Sometimes its cheaper to buy a ticket than claim free/discounted flights. The $1000 taxes/charges on a flight you can buy all up for $1700
Anyway, my real rant. Next week I am going to Rome. Booked via Qantas the route is to HKG and then FCO with CX. Was about to go to Paris early next year - fastest/cheapest flight on the
Qantas website is to SIN with
JQ and then to CDG with
AF.
Not even a SINGLE sector on a Qantas plane. Whats the point?
You did ask for cheapest and fastest flight. From SIN you won't get anything other than LHR or FRT. JQ is the cheapest to SIN and AF is the quickest to CDG. Basically you get what you ask for. Otherwise you would go QF to LHR and then BA or AF to CDG.
This is the whole point. Just like Frequent Flyers trying to get on a QANTAS flight of their choosing. You will get sent around the world before getting to your destination. But they'll gladly get you on a JQ flight and any other flight.