Code Share Bookings on International Flights

[Steve S... 2]

Hi...

I have a work colleague with a bit of an issue over a booking.

He holds a credit with Qantas, for a cancelled flight.

He would like to book a new flight which includes a "QF flight" plus a QF flight "operated by Cathay Pacific".

The travel agent has told him he cannot use the credit towards the QF flight "operated by Cathay Pacific".

Is this true?

Thanks,

Steve S

[Guy W]

I presume your colleague is looking at travelling to ROM via HKG. If there is a fare available on the GDS, I cannot see why the credit cannot be used towards the new fare even part of the journey is not operated by QF. If the travel agent insists, get your colleague to talk to QF customer care directly. I am sure QF doesn't need anymore negative publicity.

[Daniel F]

Is he trying to book the flight with a stopover in HKG? If he is trying to get a stopover in HKG, that's the reason why the credit can't be used. Because the QF codeshare flight on CX can only be booked with a same-day connection to/from a QF flight.

[Torin Wilson]

Hi...

I have a work colleague with a bit of an issue over a booking.

He holds a credit with Qantas, for a cancelled flight.

He would like to book a new flight which includes a "QF flight" plus a QF flight "operated by Cathay Pacific".

The travel agent has told him he cannot use the credit towards the QF flight "operated by Cathay Pacific".

Is this true?

Thanks,

Steve S

The simple answer would be to not use a travel agent for credit, most don't like working with credit or frequent flyer points and will find any excuse to avoid dealing with it.

In a case like this ring and deal with the airline direct - most likely save money on the booking as well!

[Nils Kenny]

Well I am a Travel Agent and it's True, on the Code-Share flight's you can not have a StopOver in Hong Kong you must use the CX flight number for a Stop-Over. Most Travel Agents I know are Happy to use Credits and do Help with Frequent Flyer Bookings as they will sell you something else like Accommodation or Travel Insurance, they may charge you a Service Fee, but if you call QANTAS over the Phone to do Bookings they Charge you a Service fee.

[Andrew Johnson]

Have to agree with Nils. Most travel agents are much more efficient than dealing direct with airline anyway.

I had some frequent flyer points to use up. Called airline, who couldn't find any seats on route I wanted, at time I wanted.

Travel agent found some on a slightly different itinerary, which was actually preferable in the end & fee was minimal, especially considering agent found some seats where airline couldn't.

[Torin Wilson]

Have to agree with Nils. Most travel agents are much more efficient than dealing direct with airline anyway.

I had some frequent flyer points to use up. Called airline, who couldn't find any seats on route I wanted, at time I wanted.

Travel agent found some on a slightly different itinerary, which was actually preferable in the end & fee was minimal, especially considering agent found some seats where airline couldn't.

That comes down to the competency of the Qantas agent. I had a very complicated Qantas frequent flyer booking to do for a client, and I hard to call numerous times to get them to find availability. Some were great and looked at all the options, others nothing. Some don't bother checking the special platinum allotment for redemption seats, while others do.

I have found the Tasmanian call centre the best, but even then it varies.

I know of a lot of agents that won't touch frequent flyer redemption, but I'm happy to help where I can when I can.

[Andrew Johnson]

Why wouldn't you just look up ff availability in your CRS & save time on hold? From memory when used to do this, we used to look up Amadeus & economy class was eg. on QF (x class) & on AA (T class).

An agent has a vested interest in trying harder, as usually his/her job, pay packet or bonus/incentive payments riding on it. A Qantas employee probably doesn't have any of that incentive.

[Malcolm Parker]

You will find that the voucher probably has certain restrictions. Among them that the flight must be operated by Qantas. I was given one of those paper credit documents last year for a downgrade and I went to use it for flight QF322 which was operated by LAN but was told I could not use it and I had to book QF43 instead. So sounds plausible he could not use it for the Cathay operated flights.