Advice Requested - Flight Changes (SYD->ICN Return)

[DejaBrew]

Hi all, hoping to call on the collective wisdom of the community for some advice re: a flight change notification I received overnight.

I booked return SYD->ICN flights in D for December this year during the most recent DSC promotion. Qantas have now advised that my flight to ICN has been rescheduled (such that it now arrives a day later than originally scheduled) and the return flight to SYD has been cancelled entirely. Obviously I now have the option to either accept the proposed alternative flights or select from additional options for zero change fee. When I made the original booking, I was somewhat painted into a corner in terms of dates (due to pricing and other factors), but now that I have the option of a FOC change, I figured I might as well see if any of the other available options might be more interesting/lucrative in terms of maximising the DSC offer or simply fitting in better with my schedule.

The current direct flights would earn a minimum of 7800 QFF points and 120 SC each way (prior to considering DSC or bonus QFF status bonus points). Replacement direct flights are the obvious baseline/fallback option here and that's the default alternative offering from Qantas. The alternative option that has caught my eye is SYD->GMP via HND. This entails taking QF25 to HND, followed by JL93 to GMP. It's a 10hr layover in HND which means there's the potential opportunity to (briefly) visit Tokyo.

What confuses me a little here with the SYD->GMP option is that on the flight change screen (see attached screenshot), it suggests that SYD->HND is in Business (as expected) and that HND->GMP is also in Business. However, if I was to try and book the same flights as a new booking through the Qantas website, it tells me that the HND->GMP leg would be in Economy, regardless of ticket class that was purchased. Additionally, I was expecting the points earn for a multi-leg trip to be higher, but the booking screen indicates that the points earn for SYD->GMP would still be a minimum 7800 QFF points + 120 SC (i.e. the JAL flight earns nothing) which contradicts my understanding of points earn on JAL as a partner airline. I've added a screenshot for a random date in December to illustrate what I'm seeing.

Based on your experience with flight changes like this, should I be believing the change screen when it says the JAL flight is in Business? Also, shouldn't JAL flights be earning FF points and SC? Appreciate any assistance to help clear up my confusion.

Cheers!

PS> I'm well aware that DSC will only be earned on QF metal, so not expecting I'd be able to double up on the JAL leg.

 

[Himeno]

As an international flight, you should earn points/SC on the HND-GMP flight as normal.

JL93 uses a mix of 737, 767 and 787 aircraft, sometimes pulled from the domestic config fleet.
There is the restriction to JL earning for domestic flights. Maybe the QF system is confused?
The flight going to GMP instead of ICN might not help. I once checked in for a SIN-HND-GMP JL flight and it took them 3 tries to print baggage tags to GMP (after first printing tags for ICN, then a tag for SEL [the Seoul city code])

 

[DejaBrew]

As an international flight, you should earn points/SC on the HND-GMP flight as normal.

JL93 uses a mix of 737, 767 and 787 aircraft, sometimes pulled from the domestic config fleet.
There is the restriction to JL earning for domestic flights. Maybe the QF system is confused?

Thanks for your reply. Good to know that points should be earned on the HND->GMP leg as normal. FWIW, according to both the Qantas and JAL booking sites, the flight in question would be operated by a 788 and the seating map on JAL's booking site matches the int'l config.

Still a little concerned re: the Qantas booking change screen suggesting the JAL leg is in Business, whereas their own booking site says Economy (irrespective of the Business fare class purchased)...

Assume as well that if I wanted to exit HND and spend some hours in Tokyo, I'd need to ensure that any checked luggage was not checked all the way through to GMP?

 

[jpp42]

then a tag for SEL [the Seoul city code]

It would be handy if that got your bag all the way to Seoul City Airport (at Seoul Station) but I'm guessing that's not what actually occurs...

 

[offshore171]

Qantas have now advised that my flight to ICN has been rescheduled (such that it now arrives a day later than originally scheduled)

Does this mean QF has reduced the number of days per week they are running the SYD to ICN service? What day of week was the original flight?

I think they were running Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun prior to today's changes

 

[Himeno]

Random week in Dec in expert flyer.

QF website is now saying QF87/88 not going on wed/fri/sun with JQ47/48 operating those days instead.

 

[encryptededdy]

Still a little concerned re: the Qantas booking change screen suggesting the JAL leg is in Business, whereas their own booking site says Economy (irrespective of the Business fare class purchased)...

What about other dates when trying to make a new commercial booking?

My understanding is your rebooking may not need to fit into an existing commercial fare that Qantas sells, hence this is available. Qantas' fare rules may stipulate you can only fly on a certain fare class on the JL flight (e.g. I), which may not be available on that day (and therefore you're downgraded to economy), whereas when rebooking more fare classes are available

 

[docjames]

Looks like the monday flight has been added, and departure time pushed back (in both directions).

How long ago did you book? It’s been Tu/Th/Sa for a while now…..and those days haven’t changed for a while (other than addition of monday). Just the later departure time.

