Qantas to allow free changes, cancellations to Classic Flight Reward bookings to 30 September 2022

[DavidFlynn]

Pretty much what it says in the subject line.

With Australian domestic and trans-Tasman travel restrictions beginning to ease, the time to turn travel dreams into travel plans is here. And we’re making it easier to get started with more flexibility on Classic Flight Reward seats.
When you use Qantas Points to book a Classic Flight Reward seat on any Qantas or Jetstar flight, you’ll be able to change the date or cancel your booking, free of charge until 31 October 2020.
So whether you’re looking to travel soon or down the track, Classic Flight Reward seats across Australia are available to be booked - including school holidays and Christmas. It's all part of the Fly Flexible conditions we've introduced to give our customers certainty.

 

[docjames]

What about existing bookings? Where did the quote come from (no source provided)?

Qantas.com still indicates fess applicable for classic FF redemptions Unless flight is cancelled by QF (as of this morning).

 

[Mattg]

There is a mention of the new policy here: Transfer your points | Qantas Frequent Flyer

Plus book with confidence now and fly later with new flexible reward seats

With Australian domestic and trans-Tasman travel restrictions beginning to ease, the time to turn travel dreams into travel plans is here. And we’re making it easier to get started with more flexibility on Classic Flight Reward seats.~ When you use Qantas Points to book a Classic Flight Reward seat you’ll be able to change the date or cancel your booking, free of charge until 31 October 2020.^ This will apply to all bookings on Qantas and Jetstar.

Also here: Fly Flexible | Qantas

 

[cjd600]

I just made changes last week to a One World Award for April 2021, change fees were listed on my account but as zero points.

 

[Mattg]

I see there's now also a dedicated page for this with detailed FAQs: Flexible Classic Flight Rewards | Qantas Frequent Flyer

Appears to also apply to existing bookings, for travel until 31 October.

 

[DavidFlynn]

What about existing bookings? Where did the quote come from (no source provided)?

Qantas.com still indicates fess applicable for classic FF redemptions Unless flight is cancelled by QF (as of this morning).

Sorry Doc, source was QF itself, this info shared with me before the site was updated and emails went out to Qantas Frequent Flyer members, but those emails should be hitting inboxes by now.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I've just cancelled two classic reward bookings for travel in August and November. I was holding off as upto now, the 6k cancellation penalty would have applied. But in the screen confirming the cancellation it now explicitly says the cancellation penalty will be waived.

Post automatically merged: May 27, 2020

Sorry Doc, source was QF itself, this info shared with me before the site was updated and emails went out to Qantas Frequent Flyer members, but those emails should be hitting inboxes by now.

Yep received my email at 4:06pm about it.

 

[JasonK]

This answers a question I asked last week, awesome! Good news

 

[Aus ATC]

I have 2 x Classic Reward bookings. One with QF (BNE-SFO) that when I cancel seems to offer a "flight credit" as per below:

I have not taken this up yet.

The other is with Westjet (SFO-YVR) - on this I was presented with a more coherent screen sequence (that I did not capture) that affirmed that no cancellation charge would apply and that points would be refunded.

Who knows why the 2 different Classic Award bookings presented different cancellation sequences - QF IT strikes again.

 

[jboy90]

I've received the email today and arrange the cancellation of two sets of reward flights with the waiver of the cancellation fee showing on the confirmation pages.

I've never cancelled an award booking before - how long does it generally take for the points and then the taxes to be refunded?

Would like a relatively quick refund of the fees (lol), so I can more easily shut this credit card and churn my way over to the next one!

 

[Ken1]

I have 2 x Classic Reward bookings. One with QF (BNE-SFO) that when I cancel seems to offer a "flight credit" as per below:
View attachment 218833
I have not taken this up yet.

The other is with Westjet (SFO-YVR) - on this I was presented with a more coherent screen sequence (that I did not capture) that affirmed that no cancellation charge would apply and that points would be refunded.

Who knows why the 2 different Classic Award bookings presented different cancellation sequences - QF IT strikes again.

I just tried to cancel a Classic Reward SYD-PPT return with QF flight numbers for all flights booked for travel commencing from SYD on August 24 and returning from PPT on 14 September also got the Flight Credit screen. When I clicked Continue the next screen showed:

"You are about to cancel the flights shown for all passengers
The value of all untravelled flights will be added to a Flight Credit that is valid until 18 September 2020.

Flight Credit Validity Extension: If your flight departs on or before 31 October 2020 and your Flight Credit is created on or before 31 October 2020, the validity date will be extended to 31 December 2021. Any change fees and fare difference will apply at the time of redemption.


