Qantas need to change travel credit (refund) rules on flights they are cancelling

[JillA]

Hi
I expect there are others like me whose overseas 2020 flights are being systematically cancelled and Qantas flight credits being issued through Qantas and/or Travel Agents. All my trips were for overseas personal travel and date specific events in 2020 - wedding vow renewal, birthday, milestone reunion etc. I understand my insurer will not refund cancellation fees but have still not been able to get through to them.

Examples of changes I think Qantas should be making to their current flight credit policy.

1. Qantas allows cash refunds without fare cancellation fees imposed (only agent booking fee if they are charging) for flights Qantas have cancelled and put funds into flight credit (now that some airlines are doing it). As Covid related restrictions continue those airlines that do will keep their FFs and attract other airline FFs who have to pay cancellation fees for airline cancelled flights.

2. At least all Qantas cancelled flights which were made during Feb 2020 status credit offering be cash refunded without any cancellation fees (only agent fees if they are charging. Agents known to not be charging fees likely to attract clients post Covid).

3. New flight bookings once they can be made NOT be restricted to 'new fare amount (which excludes carrier charges, fees and taxes) is equal to or higher than the original fare'. Those with flight credits need to be allowed to make a number of bookings to make up the total credit amount being held in one's name, and refund of remainder by an end date if no cash refunds options implemented.

4. Ability to apply for cash refunds for flight credits from Qantas cancelled flights without fare cancellation fees based on various criteria including no available holiday leave, events no longer happening and travel insurer not covering, financial hardship criteria including if receiving job seeker or job keeper payments etc. (Especially if none of the other options introduced, this will become extremely important - though time consuming for Qantas to manage).

5. Ability to apply for cash refunds for flight credits from Qantas cancelled flights without fare cancellation fees where GROSS AMOUNT held for all Qantas flight credits in a person's name exceeds $x.

6. Advise what the process is if your Travel Agent who took Qantas booking has closed doors.

7. Start running the scenarios on just how many FFs will not be able to use their flight credits under the current conditions and how attractive the plethora of status matching offers from those airlines which offer cash refunds without fare penalties will be after Qantas FFs end up with $x,000s of dollars lost in fare penalties when they have to cash in Qantas cancelled flight credits over the coming 12 months. Paid fares will move to status matching airlines and points flights with stay with QF.

Obviously some updates to Qantas and booking systems etc would be needed to facilitate changes but as with most things Covid at present, changes can be signalled and programmed/achieved by, say, 30 September.

I would love to hear thoughts on these ideas.

 

[Lynda2475]

Qantas are already offering cash refunds for cancelled flights if you booked direct with Qantas; and credit vouchers on no flex fares (waiving chnage fees) if you choose not to travel and the flight is still operating. They are also refunding all points and taxes for rewards flights whetehr cacnelled by them or you without penalty.

However, if you chose to book via a 3rd party (Travel agent or online booking platform) then you are bound by their less favourbale terms.Qantas will rewfund the 3rd party, but they may deuct fees of their own. Qantas cant give you control of a TA booking,

 

[Daver6]

Qantas are already offering cash refunds for cancelled flights if you booked direct with Qantas; and credit vouchers on no flex fares (waiving chnage fees) if you choose not to travel and the flight is still operating. They are also refunding all points and taxes for rewards flights whetehr cacnelled by them or you without penalty.

However, if you chose to book via a 3rd party (Travel agent or online booking platform) then you are bound by their less favourbale terms.Qantas will rewfund the 3rd party, but they may deuct fees of their own. Qantas cant give you control of a TA booking,

Are you sure? Amex travel informed me Qantas are NOT providing refunds for domestic travel and only providing travel credits. The operator was very clear that this is QF and not Amex travel holding out. I'd love to have some evidence that this is not the case.

 

[Lynda2475]

Yep check out the other thread where people have received refunds for cancelled flights, but you need to wait for the flight to be cancelled.

They are issuing vouchers, but if the flight isnt operating then you can request a refund as they cant deliver the service on the date you need. But as I stated above if booked through a 3rd Party like Amex then that 3rd party may not offer the same.

Also at the moment the refunds and vocuhers are only for flights departing up to the end of July, so if your flight is after that dont do anything yet.

Coronavirus travel update | Qantas

Find information on booking changes and refunds, keeping you healthy while you're flying, changes to our International flights to meet demand and government travel restrictions and alerts on coronavirus travel updates.

www.qantas.com

 

[Daver6]

Yep check out the other thread where people have received refunds for cancelled flights, but you need to wait for the flight to be cancelled.

