[Lindsay Wilson]

My topic on my fathers South African trip refers.

On his return, he had misplaced most of his SAA BP's, other than his return JNB/SYD flight (because it was a codeshare flight, on QF metal, with QF boarding passes showing {sold as SA7700} and he had just flown it).

After admonishing my father for his oversight, he emailed QF on 3 April (well, I did really :wink: ) as most of the SAA sectors hadn't posted:

Hi Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre,

It appears that I haven't been credited with any of the flights on a recent trip to South Africa. The ticket was on SAA ticket stock. The SAA reloc is xxxxxx, in conjunction with QF's reloc xxxxxx (for my QF BNE/PER & SYD/BNE flights) These QF flights have credited to my account, however my other SAA flight have not credited.

Unfortunately, I mislaid the other SAA flight boarding passes during my trip, so I understand that I may not receive credit for those flights as I cannot produce the original boarding passes. However I have retained my JNB/SYD boarding pass, so I have scanned and attached a copy of it, together with my ticket.

As expected, his QF metal BNE/PER & SYD/BNE flights posted automatically. On Tuesday, his JNB/SYD flight posted (apparently automatically):

04 APR 06 SA 7700 ECONOMY 25MAR06 JOHANNESBURG/SYDNEY 6,846 - - 6,846 0
28 MAR 06 SA 322 ECONOMY 22MAR06 CAPE TOWN/JOHANNESBURG 790 - - 790 0
26 MAR 06 QF 536 ECONOMY 26MAR06 SYDNEY/BRISBANE 468 - - 1,000 10
09 MAR 06 QF 767 ECONOMY 08MAR06 BRISBANE/PERTH 2,244 - - 2,244 20

The reply from QFF service Centre received today was eye opening:

Please note, the information regarding your South African flights have been referred for confirmation. We'll credit you with all qualifying flights as soon as the details are confirmed. This can take a few weeks.

Whilst on this occasion we have referred your flight to our partner airline without supporting documentation, for future reference to investigate claims for points omitted from your account for flights undertaken with our partner airlines, we require the tickets and boarding passes. To ensure the automatic crediting of flights to your account, the Frequent Flyer number has to be placed into the booking by your travel or reservations agent. When you receive the boarding pass it should show the Frequent Flyer number, if it has been entered correctly.

We recommend that you keep the ticket and boarding passes until you can confirm that the points have been credited. Points should appear on the account within 7 days after a flight has been completed.

Does this mean (see bolded comment) a change in QFF's position, in that QF maybe be able to credit FF points for those sectors on partner airlines or even QF metal (whereas previous my understanding is that they would only follow up and agree to credit where you did retain your BP as proof)??

I'm looking forward to seeing if SAA will be able to confirm that my father took the flights and whether QF will credit him points...PER/JNB would be nice, not as worried about the internal sectors as much (not tha many points)...

[Dave Noble]

I was under the impression that the BP and Ticket were always a requirement when requesting points for travel undertaken on carriers other than QF and it would seem that in this instance they have made an exception, though they will not do it again

Dave

[Lindsay Wilson]

That was my conundrum Dave, is it a once-off or is this a change in their procedures. Surely airlines do have electronic records that people checked-in (with seat assignment) and boarded flights (through the scanners at boarding Gate), therefore should the physical presentation of the BP now be superfluous in this day and age of electronics...

[Yada Yada]

Given the level of computerisation these days I find it hard to believe that the airlines are wanting hard copy proof that someone was on a flight. They should be able to determine this electronically very quickly. My take is that they just want to make it difficult.

[serfty]

Sniff, sniff...

Hmmm.. smells like a form letter.... :?

[Lindsay Wilson]

serfty, yes, I don't disagree with your assertion...but it is different to the previous emails for missing points that I have received in the past....

I'm not sure one way or the other, but some robust debate always throws up some interesting points from others .

[Kiwi Flyer]

Originally Posted by Yada Yada

Given the level of computerisation these days I find it hard to believe that the airlines are wanting hard copy proof that someone was on a flight. They should be able to determine this electronically very quickly. My take is that they just want to make it difficult.

I agree - unfortunately the airlines dont agree with us (yet).

[serfty]

Originally Posted by Lindsay Wilson

serfty, yes, I don't disagree with your assertion...but it is different to the previous emails for missing points that I have received in the past....

I'm not sure one way or the other, but some robust debate always throws up some interesting points from others .

Maybe it's a new form letter; doc id abc1234_apr_06.

[NM]

Originally Posted by Yada Yada

Given the level of computerisation these days I find it hard to believe that the airlines are wanting hard copy proof that someone was on a flight. They should be able to determine this electronically very quickly. My take is that they just want to make it difficult.

The things they are checking are:

• did you actually take the flight (confirmation you boarded)
• did you credit the flight to another FF program
• the fare basis is eligible for earning
• the operating carrier is actually going to pay QF for the points

So there is a need to validate the information with the operating carrier as they will be the ones actually charged for the FF points.

I can only suppose they request to see the boarding pass so they have a way of knowing they have all the details they need (flight number, date, origin, destination etc) to be able to contact the operating carrier to validate the four points above.

It is not that the boarding pass and/or ticket is required, it is just that these pieced of documentation provide QF with all the information they require and its in a format that minimises errors and confusion.

I am sure there are lots ways that Qantas could seek to get the information they require, but requesting the boarding pass and ticket is the easiest way to consistently ensure they have all the information they need.

I have found that if you provide all the necessary information, as Lindsay did on behalf of his father, they will try to validate and credit if due. But they want their Terms and Conditions to be clear that its the boarding pass and ticket that will ensure they have the accurate and complete information to investigate the request.

[Lindsay Wilson]

Another one of the reasons I want them to hurry up and post any points they want to give my dad, is that SAA ceases to be a QF partner as of 9th April. That being the case, will SAA and QF cease to speak to one another
about these matters....