Qantas Revenue booking cancellations (under covid19)

[clifford]

My punt is that it's a moving feast at Qanta$.

That also seems to be my experience, but happily all 7 of my international award tickets, which I cancelled over the past 2 months, have now been fully refunded, both cash and points.

It was a bit of a roller coaster ride. A couple of the tickets were refunded automatically within a few days. I discovered (by trial and error) that an effective strategy with the others (after waiting a few weeks) was to speak to the frequent flyer call centre in the Philippines and request them to refund my points in advance of the cash refund, so I could use them for new bookings early next year.

I was impressed with the courtesy and helpfulness of the agents in the Philippines, who happily refunded the points straight away, and liaised with their colleagues in Australia to arrange a refund of the taxes, etc, within a few days.

So, overall, I an fairly happy with my experience in getting refunds from Qantas, wich is in stark contrast to some of the other airlines I am currently dealing with.

 

[Walloper]

... agents in the Philippines ...

By the by, when I called to cancel on 7/5 I spoke to an Australia based agent working from home. She advised that Qanta$ had closed their overseas call centres and all agents were then currently Australia based.

No idea as to the veracity of that or not.

The agent was excellent - but actually receiving the refund from Qanta$ will be the real test!

 

[DC3]

Now that Cape Town and Manila Call Centres have been closed down (if “temporarily”?) then that just leaves the helpful Oz and Kiwi Call Centres.

Won’t help with wait times, unfortunately.

 

[Berlin]

exI took a screen shot of both answers for my records. Have received nothing further from Qantas.

Last night I rang Qantas, finally got through, and was told BOTH refunds were in the system as Credit Vouchers, which I did not want. They were NOT shown as REFUNDS! The girl converted them to REFUNDS, and said it could still take 8-10 weeks to process.

Their behaviour has been extremely poor, and they are fast losing any good will from me.

Exactly the same experience that I had and am still having: First time I pressed that refund button was end of March and nothing to date. Another Qantas-cancelled booking didn’t even offer that button anymore so I called about two weeks ago and after endless waits on hold (first through to a useless Philipino lady who then put me back and forth on hold several times to “check with ticketing”) I was finally told that this request for refund had not reached Qantas even though I also have a screen shot.

Now being told refund would come within 5-8 working days which is well up already. And yes, I did ask if she meant days or weeks and she confirmed “5-8 working days, Sirrrrr”.


The “magic” email I had tried ages ago already and never got a response. Qantas ows me about $5,000 now and I haven’t heard anything. All trans-Tasman business class tickets, all booked directly.

 

[Melburnian1]

...The “magic” email I had tried ages ago already and never got a response. Qantas ows me about $5,000 now and I haven’t heard anything. All trans-Tasman business class tickets, all booked directly.

Berlin, should there be any substantive change - such as a 'victory' for you - could you kindly let us know? Will be of interest to many.

Airlines - not just QFi or QFd - get away with outrageous behaviour towards passengers in difficult times. Other sectors of the economy have many companies behaving more responsibly.

While I still think talk of it is somewhat overblown due to our human need for face-to-face interaction (in person not via a video screen), I regularly read articles suggesting that once COVID-19 has (if it does) a vaccine, there will be significantly less business travel on airlines.

 

[Lat34]

FYI, here are my "recent" flight refund/cancellation experiences:

20/03 cancelled QF Classic Flight Reward online before 31 March deadline (for travel on 26 May); screenshots confirmed usual 6,000 point cancellation fee waived
27/04 sent follow-up email to [email protected] - no acknowledgement
05/05 called QF premium line who advised request had gone to the Loyalty team for refund
12/05 email received from SHRQETREFUNDS advising refund of tickets and points had been processed + allow 7-10 days for funds to appear back on card
13/05 full refund points back in the account
15/05 ticket charges INCLUDING card fee show on Amex online (though transaction dated 13 May)


Also received a refund for paid QF codeshare on EK after Qantas advised flight cancelled:

24/03 Manage My Booking shows outbound flight from AUS greyed out and "call airline"
27/03 Qantas email "we've had to make some changes to your flight ... on 26 May 2020. We're sorting everything out for you..."
14/04 Qantas email advising Qantas has cancelled the flight, with Flight Credit automatically created; requested refund thought Manage My Booking (amount shown is ticket value, less card processing fee)
05/05 during above call to QF premium line received confirmation flight is cancelled and in the refund queue
08/05 Qantas email advising refund processed back to same form of payment
09/05 ticket charges EXCLUDING card fee show on Amex online
17/05 follow-up email sent to SHRQETREFUNDS asking whether card fee should have also been refunded

