Suggestions for purchasing QF airfares ex-MNL

[JohnK]

Was researching some flight options ex-Asia and looked at airfares ex-MNL. The airfares are quite reasonable and yield descent SCs but the snag is the credit card is required to be presented within 2 days of making the booking on the QF website.

I called QF earlier and was told that there is an option to pay by bank transfer but this option will more than likely require a service fee and then exhorbitant fees from the bank here in Australia when doing the bank transfer.

Has anyone got any experience with bookings ex-MNL? Any suggestions? Any recommendations for a travel agents in Manila? Ideally I would prefer the booking exactly as it is shown on the QF website and sometime travel agents do not have access to these flights.

If worse comes to worse I will risk it and go over to MNL either in January or April to pay for the flights in person. I have not been able to find cheap(ish) airfares from BKK on Cebu Pacific and Tiger goes via SIN. The cheapest return airfare I can find so far is ~$350.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I admit I don't know if it's possible but booking through expedia?

 

[winfred]

I book tickets for my parents through QF HK website and pay by my credit card.

I was initially asked to fill in a form with a photo copy of the card but no one can find the form.

I was then asked to fax my credit card and a covering letter confirming that I authorise the use of my credit card. I have done it a few times over the past year without any problem.

 

[JohnK]

I admit I don't know if it's possible but booking through expedia?

Unfortunately Expedia, Zuji or any online travel agent I have tried cannot even come close to matching the airfare or routing on the website. Ex-MNL for me is not about convenience but simply maximising SCs for very little additional cost.

I book tickets for my parents through QF HK website and pay by my credit card.

I have also booked many times ex-SIN without any issues. There is a perception out there (and more than likely justified) that Thailand and Philippines have high credit card fraud rates and therefore in order to purchase airfares ex-BKK or ex-MNL on QF website one needs to present credit card within 2 days of booking.

 

[markis10]

I book tickets for my parents through QF HK website and pay by my credit card.

I was initially asked to fill in a form with a photo copy of the card but no one can find the form.

I was then asked to fax my credit card and a covering letter confirming that I authorise the use of my credit card. I have done it a few times over the past year without any problem.

Experiences with QF in one country are not applicable in other countries as has been reported many a time, espcially with China/Thailand and Manila who are often agents. Unlike other airlines including JQ, QF are strict in their requirements when it comes to CC payment.

John, if a TT (bank deposit) is an option I think you will find the cost from the bank is around $25, it has been for a couple of banks I have used in the past as a private customer, the other cost will be the margin in the retail rate as opposed to the interbank rate on most credit cards.

 

[JohnK]

John, if a TT (bank deposit) is an option I think you will find the cost from the bank is around $25, it has been for a couple of banks I have used in the past as a private customer, the other cost will be the margin in the retail rate as opposed to the interbank rate on most credit cards.

Thanks markis10. If the cost is going to be that low then it will certainly be worthwhile. Perhaps I should explore this option if there is no other way. Obviously once I am in MNL I can then book the next return trip back to Australia if I choose to replace the usual transit in SIN with MNL.

I have been fleeced doing bank transfers in the past and that is why I am hesitant doing them. e.g a couple of years ago at one of the New Zealand FT Do's the exchange rate was ~1.15-1.20 and when factoring in costs for bank transfer from CBA the actual exchange rate was very close 1:1. There is no way I am giving financial institutions 15%-20% profit on a foreign currency bank transfer.