Emirates is no longer offering its complimentary Chauffeur Drive service to business and first class passengers flying with Emirates but booked under a Qantas QF flight number to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

Chauffeur Drive remains available on these routes when travelling on an Emirates EK flight number, whether the reservation was made via Emirates or Qantas (excluding on arrival or departure in Kuala Lumpur).

However, by choosing an EK flight number travellers earn far fewer Qantas Frequent Flyer points and no status credits.

Read more: Earn maximum Qantas Points on Emirates flights

The changes took effect on February 6 but were not announced by either airline, being merely slipped into the fine print on both the Qantas and Emirates websites.

A spokesperson for Qantas confirmed the shake-up to Australian Business Traveller, advising that the airline is "honouring the complementary Chauffeur Drive for customers, travelling on Qantas codeshare flights operated by Emirates to/from Asia, who booked prior to 6 February".

"There is no change to the Chauffeur Drive service for eligible customers travelling between Australia and New Zealand to/from Dubai and London Heathrow (QF1 / QF2 / QF9 and QF10) and eligible codeshare services operated by Emirates to destinations in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa."

Curiously, travellers merely using Qantas Frequent Flyer points to book Emirates flights to Asia continue to receive the complimentary Chauffeur Drive service, as award tickets are issued with EK flight numbers and already come sans status credits.

Australian Business Traveller was advised by an Emirates spokesperson that "flights booked on an Emirates flight number (e.g. EK404) will continue to be eligible for this service. All existing Chauffeur Drive Service requests confirmed prior to and on 6th February 2015, by Qantas on this route will be honoured by Emirates."

Emirates Skywards members who book travel directly with Emirates on EK flight numbers aren’t affected by this change and can continue to utilise the complimentary chauffeur service while accruing Skywards Tier Miles.

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