QF changing SYD-LAX flights without notice?

[awkwardpaws]

Hi all

I booked a SYD-LAX QF flight on Orbitz (needed the 24 hour cancellation policy) a few months back.


My flights were:

• Thu, Jan 14: QF17 SYD-LAX dep 6:30pm
• Wed, Jan 20: QF94 LAX-MEL dep 10:50pm; QF428 MEL-SYD dep 11:30AM

I added my QFF number (only bronze, unfortunately) to my Orbitz booking, and got my email confirmation from Ortbiz.


A few days after I booked, I got an email from Orbitz notifying that my flight reservation has changed. My QF94 LAX-MEL has now moved forward by 35minutes, now departing 10:15pm (which is totally fine). This confirms that I put down the right contact details for flight changes (which comes in handy later on)



Between then and today, have gotten nothing from Orbitz or Qantas about my flights. I even put down a request on lounge meetups a few days ago to see if anyone can guest me and my partner in QF intl J lounge before our QF17 6:30pm flight!




Being the #avgeek I am, tonight I decided to check for my flight for plane type and prices for my QF17 flight next week (SYD-LAX leg).


I was quite shocked to see that I couldnt see (and cant purchase if i wanted to) my QF17 flight at all (screenshot below are the only direct flights from SYD-LAX on Jan 14 as of tonight)!




I promptly checked both my orbitz account and my QF account to see what my flight was, to my surprise, turns out my flight has been changed to QF11 that leaves a much earlier 11:30am (rather than the night QF17 6:30pm flight) (without any notice to me it seems!) I got nothing from Qantas or Orbitz about this, and I guess, lucky I checked tonight! The thing is, I clearly was able to get email notification for my booking (confirmed by the previous change), but got nothing of that sort for this more substantial change!




This brings me a few questions:


1. I assume these flight changes happen (and is within their terms). But how often does this happen?


2. Does QFF (or my OTA in this instance, Orbitz) normally notify the pax that they are changing their flights (esp, to one that is 7 hours earlier!!) Is it my responsibility to check since they still the change they made is still the same day?


3. What happened to QF17 on Jan 14? I tried a few dates and I can see its still available for other dates


4. I has some commitments in the mid-morning of Jan 14 which now I clearly can't meet because of this flight change that I didn't realise and was not notified for. What recourse would I have in terms of this?


Thanks for reading guys, just so in shock right now and want to know my available next steps.


awkwardpaws

 

[hutch]

...
1. I assume these flight changes happen (and is within their terms). But how often does this happen?


2. Does QFF (or my OTA in this instance, Orbitz) normally notify the pax that they are changing their flights (esp, to one that is 7 hours earlier!!) Is it my responsibility to check since they still the change they made is still the same day?


3. What happened to QF17 on Jan 14? I tried a few dates and I can see its still available for other dates


4. I has some commitments in the mid-morning of Jan 14 which now I clearly can't meet because of this flight change that I didn't realise and was not notified for. What recourse would I have in terms of this?


Thanks for reading guys, just so in shock right now and want to know my available next steps.


awkwardpaws

1. Qantas made changes to Nth American network because of:
A. Introduction of Syd-SFO flights
B. Entry of American Airlines on LAX -SYD route.
Flight times can change, but major operational changes like this one aren't too common... but that's my subjective opinion.

2. Normally your agent should notify you if you used one. I've been using checkmytrip app recently (only works for airlines that use Amadeus I think) and I find the App notifies me quickly.

3. QF 17 was reduced to 3x weekly as part of QF Nth America changes and will disappear completely from around late April.

4. Assuming you booked before 19 Nov, you should be able to change flights to the next day or to re-route via Dallas (which leaves at 3pm).

 

[Red Roo]

Thanks for reading guys, just so in shock right now and want to know my available next steps.

This sounds unusual. As the original booking was not made with Qantas, you should receive notification directly from your agent about any changes to your schedule.

Please contact Orbitz ASAP to discuss your options, and ensure the e-ticket matches the itinerary. We have limited access to your booking, however our 24/7 Contact Centre on 131313 may also be able to guide you.

Let me know how you go.

 

[hutch]

What time do Red Roos sleep?

 

[Red Roo]

What time do Roos sleep?