I’d have a look at viable options (with J class) on your preferred travel day and see if QF can allocate you to the preferred option - there is probably a via SIN option but which carrier that connects to I’m not sure.

The time shift makes sense - better connections into SYD with a midday departure than 0900.

It can be easier to select your preferred option and call with that as a solution.

Otherwise I’d be taking the QF/JL option (and expecting DSC on QF, discount J SC on the JAL leg). Make sure you take screenshots (as per your post) and ensure the new ticket when it gets issued confirms class of travel.

 

[toasty]

When booking from scratch, the availability has to match what the fare rules stipulate. For a D fare, QF use JL D when available, Y otherwise. There's clearly no D here which is why the booking engine offers Y instead. As others have pointed out, the 0 points/SC earn for JL Y is plain wrong.

The rebooking engine is likely offering you D for QF25, and J or C (higher than D) for JL93 in order to keep business class the whole way through, and this is a function of the rules they have programmed the rebooking engine with. You will get DSC for QF25, as and the usual serving of JL business SC for JL93.

 

[DejaBrew]

Qantas have now advised that my flight to ICN has been rescheduled (such that it now arrives a day later than originally scheduled) and the return flight to SYD has been cancelled entirely.

Oops! Mixed this up with the return flight. The "new" flight to ICN is scheduled for the same day, but departure time has been changed from 09:35 to 13:05 (per docjames' post above) so now arrives in ICN at 21:50 (vs 18:20). My flight back to SYD was cancelled entirely and the proposed replacement flight is departing a day later at 23:30 (vs the original departure time of 19:50).

What day of week was the original flight?

Original days for flights were Tuesday departure to ICN and Sunday departure to SYD.

How long ago did you book? It’s been Tu/Th/Sa for a while now…..and those days haven’t changed for a while (other than addition of monday). Just the later departure time.

Booked back during the DSC promotion period, so.... March?

My understanding is your rebooking may not need to fit into an existing commercial fare that Qantas sells, hence this is available. Qantas' fare rules may stipulate you can only fly on a certain fare class on the JL flight (e.g. I), which may not be available on that day (and therefore you're downgraded to economy), whereas when rebooking more fare classes are available

When booking from scratch, the availability has to match what the fare rules stipulate. For a D fare, QF use JL D when available, Y otherwise. There's clearly no D here which is why the booking engine offers Y instead. As others have pointed out, the 0 points/SC earn for JL Y is plain wrong.

That makes a whole lot of sense! Thank you for those explanations - I just checked a few other random dates and found some scenarios where Business seating on JAL is included part of the fare.

 

[docjames]

Ah - it’s taken them a long time to chase you on the schedule change.

So in fact you’re looking for a Sunday departure to replace QF88.

TBH I’d stick with QF87 outbound and take the (modestly) later arrival, and then look for an option on the Sunday for the return (unless you want the extra 24hrs in Seoul/Korea). The traffic airport to hotel is bad in peak hour, but late evening arrival will be relatively quick.

 

[DejaBrew]

Ah - it’s taken them a long time to chase you on the schedule change.

Perhaps that's just Qantas "enhancing" their member service offering to me for hitting WP?

So in fact you’re looking for a Sunday departure to replace QF88.

TBH I’d stick with QF87 outbound and take the (modestly) later arrival, and then look for an option on the Sunday for the return (unless you want the extra 24hrs in Seoul/Korea). The traffic airport to hotel is bad in peak hour, but late evening arrival will be relatively quick.

Not specifically needing a Sunday return, but I definitely can't do the flight they're proposing for me on the Monday (as that would be the 25th). Arriving home early Christmas morning is a whole different story compared to not arriving until midday Boxing Day! Must admit I was actually looking forward to experiencing a "Christmas" flight, but it'll have to happen another time now.

I take your point re: the improved arrival time of QF87 as it pertains to traffic from the airport to the hotel. As mentioned earlier, I was somewhat limited with my travel dates when I originally booked (hence Tuesday departure to ICN), but the forced rescheduling has opened up some unexpected flexibility for travel dates, meaning I can essentially depart earlier than planned (i.e. on the weekend). As such, I'm a bit up in the air (pun totally intended) on taking QF87 or essentially having my cake and eating it too courtesy of the JAL option (which would arrive at the same time as my originally scheduled QF87 service + 1 day).

The trip itself is a gift for a significant birthday (not mine) and I'm very tempted by the idea of flying out on the weekend, taking in a quick layover/Tokyo visit (as gift recipient has never been to Japan) either in one - or either - direction at zero additional cost and no adverse impact to my annual leave. Plus, there's the unexpected offering of bonus points/SC on offer for the JAL leg in what would be a new membership year for me, which of course helps with retaining WP into 2025.

Decisions decisions...

 

[encryptededdy]

If you're new to WP you'll get to try the JAL First Class lounge too

 

[DejaBrew]

If you're new to WP you'll get to try the JAL First Class lounge too

Did that on my recent Japan trip (June) and it was very nice indeed!