Long wait for refund for cancelled reward flights Qantas - a common experience?

[MPP2768]

Hi All,

Just reviewing out travel plans to Europe booked for May , I have booked my Europe tickets using Qantas points all booked under classic reward flights . There are 3 different booking reference nos. as i booked them as the classic award tickets became available as below
Leg 1 Mel-Sin- Mel
Leg 2 Singapore-Doha- Vienna
Leg 3 Paris-Dubai-Singapore
I understand cancellation charges are 6000 points per passenger , does this mean i will be charged 6000X3 points per passenger or juts 6000 points per passenger for all 3 cancellations.
Can we pay cash instead of points for the cancellations? does anyone know how much do 6000 points translate to in terms of AUD

Thanks

 

[me-h]

In mid-March I used manage my booking to cancel J reward flights to and from USA (as seperate PNRs) scheduled for June and August. Got points and cash back for the August flight home pretty quickly, but not for the June flight there which seemed to be lingering in manage my bookings but with a 20 November date now and saying something about point to point as the departure and arrival destinations. I eventually called the plat line yesterday morning, got through to someone pretty much immediately and who advised that for some reason the flight there had been processed as a flight credit rather than a cancellation and refund. He offered to correct it and processed it as a cancellation/refund, but said it could take up to 6 weeks to see the points and cash. Have been watching to see if at least the points will show up quickly given the experience reported here by a few others, but so far noting after first 36 hours or so.

Update on this - my fees and charges showed up credited back to my credit card on 2 May, but there's still no sign of the points back onto my QF account. I didn't expect things to happen in that order! Wonder if I'm going to end up needing to chase up the points down the track

 

[squid01]

I cancelled a Oneworld Classic Award on 15/03/20. Just got the point refunded back to me on 24/04/20 (in full).

No sign of the refunded taxes to my credit card yet. Will give it another couple weeks before trying to call them.

Update: just got the taxes refunded back on 02/05/20.

 

[Battymum]

I have had my outbound classic award flights cancelled and there was a message to contact Qantas for alternates - there wasnt a cancel option.
I havent been able to contact them and now the booking has completely disappeared. I am sure I have read on here this has happened to someone else.

I want to cancel for refund.
But I have since cancelled the return, which was yet to be cancelled and points were back in my account immediately. Will post when the taxes are refunded.

 

[serfty]

I cancelled two bookings online on Sunday March 5th.

One was MEL-(QF)-SIN-(JL)-HND with AU$+++

The other HND-(QF)-xSYD-(QF)-MEL with JP¥+++

The latter JP¥+++ and points were back in my accounts the next day (dated 5th) - I presume it was automatically processed.

I am still waiting on the former - which surprises me as AU$ refunds have tended to be quicker than FOREX ones, although there is the JL segment..

I was further surprised yesterday to see the unrefunded award booking show as an "off line point" on MMB, weirdly dated a year after I cancelled the booking.

This was unexpected for a redemption booking, so I called. It was answered reasonably quickly and had an affable conversation with a relaxed agent.

Basically I was told that I should call after six weeks from cancellation date as it was only after 42 days that they could escalate such issues.

No rush at this stage so I'll wait another fortnight.

 

[me-h]

Update on this - my fees and charges showed up credited back to my credit card on 2 May, but there's still no sign of the points back onto my QF account. I didn't expect things to happen in that order! Wonder if I'm going to end up needing to chase up the points down the track

Points have finally shown up back in my ff account. Credit date is 7 May, so 5 days after the fees and charges were refunded on my credit card.

 

[flapper]

I used 3 different credit cards for my OWA booking, 2 are now cancelled. How do I know which credit card QF will reund the taxes to when I cancel the booking?

Upate # 2. My flights were finally cancelled the operator was able to but a request through that the taxes that were charged to the closed cards be refunded to the credit card the intial taxes were paid. The one I still have. Now lets see if that actually happens.

 

[Flying Fox]

Finally success.

