QF FF colleagues,

I have struck a problem in trying to organise a FF points trip from MEL to ATH for my family, and would appreciate the assistance of more experienced and knowledgable forum members.

I will be in EUR on business in June, and would like to arrange for my wife and daughter to join me for a vacation in France and Greece, using QF FF points in Y class. It seems I can get them on flights MEL-LHR or PAR using points, but not much further. Options seem to be to get them to LHR, PAR, or GEN, then purchase a return fare from there, via ebookers or similar.

I first attempted to book FF seats MEL-ATH about 7 months ago, a few days under the 355 limit, but was told no Y class seats available LHR-ATH on BA (J class available, but this would of course double the points cost )...

I have delayed booking the LH sectors hoping that availability would clear, but no luck, so I think it is about time to commit.

Any advice on alternatives for getting the family through to ATH much appreciated.

Many thanks.

Probably the best option. June is busy Oz-LHR. I would have one more phone conversation with QFF and book what is best at that time. Suggest to them alternative routes, FRA, HKG, HEL, Bombay etc and other the airlines: CX, BA and AY. Reward flights go quickly. As a QF Plat you have better reward availability than the common peasants.

tallboy, welcome to FT and the QF Forum.

We don't know the date you want to fly, but in June BA bas flights LHR-ATH for as low as 46 GBP each way. But note that the cheapest fares are for a horror 1:15am arrival.

You could ask about using IB via BCN or MAD as an option. BA and IB are the only two OneWorld airlines flying into ATH.

Some flavours of the Eurail passes include ferry connections between ATH and various ports in Italy and possibly other countries, so that may be an option if you are also looking to use trains to commute around Europe.

Do Qantas still code-share with Gulf Air on Singapore-Bahrain-Athens, if they do this could be quite a reasonable possibility

Qantas are quite stingy on award inventory. Recently on a trip to Bangkok Qantas wasnt willing to give any Y, J or F Class tickets on QF 2 or QF 302 but I was able to book under a BA flight number (in First Class mind you).

It's all a matter of luck I guess

Thanks to all, and for the welcome, and please keep the advice coming.

One question to NM (or others): I realise I am exposing my FT ignorance, but what exactly does (QF) WP stand for?

Cheers

Welcome to FT tallboy

Please see the "for those new to the QF board" thread - tells all.

Thanks for the link, which clarifies things.

I would like to propose the addition of JB (James Boag), which is my bev of choice

Which just goes to show that you will fit in well around here. Unfortunately, JB is not available at many QP's around the traps. I have seen it in SYD F lounge fridges. Not sure about anywhere else though.

I believe I saw some in the AKL J lounge earlier this month.

Unfortunately, there was no Mac's

*Good to see this thread drift off again to the forum's favorite topic

Fortunately NZ AKL lounge still well stocked with Macs ^

You know tallboy, that's a question I ask myself every day... - but now you know the real answer .

I have a group of avid Qantas FT'ers that I met at the first BNE FT QP meeting - NM, IainF, JohnSydney2000, thadocta, Willyroo, BundyBear (to name a few) - to thank for christening me with this apt name over a Hahn Premium or 4...and devising the SG, PS and NB names as well.

It's also quite distressing to read people typing my name all the time, but not addressing me...

xB=bronze
xS=silver
xG=gold
xP=platinum

The x is the most (un)complementary prefix word we could ascribe to the status level as determined by the FTer members persent at the 1st AGM in BNE. The higher the status, the more uncomplenetary the prefix.

Then it is a very good thing you now have Platinum status. I seem to remember back then you were Gold. So what did the "o" stand for in the og ? Perhaps Oppulant Gold? Old Gold? Oracle Gold? Octogenarian Gold?

Yes I do know, really .

Getting to ATH on FF points

Hmm... if it wasn't for the mention of Hahn Premium, I would have thought this was getting decidedly OT!

thats out of Macs too