My Reward Booking has disappeared and I'm supposed to fly tomorrow morning

[encryptededdy]

I think this is a new low, my goodness. Out of my own morbid curiosity, I wonder what actually happened here. A failure to re-ticket wouldn't result in the entire booking being deleted (I don't think), and it's unlikely the cancellation wasn't processed correctly (since it was correctly cancelled at least once...). Did a confused agent just cancel it??

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

This is ghastly. I am so sorry. And here I thought the biggest risk to reward bookings was a schedule change in advance leaving you either in the wrong city (QF dumping you at LAX rather than SFO) or no alternative option and a refund of points.

Now they're just cancelling reservations on operating flights without notice the day before departure?

What's next? "Sorry, your flight's been cancelled," midflight and you're pushed out the back door.

 

[renatts]

Please send your story to every media company you can think of.

This is a staggering level of incompetence, and to add insult to injury they just lied to you, and then tried to extort $9000 out of you. They absolutely can retrieve old cancelled bookings, and in this situation they absolutely should be buying you revenue seats on your original itinerary. Someone accidentally cancelled your booking without your knowledge, consent, or authorisation. If all the flights were still running they have absolute no excuse.

 

[renatts]

Perhaps also send your story to your federal member, demanding to know why a company that received record government support can treat Australian citizens this way.
I don't think there is any limit to the amount of noise I would be making if this happened to me.

 

[muppet]

This is obviously outrageous, but I think the best way is to travel as planned if you can afford it.

In other threads involving taking Qantas to NCAT, Qantas has offered to reimburse direct costs of the flights it stuffed up but not other consequential losses.

 

[Kerrodt]

This is a disgraceful account of events here. I can't even begin to believe how a properly run airline could operate in such a way.

If it were me, my next port of call would be the lawyers to seek some initial advice on how to claim compensation and see if there are any claims for additional compensation for your damages, hurt, distress and inconvenience. The lawyers might point you into the direction of VCAT (or whatever the relevant state body is that you would need to use) but I would not go there first as they are slow and lumbering and may not actually be your best first avenue for the best solution for you.

The other key point here is - keep very clear, concise and complete records of everything that has been said and done from your perspective.

Where's Erin Brockovich when you need her?

Keep us all updated on how this one plays out.

Sorry for the horror show that you have been a part of here.

 

[MrJetset]

J

As a result, I decided to create a separate new booking, 53xx_x, to fly NRT - YVR on 30 SEP.

On 01 Sept 2022, QF sent me an amended itinerary with the correct routes as per my instructions. So the final itinerary for 5Qxx_x was:
MEL - NRT - 30 SEP 22
YVR - YYR - 06 OCT 22
YYR - JFK - 12 OCT 22
JFK - HND - 31 OCT 22
HND - MEL - 02 NOV 22

And the new booking 53xx_x had one flight only:
NRT - YVR - 03 OCT 22

A little confused by this.

Did you have a second PNR for NRT-YVR on 30 Sep or 3 Oct?

Trying to ascertain if either PNR was cancelled because of a duplicate impossible booking on 30 Sep. Were either flight retimed?

Also, what is the YVR-YVR segment?

 

[djkelly69]

Also, what is the YVR-YVR segment?

That says YVR-YYR, Vancouver to Goose Bay/Happy Valley.

 

[gorodemon]

That says YVR-YYR, Vancouver to Goose Bay/Happy Valley.

Sorry guys, it's supposed to be YYC - Calgary. I'll fix up the typo.

 

[MrJetset]

Sorry guys, it's supposed to be YYC - Calgary. I'll fix up the typo.

Did you have two bookings on the 30th?

 

[gorodemon]

A little confused by this.

Did you have a second PNR for NRT-YVR on 30 Sep or 3 Oct?

Trying to ascertain if either PNR was cancelled because of a duplicate impossible booking on 30 Sep. Were either flight retimed?

Also, what is the YVR-YVR segment?

I have uploaded screenshots on my updated post to give you a better idea of my issue. And yes, I did create a new booking for NRT - YVR on 30 Sept, only for one leg, to connect me to Vancouver. This one had no issue at all but I had to cancel afterwards (obviously) because I couldn't fly to NRT.

 

[renatts]

I have uploaded screenshots on my updated post to give you a better idea of my issue. And yes, I did create a new booking for NRT - YVR on 30 Sept, only for one leg, to connect me to Vancouver. This one had no issue at all but I had to cancel afterwards (obviously) because I couldn't fly to NRT.

Can you legally connect in NRT on separate bookings currently?
Also only left yourself 2hr 10min. AFAIK you wouldn't have been able to onward check your bags?

Still cant comprehend why your entire first booking would have been cancelled.

 

[gorodemon]

Can you legally connect in NRT on separate bookings currently?
Also only left yourself 2hr 10min. AFAIK you wouldn't have been able to onward check your bags?

Still cant comprehend why your entire first booking would have been cancelled.

The first booking, MEL - NRT, is with JAL and the second booking, NRT - YVR, is also with JAL. The departures and arrival are in the same terminal and they're JAL. My plan was, at the check-in counter, I would ask their staff to connect my flights on these two separate bookings. Surely they could do a simple task like that without needing me to collect the bags and redo the check-in at NRT?

 

[gorodemon]

Perhaps also send your story to your federal member, demanding to know why a company that received record government support can treat Australian citizens this way.
I don't think there is any limit to the amount of noise I would be making if this happened to me.

Thanks mate, not sure if my local MP can help me on this issue. However, I would send my story to some news media and let's see if they're interested.

