Qantas SYD&MEL to SIN $510 ret ($410 through .br site)

[Febs]

Who was the "other mob" you used for $60 - sounds like they could be worth a look.

"Travelinsuranz" - mentioned in the post I made above (sorry, the iOS client is a bit limited - there's a thread linked a few posts up).

Cheers.

 

[serfty]

Any idea if this can be purchased online?

I don't believe so - it looks like you need to front at a postal retail outlet.

They do have a product that can be purchased online but I have not checked this out.

 

[nate89]

Has anyone had to change a flight booked on BR expedia? I just want to enquire what the cost will be if I do, but I don't know if I can call an English speaking call centre (or better yet do it online).

 

[dajop]

Has anyone had to change a flight booked on BR expedia? I just want to enquire what the cost will be if I do, but I don't know if I can call an English speaking call centre (or better yet do it online).

OMG. You don't want to.

No way to change online. If ringing up to change, find a portuguese speaker to help OR wait out the phone announcements for 2-3 minutes then press 3 (voos - flights - only) then press 2 (international). Then ask "Ola, você fala Inglês" . So far so good for me, but I do have a google translate ready to play to ask for help finding someone who does speak English. We tried via email/facebook first, but they will only change flights over phone, not via email.

Change fee is BRL equiv of $100 AUD + fare difference.

I am trying to help someone who booked their family flights using this, but inadvertently selected the wrong month for the return (booked via ipad, and for some reason the return date automatically went to following month). By the time we contacted them (via email and facebook as at that stage we couldn't work out the phone thing in portuguese) , we missed the grace period for being an idiot, so stuck with fares on wrong dates. At the moment there is availability on the right dates at the right price, so I called (using above method) on Fri night. They could see availability but could not confirm change so had to send off request to Qantas to confirm, and asked me to call back in 72 hrs . Which is tonight.

Bottom line though, I'd say changes are extremely difficult.

 

[nate89]

Hmmm.

Well I'm really up the creek hey; I don't think I know anyone who speaks Portuguese! Did you try calling an english speaking office and see if they can help you?

 

[dajop]

Hmmm.
Did you try calling an english speaking office and see if they can help you?

YES!

Call to expedia AUS
Q: can you help with this booking?
A: No, you must call expedia brazil

New call to expedia USA:
Me: I have the following two numbers for expedia brazil, they are both in portuguese, which I don't speak. Do you have an email address I can contact them on
Expedia: Do you have a booking number>
M: Yes it is xx_xx_
E: Sorry I can't help you with that
M: Yes I know, do you have email I can contact expedia brazil on, as I they only speak portuguese over the phone
E:: Please call them on {reel off the one of expedia brazil's two number}
M: Thanks {I have had enough time dealing with call centres to know when I'm beat}

The "Ola, você fala Inglês" worked OK twice (my first call via skype dropped out after 3 mins so I tried again using home phone )

 

[paultiffen]

If you have commenced travel then you can change with qantas

 

[dajop]

If you have commenced travel then you can change with qantas

For those on the cheapest fares, I assume that would cost $180 per ticket? $100 change fee + $80 Contact Centre service fee.

 

[lovestotravel]

Hmmm.

Well I'm really up the creek hey; I don't think I know anyone who speaks Portuguese! Did you try calling an english speaking office and see if they can help you?

Learn to Speak Portuguese - Teachers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane

Might be worth a try!

$25 to $50 for a phone call for them would likely be the easiest money they will earn all year

 

[puppysparkes]

Hmmm.

Well I'm really up the creek hey; I don't think I know anyone who speaks Portuguese! Did you try calling an english speaking office and see if they can help you?

I found these guys, looks like they have a free offer 100% risk free according to their website. Might be the way to go if you can get it resolved in 1 call. http://interpreterline.com.au/

 

[machamag]

Has anyone had to change a flight booked on BR expedia? I just want to enquire what the cost will be if I do, but I don't know if I can call an English speaking call centre (or better yet do it online).