14/03/2020 - Flight scheduled
14/03/2020 - Flight cancelled and received confirmation of refund & informed should take 10 - 14 working days
17/04/2020 - Called to follow-up & informed due to high volumes should take another 10 - 14 working days
09/05/2020 - Refund appears on Amex online

So approx 2 months in total. Best of luck to everyone still waiting; hope that yours comes through soon.

 

[LinaLee]

I’m also waiting since 25th March for the refund to CC after they cancelled the flight. Only have a screenshot of the refund request. Hope it’s still happening . Might call them later tonight.

The email confirming refund arrived on 7 May and the money appeared in CC 11 May. This time I also received the CC payment fee refund. That’s never happened before . Maybe because flight cancelled by them rather than me .

 

[offshore171]

For a customer initiated cancellation of award flight:

Q. What is the minimum time threshold prior to flight by when you must cancel to get the points back?

 

[Scr77]

For a customer initiated cancellation of award flight:

Q. What is the minimum time threshold prior to flight by when you must cancel to get the points back?

Do a dummy booking and read cancellation conditions to confirm, but I Think it’s anytime prior to taking flight. Ie before boarding.

 

[avinashm]

For a customer initiated cancellation of award flight:

Q. What is the minimum time threshold prior to flight by when you must cancel to get the points back?

Any time before your flight however you will incur a 6000 pt cancellation fee. It's better to wait for Qantas to cancel your flight so you don't incur any penalties.

 

[offshore171]

Thanks. Yes I knew about the cancellation fee but didn’t realise you could cancel right up until boarding.

Does this ability to cancel right up to the last minute also apply for other carriers booked via Qantas FF (eg JAL?)

Given that the cancellation fee is fairly small in the scheme of things, it’s a relatively good situation to be able to defer any decisions to cancel.

 

[Happy Trails]

Does this ability to cancel right up to the last minute also apply for other carriers booked via Qantas FF (eg JAL?)

Yes, but I believe it cannot be done on line, so the call waiting time could be an issue.

 

[Flying Fox]

Finally success.

14/03/2020 - Flight scheduled
14/03/2020 - Flight cancelled and received confirmation of refund & informed should take 10 - 14 working days
17/04/2020 - Called to follow-up & informed due to high volumes should take another 10 - 14 working days
09/05/2020 - Refund appears on Amex online

So approx 2 months in total. Best of luck to everyone still waiting; hope that yours comes through soon.

Yes. My domestic fare took approx 2 mths.

 

[JohnM]

I received no response to emails sent to both of these addresses.

I have received no response to an email sent to [email protected] chasing refund of $$ from a cancelled award booking, several weeks after the points were refunded. I'll give it another week and phone if still nothing.

 

[Saintza]

I cancelled a rewards trip planned for August a few weeks ago, received the points within a week but still waiting on the $ refund for the taxes portion. Going by this thread it seems I might be waiting a while.

 

[Lat34]

20/03 cancelled Classic Flight Reward online before 31 March deadline (for travel date before 31 May)
27/04 follow-up email to [email protected] - nothing heard
05/05 called QF premium line who advised request had gone to the Loyalty team for refund
12/05 email from SHRQETREFUNDS advising refund of tickets and points had been processed + allow 7-10 days for funds to appear back on card
13/05 points back in the account
15/05 ticket charges including card fee appear on Amex online (though transaction dated 13 May)

 

[Saintza]

FYI Qantas rep on Twitter said current ETA is 8-10 weeks for refunds to be processed.

 

[JasonK]

hey all, what's the current Qantas policy on booking a classic reward (after 30th April - their website only covers pre-30th Apr) for travel during this year? I wanted to try and secure a potential classic reward for domestic travel later in the year, but would Qantas forego the cancellation fee (5K miles) if the borders are still closed by then?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Has anyone managed to cancel a classic rewards booking and had the full points refunded? It seems Classic rewards are subject to cancellation fees (ie points) whereas paid fares can get a full credit. It seems odd as points are effectively the same as credit held to be spent on Qantas anyhow.