Phantom Qantas FF Flights
Jun 18, 2022, 2:52 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2022
Programs: Qantas
Posts: 2
Phantom Qantas FF Flights
Been trying to book Classic rewards business flights ex SYD or BNE to Europe. Yes Good Luck you say! Seriously though, the calendar shows availabilities with the red Classic Reward logo. Click on the date and the classic reward flight isn't there. Sometimes it will list as another date. Click on that and it doesn't exist either. Anyone else seeing this happening? It's been going on for months now. A website glitch or just more Qantas general incompetence?
Jun 18, 2022, 2:58 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,990
madoniri Welcome to FT
Business class awards have always been hard to get. For 1 person or more than 1 person?
Where to in EU? A route QF fly's to or also need a partner flight?
Do you have any QF status?
Also try from MEL.
Been trying to book Classic rewards business flights ex SYD or BNE to Europe. Yes Good Luck you say! Seriously though, the calendar shows availabilities with the red Classic Reward logo. Click on the date and the classic reward flight isn't there. Sometimes it will list as another date. Click on that and it doesn't exist either. Anyone else seeing this happening? It's been going on for months now. A website glitch or just more Qantas general incompetence?
Where to in EU? A route QF fly's to or also need a partner flight?
Do you have any QF status?
Also try from MEL.
Jun 18, 2022, 3:08 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2022
Programs: Qantas
Posts: 2
Gold status. 2 persons. Problem is website showing availabilities that aren't really there when you click on the date. For example will show 159K points + $600 on the date but if you click on the date there's no fare like that. These phantom dates are all over the place so its a big waste of time.
Jun 18, 2022, 5:28 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
I would suggest setting up a BA account and using the BA site to look for availability. It is pretty reliable. Do check individual sectors and not just AU-UK for places like Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Doha
Once you have found the availability, then try booking on the QF site or phoning and booking
Once you have found the availability, then try booking on the QF site or phoning and booking
Jun 18, 2022, 6:23 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: NZ
Posts: 1,548
I am not sure how you are searching but try this:
1. Log in to your QFF account
2. Click on "Multi City" under the "Book" tab
3. Select "Use points - Classic Flight Rewards only"
4. Enter your flight segments (you can have one or more segments)
5. Enter your dates and click on "Flexible with dates for all flights" in the calendar window
6. Click on "Search Flights"
This will give you a one month view of availability and each date will show the classes available. Click on a date to find out what is available and the points required. Bear in mind that this search will show flight availability for QF and across all QF partners. You can check the entire trip first, eg BNE/LON, but as @Dave Noble suggests you may need to break it down by sector to find suitable avaiability. It can be a long process but hopefully you won't find phantom availability this way!
1. Log in to your QFF account
2. Click on "Multi City" under the "Book" tab
3. Select "Use points - Classic Flight Rewards only"
4. Enter your flight segments (you can have one or more segments)
5. Enter your dates and click on "Flexible with dates for all flights" in the calendar window
6. Click on "Search Flights"
This will give you a one month view of availability and each date will show the classes available. Click on a date to find out what is available and the points required. Bear in mind that this search will show flight availability for QF and across all QF partners. You can check the entire trip first, eg BNE/LON, but as @Dave Noble suggests you may need to break it down by sector to find suitable avaiability. It can be a long process but hopefully you won't find phantom availability this way!
Jun 22, 2022, 10:12 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Australia
Programs: QF LTS, Marriott LTP, ALL GOLD
Posts: 2,440
Gold status. 2 persons. Problem is website showing availabilities that aren't really there when you click on the date. For example will show 159K points + $600 on the date but if you click on the date there's no fare like that. These phantom dates are all over the place so its a big waste of time.
Jun 23, 2022, 3:55 am
#7
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 4
I agree- so many phantom flights? I am clicking on a business class flight on the calendar view and then it disappears -same date same thing then happens with the remaining economy flight. Get the no availability on that date message.
I suspect they are there but need to call to book. Have booked many reward flights online and never seen this issue before. I always book on my computer rather than iPad but happens on both. Weird!
I suspect they are there but need to call to book. Have booked many reward flights online and never seen this issue before. I always book on my computer rather than iPad but happens on both. Weird!
Jun 23, 2022, 8:27 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: Miles&more, SPG, Hyatt
Posts: 536
AA’s website is known to have phantom MH U class seats. It (and Alaska too) confuses MH’s Z class with U class - MH’s Z class is only open to enrich members not any partners and they will not ticket if trying to book through any one world carrier.
QF could have similar issue though generally it is fairly accurate. If a MH award does not show with BA then it’s not bookable. BA is the most reliable search for MH.
QF could have similar issue though generally it is fairly accurate. If a MH award does not show with BA then it’s not bookable. BA is the most reliable search for MH.
Last edited by hansyuwiwb; Jun 24, 2022 at 5:32 am
Jun 24, 2022, 3:09 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP/LTG | UA P
Posts: 13,529
AA’s website is known to have phantom MH U class seats. It (and Alaska too) confuses MH’s Z class with U class - MH’s Z class is only open onwards enrich members not any partners and they will not ticket if trying to book through any one world carrier.
QF could have similar issue though generally it is fairly accurate. If a MH award does not show with BA then it’s not bookable. BA is the most reliable search for MH.
QF could have similar issue though generally it is fairly accurate. If a MH award does not show with BA then it’s not bookable. BA is the most reliable search for MH.
Jun 25, 2022, 3:07 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Qantas, virgin,Klm,finnair
Posts: 4
yes I’ve had this also, I even engaged with qantas to complain but of course no help, all they did was lookup the flights I could see on the site and advise they actually were not available. I had eight legs and it took ages to work out which one of those legs was causing the error. Will have to try the BA trick next time.
Jun 27, 2022, 2:39 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: QF
Posts: 290
The QF booking engine shows award space on JL, but QF Agents say they are not available when you try to book them by phone (ie: April 2023). JAL has apparently frozen them? Agents mentioned they had an email advice about non availability.
Last edited by blutek; Jun 27, 2022 at 4:16 am
Sep 20, 2023, 8:50 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,961
So is the BA website the best way to confirm? I’m nervous about transferring credit card points to QF to redeem if the award space is phantom. Going to book BNE-Dili via Sydney and Darwin.
Sep 20, 2023, 10:31 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: SYD, GOT
Programs: BA GGL; SK EBG; QF LTG; Hilton Diamond, A-Club Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 2,721
My understand is that most of the phantom (ignoring ACCC issues) flights were on partners such as MH and JL in particular. And that the flights were seen online, but when you wnet to call the agents confirmed if they were real or phantom flights.
So best bet would be to call, based on your status you maybe able to hold until the points transfer
KF
Sep 21, 2023, 1:40 am
#15
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
Programs: DL DM MM, BIS 2.4MM, EK Gold, SQ Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold,
Posts: 5,213
P.S. Didnt we have dinner in Bali in like 15 years ago on an SQ error fare?