They are issuing vouchers, but if the flight isnt operating then you can request a refund as they cant deliver the service on the date you need. But as I stated above if booked through a 3rd Party like Amex then that 3rd party may not offer the same.

Also at the moment the refunds and vocuhers are only for flights departing up to the end of July, so if your flight is after that dont do anything yet.

Coronavirus travel update | Qantas

Find information on booking changes and refunds, keeping you healthy while you're flying, changes to our International flights to meet demand and government travel restrictions and alerts on coronavirus travel updates.

www.qantas.com

Thanks for the quick reply. Outbound flight is May with return early June.

However, that link and this one Booking changes and other options | Qantas only mention credit vouchers. I see no mention of refunds.

 

[Lynda2475]

If you flight is actually showing as cancelled in My My Booking then they will call you and one of the options will be a cash refund, also there is a tiny refund link when you go into an actually cancelled booking.

But I suspsct they avent actually cancelled those fligths in the system yet, so if you proactively try to cancel then as per usual non flex rules you are being offered only a voucher. The actual cancellations seem to only get done in the system a few days out. Just wait til it is closer.

 

[Daver6]

MMB was never an option as not booked directly with QF.

Both flights are now showing in QF as vouchers already. I expressly told Amex Travel I don't want that. Grrr.

 

[Lynda2475]

FYI I just tried to call Qantas re something else and the first recorded message they play is that if flight is "cancelled by Qantas rest assured a refund option is available".

 

[Lynda2475]

MMB was never an option as not booked directly with QF.

I understand you cant change an Amex booked flight via MMB but those flight should still show up in MMB. I have a Dec flight which was booked via Amex Travel so that I could use my Amex travel credit, and i can still see it, select seats for it etc via MMB. So if the fligth was cancelled by Qantas it would still show in MMB.

I suspect Amex Travel have been proactive and taken the voucher offer, ratehr than waiting for the flight to actually be cancelled in all systems.

 

[Daver6]

Ok, I called back. I think Amex stuffed up here. Each flight was a separate booking. They're going to refund the outbound and re-instate in the return. Will then just wait for the return to be cancelled and get the refund then.

Thanks for your input

 

[Mattg]

Thanks for the quick reply. Outbound flight is May with return early June.

However, that link and this one Booking changes and other options | Qantas only mention credit vouchers. I see no mention of refunds.

The information on the Qantas website intentionally does not mention refunds. But when I specifically asked Qantas about this, they said refunds would be provided on request for flights cancelled by the airline as per their ACL obligations. You have to go out of your way to ask for it though.

 

[Rod James]

Qantas are already offering cash refunds for cancelled flights if you booked direct with Qantas; and credit vouchers on no flex fares (waiving chnage fees) if you choose not to travel and the flight is still operating. They are also refunding all points and taxes for rewards flights whetehr cacnelled by them or you without penalty.

However, if you chose to book via a 3rd party (Travel agent or online booking platform) then you are bound by their less favourbale terms.Qantas will rewfund the 3rd party, but they may deduct fees of their own. Qantas cant give you control of a TA booking,

I have had 3 domestic flights with QF refunded in cash after they had changed them to credit. Just send an email to them.

 

[nonscenic]

In February I had booked separate flights, 2 using Classic Rewards in June, MEL - Per - Bme, Knx - Drw and Drw - Adl - Mel.
First QF cancelled the sector from Knx and then the leg from Mel to Per. This was before I had official cancellation of the cruise I had booked, so I managed the bookings online and clicked the refund button. I also have cancelled the flight home now from Drw but haven't seen either any credit card refunds or reinstated points.
The holiday has been rebooked for next year but I doubt whether I will be able to book classic rewards and will be forced to pay a lot more for similar flights.

 

[nonscenic]

In February I had booked separate flights, 2 using Classic Rewards in June, MEL - Per - Bme, Knx - Drw and Drw - Adl - Mel.
First QF cancelled the sector from Knx and then the leg from Mel to Per. This was before I had official cancellation of the cruise I had booked, so I managed the bookings online and clicked the refund button. I also have cancelled the flight home now from Drw but haven't seen either any credit card refunds or reinstated points.
The holiday has been rebooked for next year but I doubt whether I will be able to book classic rewards and will be forced to pay a lot more for similar flights.

First signs today of the refunded points from the first flight that I cancelled (well when they convert a MEL=PER-BME booking to PER-BME what use is it?) but no signs of the refund on my credit card. They had cancelled the KNX-DWN sector earlier but no signs of that credit either.