I have called through after a long wait to speak to someone. The person that picked up the call (finally) greeted me in Portugese. Straight away, I explained that i don't speak Portugese and asked if I could speak to an English speaker. The guy then said that he speaks English which was great. I think that they all do speak English but will start the conversation or greeting naturally in Portugese. Anyway, the reason for my call was to see if I could change either dates or destination and whilst it could be done, it was going to cost me approximately AUD150 per person. I didn't take them up on it. I also tried my luck to change to another flight on my return journey at Changi check in counter and again they said that it would have costed us another AUD80 per person. Again, did not change the flight. The flight we booked and flew back was not full. I wonder why they wouldn't let us change flights even when it is not full.

 

[get me outta here]

I wonder why they wouldn't let us change flights even when it is not full.

Sadly to some people in the world, rules is rules. (This is a tongue in cheek comment).

 

[serfty]

Sadly to some people in the world, rules is rules.

Rule is rules for sure ... but maybe the rules are there for a reason?

If anyone could just book a flight near to the flight they realy wanted but was more expensive, then rock up to the airport and change then the airline's Yield Management philosophies would go out the window, taking revenue with it.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I have called through after a long wait to speak to someone. The person that picked up the call (finally) greeted me in Portugese. Straight away, I explained that i don't speak Portugese and asked if I could speak to an English speaker. The guy then said that he speaks English which was great. I think that they all do speak English but will start the conversation or greeting naturally in Portugese. Anyway, the reason for my call was to see if I could change either dates or destination and whilst it could be done, it was going to cost me approximately AUD150 per person. I didn't take them up on it. I also tried my luck to change to another flight on my return journey at Changi check in counter and again they said that it would have costed us another AUD80 per person. Again, did not change the flight. The flight we booked and flew back was not full. I wonder why they wouldn't let us change flights even when it is not full.

if you want a fully flexible ticket you are going to need to pay for it, otherwise you stump up the cash or fly as booked.

 

[nate89]

If you have commenced travel then you can change with qantas

Thank you, but unfortunately my trip doesn't commence until July!

And thanks for the interpreter websites, lovestotravel and puppysparkes. I'll give it a shot tomorrow

 

[Jleno]

Rule is rules for sure ... but maybe the rules are there for a reason?

If anyone could just book a flight near to the flight they realy wanted but was more expensive, then rock up to the airport and change then the airline's Yield Management philosophies would go out the window, taking revenue with it.

Conversely, if they make a mistake, they'll just apologise. Try asking them to pay a 'mistake' fee. True, sometimes you might get compensated, but don't count on it.

 

[JohnK]

Is this a prelude to QFi justifying pulling out of Asia to be replaced with JQ?

Don't start.

If that happens that is the end of Qantas.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Don't start.

If that happens that is the end of Qantas.

It would be the end of Qantas in Asia, not the end of Qantas

But this is superfluous since nothing of the sort is going to happen

 

[JohnK]

OK. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth but this makes no sense to me.

Just using an example of travel dates of 14 September out and 15 September back

Qantas website

- BNE-SIN ~$700
- BNE-AKL ~$507

Expedia.br website and may not include any booking charges

- BNE-SIN ~$433
- BNE-AKL ~$664

Are some of the cheap airfares a glitch or the booking class availability different for each market?

 

[wandering_fred]

Is this a prelude to QFi justifying pulling out of Asia to be replaced with JQ?

Don't start.
If that happens that is the end of Qantas.

Is that why we now have two 3K flights on PER-SIN and only one on QF?

Turns out to get full mileage credited to AA on a one way PER-SIN it is actually cheaper by about $10 to fly the BA code-share PER-SYD and get on BA 0016.

There have been comments that QF will give mileage on the 3K flights PER-SIN,
BUT it is not included on in the documentation the Plus Bundle on the Jetstar website.

Prediction: Eventually the only QF fares that will credit to OW partners that are offered on the QF website will be
H B Y plus the Y+ business and first classes. Maybe K from Japan and Hong Kong


to JohnK: Yes the exAustralia fare classes are almost always a lot lower than exSE Asia

YMMV

Fred