Cancelled Qantas flight, what are my options...?

[Deleted User]

So the Red Roo has made another schedule change to my travel plans in May, thic change now shortens the family holiday by 1 day...:evil: All accommodation is pre-paid so a shorter holiday is now costing me $$$

So what are my options...? Its the return leg which has now changed and been brought forward...

Should have known Q would stuff me around, how dare I try someone else rather than SQ...Silly me... :shock:

Destination is SIN and as we are a family I was hoping for direct flights too and from ADL...

 

[markis10]

QF have changed the ADL ops, your option might only be to reroute.

 

[Deleted User]

which means...?

I specifically booked ADL > SIN > ADL direct, now this is no longer an option unless the return is on a Tuesday...!

Edit: and been on hold for 2 hours...

 

[markis10]

which means...?

I specifically booked ADL > SIN > ADL direct, now this is no longer an option unless the return is on a Tuesday...!

Edit: and been on hold for 2 hours...

You will have to go via another gateway, ie Melbourne.

 

[Deleted User]

that is piss poor, sorry I'm not buying it... Can I get my money back and book SQ like I should have done...?

 

[markis10]

that is piss poor, sorry I'm not buying it... Can I get my money back and book SQ like I should have done...?

No, rerouting is the only option:
Latest Qantas News

 

[Deleted User]

thanks Markis...

No wonder SQ increased their flights here in ADL....

makes me wonder why Qantas bother flying ADL > SIN > ADL at all....?

 

[ric_melb]

A Bex and a good night's sleep may work wonders.

 

[Deleted User]

Thanks ric_melb...but Direct route was booked due to Autistic son flying, this just makes things that little bit harder for us

You will have to go via another gateway, ie Melbourne.

This is not my best option, but even if it was it can still not be done via qantas.com

No wonder this mob can not make $$$ on international routes...!

 

[JohnPhelan]

Yes, as per the link from Markis, there are still three services per week; just on different days from the previous timetable.

 

[DrAndyC]

ok, now seems that there is only 1 direct SIN > ADL per week... Again Qantas, why bother I ask...?

Until Malaysian joins (if it does still join oneworld) most of my traffic via ADL now is with SQ. It probably has 1/2 the international capacity out of ADL now with Malaysia having only 6 days and cathay half the time routing via MEL. Malaysia have put on the new 330s too which look great.

A 6-7 and a bit hour direct hop to asia (or 4 hours 35mins to Bali the other week with DJ/VA) from ADL is better than an extra 3-4 hours of flying/waiting/connecting etc especially when on price they arent all that bad....and QF certainly is not cheaper for their less convenient slots. I find it sad that QF is struggling, but I suppose when other airlines weekly seat numbers are huge they dont have a great chance.

 

[Deleted User]

Thanks to Markis for posting this information, much easier to ask around here than to wait on 131313 with a +2hr wait

13 13 13....How unlucky can one get hey

 

[MELso]

I'm getting the same treatment from VN at the moment for my MEL-CDG flight, because their Wednesday and Friday services ex-MEL for May have been cancelled.

I was given three options:
1) Fly the previous day
2) Fly the next day
3) Shuttle to SYD (at my expense) and make the connecting flight in SGN.

I initially plumped for option 3 (and indeed have - perhaps foolishly - booked a QF classic award; I'll cancel and take the points hit if need be) because I a) wanted to try AF J on VN's codeshare from SGN-CDG and b) had a connecting ORY-PSA flight on the day I arrive leaving ~7 hours later. However, a good night's sleep and a few checks of connections made me realise that I could fly three days earlier (on the AF codeshare), rebook my ORY-PSA flight as CDG-BCN, have a few days in BCN and then fly BCN-FLR (which is more convenient). It would also mean no redeye start to the day.

To cut a long story short, I have asked VN to rebook me three days earlier. They've refused on the grounds that my change would be 'voluntary' (eh?) and subject to a rebooking fee. I've thrown the IATA conditions of carriage back at them (the QF equivalent is below), particularly the bit where they promise to 'carry [me] at the earliest opportunity on another of our scheduled services on which space is available without additional charges'. The flights three days earlier have space available in the same fare bucket as mine (J) according to Flightstats. I await a response.

The QF conditions of carriage on cancellation:
9.1(c): If, due to circumstances within our control, after you buy your Ticket we make a significant change to the scheduled departure time of your flight or the flight is cancelled, we will:

• rebook you on the next available flight (or combination of flights) on our services to your booked destination at no additional cost to you
• alternatively, at your option, refund the applicable fare
• if you choose to continue travel and the change or cancellation occurs on the day of scheduled travel, resulting in your delay at the departure airport, provide you with meal or refreshment vouchers (or reimburse you for the reasonable costs of meals or refreshments if we do not provide vouchers)
• if your travel with us is delayed overnight and you have already commenced travel on your booking (ie you are at an 'away' port), use reasonable endeavours to assist you to find overnight accommodation or reimburse your reasonable accommodation costs if we have not provided accommodation.

