Possible to request additional award space for 5th family member?
Mar 14, 2019, 12:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-Global Services
Posts: 55
Possible to request additional award space for 5th family member?
Hi all-
We're a family of five flying from JFK-DOH next week all on award tickets. We booked almost a year out and booked four QSuites and one economy ticket (the fifth business ticket wasn't available). Currently 50% of the seats in business are unoccupied, with just a few days until departure. I booked these tickets through Asia Miles and called them to see if they could email Qatar to inquire if they could open a fifth seat (which I thought was an option I had read in an article somewhere). They said they could not do that and I'd have to wait for Qatar to open any seats. Has anyone gone though this previously? Are there any options available or should I call Asia Miles back and hope for a different agent? At the end of the day it's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen, but I'd really love for all the children and ourselves to be together.
Thank you in advance and if this is better suited for the Cathay/Asia Miles thread please let me know.
We're a family of five flying from JFK-DOH next week all on award tickets. We booked almost a year out and booked four QSuites and one economy ticket (the fifth business ticket wasn't available). Currently 50% of the seats in business are unoccupied, with just a few days until departure. I booked these tickets through Asia Miles and called them to see if they could email Qatar to inquire if they could open a fifth seat (which I thought was an option I had read in an article somewhere). They said they could not do that and I'd have to wait for Qatar to open any seats. Has anyone gone though this previously? Are there any options available or should I call Asia Miles back and hope for a different agent? At the end of the day it's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen, but I'd really love for all the children and ourselves to be together.
Thank you in advance and if this is better suited for the Cathay/Asia Miles thread please let me know.
Mar 14, 2019, 3:08 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-Global Services
Posts: 55
Mar 15, 2019, 6:11 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
Airlines will not request other airlines to open up award seats, unless they need to do so because of their own reasons e.g. an agent screw-up or flight cancellations.
Award availability outside of the airline's own FFP is entirely "take it as is".
Award availability outside of the airline's own FFP is entirely "take it as is".
Mar 15, 2019, 11:25 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: PAR
Programs: QR Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,090
You already were very lucky to get 4 business award seats on the same flight as usually it's more like 0, 1 or 2 business award seats available per flight. On very rare occasions I could find more than 4 business class award seats for the same flight.
If you want to give you the best chance to seat all your family in business class and don't wan't to buy a business class ticket for the 5th person, you'd better cancel the eco award ticket and buy an upgradable economy fare for the 5th person and use Qmiles (if you have any) for airport upgrades before each flight, because at airport (except in LHR) they will accept to upgrade any economy passenger with Qmiles providing there are seats available in business class.
Beware that not all economy booking classes are upgradable : W is definitly not, there are reports than O and T classes, even booked under Eco Saver fare family, are not acceptable for airport upgrades, so you need at least a Q class ticket or more (N, S, V, L, K, M, H, B, Y).
.
If you want to give you the best chance to seat all your family in business class and don't wan't to buy a business class ticket for the 5th person, you'd better cancel the eco award ticket and buy an upgradable economy fare for the 5th person and use Qmiles (if you have any) for airport upgrades before each flight, because at airport (except in LHR) they will accept to upgrade any economy passenger with Qmiles providing there are seats available in business class.
Beware that not all economy booking classes are upgradable : W is definitly not, there are reports than O and T classes, even booked under Eco Saver fare family, are not acceptable for airport upgrades, so you need at least a Q class ticket or more (N, S, V, L, K, M, H, B, Y).
.
Mar 16, 2019, 7:20 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-Global Services
Posts: 55
You already were very lucky to get 4 business award seats on the same flight as usually it's more like 0, 1 or 2 business award seats available per flight. On very rare occasions I could find more than 4 business class award seats for the same flight.
If you want to give you the best chance to seat all your family in business class and don't wan't to buy a business class ticket for the 5th person, you'd better cancel the eco award ticket and buy an upgradable economy fare for the 5th person and use Qmiles (if you have any) for airport upgrades before each flight, because at airport (except in LHR) they will accept to upgrade any economy passenger with Qmiles providing there are seats available in business class.
