Earlier flight on a Qantas red e-deal?

[straitman]

Bear in mind that the original question, and my original response, was around whether or not the kiosks would make such an offer. My experience is that, yes they will, sometimes. I am not sure how Qantas manage or track those kiosks making the offer, or how they reprimand ornery kiosks offering them up on red-e-deals.

I never use a kiosk so I have no idea.

 

[Flying Uke]

I have been offered earlier flights without asking.
If you think about it, it makes sense for the airlines. If they have a flight leaving in say 1 hour with empty seats they have very little chance of selling those seats. If a person is booked on a flight several hours later and is moved forward the airline has more chance of reselling that seat.

 

[straitman]

I have been offered earlier flights without asking.
If you think about it, it makes sense for the airlines. If they have a flight leaving in say 1 hour with empty seats they have very little chance of selling those seats. If a person is booked on a flight several hours later and is moved forward the airline has more chance of reselling that seat.

That is the theory of how it works in nutshell.

This however needs to be balanced against allowing everyone to swap flights will nilly. If they allowed this they would then only sell the cheap tickets as no one would see any necessity to buy dearer more flexible tickets.

 

[BVT]

That is the theory of how it works in nutshell.

This however needs to be balanced against allowing everyone to swap flights will nilly. If they allowed this they would then only sell the cheap tickets as no one would see any necessity to buy dearer more flexible tickets.

This is a vexed issue. I have had it explained by a VERY senior QF person as follows:

Qantas will change red E deals only when it suits them. For example, on a Friday evening or other peak periods and usually only on major routes, eg; MEL - SYD - BNE - CBR.

Most annoying. But then again usually one gets a cheap fare in exchange.

BvT

 

[markis10]

When QF are forward loading then anything goes, otherwise expect the rules to be followed!

The QP desk must get a lot of requests for earlier flights, recently I asked for an earlier flight and started to get the spiel about not being on a changeable fare until my actual fare basis popped up on the screen, "oh, you are on a fully flexible, no problems"

 

[anat0l]

A couple of times I was offered a change of flight without prompting:

• I arrived into SYD from an international flight and proceeded to QF Domestic Transfer (the old setup, of course). My flight was scheduled about 4 hours from the current time. The check-in agent noticed this, and said, "You've got a long wait." I concurred. She then said, "Would you prefer an earlier flight?" I said I didn't mind, so I got a seat (8D) on the next flight. I was SG then.
• I'd booked the milk run as part of a fun way to get to Oz Fest 6 CNS in 2009. When I fronted up to check-in to QF2300 at BNE, the two check-in agents looking at my "complex" itinerary, one of them piped up and offered to put me on the BNE-CNS direct, which left later in the day and was much shorter than my milk run. I, of course, declined, since I didn't book the milk run because I had no choice .

 

[JohnK]

I never use a kiosk so I have no idea.

Try it one day it does not hurt. And by the way you can cancel out of the whole proces if you are not happy with what is offered.

If they have a flight leaving in say 1 hour with empty seats they have very little chance of selling those seats. If a person is booked on a flight several hours later and is moved forward the airline has more chance of reselling that seat.

Not quite how it works. Not meaning to be rude but there would not be very many people purchasing domestic seats at the very last minute.

But then I could also be wrong....

 

[Ewing]

Not quite how it works. Not meaning to be rude but there would not be very many people purchasing domestic seats at the very last minute.

We do it in extreme circumstances such as if there's an equipment failure on a remote site or if we're away and are recalled early (and don't have flex tickets).

Never had an issue with expensive tickets either, eg: a couple of months back I booked 3 people from SYD-CBR on the next flight for $360 including the credit card fee and assisted booking fee.

I've bought a domestic ticket a T-0:33 before

But yes, that's probably the exception rather than the rule.

I'd rather our system than the standby system in the US anyway where every flight (on AA at least) seems to go full and they waste so much time farting around trying to find overhead bin space and then gate checking bags that don't fit.

 

[JohnK]

There was an announcement in BNE business lounge recently that if anyone on flight QF557 BNE-SYD does not have checked luggage is welcome to swap to the earlier flight QF555 BNE-SYD.

I think the weather has been bad in BNE today and there are some delays but if QF557 is still going to SYD with checked luggage anyone know why they would offer an earlier flight to passengers with carry-on only?

 

[docjames]

There was an announcement in BNE business lounge recently that if anyone on flight QF557 BNE-SYD does not have checked luggage is welcome to swap to the earlier flight QF555 BNE-SYD.

I think the weather has been bad in BNE today and there are some delays but if QF557 is still going to SYD with checked luggage anyone know why they would offer an earlier flight to passengers with carry-on only?