While most kangaroo species are categorised as being nocturnal (or more accurately, crepuscular), this Roo also happens to be addicted to AFF!

 

[PineappleSkip]

Crepuscular!

 

[Danger]

Crepuscular!

New word for me too.

Nice to have back for the new year, Red Roo.

 

[awkwardpaws]

4. Assuming you booked before 19 Nov, you should be able to change flights to the next day or to re-route via Dallas (which leaves at 3pm).

Thanks hutch, I did actually book before Nov 19, so as per RedRoo's suggestion, going to try to contact Orbitz as a first step. Tried to use their live chat service but they cant do anything, they said I need to call in their customer service in the US. Will do that and let you guys know how I go, and if I get nothing from them, might call the QF customer service.

Was just concerned what would've happened has I not checked my flight beforehand! Also, I initially chose this flight as it was a late night flight, so just a shame about how QF17 isnt flying on that day of the week.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Similar related issue with a relative of mine. Booked their USA trip (currently there) via flight centre, was then notified of minor flight changes by the agent. However if I use the booking code on the QF site, theres an entire AA domestic leg missing from the booking!

 

[opusman]

Out of interest, why book through Orbitz and not QF directly? Going through an agent seems unnecessary when there is a perfectly good direct booking system available and only makes things more complicated when problems arise.

 

[Red Roo]

Thanks hutch, I did actually book before Nov 19, so as per RedRoo's suggestion, going to try to contact Orbitz as a first step. Tried to use their live chat service but they cant do anything, they said I need to call in their customer service in the US. Will do that and let you guys know how I go, and if I get nothing from them, might call the QF customer service.

Was just concerned what would've happened has I not checked my flight beforehand! Also, I initially chose this flight as it was a late night flight, so just a shame about how QF17 isnt flying on that day of the week.

Please do persist as our system shows that this schedule change occurred on 15 July 2015! Orbitz should have received an auto-generated update to pass on to their customers.

 

[awkwardpaws]

Update - contacted the Orbitz call centre. Explained my situation that Orbitz & QF never informed me that my flight got changed from QF17 (dep 6:30pm) to QF11 (dep 11:30am), but they are adamant that I got a system generated email in mid July (a few days after I booked it that confirms that QF17//QF11 change) - which I can confirm I never got. As expected, they cant send me a copy of that change email (they sent me in mid July) to confirm that it was sent.

Anyway, she asked what my preference was, I mentioned that a night flight on 14th (what I booked initially), otherwise a night flight the day before (Jan 13) would be the next preference (I have a meeting around noon on the Jan 14 that I could theoretically do by VC if I flew the day before, but not if I'm in the air on QF11. Missing this isnt the end of the world, but rather avoid that situation and see what Orbitz + QF can do).

She said she had to contact a QF agent (which she herself got put on hold!), who then told her that I am only able to
(1) keep my flight, or
(2) change it to the next day Jan 15, which is not ideal for me and my partner.
BUT NOT a Jan 13 flight.

QQ - in situations like this, is a flight the day before not offered (and only day after?)

She agreed that the QF11 flight is not one that I booked, and hence shouldnt be a flight that I should be forced to take. She mentioned that she can now only escalate with her offline flights team to negotiate and liaise with QF directly to see whether they could do anything to keep the Jan 14 night flight (which I know now thanks to AFF - QF doesn't have a night flight that day) or change it to the day before, and that Orbitz will get back to me within 24 hours.

In the meantime, I asked whether me calling QF customer centre would help proceedings, to which she said that is possible, but she is concerned that QF will be defer to Orbitz and tell me to contact Orbitz since I booked with them. I'm going to try anyway.

Order of preference would be
(1) Keep a night departure on Jan 14 (which I now know that QF has no flight)
(2) Change to a night departure on Jan 13
(3) Stick to QF11 mid-morning Jan 14 flight and miss my meeting

Looks like its going to be an exciting day ahead of me to call Qantas (and/or waiting for Orbitz), sigh.

opusman - I booked on Orbitz since it was much cheaper than the QF engine that day, plus no booking fee and I needed the easy 24 hour cancellation policy of Orbitz. Do you think if I booked it on QF engine it would be less hairy?

SeatBackForward - was your relative at least contacted by FC about the flight change? And what happened to the domestic AA leg?!

