Classic Award Booking Cancellation Fees & Refund Processing Time

[Pushka]

So , there's only 1 passenger and there are 2 legs.

1st leg is 18 June.
2nd is 07 Jul.

Was approx ~120K points each (~220K total)

I have yet to make a decision. What I would also like to know is when would I have to cancel by in order to still receive points + fees back? IE how long do I have from hereon out ? Would like to know how much longer I have to decide for planning purposes.

Cheers.

Before checkin. We've hedged our bets with a Qantas and Jetstar flight, the latter being our preference but thought it might be cancelled by JQ. It wasn't. While we were on the JQ flight for take off, just before phones off, I cancelled the Qantas flight that was a few hours later and we'd not checked in.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Before checkin. We've hedged our bets with a Qantas and Jetstar flight, the latter being our preference but thought it might be cancelled by JQ. It wasn't. While we were on the JQ flight for take off, just before phones off, I cancelled the Qantas flight that was a few hours later and we'd not checked in.

A little bit lucky one of your bookings wasn’t auto cancelled! Airlines can unilaterally cancel ‘impossible’ bookings, sometimes with warning, sometimes without!

 

[serfty]

So , there's only 1 passenger and there are 2 legs.

1st leg is 18 June.
2nd is 07 Jul.

Was approx ~120K points each (~220K total)

I have yet to make a decision. What I would also like to know is when would I have to cancel by in order to still receive points + fees back? IE how long do I have from hereon out ? Would like to know how much longer I have to decide for planning purposes.

Cheers.

Cancellation fee is 6K point per pax per booking. You indicate just the one passenger. If the the first and second legs indicated are separate bookings then the total cost would be 2 x 6k points.

 

[Pushka]

A little bit lucky one of your bookings wasn’t auto cancelled! Airlines can unilaterally cancel ‘impossible’ bookings, sometimes with warning, sometimes without!

Probably. One was direct with Jetstar and the other Qantas so I presumed they don't communicate well.

 

[RedSMS]

OK.

Due to the desire of the administration to merge a simple question that I had into a giant thread, I'm going to ask a 3rd time and make it as EASY as possible to answer.

This is the scenario I want answered:

I planned on travelling to the USA for the purpose of attending a conference, which is due to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

The conference will run from the 27th-30th June.

I also wanted to visit a friend of mine , who lives in the Buffalo - Niagara region of NY state. As he is a colleague of mine, we had planned to travel to the conference together , along with his wife and kids.

At the conclusion of the conference, there were plans to stay on in ABQ for approximately a week for the Independence Day vacation.

My QFF anniversary is end of July, and last year I was Gold (hence more award flight availability). However, due to the disgracefully slim number of Business Class reward flights to/from the USA, (especially in the middle of USA summer), the only award flights of any significance to me, ( which I went on to book), are as follows:

TUE 18 JUN 2024: MEL - NAN - LAX (FJ)

SUN 07 JUL 2024: LAX - SYD (QF)

My reasoning was, that I would fly east upon arriving into LAX (to BUF), spend some time there, fly back west on 26 or 27 JUN to ABQ, then from ABQ to LAX on 07 JUN to meet my late night QF flight back home.

Here's where it gets tricky.....

My friend has decided that he's no longer able to spend the extra time after the conference with his family in Albuquerque, so that leaves me in a bind.

Furthermore, I also just applied to have my passport renewed (gov.au website says 6 weeks for passport).

IE, it wouldn't be a tragedy if I had to cancel this trip.

It would be great if I could amend my return flight LAX - SYD) from 07 JUL to (let's say) 01 JUL. However, we all know that there's zero chance of that happening on a J reward/award fare.....

So, I'm considering cancelling the whole trip, as I have yet to organise domestic travel within the USA, pay for conference registration and related accommodation in ABQ. I would have just been staying with my friend in BUF.

SO HERE IS MY QUESTION...........


How long do I have until I MUST make the decision to CANCEL BOTH legs (MEL - NAN - LAX & LAX - SYD) and STILL obtain a refund of both my points and fees?

Is it 6 weeks?
Is it 3 weeks?
Is it 6 minutes?
Is it 30 seconds?

The 2 legs have different PNR's.

Furthermore, what are the odds that I might be able to change the date of my return flight (LAX-SYD) from 07 JUL to a week earlier?

Nobody has been able to answer this very simple question that I have.

I would be super duper thrilled if anyone might be able to clearly advise me here.

Thank so much in advance!

 

[serfty]

SO HERE IS MY QUESTION...........


How long do I have until I MUST make the decision to CANCEL BOTH legs (MEL - NAN - LAX & LAX - SYD) and STILL obtain a refund of both my points and fees?

Is it 6 weeks?
Is it 3 weeks?
Is it 6 minutes?
Is it 30 seconds?

The 2 legs have different PNR's.

If you cancel before scheduled departure time of the first flight in an award booking routing you are entitled to a refund of all taxes, levies and surcharges (+++). You are also entitled to a refund of any points less the 6000 point cancellation fee.

If you fail to cancel before said time and do not travel on the first segment of a booking you are liable to forfeit all points and +++ paid.for that booking.

Cancelling can generally be done online, but sometimes not, so a call would be required - meaning leaving it to 30 seconds prior is risky.

This applies separately to both your bookings.