I feel like making a reward booking with QF these days feels like playing a roulette game.

 

[renatts]

The first booking, MEL - NRT, is with JAL and the second booking, NRT - YVR, is also with JAL. The departures and arrival are in the same terminal and they're JAL. My plan was, at the check-in counter, I would ask their staff to connect my flights on these two separate bookings. Surely they could do a simple task like that without needing me to collect the bags and redo the check-in at NRT?

As far as I'm aware they can't do that. Could be wrong though, never been game to try it.

Still doesn't seem like a reason to cancel your booking. Visa issues are on the PAX, so QF wouldn't likely care if you had one to enter Japan or not.

I'd still be sending something to my local MP. Qantas is an Australian company, you're a voting member of the public, and a call from a federal MP will likely get a response from Qantas.

 

[clifford]

Can you legally connect in NRT on separate bookings currently?

You certainly can:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan/2016930-japan-transit-connection-layover-master-thread-coronavirus-edition.html

In fact I have a similar pair of bookings, transiting HND, although as it's happening after 11 Oct it 's now academic anyway.

 

[LeaFar]

Just to give an update, I spoke to 4 call centre staffs today, no one could help me to reinstate my booking. Everything had been cancelled by the ticketing staffs this morning around 8am (29/09/22).

To give you a time frame, here's the chronology. Initially I booked a reward ticket on 01/04/2022 as per below:
MEL - NRT - 30 SEP 22
NRT - YVR - 03 OCT 22
YVR - YYC - 06 OCT 22
YYC - JFK - 12 OCT 22
JFK - HND - 31 OCT 22
HND - MEL - 02 NOV 22

Since Japan hadn't opened for tourists, I tried to change the flight date of my NRT - YVR to 30 SEP 22 to avoid getting stranded at NRT airport for 3 days. I spoke to 10 different CC staffs and were only able to speak to the overseas ones. They all said they couldn't see any availability of seats on NRT - YVR route for 30 SEP when they tried to amend my existing booking. However, there were seats available if you tried to create a new booking. I tried everything, even sending numerous emails to Stephanie Tully, Frequent Flyers inbox and Feedback forms but no one responded.

As a result, I decided to create a separate new booking, 53xx_x, to fly NRT - YVR on 30 SEP. On the other hand, I asked the CC staff to cancel one of the legs, NRT - YVR on 03 OCT, from my existing booking 5Qxx_x. This event occurred on 30 Aug 2022 and they confirmed only one leg was cancelled and processed. I even received a call from a ticketing staff to confirm that I only wanted to cancelled one leg.

On 01 Sept 2022, QF sent me an amended itinerary with the correct routes as per my instructions. So the final itinerary for 5Qxx_x was:
MEL - NRT - 30 SEP 22
YVR - YYC - 06 OCT 22
YYC - JFK - 12 OCT 22
JFK - HND - 31 OCT 22
HND - MEL - 02 NOV 22

And the new booking 53xx_x had one flight only:
NRT - YVR - 03 OCT 22

Everything was correct until the morning of 29/09/2022 when suddenly my booking disappeared from CheckMyTrip website. Everything disappeared from JAL website and QF. I called call centre staffs and were told it had been cancelled this morning on my request!!! I told them to check their notes and their responses were "Ohhh, I see what happened here". They never admitted it was their mistakes to cancel the whole thing.

Why would they do that? It was all correct since 01 Sept 22 because they removed the one leg which I didn't want. Why would they cancel they whole thing after they sent me the correct itinerary, a month before that? The new itinerary had e-tickets (081-xx_) and was correct!!!

Since they were unable to reinstate my booking, I had to cancel my other booking along with car rentals, accommodations, attractions, etc. I have suffered financial losses since some of them were non-refundable. I will be claiming compensation from QF for my losses since it's their fault and won't hesitate to take them to VCAT. Their competency is worst then 3rd party booking website like Aunt Betty or BYO Jets.

Attached are snapshots of my itineraries which I hoped would help you guys to understand the chronological order of my booking. The last one which was issued on 20 Sept was due to involuntary change of flight from QF. Somehow they decided to re-route my flight back to SYD before putting me on a domestic flight to MEL.

Sorry to hear you have been through the same scenario as us, Qantas FAILED to reissue tickets in time resulting in the partner airline auto cancelling their flight segments. My son is now in Rome without a return ticket confirmed with Qatar. Qantas are in the process of trying to have the Qatar flight reinstated.

 

[gorodemon]

I'd still be sending something to my local MP. Qantas is an Australian company, you're a voting member of the public, and a call from a federal MP will likely get a response from Qantas.

Fair enough, I'd consider it because he might do something about it.

The worst part of my ordeal is when I had to look in my son's eyes and explained to a 3.5 year-old boy why we had to cancel his long-awaited holiday. I won't forget that.

 

[AIRwin]

Qantas are in the process of trying to have the Qatar flight reinstated.

Good to hear both Qs are trying to get you out of the Quandary...

 

[Ktan89]

I am so sorry to hear/read about this. This is completely disgusting from Qantas end. Booking a trip is stressful enough and having this happen is over the top. They need to get their systems sorted out ASAP, this is causing anxiety and stress for the OP plus I'm sure other AFFs.

Question for other AFFs though, in situations like this, would travel insurance cover this if the OP buys a ticket to continue on his journey?

Also a question about the updated schedule changes you got notified on, once you click confirm, did Qantas send out a new ETicket?
Wasn't there a thread saying that a new ticket needs to be issued still, and the shi*ty QF system sometimes doesn't do this and requires a call to their horrible contact centre?