<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by KenF:
Currently trying to decide "which way to jump" both in terms of which FFP, and how many of my hard-earned Amex MR points to move over to QG.
Are awards on the non-QG "partner" airlines still available? e.g. CX, QF, MH, SA etc?
I'm considering an F trip to Asia early next year, and I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck getting seats.
My preference (obviously!) would be CX, probably to BKK and/or SIN.
Sure wish we knew who the partners and what the awards levels will be for next year....
Ken.
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Booking at short notice I have had success with Malaysia Airlines through Qaliflyer (in First), and of course with Swiss themselves (who I believe offer one of the best First Classes around).
I had difficulty securing QF First Class (did not come through for flights from either BKK, HKG or SIN to SYD or MEL - tried over a two week period), was OK with QF Biz Class (AKL to SYD/BNE/AKL round trip).
Could not obtain CX First from either LHR/MAN/FRA/CDG to HKG and on to SYD or MEL over a two week travel window in June 2002.
Swiss of course can confirm their own flights instantly. With MH they send the request and usually by the time the have entered in the second sector the first has come back confirmed. QF seems to be mixed - the request goes off and sometimes you have to wait an hour, sometimes it comes through if you wait one or two minutes on the line.
For all of the above rewards I tried to book around one month before travel.
If intending to fly QF, then you can use their on-line rewards booking engine which will suggest flights on certain days. You then call Qualiflyer with these dates and you should be ok.
First Class on QF (and it looks like CX as well) is very hard to obtain - even for members of their own programmes.
Regards
WG