Beware that not all economy booking classes are upgradable : W is definitly not, there are reports than O and T classes, even booked under Eco Saver fare family, are not acceptable for airport upgrades, so you need at least a Q class ticket or more (N, S, V, L, K, M, H, B, Y).
.
If you want to give you the best chance to seat all your family in business class and don't wan't to buy a business class ticket for the 5th person, you'd better cancel the eco award ticket and buy an upgradable economy fare for the 5th person and use Qmiles (if you have any) for airport upgrades before each flight, because at airport (except in LHR) they will accept to upgrade any economy passenger with Qmiles providing there are seats available in business class.
Beware that not all economy booking classes are upgradable : W is definitly not, there are reports than O and T classes, even booked under Eco Saver fare family, are not acceptable for airport upgrades, so you need at least a Q class ticket or more (N, S, V, L, K, M, H, B, Y).
.
Mar 18, 2019, 9:38 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
Rock Paper Scissors to decide who sits in the back.
Depending in your family structure (couple with 3 young children? Or couple with either spouse’s parents and one child?...etc.), your decision may be easy!
—> my suggestion is the eldest child takes economy!
Depending in your family structure (couple with 3 young children? Or couple with either spouse’s parents and one child?...etc.), your decision may be easy!
—> my suggestion is the eldest child takes economy!
Mar 18, 2019, 11:32 am
#11
Join Date: May 2002
Location: LEESBURG, VA, USA
Posts: 254
Hi all-
We're a family of five flying from JFK-DOH next week all on award tickets. We booked almost a year out and booked four QSuites and one economy ticket (the fifth business ticket wasn't available). Currently 50% of the seats in business are unoccupied, with just a few days until departure. I booked these tickets through Asia Miles and called them to see if they could email Qatar to inquire if they could open a fifth seat (which I thought was an option I had read in an article somewhere). They said they could not do that and I'd have to wait for Qatar to open any seats. Has anyone gone though this previously? Are there any options available or should I call Asia Miles back and hope for a different agent? At the end of the day it's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen, but I'd really love for all the children and ourselves to be together.
Thank you in advance and if this is better suited for the Cathay/Asia Miles thread please let me know.
We're a family of five flying from JFK-DOH next week all on award tickets. We booked almost a year out and booked four QSuites and one economy ticket (the fifth business ticket wasn't available). Currently 50% of the seats in business are unoccupied, with just a few days until departure. I booked these tickets through Asia Miles and called them to see if they could email Qatar to inquire if they could open a fifth seat (which I thought was an option I had read in an article somewhere). They said they could not do that and I'd have to wait for Qatar to open any seats. Has anyone gone though this previously? Are there any options available or should I call Asia Miles back and hope for a different agent? At the end of the day it's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen, but I'd really love for all the children and ourselves to be together.
Thank you in advance and if this is better suited for the Cathay/Asia Miles thread please let me know.
Chances of that happening are slim to none.
I often face this dilemma as we are a family of 5 and travel frequently with Qatar Airways. I have always been able to get 4 seats in Biz but no more. As others have said, i am always thankful for the 4 seats that i get. Sometimes i get economy ticket for the 5th passenger. Other times, a solo biz ticket on Emirates keeps the 5th one happy.
Btw, how much did you pay in taxes and fee via Asiamiles?
Mar 18, 2019, 3:26 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-Global Services
Posts: 55
Mar 18, 2019, 3:30 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-Global Services
Posts: 55
Chances of that happening are slim to none.
I often face this dilemma as we are a family of 5 and travel frequently with Qatar Airways. I have always been able to get 4 seats in Biz but no more. As others have said, i am always thankful for the 4 seats that i get. Sometimes i get economy ticket for the 5th passenger. Other times, a solo biz ticket on Emirates keeps the 5th one happy.
Btw, how much did you pay in taxes and fee via Asiamiles?
I often face this dilemma as we are a family of 5 and travel frequently with Qatar Airways. I have always been able to get 4 seats in Biz but no more. As others have said, i am always thankful for the 4 seats that i get. Sometimes i get economy ticket for the 5th passenger. Other times, a solo biz ticket on Emirates keeps the 5th one happy.
Btw, how much did you pay in taxes and fee via Asiamiles?