centre I want to book a RTW ticket many times and asking does this qualify. Been told by them yes it does, but now finding out it doesn't. Once again appreciate the feedback

@inline64 don’t call it a “RTW ticket” when you call as that is the wrong product name for what you are after and will lead to all sorts of booking chaos. Yes a true “RTW ticket” could be booked as you have requested but it will not cap at 318k points as that is not the product.

You need to be asking to book a “One World Award ticket”. That will get a better outcome from a competent operator.

 

[djkelly69]

You need to be asking to book a “One World Award ticket”.

While that is the correct name, you don't need to (and will likely achieve a better outcome if you don't) advise the phone operator anything other than 'I would like to book a reward flight' or 'I would like to add an award flight to my existing booking'.

IME the vast majority of operators will have no idea what an OWA is anyway, so it is just complicating things trying to explain it to them.

(Obviously if you have status and are speaking with someone in Hobart that would likely be an exception.)

The system works out everything by itself and will automatically cap the points if the booking qualifies as an OWA.

 

[Kerrodt]

While that is the correct name, you don't need to (and will likely achieve a better outcome if you don't) advise the phone operator anything other than 'I would like to book a reward flight' or 'I would like to add an award flight to my existing booking'.

IME the vast majority of operators will have no idea what an OWA is anyway, so it is just complicating things trying to explain it to them.

(Obviously if you have status and are speaking with someone in Hobart that would likely be an exception.)

The system works out everything by itself and will automatically cap the points if the booking qualifies as an OWA.

You are quite right here. I agree. If you know what you are doing in terms of product specifics and rules.

However if you ring up following your approach not knowing the product specifics and rules and then start adding JQ or KLM flights the price will never cap out and the operator will know no different as they are simply doing what has been requested of them. Herein lies the problem.