|
Is availability REALLY this bad?
I’m heading to NZ for next years British Lions tour. Being a mileage junky I am using the opportunity to max out a DONE4 RTW ticket. However, I am having HUGE problems getting to/from CHC and AKL at the beginning and end of the tour. Using all the different availability checking tools it would seem that QF have sold out in all classes on all MEL/SYD to CHC/AKL for +/- 6 days either side of 25th June 05. The same applies to the return on 10th July. All flights are showing 0 in all booking classes.
Is this really the case or are QF restricting availability? I know the tour is proving hugely popular but find it hard to believe that everything is sold out this far in advance. I’ve checked AirNZ and they seem to have good availability so I may have to buy a ticket with them just in case. |
If you try the International Specials page on qantas.com it will tell you that they are only selling tickets to 31 Mar 2005. The main booking engine will attempt to sell you tickets on connecting flights to NA etc. You'll have to wait a while to book those flights!
|
Try BNE.
Found N class 25 June BNE-WLG, full Y coming back and D and J 10 July. Found N class 25 June BNE-AKL, full Y coming back and D and J 10 July. You owe me a beer. :) |
Originally Posted by Gaza
I’m heading to NZ for next years British Lions tour. Being a mileage junky I am using the opportunity to max out a DONE4 RTW ticket. However, I am having HUGE problems getting to/from CHC and AKL at the beginning and end of the tour. Using all the different availability checking tools it would seem that QF have sold out in all classes on all MEL/SYD to CHC/AKL for +/- 6 days either side of 25th June 05. The same applies to the return on 10th July. All flights are showing 0 in all booking classes.
Is this really the case or are QF restricting availability? I know the tour is proving hugely popular but find it hard to believe that everything is sold out this far in advance. I’ve checked AirNZ and they seem to have good availability so I may have to buy a ticket with them just in case. Have you actually tried asking QF about availability rather than just using the online tools. Sometimes there is availability even though the tools suggest otherwise. On my 1st check of dates, SYD-AKL is available on 20th June on QF321 ( op by Lan Chile ) and BNE-AKL available on QF25. Qf 25 is also available on 21st and 22nd with 321 available on the 22nd. Again QF25 on the 23rd and QF321 on the 24th. QF321 and QF25 available on the 25th I would give QF a call and check whether the other services are really all sold out or if there is some reason for them being zeroed out atm Dave |
Originally Posted by willyroo
Try BNE.
Found N class 25 June BNE-WLG, full Y coming back and D and J 10 July. Found N class 25 June BNE-AKL, full Y coming back and D and J 10 July. You owe me a beer. :) But who'd pay a beer for getting N class availability when using a business class ticket :) Dave |
Originally Posted by Dave Noble
Have you actually tried asking QF about availability rather than just using the online tools. Sometimes there is availability even though the tools suggest otherwise.
On my 1st check of dates, SYD-AKL is available on 20th June on QF321 ( op by Lan Chile ) and BNE-AKL available on QF25. Qf 25 is also available on 21st and 22nd with 321 available on the 22nd. Again QF25 on the 23rd and QF321 on the 24th. QF321 and QF25 available on the 25th I would give QF a call and check whether the other services are really all sold out or if there is some reason for them being zeroed out atm Dave My original routing was HKG-SYD but it looks as though I will have to change that to HKG-BNE and connect on to QF25. There seems to be "L" availability AKL-CHC so that will get me to the first test! I really need to leave AKL on 10th. I'm currently booked AKL-SYD-MEL-BKK-LHR. The extra leg is to get another 40 tier points that will take me over the threshold for BA EC Gold. |
"My original routing was HKG-SYD but it looks as though I will have to change that to HKG-BNE and connect on to QF25. There seems to be "L" availability AKL-CHC so that will get me to the first test!"
Im confused. Why would you want L availability if you are using a DONE4. Surely you want D availabiliy. Also, if you would rather go SYD-AKL rather than BNE-AKL, the QF321 flight is valid to use since the operating carrier is also OW. Dave |
Originally Posted by Dave Noble
Im confused. Why would you want L availability if you are using a DONE4. Surely you want D availabiliy. Also, if you would rather go SYD-AKL rather than BNE-AKL, the QF321 flight is valid to use since the operating carrier is also OW.