For all other bookings, the Flight Credit validity and all redemption conditions are as specified in the fare rules This will open a new tab or window in your browser., Flight Credit Details and Flight Credit Conditions shown below."

Further down on that screen it shows:
" Flight Credit Details
Flight Credit valid until 18 September 2020 Flight Credit value: AUD $699.76 "

The taxes and charges I had paid for the two return tickets was $703.96 .


I didn't go any further and will try again in the next couple of days and if this hasn't been fixed by then I'll have to call QF.

 

[smart1999]

Do you understand that this only applies to bookings departing before end of October or also to later flights as long as you cancel the award before end of October? I read into this that as long as you cancel by the end of October the award cancellation will be free even for flights departing say next April.

Some mentioned the exemption also applied to partner awards. Has anyone cancelled an Emirates classic award for free yet? Unfortunately, Emirates awards book as EK flight numbers, so I think they will be excluded from this.

 

[BriarFlyer]

I've never cancelled an award booking before - how long does it generally take for the points and then the taxes to be refunded?

I've just (this week) received points for award booking cancelled 5/4, so approx 7 weeks. No sign of credit card refund though.

 

[Doctore1003]

Do you understand that this only applies to bookings departing before end of October or also to later flights as long as you cancel the award before end of October? I read into this that as long as you cancel by the end of October the award cancellation will be free even for flights departing say next April.

Some mentioned the exemption also applied to partner awards. Has anyone cancelled an Emirates classic award for free yet? Unfortunately, Emirates awards book as EK flight numbers, so I think they will be excluded from this.

The QF info page (link above) is clear that the booking can be for any travel date, so long as you cancel by 31 Oct. Unfortunately it's less clear about whether partner awards are covered!

 

[NoName]

Assuming partner awards are included (and it appears from a couple of posts above and my own navigation through part of the cancellation process that they may well be), this is excellent timing. We have about a dozen awards to and in Nth America that we are almost set to cancel so the cancellation points fee saving would be quite handy.

I haven’t been up on the refunds process recently but are they giving refunds to credit cards if it is insisted upon or are they only doing credit vouchers?

 

[Wello]

Cancelled flight today and points were returned straight away with no penalties. Just need to wait for dollar component to be refunded.

 

[jboy90]

Cancelled flight today and points were returned straight away with no penalties. Just need to wait for dollar component to be refunded.

Great! My points haven't been returned. I did have partner airlines booked in, so wonder if that's the case. I'll set an alert when my 6 weeks is up to follow up the refund of taxes!

 

[Aus ATC]

Some mentioned the exemption also applied to partner awards. Has anyone cancelled an Emirates classic award for free yet? Unfortunately, Emirates awards book as EK flight numbers, so I think they will be excluded from this.

Not EK but WS (Westjet). Cancelled on line with no penalty implied in the on-screen text.

Cancelled flight today and points were returned straight away with no penalties. Just need to wait for dollar component to be refunded.

Cancelled the WS flight yesterday. Also cancelled a QF flight via the call centre earlier today. No points returned for either yet..... QF - consistently inconsistent.

 

[Greg555]

All very well Qantas offering free cancellations, but how are we to book if they won't refund current cancelled flights in a timely manner.
I have 3 x refunds that have been running for more than 65 days and was initially promised 21 days, then 45 days and now still no sign of refunds. Emails & complaints get the usual disingenous pro-forma replies....
Qantas is the worst customer service org in Oz - and has been for a long time. Covid is just an excuse for them.

 

[travelbee26]

I have a points booking made late Oct 2019 for a multi destination /multi airline business class trip to Europe via Thailand, Doha and onto Milan starting 28th July. Returning via Vienna, Doha, Tokyo Sydney late Sep.
So far Qantas have cancelled the Doha to Milan leg, but have left all other flights as are. So basically it’s a boat/ train/bus/walking trip through Middle East to get to Europe ...lol
Been on the phone many times, but wait times blew out to a few hours so I hung up. Online say will still charge cancellation fee, as the flight Jetstar to Thailand has not been cancelled as yet.
I didn’t take Qantas up on their earlier offer to cancel before end of April, without losing points. I was naively hoping international travel restrictions would be lifted by Aug, and I would only need to change the first leg of my journey.
So I will now investigate if I can now cancel my entire trip with their current offer....
I will let you know how I go as I have a combination of Jetstar, Qatar, and Japan Airlines. I’m not sure if Qantas will make this easy on me or not.