RedVee

Bit of assistance please?

I've trawled the thread on the the Qantas/Emirates tie up and end of the joint service agreement from 31 March 2013, but can't see any reference to the ability to use Avios on QF after that.

As I understand it, QF remain (for now) a Oneworld Partner.

I have been searching for SYD>WLG flights and I know QF fly that route. But the website tells me neither BA nor any of its partners fly that route.

So I phoned the silver line this morning and they said I couldn't book it because Qantas would have left Oneworld by then?

Am I confusing the two issues? Has it never been possible to book SYD>WLG with Avios?

I'm looking for dates around early April (5th) but have searched 2012 dates too and still get the same message.

Engineering Travel

Cant help with flights but this is interesting.

I would not be surprised by this, now that MH and QR are confirmed to be joining OW shortly.

QF Lad

Yes you should still be able to redeem Avios on QF flights. Only the JSA is ending (the joint revenue agreemnt between BA and QF on the kangaroo route).

QF are not leaving Oneworld, and you will still be able to redeem on other Oneworld airlines as normal.

cornishsimon

BA silver line are talking utter tosh.

The issue here with online rewards is that this flight is operated by jet connect for QF.

For some reason QF flights operated by jet connect don't show up online but most certainly are available for booking over the phone.

The phone agents comments about QF leaving OW are also not correct, even of QF were going to leave the alliance it wouldn't happen that quickly and as yet no pull out has been announced.

All that has been is the end of the JSA with BA, the QF and EK tie up and some fairly major longhaul route changes.

With BA and QF both remaining in OW I'd of thought that both will continue to codeshare as well as BA will still need feed into its SYD route for the 77W.


cs

yyj9

Hi all, first time on the BA forum, and first time trying figure out avios, so please point me to an existing thread if there is one.

I'm planning a trip to Australia (from Canada) and will use aeroplan to get to Sydney.
For some of the domestic flights I am thinking I should convert RBC visa Avion points to Avios - 50% bonus right now, and use them on Qantas.
-First question - is there any subtle rule that says I must accumulate avios by flying or through buying something or will I be okay transferring my RBC points and using them on a flight.

The flights I am interested in are Cairns to Uluru (AYQ) and then AYQ - Sydney, but AYQ does not show as a destination. I understand from another post that these flights are eligible and I will need to call in.
-2nd question - Does anyone know how many points these will cost? If the agent doesn't know that AYQ is eligible, what is the best way to handle it?

Thanks

RedVee

Thanks CornishSimon and QF Lad. Now I know I am not barking I will phone back until I get a more clued up agent.

Awardnexus is showing QF reward availability, although I'm not sure this is the same bucket that Avios can be redeemed into (Low/Saver?).

PS - any idea how many Avios for a one way in business? Around a 3.5 - 4 hour flight so expecting around 25-35K per person? I need the flight to be in business as we will have 6 checked bags between Miss RedVee and I after ariving on First from MAN via LHR and SIN

QF Lad

As far as the number of Avios goes, you would need to ring BAEC. You could try to look up SYD-AKL online and see how many Avios are required for that sector, the amoubnt of Avios to Wellington is likely to be very similar.

If QF is showing classic award availability, that is the same bucket that Avios redeem into.

As a BA Silver member, you may get an additional baggage allowance. BA Silver is the same as QF Gold, so I suggest you look your allowance for J & QF Gold on the QF website.

It is likely you will still be over the allowance with 3 bags each. You can prepay excess luggage on QF at a discounted rate.

QF Lad

No, there is no subtle rule that Avios must be earned by flying to redeem on QF flights. An Avios is an Avios regardless of how it is earned.

In terms of the number of Avios required to fly from Cairns to Ayers Rock, you would need to check with the BAEC. If you can search online for the number of Avios required to fly from Cairns to Alice Springs, the number of Avios required to fly to Ayers Rock would be very similar.

If there is no availability to Ayers Rock, I suggest you either:

(1) see if there is award availability to Alice Spings, and fly or drive to Ayers Rock; or

(2) pay for the flight to Ayers Rock.

Mwenenzi

Extra baggage is allowance from status is not a OW benefit. The only status that is relevant is QF status.

In 2013 Easter Sunday is 31 March. School holiday time here. You are hoping for an award in peak travel time. That may not happen. SYD-WLG is a B737 800 with only 12 business class seats.
Jetconnect (New Zealand) is wholly owned Qantas subsidiary

Mwenenzi

Best to look on the QF web site for a timetable. The pdf timetable of 24-08-2012 show 1 flight [QF0729 13:40-17:05] AYQ (Uluru - Ayers Rock) to SYD a day. Aircraft is a B737-800 with 12J 156Y. Award seats will be limited

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

"any idea how many Avios for a one way in business?"

Determine the flight mileage for any segment in which you are interested, and then look at the mileage bands on the Avios award chart:

http://thepointsguy.com/wp-content/u...vios-Chart.png

RedVee

^

Thank you all for your contributions. I phoned back again this morning.

Unbelievably, I got the same spiel about Qantas leaving One World - perhaps to join Star Alliance or maybe Virgin I asked her where this had been announced but she obviously couldn't say. I also pointed out it was possible to book other QF operated flights on the website well after the end of the JSA.

So having ruled that out as a red herring she said I couldn't book on Jetconnect, and that was probably why her colleague hadn't been able to book it, "he would have checked before saying no". Then she found a table (get the impression this was a hard copy document) that said I could.

I then gave the dates and QF flight number that Awardnexus showed as having availability (there was availability for -/+ 2 days either side of my preferred dates - so luckily the Easter break impact on availability wasn't a problem) and the booking went through for 40k avios plus taxes.

Result^

Baggage - using MMB on the Qantas site shows three bags each, and the baggage info says these can be up to 32KG each (post May 12), so that's OK

Thanks again FTers.

Edited to add that today's agent was very pleasant, didn't want to leave an impression that she was awful, just uninformed.

cornishsimon

So as I thought, just talking utter tosh !!!!

Glad to hear that it's all been resolved for you now


cs

BA Executive Club

Hi all

Clearly the advice given is untrue and I will raise it with the service centre management team. If anyone else is advised the same can you please let me know so I can raise it?

Many apologies for any inconvenience this caused

Warm regards

Nicci

cornishsimon

Nicci your an amazing asset to BA but come on, it's a Sunday, go and enjoy a day off

But thanks for posting some confirmation on this one.


cs