So, two lessons: 1) QF is not the only airline that doesn't bend over backwards for punters they inconvenience; and 2) don't make hasty decisions. Sleep on it and examine other options.

 

[harvyk]

MELso, that reminds me of a couple of years ago, QF cancelled my flight and booked me onto a service which wasn't so convenient for me. I called up and asked if I could move the flight to a different day as it would be better for me, they said not a problem, and I certainly wasn't charged for it. (They did however note that any additional expenses eg hotel bills would be my problem, but I didn't care as I was crashing at my sisters place)

shintaro10x, unfortunately these things happen, however if they have cancelled a flight which you where meant to be on, and the only option is to now fly a day earlier, I think that should be grounds for a refund. Explain to them that the new service offerings do not satisfy your needs and you would like a refund. I expect you'd have fair trading on your side with that one.

Then once that is sorted, book an SQ flight on the original dates.

 

[Deleted User]

MELso, that reminds me of a couple of years ago, QF cancelled my flight and booked me onto a service which wasn't so convenient for me. I called up and asked if I could move the flight to a different day as it would be better for me, they said not a problem, and I certainly wasn't charged for it. (They did however note that any additional expenses eg hotel bills would be my problem, but I didn't care as I was crashing at my sisters place)

shintaro10x, unfortunately these things happen, however if they have cancelled a flight which you where meant to be on, and the only option is to now fly a day earlier, I think that should be grounds for a refund. Explain to them that the new service offerings do not satisfy your needs and you would like a refund. I expect you'd have fair trading on your side with that one.

Then once that is sorted, book an SQ flight on the original dates.

This is what I thought but since its a return flight, I assume that they will only refund for the return leg only...hence SQ booking one way is not priced in our options...

 

[Awesom Andy]

It's interesting to read this, as I've had a much better experience on Jetstar Asia... there was a major schedule change (although still within the same day)... they gave me a call, told me about the change, and offered to rebook as necessary. However, the schedule didn't suit me, so they offered a refund - which was sent to my credit card account the very next day.

 

[harvyk]

This is what I thought but since its a return flight, I assume that they will only refund for the return leg only...hence SQ booking one way is not priced in our options...

I don't see why they shouldn't refund the whole lot (and furthermore not charge any fees for doing so).
They made a schedule change which now makes the trip with QF unfeasible for you, thus I don't think cancelling the trip and getting a full refund is unreasonable.

 

[MELso]

I don't see why they shouldn't refund the whole lot (and furthermore not charge any fees for doing so).
They made a schedule change which now makes the trip with QF unfeasible for you, thus I don't think cancelling the trip and getting a full refund is unreasonable.

Yup - and as I posted above, it's within their Conditions of Carriage too so you're definitely within your rights to get a refund, particularly if SQ will be cheaper/better...

 

[NM]

While it doesn't help resolve the issue, the reason for the changed date on the SIN-ADL is that the aircraft (A330) is no longer being flown SIN-BOM-SIN during its "stay" in SIN. The aircraft currently operates ADL-SIN-BOM-SIN-ADL and when BOM is dropped from the QF schedules, the aircraft will be operating ADL-SIN-ADL with the return operating the same day as the outbound, changing the day of departure of the SIN-ADL services.

So if remaining with QF, your only options are to accept the day change or to re-route via another port (MEL, PER, SYD etc). It is my personal belief that in situations where there is a significant schedule change (and 24 hours is most certainly significant) that a full refund should be offered as an option to those who request. But such policy is up to the airline to determine.

Personally, I would explain to QF that a 24 hour change is unacceptable to me and then state my preferred option. If your first choice is a refund then ask for that. If they flatly refuse then I would be insisting on a re-routing through the gateway I found my suitable (least unattractive) to me, which would likely be MEL due to it having the simplest INT-DOM transfers. But of course that depends on the flight timing etc.

 

[serfty]

As MELso has posted, it is within the Qantas CoC that a full refund is available:

9.1 Schedule Changes and Cancellations by us
...

(C) Significant Change

If, due to circumstances within our control, after you buy your Ticket we make a significant change to the scheduled departure time of your flight or the flight is cancelled, we will:

	rebook you on the next available flight (or combination of flights) on our services to your booked destination at no additional cost to you
	alternatively, at your option, refund the applicable fare

I agree that a 24h change is indeed "significant"; also "significant" would be any re-route via another Oz port.

Qantas’ conditions of Carriage

Moreover, the following may also be applicable (removal of a flight from a particular day could be considered a routing discontinuation):

(d) Discontinued Route


If we cease to operate on a route and as a result we cancel a flight for which you have purchased a Ticket, we will:

	offer you a seat on the next available flight on our services for an alternative route to the same destination (if available) and where a connection was arranged by us, a seat on the next available connecting flight
	alternatively, at your option, refund the applicable fare

No, rerouting is the only option:
Latest Qantas News

It's interesting for Qantas the cancellation and full refund of the applicable fare is not offered as an option in the policy relating to this. If a 24H change is to be considered "Significant" then that policy may be in direct conflict with their own CoC's. (Maybe they are hoping no-one notices.)