Changing QF domestic connection to international partner award flight: wait until airport check-in?

[Telemachus]

Many (perhaps most?) international awards beginning with an AU domestic sector come with a D>I connection time that looks problematic in today’s situation. It’s not yet possible to make an online change oneself except whole trip cancellation. So, what to do? Ring up QFF CC and risk an error that loses the partner award, try to get the change done on the day at the airport, or just fly the booked itinerary and hope for the best.

I’m facing this dilemma and am reluctant to call the CC to request an earlier domestic connection, given the numerous horror stories about irrecoverable errors by agents resulting in loss of partner award seats. Moreover, even if the call achieves the desired change, and the booking is successfully reticketed, we are still at risk that our rebooked domestic flight will be cancelled on the day of travel or subject to delayed departure.

A couple of AFF members – looking at you @blackcat20 – have mentioned an intent to manage the misconnection risk by going to the airport on the day and requesting an earlier domestic flight. I’m leaning towards this option for my award trip in Sept. But it would be helpful to understand better how likely it is to be allowed. First thoughts: one needs to be starting the trip from a port with multiple daily services to the airport from which the international flight will depart, and one should present at check-in early enough for there to be at least a couple of connections that would work. Some homework about loads and award space might also be wise.

What I’m less clear about is how much discretion is available to the CI agent (or lounge staff) to get moved onto an earlier first domestic sector. With transfer to airport control after OLCI opens I’ve assumed it should be fine but, as award bookings are involved, maybe not?

It would be good to hear from people who have a better knowledge of the system – how does it work, are there other risks etc – and from those who have already gone down this path themselves and have useful experience to share.

 

[ChrisMars]

I have done that maybe 3 times, taking an earlier cbr - syd. Pre covid. Only once I had a push back (its not a flex ticket), I insisted explaining I won't arrive earlier to lhr, but will have more time in syd for shopping. The agent called someone (manager?) and got an immediate ok. Was on paid Y, being wp might have helped. Was done at checkin counter.

My view is that any experienced agent will understand the your connection is at risk and will move you to the earlier service if space permit, making both you and qantas a favor.

 

[Telemachus]

I have done that maybe 3 times, taking an earlier cbr - syd. Pre covid. Only once I had a push back (its not a flex ticket), I insisted explaining I won't arrive earlier to lhr, but will have more time in syd for shopping. The agent called someone (manager?) and got an immediate ok. Was on paid Y, being wp might have helped. Was done at checkin counter.

My view is that any experienced agent will understand the your connection is at risk and will move you to the earlier service if space permit, making both you and qantas a favor.

Thanks. On a paid Y ticket I've done the same flying CBR-SYD where it must be a common request, particularly from escapees on Fri afternoons. Your point about an experienced agent is well made as it makes obvious sense for QF to help avoid misconnection. My uncertainty, though, remains specifically about how much the agent can do, and how straightforward it is (or not), when pax is on an award rather than revenue ticket.

 

[RichardMEL]

As above most check in agents are experienced enough and understand, and if there's space will move pax forward.

the problem is if te agent has the experience and authority to do this. One could politely ask for a supervisor of course if there's an issue.

 

[Telemachus]

Reporting back on how it worked out for me this week with my QF classic award J booking on QF and EK metal, viz SYD-BNE-DXB then onward to UK. Because of perceived risks to the integrity of the whole award booking if I phoned a CC seeking any change, I stuck to the alternate plan to turn up early at SYD T3 on day of travel and request a QF agent to put me on any one of the three SYD-BNE services scheduled before my booked flight (QF542).

Having monitored OTP of SYD-BNE flights for several weeks I knew that despite some improvement there continue to be atrocious days when I would have missed my connection from QF542 (STA 19:05) to EK431 (STD 21:00). I arrived at the SYD T3 service desk knowing there were no U or X award seats left on any of the earlier SYD-BNE flights but this did not seem to be an issue for the QF agent. A helpful Katy accepted right away that it made sense to travel earlier to reduce the risk of misconnection at BNE, and she found me a J seat.

In the event there were then delays to the service on which I flew but there was enough additional buffer to mean I disembarked at BNE dom with adequate time to catch the terminal transfer bus and get in some lounge time at BNE int before boarding of EK431 began.

Thanks again to those AFF members who offered pertinent info and advice when I started this thread. The things we now feel obliged to do to avoid the risks involved in phoning a QF CC with a ‘simple’ request….

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I know several people who have phoned QF and all been told they cannot move to an earlier flight.

Following advice form AFF they have turned up early at the airport and were accommodated on the next available flight… don’t need award availability, the agents on day of travel seem to have the authority to manage connections by rolling forward, or back when in reverse (I connecting to D)

Only snag would be something like a monday morning when flights are full.