Cancelling multiple legs on single Reward Itinerary?

[jaseb]

Hi all

We have booked, on a single, multi-city Rewards Itinerary for July MEL-NRT, NRT-DXB-CDG, MXP-DOH-KUL-MEL all in J

Given the unlikelihood of Japan not opening up by July, I am making a separate reward booking to get from MEL-CDG (via BKK & DXB) also in J.

In the event that Japan doesn't open up by our departure date - can I cancel the MEL-NRT and NRT-DXB-CDG legs on the original itinerary whilst retaining the MXP-DOH-KUL-MEL leg for the trip home?

Obviously if Japan does open up I will cancel the separate itinerary/booking (MEL-CDG (via BKK & DXB)) in it's entirety

Thanks in advance

 

[cjd600]

Hi all

We have booked, on a single multi-city Rewards Itinerary for July MEL-NRT, NRT-DXB-CDG, MXP-DOH-KUL-MEL - all in J

Given the unlikelihood of Japan not opening up by July, I am making a separate reward booking to get from MEL-CDG (via BKK & DXB) also in J.

In the event that Japan doesn't open up by our departure date - can I cancel the MEL-NRT and NRT-DXB-CDG legs on the original itinerary whilst retaining the MXP-DOH-KUL-MEL leg for the trip home?
Obviously if Japan does open up I will cancel the separate booking (MEL-CDG (via BKK & DXB)) completely

Thanks in advance

Yes, its simply making a change to your existing booking.
Taxes/Charges will recalculate obviously, and will be ex-MXP for your new itinerary

 

[jaseb]

Yes, its simply making a change to your existing booking.
Taxes/Charges will recalculate obviously, and will be ex-MXP for your new itinerary

Thankyou! Now to wait on hold to make the new booking!

 

[ChrisMars]

Make sure to call to finalise your itinary at least 72h before your take the first flight.

The rule says 24h, but you need to factor in 5 hours per call of waiting time, 4 HUACA, 3 follow up for ticketing etc... So 72h is safer.

 

[jaseb]

So I ended up booking a backup fare MEL-xNRT-BKK-DXB-CDG in J to use in the event that Japan doesn't open borders by mid-July.

Just got an email saying that the MEL-NRT flight (JL774) on both dates has been cancelled. I accounted for us not being able to enter Japan but not for all JAL flights MEL-NRT to be cancelled! This now poses an issues as both itineraries rely on getting to NRT in some way, shape or form.

I can't see any alternate ways to get from MEL to BKK between 15-18 July (on QF award in J). At this point I'm wondering if we simply cancel the MEL-xNRT-BKK flight (as well as the MEL-NRT-DXB flight, given we won't be getting into Japan) completely and just front up for a cash fare in J with SQ or TG to BKK and take the onward BKK-DXB-CDG flight from there. I'm open to advice.

Man, I know they say that you need to be "flexible" when booking reward seats but this has been an awful, awful (first world) experience all round.

 

[Quickstatus]

can I cancel the MEL-NRT and NRT-DXB-CDG legs on the original itinerary whilst retaining the MXP-DOH-KUL-MEL leg for the trip home?

Yes that’s easy. QF will take the sectors that you want to cancel out and put it under a new PNR so there is a record. There will be a cancel fine and a recalculation of regulatory charges.
I seem to have a memory where it was a problem when the initial booking involved 2 people on the one booking and only 1 person cancels. They would have to cancel the sector for both and then hope that the seats remain available as a classic reward. Often it doesn’t. My memory of this is uncertain. Others may be able to confirm or debunk

 

[ronlon]

Hi Jaseb, myself and others on this forum have fallen foul of Japan not opening up and MEL-NRT cancellations. I like you are trying to get to Europe, for me it is June MEL-FRA. I think I am on my fifth or sixth backup flight ! Just forget anything via Japan from MEL. Look for an alternatives. Japan have elections in July and according to polls only 30% support reopening for tourism.

I went from J class award seat to award seat, then a mix of Y and J award and in the end did points pus pay with Emirates in Y class. At least it is a comfortable A380 and I am getting to Europe !

 

[jaseb]

Hi Jaseb, myself and others on this forum have fallen foul of Japan not opening up and MEL-NRT cancellations. I like you are trying to get to Europe, for me it is June MEL-FRA. I think I am on my fifth or sixth backup flight ! Just forget anything via Japan from MEL. Look for an alternatives. Japan have elections in July and according to polls only 30% support reopening for tourism.

I went from J class award seat to award seat, then a mix of Y and J award and in the end did points pus pay with Emirates in Y class. At least it is a comfortable A380 and I am getting to Europe !

Thanks ron, that seems like sound advice!

I see there are QF flights MEL-SYD-BKK on the 14,15,16 July all of which would be suitable for us. Unfortunately there aren't any reward seats available (in Y or J).

Given our flights MEL-NRT-BKK are now dead, since the MEL-NRT flight has been canceled, what is the likelihood QF will release J award seats on the MEL-SYD-BKK QF flights to get us to BKK in our originally booked class?