 

[hutch]

July!? I didn't think these changes went back so far... but some further digging and I'm wrong :-(

However, just read QFs commercial policy (from July) and you can change flight to within 24hrs (either side) or re-route via SFO.

See this link may help Latest Qantas News

 

[cmon0005]

this Roo also happens to be addicted to AFF!

As we all are

 

[hutch]

July!? I didn't think these changes went back so far... but some further digging and I'm wrong :-(

However, just read QFs commercial policy (from July) and you can change flight to within 24hrs (either side) or re-route via SFO.

See this link may help Latest Qantas News

I should read better... the SFO option is only available if you booked your flight there. Too early

 

[SeatBackForward]

SeatBackForward - was your relative at least contacted by FC about the flight change? And what happened to the domestic AA leg?!

FC sent her a rather confusing email notifying the changes, it listed the original flights alongside the new flights, so in all it appeared like there were three extra legs required - but it was easy enough to decipher. The domestic AA leg appears on the AA website if you use the AA reference, but its missing from the QF site if you use the QF reference code. I shall give QF a call today to find out.

 

[awkwardpaws]

July!? I didn't think these changes went back so far... but some further digging and I'm wrong :-(

However, just read QFs commercial policy (from July) and you can change flight to within 24hrs (either side) or re-route via SFO.

See this link may help Latest Qantas News

hutch - that link is excellent. I might call QF and quote this piece of news and hopefully its a straight forward process

RedRoo - thanks for your assistance so far. I'm going to call 13 13 13 and get it changed to 24 hours prior and see how it goes!

SeatBackForward - good luck! looks like we're both calling QF today!

 

[awkwardpaws]

Please do persist as our system shows that this schedule change occurred on 15 July 2015! Orbitz should have received an auto-generated update to pass on to their customers.

Hi RedRoo - thanks for the advice so far.

I tried the callback service of 13 13 13, and at 9:30am, they said it was it was 35minutes. Sadly, even until 10:30am, I got nothing so I decided to call 13 13 13 with a different phone (while waiting for the callback), and after an hour waiting I finally reached Neta from Auckland on the phone! (still no callback, sadly)

Anyway, Neta informed me that the policy as hutch pointed out is correct (since its a scheduled change, can change 24 hours either side) - but I need to contact Orbitz as QF cannot change any booking reservations booked through a travel agent and I have to go through Orbitz. Is that the right understanding?

Anyway, here's to me contacting Orbitz!

 

[awkwardpaws]

Hi RedRoo - thanks for the advice so far.

To update everyone, before I managed to call Orbitz, RedRoo has taken the initiative and managed to track down my reservation from this forum (note that I haven't actually added any personal details here) and Lisa from Qantas gave me a call about 5 minutes ago to confirm that she has changed the booking for me such that my flight is now on Jan 13 QF17 flight (which is the best case scenario!)!

I'd like to thank RedRoo and Lisa from Qantas for taking the initiative for changing my flight booking and making sure I didn't need to do the run-around and contact Orbitz (who in turn would've needed to contact Qantas)!

+1 for QF customer service!

Note: Just to clarify to everyone, bookings made by TAs and OTAs will be owned by the TAs until the actual flight has commenced (so changes have to go through TAs), so to avoid hassles such as this, I would recommend booking directly with the airline - so much easier to solve!

Again, thanks RedRoo (and this confirms the power of AFF to me!)

 

[hutch]

To update everyone, before I managed to call Orbitz, RedRoo has taken the initiative and managed to track down my reservation from this forum (note that I haven't actually added any personal details here) and Lisa from Qantas gave me a call about 5 minutes ago to confirm that she has changed the booking for me such that my flight is now on Jan 13 QF17 flight (which is the best case scenario!)!

I'd like to thank RedRoo and Lisa from Qantas for taking the initiative for changing my flight booking and making sure I didn't need to do the run-around and contact Orbitz (who in turn would've needed to contact Qantas)!

+1 for QF customer service!

Note: Just to clarify to everyone, bookings made by TAs and OTAs will be owned by the TAs until the actual flight has commenced (so changes have to go through TAs), so to avoid hassles such as this, I would recommend booking directly with the airline - so much easier to solve!

Again, thanks RedRoo (and this confirms the power of AFF to me!)

Good to hear!!!

The crepuscular critter is on a roll atm