OWE benefits on Qantas?

[Whisper2]

I have booked 4 economy flights on Qantas from SYD to WLG and added our BAEC numbers to the booking (it shows “Emerald” under the number). My wife and I are BA Gold, so I was hoping to see extra baggage allowance and be able to choose our seats for free. When I go into MMB it just shows the standard 30kg per person and wants to charge AU$15 per person to select a seat.
Have I misunderstood – or am I doing something wrong?

[phantomchickenz]

The OW site lists both as a benefit of Emerald. You’ll probably be fine at the airport turning up with the extra baggage, but no harm reaching out to Qantas in advance to make sure – especially as it sounds like you need to speak to them about seat selection!

[Whisper2]

Thanks – that’s what I thought. Called them and in a mere 30mins they managed to select seats for me. Only waiting about 30secs to get through – the agent did not seem to understand what to do so kept putting me on hold. Long explanation on the how the seat fees were not refundable – and then confirming it was free.
Makes me think BA is not too bad at all! 🙂

[desh36000]

Ive used QF via OWS and OWE status and they do have niggles. The fine print in the T&C’s online do clearly state partner airline policies – so you are entitled to extra bag, priority boarding, priority checkin, and seat assignment.

The QF website often adds a QF FF number AS WELL AS your BA number. This prevents status benefits from being able to be used. So get that removed and sorted out by a phone call. Their systems cant deal with having both there.

At checkin – you will nearly ALWAYS have to argue the case for a extra bag at AKL or WLG airports, probably a few others. The staff at checkin just dont usually know the OWE and OWS policy on baggage and you have to ask for a super or show them the policy docs from online. I have NEVER been able to checkin extra bags without this faff, across about 5 trips. So be ready for that if it happens. You ARE entitled to this benefit though, unless on a non QF metal flight (Jetstar or Emirates are typically the ones that dont qualify).

Seat selection can get screwed up by other people on your booking not bein elites or not having their FF numbers in there. It will try to seat you together, which works the first time online, but not after that. You would need to phone to move seating again.
Also note that some flights – in particular the SYD/Mel -> NZ or similar short hauls – dont release blocks of seats to OW elites until very close to departure. So you can get a std seat, but extra leg room is not selectable without a fee until pretty much the week you go. They will not forgo this its blocked on the system for QF FF elites.