 

[RichardMEL]

Sorry for a simple question you provided a LOT of background (that rrally isn't terribly relevant).

Pertunent points that I can see

2 separate bookings for outbound and return.

Officially you should cancel 24h prior to the first flight of reward booking for refund (minus the 6k per pax fee)

In this case june 17th for the outbound and jul 6 for the inbound (since separate bookings). Simples.

See

Help and Support | Qantas

help.qantas.com

You can cancel your Classic Flight Reward bookings up to 24 hours before departure of the first flight on your ticket at Manage booking.

If only one person in your booking needs to cancel their booking, but the remaining passengers will still be travelling, contact your local Qantas office for assistance.

If you cancel your booking taxes, fees and carrier charges will be refunded back to the credit card on which the taxes were originally paid. A Cancellation Refund Fee will apply. No fees apply where you are entitled to a refund or alternative flight under the Australian Consumer Law or Conditions of Carriage. Refer to the Fees Schedule for a list of fees. Please allow up to 14 days for the points to appear on your points activity statement. Once travel has commenced on a Classic Flight Reward points will not be re-credited to the member's account for unused flights.

I know others have said one can cancel within 24h, but this is the QF policy.

 

[serfty]

Sorry for a simple question you provided a LOT of background (that rrally isn't terribly relevant).

Pertunent points that I can see

2 separate bookings for outbound and return.

Officially you should cancel 24h prior to the first flight of reward booking for refund (minus the 6k per pax fee)

In this case june 17th for the outbound and jul 6 for the inbound (since separate bookings). Simples.

See

Help and Support | Qantas

help.qantas.com

I know others have said one can cancel within 24h, but this is the QF policy.

I have reviewed the T&C's for Qantas Frequent Flyer and It appears the T&C changed recently; likely with the introduction of Classic- awards.

Classic awards Booking made before the 7th April may be treated differently in respect to cancellation time compared to bookings made on or after that date.

I will look more closely.

 

[serfty]

I will look more closely.

Changes are not cancellations otherwise, at the very least, the "change fee" and the "cancellation fee" would be the same.

Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions | Qantas

These Terms and Conditions form the basis of Qantas Frequent Flyer, to protect both Members and the Qantas Group.

www.qantas.com

14.6.2 Indicates there is no 24 hour limit to cancellation:

14.6.2 Tickets issued for travel on Qantas, oneworld Member Airlines or Airline Partners (including Jetstar Airlines) may be submitted for refund and re-credit prior to commencement of any travel on the Itinerary. A Cancellation Refund Fee (see the Fee Schedule) will apply.

 

[RichardMEL]

Thanks @serfty

How shocking that two QF spirces give (slightly) differing info

Oh wait, I'm not shocked. Consistently Inconsistent(tm)

 

[RedSMS]

I have reviewed the T&C's for Qantas Frequent Flyer and It appears the T&C changed recently; likely with the introduction of Classic- awards.

Classic awards Booking made before the 7th April may be treated differently in respect to cancellation time compared to bookings made on or after that date.

I will look more closely.

Please get back to me regarding new policies. I booked both legs before 31 JUL last yr.

Thank you kindly.

 

[Brissy1]

Please get back to me regarding new policies. I booked both legs before 31 JUL last yr.

Thank you kindly.

Or you can do it yourself

 

[RichardMEL]

At the very least it is up to 24h prior, and probslably up to departure time. Are you saying you won't decide to cancel until maybe 3h prior to departure?

 

[CaptJCool]

Well the points showed up 5 days after QF cancellation
And the refund email today
Refund probably another 4-5 days

 

[Doctore1003]

I cancelled three CR bookings last week and got emails that refunds were processed on Monday and Tuesday this week.
I've received the $$ back on my card, but no sign of the points refunds.
I'm going to have to call Qantas, aren't I? Has anyone had luck messaging them on social media instead?

 

[muppet]

I cancelled three CR bookings last week and got emails that refunds were processed on Monday and Tuesday this week.
I've received the $$ back on my card, but no sign of the points refunds.
I'm going to have to call Qantas, aren't I? Has anyone had luck messaging them on social media instead?

Give a couple of weeks before calling. It seems random.

Recently I waited 2 weeks for points and had to call for taxes/charges. Last week cancelled a J reward and got points back same day, but took a few days for taxes.

 

[CaptJCool]

Well the points showed up 5 days after QF cancellation
And the refund email today
Refund probably another 4-5 days

And it was 3-4 days for the refund

All up 8-9 days

 

[Thibault]

I’ve canceled 2 awards ex-CDG.
Got the refunds on my French Amex a few days later however the points were stuck somewhere for a good month.

A quick message thread via Messenger and my points appeared instantly minus the cancellation fee.

Might be worth sending a quick message instead of waiting in the queue.

 

[serfty]

Today at 1:57pm I cancelled a MEL-DFW r/t Business award online. (After the recent timing changes I received an email implying cancel at no charge. )

I received the "An Update on your Refund Request" email at 2:15pm and logging on to QFF, the 253K points were back in my account with no 6K fee.

Now to wait for the $650 in +++ to hit the CC.

 

[serfty]

Now to wait for the $650 in +++ to hit the CC.

+++ (or is that ---?) Credited overnight, dated yesterday, including cc fee refund.

The process was completed within two days.