As far as I can see QF do not offer Business Class on AKL-CHC. When I look at an assortment of dates over a six month period all I see is:- JC DC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 VC SL OC QC NC X3 EL This means that I have to book in L. |
Originally Posted by Gaza
On the Wednesday I am doing a HKG-CTS-HKG turnaround for a tidy 240 EC tier points. The following day I do a HKG-DPS-HKG turnaround for another 240 tier points. The flight from DPS does not arrive until 20:55 so the only connection to SYD is at 23:55. This arrives in SYD after QF321 departs.
Originally Posted by Gaza
As far as I can see QF do not offer Business Class on AKL-CHC. When I look at an assortment of dates over a six month period all I see is:-
JC DC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 VC SL OC QC NC X3 EL This means that I have to book in L. |
Biz on domestic flights in NZ
Originally Posted by Gaza
As far as I can see QF do not offer Business Class on AKL-CHC.
Given the short distance and cost to purchase a ticket AKL-CHC, it is not good use of a DONE segment. If you are chasing tier credits use the segment some where else |
Originally Posted by NM
That will keep you out of trouble for a few days!
I will probably be sick of the inside of an aircraft after this. I fly LHR-JFK (Monday) (120 points), continue on from JFK to YVR (another 120 points), get back on the same plane to HKG (another 120 points!) and arrive in HKG on Wednesday. My wife thinks I am totally nuts but when I reminded her that it meant Gold Card renewal and First Class check-in and lounge access she began to see the benefits.
Originally Posted by NM
I thought when purchasing an AONE* or DONE* and no A or D is available, you should be booked into economy as Y and not L. This makes a difference for points and SC/Tier Points earning in some programs that treat L as deep discount and reduced or no points awarded, so you want to ensure its booked in Y.
31N . * WHERE NO FIRST/BUSINESS CLASS IS AVAILABLE, 32N . FIRST CLASS PASSENGERS WILL TRAVEL IN 33N . BUSINESS/ECONOMY AND BUSINESS CLASS PASSENGERS 34N . WILL TRAVEL IN ECONOMY. 50N ------------------------------------------------------ 51N I CARRIER I FIRST I BUSINESS I ECONOMY I 52N I I CLASS I CLASS I CLASS I 53N ------------------------------------------------------ 101N I QF - DOMESTIC I A I D I L I 102N I AUSTRALIA I I I I 103N ------------------------------------------------------ |
Originally Posted by Gaza
My wife thinks I am totally nuts but when I reminded her that it meant Gold Card renewal and First Class check-in and lounge access she began to see the benefits.
|
Originally Posted by Gaza
Unfortunatley not.
Q: The booking classes are A (first), D (business) and L (economy). If I buy a first class ticket and there is no first class on my flight, what happens? A: That depends on what you mean by "no first class." If the seat inventory (A in this case, but the same goes for D) is not available for the flight you want and you can't get a flight that does have available inventory, you get downgraded to the next available inventory class (A goes down to D, and D goes down to L) and no compensation or refund is payable. Except on two class US domestic flights, if the plane is only one class (all economy) or two class (economy and business), then you get downgraded and no compensation or refund is payable. On two class US domestic flights, if you hold a D class ticket you can book into the A (first) inventory, if it is available, at no extra charge. On domestic flights on AE (American Eagle), AY, EI and LA (which are one class), all A and D tickets book into the Y (full fare economy) inventory bucket which means it is economy seating, but there should be plenty of availability. There are lots of references on the OneWorld forum of American Eagle flights being booked in Y and not L when on DONEx fares. However, there is no reference to this in the Star files. |
Unfortunately the star file rules call out the airlines and fare codes to use for booking for an involuntary downgrade, and you get Y only on AE, IB, LA, and I forget which other one (maybe AY); not on BA -- despite many UK flights being 1 class -- or on QF. Until they change this you are stuck with needing L inventory when A or D is not available. One of the drawbacks of the OWE tickets. My own experience is that if inventory is not available when you initially try to book, it only gets worse closer to travel time. So if you are required to travel on a specific date (in my case often a specific flight) there is poor odds in going standby. A sharp contrast to the involuntary reroute situation, where these fares really shine and you get to be at the top of the list (presuming A fare and Emerald status).
|
Originally Posted by Gaza
My wife thinks I am totally nuts but when I reminded her that it meant Gold Card renewal and First Class check-in and lounge access she began to see the benefits.
|
| All times are GMT -6. The time now is 6:16 pm. |
This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.