I am able to get through selecting the dates and flights annd confirming the points and taxes payable and even get to inputting passenger details but at the last stage before payment I get the error code. A quick google seems to suggest that it has to do with the connection time being over 24hrs or something?
When we explained the code to the agent on the phone they simply didn’t understand and tried to tell us the bookings were not yet open which is incorrect.
Qantas agents have been known to vary in level of competence so some may be not very helpful. You can only Hang Up and Call Again. Hoping to get an agent from a local office.
I suspect you are right, the longer than 24hr stop at Taipei is likely the problem. I think it will be treated as similar to booking the flights on separate itinerary (i.e. costing more). If that is indeed the case, you could try to see whether you have issues booking the flights separately. Please let me know if I am completely wrong.
Agreed regarding the competency of some of the agents. It unfortunately was a local agent the second time but we will try again!
We did look at the two legs separately but for some reason you can’t look up just Taipei to Rome on multi city search (it won’t allow it) and when you look it up on the normal flight booking way on Qantas website it states that the taxes will be like $2000 just for that one leg? Not sure how that can be when taxes are only $210 per person including the Australia to Taipei leg.
Confusing as hell but it is TWD $2161 (AUD105). You only see the currency details at checkout. Otherwise, it just shows the currency symbol. Taxes will be in the currency of the departure point.
Oh my, I thought that was crazy. Thank you for clarifying, I’ll suss out booking with two separate bookings tomorrow! Just a quick follow up question if you don’t mind.
If they are on two separate bookings is it correct in saying if there are delays or cancellations of the first leg, we wouldn’t be ‘protected’ (meaning getting put on another flight etc)? And would they still be able to check luggage to final destination if it’s two separate bookings (planning on just staying at an airside hotel in Taipei for the whole day so don’t want to have to clear customs enter the country and come back in).
Yes. Unfortunately, you wouldn’t be protected for delays or cancellations if you are on separate PNR. If that is important to you, have you considered other flight times and whether it would reduce the time between flights to less than 24 hrs (e.g. not sure how different the flight timings are from BNE/SYD). 24 hrs should be ample buffer for most cases but if you are super worried, you could leave another day in between the flights. All of these add more costs/time/effort though. Would have been good to get it to work via multi-city.
This suggest you need to clear customs if on separate PNR. I think ultimately it depends on whether the check in agent is able to check you through in MEL and provide both boarding passes. However, best to assume you won’t get this.
Thanks for that! If it were for me I’d be happy with the gap to not be protected, but it’s for my parents and they are a little more on the conservative end. Same goes for not wanting to collect baggage and entering the country then coming back through immigration etc. Unfortunately all the CI flights come in around the same time so the gap was with everyone!
Ended up booking with MH through to Tokyo then to Frankfurt on JAL all in business so it all worked out in the end!