I have no status but I do recall reading on another post (I can't find it now) that QF are obligated to get us to our destination which in this case is BKK. Btw, I have no status

 

[Quickstatus]

QF are obligated to get us to our destination which in this case is BKK

They will slot you into flights that will get you to BKK. Just call them - if you can

I once had SYD-AKL-LAX award flights which were cancelled. QF slotted me into SYD-LAX direct.

Worst case is they can’t and they will offer you a Y seat or a flight to BKK arriving after your next sector for DXB departs.

 

[encryptededdy]

what is the likelihood QF will release J award seats on the MEL-SYD-BKK QF flights to get us to BKK in our originally booked class?

My understanding is QF will usually only do this when it's due to a QF cancellation (not a partner cancellation). In this case it was JL cancelling, so I suspect they will only offer you a refund.

 

[sudoer]

Just got an email saying that the MEL-NRT flight (JL774) on both dates has been cancelled.

They will slot you into flights that will get you to BKK. Just call them - if you can

It's highly unlikely that QF will open up their own award space to accommodate pax from a JL cancellation.

Sorry to say the best you can realistically expect is a refund...

 

[jaseb]

Great. Thanks all. Just to confirm it'll be a points + taxes refund for those particular fligts only - not the whole itinerary? Is that right?

I'm thinking we'll just fly MEL-BKK on a TG cash fare, save the stress of worrying about more potential changes in and out of MEL.

 

[cjd600]

Great. Thanks all. Just to confirm it'll be a points + taxes refund for those particular fligts only - not the whole itinerary? Is that right?

I'm thinking we'll just fly MEL-BKK on a TG cash fare, save the stress of worrying about more potential changes in and out of MEL.

It'll reprice you're whole itinerary, excluding the leg you remove.
There may be further $$ differences due to point of departure now BKK instead of AU.
Points back shld be exactly as per that leg you remove, with no change fee (previously 5k pts pp) applied currently

 

[encryptededdy]

Points back shld be exactly as per that leg you remove, with no change fee (previously 5k pts pp) applied currently

Not necessarily if it was priced as a Oneworld Award, right?

 

[jaseb]

Not necessarily if it was priced as a Oneworld Award, right?

This isn't an OWA. As much as I wanted to book an OWA for our (Melbourne) winter this year, I'm glad I didn't with all of the additional administrative overhead that comes with QF reward flights at this point in time

 

[Quickstatus]

My understanding is QF will usually only do this when it's due to a QF cancellation

You're right
I had assumed it was a QF booking as this was in the QF FF thread

I'm not match fit

 

[jaseb]

I've just now had the below, crossed out flights cancelled (apparently).. spoke too soon, I was hung up on after 40 mins on hold... will try again tonight

Booking 1:
MEL-NRT-BKK
BKK-DXB-CDG

Booking 2:
MEL-NRT
NRT-DXB-CDG
MXP-DOH
DOH-KUL
KUL-MEL

They haven't dropped out of QF's MMB page yet.
I will be keeping a very close, nervous eye over the next 24 hours to make sure they disappear and the flights in bold remain ticketed. Not holding my breath to receive the points or dollar refund any time soon.

I am hoping that once they drop off, I can then call back and update the DOH-KUL flight to DOH-BKK after which I will make a third (cash) booking (MEL-BKK, BKK-MEL) with TG to round out the trip.

edit: also, not sure the two separate PNRs bode well for tax purposes, but what can you do? Gotta be very flexible with Reward bookings at this point in time

 

[NM]

I know its not an award itinerary, but perhaps may be worth considering this deal recently reported, and using awards to get you to/from KUL. CDG is one of the destinations available on this deal.

Etihad Business Class Sale: Kuala Lumpur to Europe from $2,056 Return!

Etihad Airways has launched a great sale on round-trip Business Class fares from Malaysia to Europe. For just over AU$2,000, you could fly Etihad Airways

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[jaseb]

I know its not an award itinerary, but perhaps may be worth considering this deal recently reported, and using awards to get you to/from KUL. CDG is one of the destinations available on this deal.

Etihad Business Class Sale: Kuala Lumpur to Europe from $2,056 Return!

Etihad Airways has launched a great sale on round-trip Business Class fares from Malaysia to Europe. For just over AU$2,000, you could fly Etihad Airways

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

That's quite a nice deal! We've already (*touch wood*) got Asia-Europe return flights locked in on EK and QR - both of which we've been really looking forward to flying in J. Should our flights change or get cancelled (again) I will seriously look at this as an option. Thanks for the link

 

[jaseb]

Okay so the flights have now been removed from my bookings, they have dropped from Qantas MMB, as well as CheckMyTrip and finnair MMB

The remaining flights (EK & QR) show "Confirmed" in QF MMB, QR MMB, EK MMB and CheckMyTrip. I can also see our assigned seats in each of these tools.

But there is no e-ticket number listed under passenger info in CheckMyTrip and if I try to "send" the e-ticket documentation from finnair MMB I get an error stating "something went wrong when preparing these tickets"

Is this standard behaviour after flights are removed from a booking? Should I give it some time for the e-ticket to reappear or call back and check what's happened?

Maybe the Etihad deal isn't looking so bad..