Also completed refund request with EK for seat selection fees:
14/04 lodged Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD) online with EK
05/05 follow-up online chat with EK; confirmed refund request received & allow 15-45 calendar days
15/05 Emirates email advising refund processed; funds show on Amex online same day

 

[p--and--t]

Posted in QF News room

IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY FOR CUSTOMERS

Customer research shows 98 per cent of frequent flyers are planning their next trip once restrictions lift. To help improve flexibility as travel restrictions are steadily adjusted, Qantas and Jetstar are introducing more flexibility from today.

• Domestic : Customers can book any Qantas or Jetstar Australian domestic flight between 21 May and 30 June 2020, for travel between 12 June and 31 October 2020, and we will waive the change fee one time if you decide to change the date of your travel. Customers will have to cover any fare increase (if relevant) for the new booking.
• International flight credit extension: Further flexibility has been introduced for international bookings (excluding Trans-Tasman). Customers with an existing Qantas or Jetstar international flight booking, for travel between 1 August and 31 October 2020, who wish to change their plans, can cancel their booking and retain the full value as a flight credit. Flight credits must be requested by 30 June 2020 and are valid for booking and travel across domestic and international services by 31 December 2021. Jetstar credit vouchers allow up to two years to travel from issue date. Customers will have to cover any fare increase (if relevant) for the new booking.

If a flight is cancelled by us, customers will be rebooked on the next available flight at no additional cost. Alternatively, customers can choose a flight credit or a refund.

 

[JasonK]

Ooh I didn't see that, thanks Must be new then given the dates (so I have to wait until after 21st May then). Also does it apply for classic rewards? I need to book from Canberra and flights are expensive from there (I'd rather just use 8-12K points).

 

[Berlin]

Berlin, should there be any substantive change - such as a 'victory' for you - could you kindly let us know? Will be of interest to many.

Airlines - not just QFi or QFd - get away with outrageous behaviour towards passengers in difficult times. Other sectors of the economy have many companies behaving more responsibly.

Will definitely post any updates- if I ever get them. And yes agree, not good form on their part at all. I work in such a sector and in all honesty and on all levels of the company, we’ve worked our butts off during Covid to not let customers down.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Will definitely post any updates- if I ever get them. And yes agree, not good form on their part at all. I work in such a sector and in all honesty and on all levels of the company, we’ve worked our butts off during Covid to not let customers down.

I am in a similar situation for a booking from March cancelled via the big red refund button around the time it first appeared in Manage My Booking.

Called up and was advised by the Qantas operator that whenever she tried to place the booking in the priority refund queue, it would pop out and revert back to a voucher all by itself! The operator was completely perplexed after a few attempts at forcing the refund and said she would leave notes for the ticketing office to investigate. She suggested to follow up after 5 business days if the refund had not yet come through as the booking was marked for manual refund.

Unsurprising a week later yet to see any sign of progress.

Oddly I've received refunds on bookings cancelled later in April, minus the credit card fee.

The operator advised CC fees will be refunded and are processed separately, but could not give a timeframe on when this would happen.

There's probably more to it but I feel like Qantas is adding unnecessary complexity to itself by processing the refunds in such a piecemeal way.

 

[Danger]

I find it interesting that credit card fees are being refunded but carbon offsets aren't.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

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.

QF's policy for reward bookings is a full refund, no canx fee, at least for involuntary cancellations. One of my awards was refunded in full. The other was auto-cancelled by QF and that went from a point-to-point holding PNR to now 'redeem voucher' (which of course takes you nowhere). Dunno what's happening with the 'redeem voucher'.

Cancelled in March for both trips in April, full refund of reward points and taxes paid (minus CC fee).

Just wondering Are the reward and normal paid flights under the same policy?

that is, Qantas cancelled flight are fully refundable (ie no cancellation fees) as well as those cancelled by passenger before 30/4 (in respect of flights to 30/6) have no change fees.

right now if Qantas hasn’t cancelled passenger is cancelling and subject to cancellation and change fees, noting Qantas is the process of cancelling flights to July.

*disclaimer: with passing of time, accuracy of month is getting foggy.

 

[Dr Ralph]

That is my preference also, but my concern is that as the first flight is with CX, they -CX- may not cancel the flight itself..and i'll inevitably have to cancel voluntarily.

