Booked a return flight (Outbound using QF, Inbound using Cash) would like to cancel Outbound but leave Inbound as is

[mokuni]

Bit of a funny one but hear me out, trying to help a friend. She is already in Singapore at the moment due to family emergency.

Singapore to Perth one way costs $1800 SGD ($2.1K AUD for 27th January 2025.
However my friend has booked a Perth to Singapore Return (paid 13k QF Outbound, Inbound for $1100 AUD) e.g dates 22 January return on the same 27th January. She has no intention of flying the PER to SIN, as already physically there. The booking was done as a return really to save $1k AUD.

I understand, that if I was a no show to the Outbound on the 22nd January, most if not all airlines will cancel the return on the 27th. Is my understanding correct?
Alternatively, would I be able to change the return booking, either by removing the Outbound all together, or changing the Outbound to after (making it a SIN-PER return really) would that be allowed?

My friend will be contacting QF tomorrow to understand some options, but would be great if the AFF community have any 2 cents on the matter. Thank you!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Bit of a funny one but hear me out, trying to help a friend. She is already in Singapore at the moment due to family emergency.

Singapore to Perth one way costs $1800 SGD ($2.1K AUD for 27th January 2025.
However my friend has booked a Perth to Singapore Return (paid 13k QF Outbound, Inbound for $1100 AUD) e.g dates 22 January return on the same 27th January. She has no intention of flying the PER to SIN, as already physically there. The booking was done as a return really to save $1k AUD.

I understand, that if I was a no show to the Outbound on the 22nd January, most if not all airlines will cancel the return on the 27th. Is my understanding correct?
Alternatively, would I be able to change the return booking, either by removing the Outbound all together, or changing the Outbound to after (making it a SIN-PER return really) would that be allowed?

My friend will be contacting QF tomorrow to understand some options, but would be great if the AFF community have any 2 cents on the matter. Thank you!

I don’t think any of the scenarios you mention are possible, but see what options you are given by QF.

Normally - for legacy carrier international flights - if you change the outbound, the entire return ticket will be re-priced to the current fare. Same as cancelling the one way, if the flight is based on a reutrn ticket price, the return will be priced as the one way, losing any advantage of the return. Different rules apply if fares are sold as one ways… like Jetstar or scoot, or for short haul like to NZ where fares are one way.

Are you saying the outbound at 13k was a points ticket?

 

[williamsf1]

sounds like your "friend" was trying to game the system ... without knowing the rules....

without knowing the exact fare rules, it is difficult to advise ... but you can't book a PER SIN PER and change it to just a OW SIN PER .. it is going to cost alot more than she originally paid

could be a better option to just refund the whole thing and buy what she really wants

 

[MEL_Traveller]

sounds like your "friend" was trying to game the system ... without knowing the rules....

without knowing the exact fare rules, it is difficult to advise ... but you can't book a PER SIN PER and change it to just a OW SIN PER .. it is going to cost alot more than she originally paid

could be a better option to just refund the whole thing and buy what she really wants

With cancellation fees it may end up even more expensive, as you point out.

The alternative would be to look for a cheap fare on Scoot if they’re around, or Jetstar.

Once the OP’s friend has options from Qantas we should be able to advise better.

 

[mokuni]

Are you saying the outbound at 13k was a points ticket?

Yes Outbound, PER-SIN was booked with points when doing the booking.

sounds like your "friend" was trying to game the system ... without knowing the rules....

No need for air quotes lol, but agreed with you she doesn't know and lesson learnt to book return always, not one way tickets.

Once the OP’s friend has options from Qantas we should be able to advise better.

Got an answer. Call made to QF today. As Outbound booked via Points and Inbound booked with cash (Inbound being a flexi fare). Ticket reissued now, not $2100 as feared. But breakdown as follows:

Original return cost: $1100 + 13000 QF
-13000 QF (this bit im unsure if they just straight up don't return back the points or its absorbed in the final cost)
-$500 refund
-$130 booking and cancellation fees

New cost for inbound: $470~

Thanks again everyone for chiming in on what to expect! Unsure if it would have made any difference if it was a saver fair on the inbound leg.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Years ago I had to book a SIN-PER fare and I was quoted $700 SGD, if I added per-bne-per to the SIN-PER it was $900.00 at least I had some dates in mind going to Brisbane.

Sometimes Qantas can cancel one portion of the flight but it depends on the rules of the ticket what Qantas will do.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes Outbound, PER-SIN was booked with points when doing the booking.


No need for air quotes lol, but agreed with you she doesn't know and lesson learnt to book return always, not one way tickets.


Got an answer. Call made to QF today. As Outbound booked via Points and Inbound booked with cash (Inbound being a flexi fare). Ticket reissued now, not $2100 as feared. But breakdown as follows:

Original return cost: $1100 + 13000 QF
-13000 QF (this bit im unsure if they just straight up don't return back the points or its absorbed in the final cost)
-$500 refund
-$130 booking and cancellation fees

New cost for inbound: $470~

Thanks again everyone for chiming in on what to expect! Unsure if it would have made any difference if it was a saver fair on the inbound leg.

It’s still confusing what your friend ended up paying in total for the one way fare. There is no 13k one way award from PER-SIN. The lowest one way economy award ticket is 20,300 points, Jetstar is 18000.

Unless they paid for a return economy airfare, and used points to pay for some of the taxes?