HELP! Qantas wants additional $25 for every segment on OWE
 

Hi Everyone,

I am on my first RTW, and am doing the One World Explorer 5 continents (LLONE5) ex AKL.

I booked my first intl flight (AKL-SYD) and the rest of the ticket as OPEN.

I am now in Sydney and I called today for the first time to book my next segment (SYD-CNS).

Gave him the flight info and confirmed the seat availability. After that he told me that I would need to go to a ticket office in the city to get my ticket "CHANGED" and it would cost $25. His reasoning is that the ticket is being CHANGED from an open ticket to one with a flight number.

Is this guy correct or is he misunderstanding the whole open ticket idea? I have 20 segments on my OWE ticket, if I need to pay a ticket change fee everytime, it's going to significantly add to my ticket costs.

What is the magic phrase that I must say to the airlines when I want to use my open-dated segments in the future?

Thanks.

Alex

This sounds completely new to me.
I allways do open tickets and no airline (even qantas around 5 month ago) charged anything for making or changing reservations - as long as the routing did not change.

Hopefully the guy is just being inept.

Any idea why I was given a second record locator?

Got almost caught out this myself in our recent OWE.

The QANTAS reasoning is that the $25 fee is for revalidating the ticket (basically charging for the time they spend), even though changing the ticket date/time itself is free (by the OW rules).

We had one very helpful agent in the CNS office spend half an hour revalidating 6 tickets (twice!) without mentioning a charge, then a very stroppy agent in the PER office demanding the $25. In the end, we didn't bother getting them revalidated, and the agent at check-in didn't notice/care that the paper ticket was for a different date.

All in all, a bit like internal tax for flights in Chile - seems to depend on the agent you get !

Enjoy your trip !

Stewart

There is no need for the date on the ticket to match the date of flight so long as your reservation is in order, and Open tickets are absolutely fine. Don't let clueless airline staff tell you otherwise.

You're lucky you were not trying to reissue.

Beware that some QF and BA offices also charge a service charge of $50-75 (USD equivalent) for ticket reissues IN ADDITION to the ticket reissue price listed in the fare rules.

For example in HKG, QF and BA share the same office (either sides of the room)... QF waives the service fee for Gold/Platinum members, whereas BA charges every pax.

So do I still need to go to the Qantas office? Or do I just go to the airport and give them the record locator information? My name should be in the computer for the flight that I booked.

And why do I need to get the tickets "revalidated"? If my name is in the computer for the flight I want to be on (i.e. record locator) and my paper ticket says "OPEN", what are they trying to revalidate?

Oh, does anyone know if Qantas has a ticket office in Melbourne?

Thanks.

Alex

I never had any open ticket changed for a date. Just make your reservation, show up at checkin. Allways worked for me.

One advantage issuing a ticket thru a travel agent (and not thru an airline direct) is: the agent can make reservations for you.

When buying aticket i have all the coupons (except the first or the first intercontinental on star) issued open, the travel agent also makes the reservation. I email him when i need changes or additions - and he emails me the new itinary.

Then i just need to show up for the flight, check in. No time on the phone, no time to explain what kind of ticket you have or beeing transfered to the international desk (like when you try to make reservations with AA) etc.

Which airline issued the ticket? If it is QF, then there should not be a second record locator (PNR). However, some of the oneworld airlines have different reservation systems and therefore have different PNR's. My experience has found that it is very helpful to have all of the various airline PNR's in case there is any problem in a "remote" location, such as when the issuing carrier does not have an in-country office that you can contact for resolution assistance.

The ticket was issued by Qantas. So I think the guy doesn't know what the heck he is doing.

Since I have the original record locator and the second, would it be safe for me to just walk up to the airport on the day of the flight? Is there a way to confirm my seating on the flight without going through the airline telephone holding system? I literally waited for 20 minutes last time!

Thanks.

Alex

"ince I have the original record locator and the second, would it be safe for me to just walk up to the airport on the day of the flight?"

If you are not booked on the flight , I wouldn't say so.

"Is there a way to confirm my seating on the flight without going through the airline telephone holding system? I literally waited for 20 minutes last time!"

If you are in Sydney , you could pop into the Qantas Travel office in the City. They will be able to do it for you if you dont want to call. Alternatively, if phoning, try calling late in the evening.

Dave

I must be confused with the terminology here. I calle Qantas, told them that I bought a RTW ticket, and wanted to make a "reservation" for one of the segments. After giving him the dates and times, he gave me a record locator for the flight that I wanted.

Does the above scenario equal a "booking"?

Thanks.

Alex

Doesn't QF book in Amadeus? Have you tried looking the record up on line at http://www.checkmytrip.com/ ?

My current RTW was open dated (except first segment). Issued by QF. One I called to book my next segment(s) in NA they gave me a new reloc......I assumed that until the booking is made you don't have reloc - that's why they ask for the ticket number....

Brilliant!

checkmytrip.com worked like a charm. I used to use a similar website for my UA flights, but I think they use a different booking system.

Anyway, the status says "Confirmed" and it says "Manual Ticket" under traveler.

It looks like I'm booked on this flight. Can I just go to the airport now?

Thanks.

Alex