More likely that the Australian government restrictions mean that you cannot travel.

I'm not cancelling my August bookings to the US because I want to travel. It's only government restrictions stopping me from travelling.

 

[SeatBackForward]

More likely that the Australian government restrictions mean that you cannot travel.

I'm not cancelling my August bookings to the US because I want to travel. It's only government restrictions stopping me from travelling.

There are several things that may work in my favour:
1) Aust Gov restricting travel
2) HKG airport closed for transfers
3) I have three flights on the booking CX>CX>EK if any one of them is cancelled then I assume its involuntary
4) Destination country may not be allowing arrivals.

The event I was going to has been scrapped, as have all my international 2020 events! but between now and August I can imagine airlines are desperate to start flying again.

 

[Ade]

Helloo everyone, I've got a booking to India in August 1st week. At this point it's unclear if I'd be going ahead with the trip. It's a short 3 day trip, but, still thinking.

Even if intl. flights depart Australia, I'm not sure if I'd be allowed to enter India (restrictions on OCI arriving from overseas might not be lifted by August).

The booking was made using my AMEX travel credit - I'd be going to AMEX to have the booking cancelled - And this is where I've got the below questions :

1. AMEX emailed me in March that they'd be extending the validity of the travel credit by a year - But I had used my travel credit before this announcement - So I was wondering if it would be something to give Amex a ring and ask them about ?

2. If I cancel the booking I'd be incurring a cancellation fee - Given that this trip was a sure-go, I booked into the cheapest QF ticket and hence looking at A$225 worth of cancellation fee. Would be possible to give AMEX a call and ask if they cancel the ticket with no cancellation fees?

Thoughts?

 

[large]

Finally got refund last week.

 

[pagingjoan]

Finally got refund last week.

Well done.
Still waiting here, for several refunds, worth heaps.
Your eventual success gives a glimmer of hope.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Helloo everyone, I've got a booking to India in August 1st week. At this point it's unclear if I'd be going ahead with the trip. It's a short 3 day trip, but, still thinking.

Even if intl. flights depart Australia, I'm not sure if I'd be allowed to enter India (restrictions on OCI arriving from overseas might not be lifted by August).

The booking was made using my AMEX travel credit - I'd be going to AMEX to have the booking cancelled - And this is where I've got the below questions :

1. AMEX emailed me in March that they'd be extending the validity of the travel credit by a year - But I had used my travel credit before this announcement - So I was wondering if it would be something to give Amex a ring and ask them about ?

2. If I cancel the booking I'd be incurring a cancellation fee - Given that this trip was a sure-go, I booked into the cheapest QF ticket and hence looking at A$225 worth of cancellation fee. Would be possible to give AMEX a call and ask if they cancel the ticket with no cancellation fees?

Thoughts?

Did you have travel insurance? I had used AMEX credit for travel before the restrictions were in place. They contacted me by email first then directly by phone advising that I'd receive a refund on flights and accommodation, but this was because QF cancelled the flight in question.

On the basis that you cannot enter India and you booked before Coronavirus was a known event, travel insurance should be able to cover the cancellation costs.

 

[Ade]

Did you have travel insurance? I had used AMEX credit for travel before the restrictions were in place. They contacted me by email first then directly by phone advising that I'd receive a refund on flights and accommodation, but this was because QF cancelled the flight in question.

On the basis that you cannot enter India and you booked before Coronavirus was a known event, travel insurance should be able to cover the cancellation costs.

Thank you for your response, @SeatBackForward

Re : Travel Insurance - I did not purchase a travel insurance separately. My understanding was that if we book return trips using AMEX Qantas Ultimate CC, there is a travel insurance that comes with it. Is this understanding correct?

Re : not able to enter India as OCI & the subsequent insurance cover - Understood your point.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Thank you for your response, @SeatBackForward

Re : Travel Insurance - I did not purchase a travel insurance separately. My understanding was that if we book return trips using AMEX Qantas Ultimate CC, there is a travel insurance that comes with it. Is this understanding correct?

Re : not able to enter India as OCI & the subsequent insurance cover - Understood your point.

If you've booked the flight after the COVID restrictions became a known event, you may not be covered. Each insurance provider will have information on the date they are using for that event. Credit card travel insurance are usually not as comprehensive as Seperate travel insurance, so I really comment on what coverage you have, its worth trying to contact AMEX to check, but I'm certain they are very busy at the moment also so be prepared to wait.