Biz Class Airfare

[pinotlover]

2 minutes ago, ORV said:

Can you refresh my memory on how this works. Seems I remember something about having to also be paid in full before booking. Or is that to be ticketed?

It’s to be ticketed. A different set of long rules, but one can be booked but not ticketed. Then , depending upon airline status, one may or may not be able to do things like seat assignments. Also, until ticketed, all itinerary changes go through the booking intermediary ( O) not the passengers. 
 

Once one pays in full they can request for the reservations be ticketed.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Add to that if one chooses to not pay the deviation fee and book at 270 days out, and wait until O books at 45-75 days out, you get whatever is leftover and available on whichever planes and routing O can piece together. 

 

 

I did not know you could BOOK 270 days out without paying the deviation fee 🤔

[pinotlover]

10 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

I did not know you could BOOK 270 days out without paying the deviation fee 🤔

Sorry about the confusion, not what I meant. I believe they do require the fee. 
 

My intention was to imply that the decision to not book early ( and then pay the required fee) results in fewer and quite regularly poorer options in flight choices.

[LHT28]

33 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Sorry about the confusion, not what I meant. I believe they do require the fee. 
 

My intention was to imply that the decision to not book early ( and then pay the required fee) results in fewer and quite regularly poorer options in flight choices.

Yes  I agree

book early for the best routes  especially non stops 😉

 

[jrandjr]

On 7/21/2022 at 5:59 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

As I’ve said many times, do NOT use O bizclass. There’s no credit for the coach tix that are part of the fare base needed to get an upgrade quote. In essence, you’re paying for two tix per person (the total of which is not that good for O Contract flights which are seldom non-stop and often have inconvenient connections). And, if you choose deviation, you then have to pay fare differences from what they proposed as well as the deviation fee (unless you have higher O Club status).

 

Take the air credit and DIY bizclass.

Respectfully disagree! We have compared and always gotten great prices for biz class with O. We also have many air points but using O air works best. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, jrandjr said:

Respectfully disagree! We have compared and always gotten great prices for biz class with O. We also have many air points but using O air works best. 

Nonstops on your preferred airline? FF points earned? Seat assignments at time of booking? Ability to offset cost with some FF points (plus your cash)?

[ORV]

1 minute ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Nonstops on your preferred airline? FF points earned? Seat assignments at time of booking? Ability to offset cost with some FF points (plus your cash)?

I don't get Biz class, but when I get PE or E and fly on AA or Delta I always get FF points with the O air. I usually don't use them for Domestic flights. I usually get seat assignments when flights are assigned, and once they are ticketed, or maybe before I can move them around to improve my location. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 minutes ago, ORV said:

I don't get Biz class, but when I get PE or E and fly on AA or Delta I always get FF points with the O air. I usually don't use them for Domestic flights. I usually get seat assignments when flights are assigned, and once they are ticketed, or maybe before I can move them around to improve my location. 

That’s good news (assuming they’re actual AA or Delta points rather than CC points).

Are you talking about good deals on nonstop intercontinental flights?

FWIW: We seldom do bizclass for some domestic flights like SFO to LAX and I’ve always found that the O air credit is more than what I pay for those tix.

Edited July 25, 2022 by Flatbush Flyer

[Mura]

20 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

 But, if the “poop hits the fan” with airline issues like delays/cancellations/rebooking (so common these days), you’re stuck with needing to contact your “middleman” while DIYers are on the phone with the airline directly. This is particularly important if you have high FF status with your preferred carrier, have a dedicated call number and understand “how to’s” for options like “ticket assignment” (which can save your whole vacation).  

I'm going back many years ago but on the ship I ran into a high school classmate.  (We had graduated MANY years earlier.)  They had used O's air from Santa Ana, CA, but the flight was cancelled -- due, I think to weather problems, but I no longer remember the "why". 

 

They contacted Oceania and got NO help whatsoever.  They finally got a flight out but could only join the ship in Oslo, several days after we departed from Dover.  Oceania gave them a bottle of champagne as an apology, but this wasn't satisfactory for two recovering alcoholics!  And back then Oceania wouldn't make a non-alcoholic substitution.  As a result, they have not sailed with Oceania since then. I would like to think this situation would not occur these days.

[jrandjr]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Nonstops on your preferred airline? FF points earned? Seat assignments at time of booking? Ability to offset cost with some FF points (plus your cash)?

One stop on preferred airline with FF earned each instance. Picked seats shortly after booking. No offset. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

35 minutes ago, jrandjr said:

One stop on preferred airline with FF earned each instance. Picked seats shortly after booking. No offset. 

Did you get a non-stop price quote and, if so, was it better than DIY.

[jrandjr]

9 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Did you get a non-stop price quote and, if so, was it better than DIY.

Cannot get non-stop from Daytona using my preferred airline.