Because 557 might be late, full, aircraft swap, or not going to go (or at risk of not going due to curfew).

And yes, the weather has been bad (not as bad as victoria, just showers all day).

 

[JohnK]

Because 557 might be late, full, aircraft swap, or not going to go (or at risk of not going due to curfew).

Sounds fair but if it is not going to go then anyone with checked luggage will be left behind.

Not me though as I am only free loading.

 

[ButFli]

My girlfriend and I were offered an earlier flight on Red-E deal tickets from QF544 to QF542 today. We decided not to take it because it would have meant no check in baggage. After turning the offer down we were given exit row seats.

The flight was not full but it looked like the two seats in the exit row were the last pair together. Could this be a reason for offering an earlier flight or an exit row to two bronze frequent flyers with Red-E tickets?

 

[straitman]

My girlfriend and I were offered an earlier flight on Red-E deal tickets from QF544 to QF542 today. We decided not to take it because it would have meant no check in baggage. After turning the offer down we were given exit row seats.

The flight was not full but it looked like the two seats in the exit row were the last pair together. Could this be a reason for offering an earlier flight or an exit row to two bronze frequent flyers with Red-E tickets?

ButFli,

Welcome to AFF.

There does not seem to be any logical pattern to how and why with this other than if it helps QF with loads. You have got to be lucky sometimes is all I can say.

 

[Warks]

Without reading the entire thread I know from experience that there is pretty much zero chance - I started a thread somewhere about my experience. This was BNE-SYD and I'd already brought my return forward a day but on this occasion I arrived six hours before my flight with the work I had planned winding up very early due to many hands making light work. I went to every desk I could with the staff trying their hardest but all said that management were "cracking down" on this so there was just about no chance.

As a result I got to know the QP in BNE even better than ever. While there I emailed Qantas pointing out that it all seemed a bit petty and it would have been cheaper to send me home a few hours earlier than keeping me entertained in the QP:mrgreen:.

About a week later I got the placating phone call which told me the bleeding obvious that I should have paid three times as much for a more flexible fare and that even WPs can't change red-e-deals on the day now. She seemed to intimate that you never could but of course we all know you could.

I'd still give it a shot though and hope that I got lucky but be 99% prepared for disappointment.

 

[JohnK]

Delays all day. Weather or ATC in SYD? My 20:15 BNE-SYD flight is now due to board 20:40. When I checked-in it was due to board at 20:20. What time is curfew at SYD? Is 22:30 or 23:00?

Qantas know that these flights are all seriously delayed. This is one of those times where Qantas should have been pro-active and offered people earlier flights. Not panic when things start to go pear shaped.

I would hate to be the person that is going to have to deal with me if I do not get to SYD tonight. :shock:

 

[markis10]

Delays all day. Weather or ATC in SYD? My 20:15 BNE-SYD flight is now due to board 20:40. When I checked-in it was due to board at 20:20. What time is curfew at SYD? Is 22:30 or 23:00?

Qantas know that these flights are all seriously delayed. This is one of those times where Qantas should have been pro-active and offered people earlier flights. Not panic when things start to go pear shaped.

I would hate to be the person that is going to have to deal with me if I do not get to SYD tonight. :shock:

There are delays into BNE as well, 30 min ago there were 7 aircraft going around in circles. Curfew is at 2300 in SYD.

 

[straitman]

Delays all day. Weather or ATC in SYD? My 20:15 BNE-SYD flight is now due to board 20:40. When I checked-in it was due to board at 20:20. What time is curfew at SYD? Is 22:30 or 23:00?

:shock:

23:00hrs John.

Good luck. I hope you make it home.

 

[JohnK]

Thanks guys. Should be able to make 23:00 curfew unless something out of the ordinary happens.

But this is also me we are talking about.

Why are the 2 most popular days for rain/bad weather Friday and Sunday?

 

[anat0l]

Why are the 2 most popular days for rain/bad weather Friday and Sunday?

One of them is TGI... day; the other is golf day.

Coincidence? Perhaps...

 

[JohnK]

One of them is TGI... day; the other is golf day.

Coincidence? Perhaps...

Saturday is my most important golf day and it hardly rains. Now I am commuting the two most rainy days are Friday and Sunday.

For me it is funny as when I was younger I used to organise "sick" days months in advance where I would play a game of golf with a friend at a really nice course. You could almost guarantee that the day would be wet. I remember one time standing under pine trees near the 3rd tee at Castle Hill golf club holding an umbrella with thunder, lightning and heavy rain all over us for at least 30 minutes.

Still finished the game of golf in under 100 strokes but soaked. Ah the good old days and nothing has changed....