Charging for award seat selection?
Mar 16, 2023, 7:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 377
Charging for award seat selection?
Is this a new thing? After a Qatar cancellation, I rebooked earlier today through the phone. Tonight, I tried to select my seat and was hit with a surprise charge for selecting my seat. This was a business award using Qatar miles.
Mar 16, 2023, 8:43 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MEL
Programs: DL, QF, QR Silver, MR Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,014
This sounds like the same bug that I have encountered a while back. As Gold, the website and mobile app wanted to charge me for preferred seats in Y. You can contact QR and they will assign the seat for you.
Mar 17, 2023, 10:14 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 377
Looking into this closer on my desktop, I was rebooked into R Class, which after a quick search charges for seat selection. My return flights stayed U (business award, no charge for seat selection). I think it was just the rebooking rep's error. Unless Qatar has a weird rule about award rebookings without award availability.
Mar 20, 2023, 5:26 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 377
Reached out via their online chat, to ask about the rebooking of an award to Class R, and the subsequent seat charge. They said because of the change, Id have to pay.
Ill probably try to call at some point, but Im genuinely curious if this is a new thing for Qatar to rebook awards in R when there is no longer award availability on the flight? Or if this was simply a mistake. Im actually content in not selecting a seat, given the 2 previous times I called, they refused to rebook me on the same day later flight from IAD. Again, just curious if this is a new policy?
Ill probably try to call at some point, but Im genuinely curious if this is a new thing for Qatar to rebook awards in R when there is no longer award availability on the flight? Or if this was simply a mistake. Im actually content in not selecting a seat, given the 2 previous times I called, they refused to rebook me on the same day later flight from IAD. Again, just curious if this is a new policy?
Mar 20, 2023, 9:28 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,646
Looking into this closer on my desktop, I was rebooked into R Class, which after a quick search charges for seat selection. My return flights stayed U (business award, no charge for seat selection). I think it was just the rebooking rep's error. Unless Qatar has a weird rule about award rebookings without award availability.
On the other hand, you might get the avios associated with R... Others might know.
Mar 21, 2023, 2:29 am
#8
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,255
When QR has to change you to a flight without U award availability, they have to force the system to get you a revenue fare bucket. The cheapest fare bucket they could get is R and you follow the rule of R.
On the other hand, you might get the avios associated with R... Others might know.
On the other hand, you might get the avios associated with R... Others might know.
Mar 21, 2023, 4:57 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 377
When QR has to change you to a flight without U award availability, they have to force the system to get you a revenue fare bucket. The cheapest fare bucket they could get is R and you follow the rule of R.
On the other hand, you might get the avios associated with R... Others might know.
On the other hand, you might get the avios associated with R... Others might know.
Mar 21, 2023, 6:54 am
#10
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,255
I'm guessing that even though this was a QR points booking, you don't have any oneworld status that would give free seat selection? If you do it might be worth checking your FF number is still attached, or trying to re-enter it.
Otherwise I'd be inclined to contact them again. Be very nice about, thanks for the rebooking etc, but in the process of the involuntary change you have now lost some of the benefits of the fare you originally paid for (avios is still paying, just not with cash).
It may be something a supervisor needs to override, so it doesnt hurt to gently ask them to double check. Possibly call the Doha number during their daytime hours using skype or similar.
Good luck!
Otherwise I'd be inclined to contact them again. Be very nice about, thanks for the rebooking etc, but in the process of the involuntary change you have now lost some of the benefits of the fare you originally paid for (avios is still paying, just not with cash).
It may be something a supervisor needs to override, so it doesnt hurt to gently ask them to double check. Possibly call the Doha number during their daytime hours using skype or similar.
Good luck!
Mar 21, 2023, 12:24 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 155
Mar 21, 2023, 1:02 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: YVR, KUL
Programs: AC, MH, BA, AF-KL
Posts: 2,914
Mar 21, 2023, 1:54 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 155
2) Coaxing the CSR to use his/her discretion and assign the desired seat for the OP.