Qantas Frequent Flyer - QF Migration Fares

My partner and I are entering Australia on a subclass 175 visa (independent skilled) around January 2013. I contacted the International Organization for Migration regarding migration fares for new migrants. They gave us a quote of ~30% off the lowest one-way economy fare (LAX-SYD), double baggage allowance, and free changes up to 24 hours before departure (fully refundable).

For anyone who knows about or has used these fares, my questions are:

What fare class will these tickets book into (earning/non-earning)?

Have there been any issues at check-in regarding the baggage allowance?

Will we able to manage the reservation on-line (seat selection, purchasing exit rows, etc)?

We will enter Australia next month on our new visas to do some preliminary neighborhood visits, establish employment contacts, and visit friends in the area. Do these fares require that the visa be unused?

Any tips/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

(Bonus question: If I enter Australia on my own and have LOTS of baggage, is there any service -- paid or not -- I can use to help me claim the bags and get them through customs?)

Maybe something better for the Australia, South Pacific and Oceania forum?

Dave

They gave us a quote of ~30% off the lowest one-way economy fare (LAX-SYD), double baggage allowance, and free changes up to 24 hours before departure (fully refundable).


This is for GB, not sure about USA but probably same conditions (if available).
http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/migrant/gb/en
Just ring your local Qantas office and enquire, it would be better to book directly through them also, they should offer the exact same price.

It will book as discount economy and appear as a normal flight.

Are you 100% its double baggage allowance? To/from USA is 2x23kg. No single bag can weigh over 32kg. I would ring Qantas directly to confirm.

There is no paid baggage concierge service for clearing customs at any airport in Oz (it isn't needed for the most part, though SYD pax might disagree). QF does offer an F concierge who will help, as long as you are flying F on QF (somehiow that sounds unlikely). But I've arrived in MEL with 4 bags and was landside 30 min after landing, it really is fast most of the time.

From the US QF does not offer any cheap one-way fares, even with the disount it will likely be higher than a return discount fare (at least this has been the case whenever I've checked). Great use of FF miles to go one-way.

From the US QF does not offer any cheap one-way fares, even with the disount it will likely be higher than a return discount fare (at least this has been the case whenever I've checked). Great use of FF miles to go one-way.

Economy tickets are usually cheaper one way than return on Qantas. Business tickets are usually not (I paid $9.5k for a one way when return was $7k).

$1221 one way LAX-SYD compared to $1799 return.

~30% off a one way as quoted by the OP would bring the price down to half of a return flight unsurprisingly.

Booking through consolidators or online sites can sometimes get decent single/oneway prices. I have done this in the past. I would definitely try calling QF and asking.