The Qantas Newbie Questions Thread

[robert kennelly]

This thread is specifically for new members to ask questions relating to Qantas and the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. Our more experienced members will be then be able to answer your questions.

Please note that this thread is specifically for new and/or inexperienced members, so please keep this in mind when replying to posts in this thread. In particular, please minimise the use of acronyms and explain the concepts in a way that a novice can easily understand. And please be gentle

P.S. If you're a newbie to frequent flyer programs in Australia, check out our guide

I am not that new. Have just flown Melbourne 9.15pm tuesday night 22nd April to Madrid qantas business (paid fare) actually it was emirates A 380 both legs. It was a trip with my wife and two daughters, so pretty special.
Great service and French champage in melb emirates bus lounge not in Q bus lounge. It seems a bit of poor marketing by qantas that there partner is so much better on the ground and in the air.
Robert kennelly

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks, interesting the way they do it then.

Yeah at least there's no shortage of PEK-TPE J on almost any day it looks like even if it's such a short flight and the fare calculation ends up being almost like a free upgrade.
But what is up with the cash fee portion though, why does it add up to a higher $305 instead of simply $240 if booked individually ?

Dunno why the difference!

It’s not a short flight at 3 or so hours. If you can fly business on that sector i’d wholly recommend it. It’s a 10x better experience from check in to passage through the airport to on board.

Edited to add: i get the taxes fees and charges to AUD275. Which is not far off the $305 QF is asking for the through fare.

 

[serfty]

Hello all. I have triumphantly returned to QF Gold status after dwelling in Qantas Club Silver land for a while. I have a query re classic award upgrade priority process for which I cannot seem to find answers anywhere (and apologies if they have already been covered and I have overlooked them).

I have some upcoming international travel booked with QF for which I previously placed a classic award upgrade request from Y to J on the QF website. This was requested when I was QC Silver. I understand the upgrades are handed out based on status (among other things). Will QF's system automatically recognise my new status (which would theoretically place me higher up the priority queue), or do I need to cancel the request and put it in again?

Congrats on returning to Gold.

As a rule of thumb, it is likely better to refresh your request by cancelling and reapplying to ensure it is of Gold status rather than Silver. It may or may not make any difference but is would not hurt. (I don't believe time of request has any significant bearing on the pecking order.)

 

[Flyfrequently]

Flying Sydney to Port Vila via Brisbane in June
Just went in to my bookings and notice that the Brisbane to Port Vila flight operated by Alliance Airlines, has had a time change. Now departing 1 hour earlier. I don't know when this changed but I received no notification of the flight change.

My concern is that it now leaves me 1hour 45 mins to transfer from the domestic terminal to the international terminal for security and passport control. Hopefully bags are checked through from Sydney.
Is this enough time? Do I catch the airport transfer bus or get a taxi?

Update for @ellen10 our timeline for QF353 this morning.

We stayed overnight at Pullman Brisbane.

Left there by taxi 7.10am
Arrived International 7.20am. Traffic congestion heading up the ramp to departures, driver said it's normal that time of day
No business counter checkin - grumpy desk lady directed us to kiosk
Lovely lady helped us - for some reason an issue , did bag drop then over to oversize baggage
Through Passport and security - quite busy maybe Anzac Day/a Friday ?
No priority/express lane as in Sydney/Melbourne but went pretty quickly and it was busy!
A brief stop in Lotte DF
In Lounge by 8.20am
If you are on the first flight out and no delays, you should be fine.
Taxi driver said buses are about every 10 minutes and free.
Your luggage will get checked through, ours didn't as we had 18 hour transit.

Checking today's MEL-BNE flight on time arrival 8.15am , we would have made it but there would have been no Lotte or Lounge

Update: if you do get Lounge time, plane usually departs from almost the furtherest gate away, today 73a, a 10 minute walk.