So I am no expert in QFF and fare bookings compared to some of the esteemed company here on Flyertalk but I am no mug either. I am QF WP and do all my bookings myself and 95% of it is domestic mix of flexible and discount tickets depending on the circumstance. Here is what I have learned this past few weeks.

I had some issues on a "Flex" ticket that I booked and purchased at qantas.com and some of it credited as Flexible Economy and some as Discount Economy. It was a ticket that contained an out and back journey. Three flights on the out and two flights on the return. Of the five flight segments 2 posted as "Flexible Economy" and three posted "Discount Economy. The ticket was BNE-MEL-LAX-LAS // LAS-LAX-BNE. All on QF codes and only LAX-LAS-LAX on AA Metal.

After several calls to QFF QP line and dealing with the same CSA I finally got hold of a person that could explain what was happening. I of course disagreed with what QF are doing and even go as far as saying it is confusing at best, probably misleading and deceptive conduct at worse.

So my discovery is that even though I booked a "Flex" or "Flexible" ticket in Economy this does not always equate to a "Flexible Economy" earning fare class for the purposes of points and SCs in the Airline Earning Table ie throw out the every day meaning. To make matters more confusing for Classic Upgrade Reward purposes the same segment is classed as "Flexible Economy" as I purchased a Flexible ticket in Economy.

So in the end you can buy a Flexible Economy fare that will earn you Discount Economy points/SCs but if you want to upgrade you treat it as a Flexible Economy fare. ...? Are they for real or have I been treated as a mug by QF who seem to have taken all common sense and every day meanings of terms and removed it for the application of the QFF T&Cs.

Do others agree that this is misleading, confusing or even purposely deceptive? It is more complicated than our Australian tax law?

So as the consumer, when booking at Qantas.com I cannot see what fare class I am being offered, but in the explanatory notes when you want to know the difference between Sale/Saver/Flex the notes say "Qantas Points and Status credits may be earned on this fare and will be calculated on each Segment. For more information check the Airline Earning Table" but Qantas don't give you the information prior to booking to help you work out what fare class they are offering to sell and subsequently what you will earn. You cannot rely on the common definition of "Flexible Economy Ticket" to earn Flexible Economy. In fact even after booking they do not provide booking class in the itinerary or e-ticket.

In the end both the MEL-LAX and LAX-BNE were a Flexible Economy earning rate and the other three were Discount. I am arguing over 35 SCs and some points.

It is pretty poor though and can only cause them grief for their brand to design such a system as this. They could use different terms and phrases to avoid all this.

Learnings for others perhaps?