Award booking issue.

[turtlemichael]

A couple of questions regarding an award ticket.

I have an upcoming booking LAX-BNE-CNS. The BNE-CNS leg is of course now domestic so I'll clear customs/immigration in BNE. However, due to a change of plans I may now have to stay in BNE for a period.

1. If I change the booking to stopover in BNE I'll be up for 24K plus 2.5K fee plus any taxes variation because LAX-BNE-CNS with s/o is 120K rather than 96K. Correct?

2. If I change the booking to end in BNE will this be the equivalent of a cancellation and rebooking? Net cost 5K points (cancellation) and any taxes variation and I pay for BNE-CNS?

3. What would be the consequences of me not altering the existing booking, collecting my luggage and just walking out in BNE? Could I do this or would there by Qantas/Customs/Immigration issues?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers.
TM

 

[serfty]

The rates you quote point to a business class award.

Until recently, certain changes would require a 5K "reissue fee", other types of changes would incur a 2½K "revalidation" fee. These types of changes have now been combined under the umbrella of a 2½K "change fee".

1]

If your period in Brisbane is extended to > 24 hours, your transit turns into a stopover and you itinerary is charged as two "trips". LAX-BNE (Zone 8, 96K) and BNE-CNS (Zone 2, 24K) instead of LAX-BNE-CNS (Zone 8, 96K). You will need to find J award availability on a later flight and cop a 2500 point change fee. You may be charge with additional taxes for the BNE stopover as well.

2]

To remove the BNE-CNS sector from the booking will cost a 2500 point change fee.

3]

I can only see an issue with Qantas, I'm not sure what they could/would do.

 

[MelUser]

I think that your biggest risk in playing with/changing an award ticket in business class is that when the QF agent goes to change, they may cancel and then when they try to rebook there will probably be no business availability.

One option open is to complete the journey as ticketed and then fly back from Cairns.

I don't think there are any issues with clearing customs and then walking out of the airport - the BNE-CNS sector will simply disappear off the system when you fail to board the flight.

 

[turtlemichael]

Thanks serfty and MelUser. Yes, it's a J award.

I'll consider what to do. Preferring the course of least resistance (and cost) most of the time, I am leaning towards just walking out the door in Brisbane. On current loads I don't think that will deny anybody a seat or an upgrade to CNS MelUser at the time I am travelling J awards have now all gone, at least for the time being.

 

[MelUser]

That's why J awards on QF (and UA for that matter) scare me! I just don't book them as I know that I couldn't change if I had to. For transpacific travel (which is so expensive) I prefer to book a changeable/cancellable Y flight and then play the QF international points upgrade lottery.