QF Capacity cuts due to Omicron

[jase05]

Sure, it just seems like a lot of stuff seems to happen to you

I’ve been flying almost non stop (domestic) the last couple of months since all the border restrictions evaporated and the worst I’ve had is a bump to another flight an hour or so later which thankfully wasn’t a deal breaker and In general have some empathy for everyone working in organisations like the airlines bearing the brunt of the latest wave, thankfully subsiding now.

. In the last month I’ve had several flights on QF and VA cancelled on me. When all airlines are cutting back drastically it’s pretty much inevitable that some are going to affect me but thankfully all have been re-routed or rescheduled without much issue but plenty have been less fortunate

 

[aikman]

For my round trip booking, QF cancelled my outbound flight and moved me to the next flight that day. To avoid losing time on the ground in my destination, I asked if they can also change my inbound flight to later in the day. Answer was no because my inbound flight had not been cancelled. They said I had to pay the fare difference.

So petty. Something I would expect from a LCC.

 

[jakeseven7]

. In the last month I’ve had several flights on QF and VA cancelled on me. When all airlines are cutting back drastically it’s pretty much inevitable that some are going to affect me but thankfully all have been re-routed or rescheduled without much issue

Same, but seems others are hitting some drama!

 

[jase05]

Same, but seems others are hitting some drama!

Does seem some routes are getting hit a lot harder than others too so need to factor that in for some people. Luckily despite all the cancellations across the board in ADL there are still plenty of options, for those in DRW for instance not so many.

 

[RichardMEL]

For my round trip booking, QF cancelled my outbound flight and moved me to the next flight that day. To avoid losing time on the ground in my destination, I asked if they can also change my inbound flight to later in the day. Answer was no because my inbound flight had not been cancelled. They said I had to pay the fare difference.

So petty. Something I would expect from a LCC.

ridiculous. I am sorry. I would have argued that since common sense could say that it is a day trip, and if you were reduced from say 4h ground time (say for a meeting or whatever) down to 90 minutes (or whatever) then you can't get the task you wanted to do done in that time due to their cancellation.

I am not sure I would have accepted that explanation and HUACA tbh. Common sense needs to be applied and that is a BS answer.

I'd note I had a cancel yesterday affecting a flight in early Feb that left me with basically going and returning on the turnaround service. Not quite in mind. I moved to an earlier flight. Now it was(is) flex fare, so there was no difference in cost and I could do it all online, but I think I would have had something to say if an agent wanted to pull that stunt on me.

How am I supposed to have lunch with a friend (for example) if I wind up ith 35 minutes in the airport?!

 

[jase05]

ridiculous. I am sorry. I would have argued that since common sense could say that it is a day trip, and if you were reduced from say 4h ground time (say for a meeting or whatever) down to 90 minutes (or whatever) then you can't get the task you wanted to do done in that time due to their cancellation.

I am not sure I would have accepted that explanation and HUACA tbh. Common sense needs to be applied and that is a BS answer.

I'd note I had a cancel yesterday affecting a flight in early Feb that left me with basically going and returning on the turnaround service. Not quite in mind. I moved to an earlier flight. Now it was(is) flex fare, so there was no difference in cost and I could do it all online, but I think I would have had something to say if an agent wanted to pull that stunt on me.

How am I supposed to have lunch with a friend (for example) if I wind up ith 35 minutes in the airport?!

Agreed. I know the airlines are struggling and that’s why I haven’t kicked up too much of a fuss when I’ve had cancellations or re-routing but surely there is a bit of give and take as well as some common sense being shown by the airlines.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Agreed. I know the airlines are struggling and that’s why I haven’t kicked up too much of a fuss when I’ve had cancellations or re-routing but surely there is a bit of give and take as well as some common sense being shown by the airlines.

Struggling to manage your operations shouldn't limit the policies underpinning customer care. If QF cancels one of your flights pax should be given complete flexibility to rebook anything else they want.

 

[ketsuzei]

The entitlement force is strong on this one.

 

[jakeseven7]

Does seem some routes are getting hit a lot harder than others too so need to factor that in for some people. Luckily despite all the cancellations across the board in ADL there are still plenty of options, for those in DRW for instance not so many.

Yes agree but at least Virgin are rebooking people onto Qantas when they have major delays there.

 

[jase05]

The entitlement force is strong on this one.

I don’t think it’s entitlement and it applies to all airlines. If a delay or cancellation affects your ground time at a particular location I think the least they can do is work with you over a suitable return flight. Obviously it’s not always workable but being asked to be moved to a flight an hour or so later isn’t that much of a ask is it?

 

[sudoer]

For my round trip booking, QF cancelled my outbound flight and moved me to the next flight that day. To avoid losing time on the ground in my destination, I asked if they can also change my inbound flight to later in the day. Answer was no because my inbound flight had not been cancelled. They said I had to pay the fare difference.

So petty. Something I would expect from a LCC.

Presuming both flights are part of the same booking, HUACA. The call centre can (and should) allow you to move the return flight in this scenario.

 

[Melburnian1]

I don’t think it’s entitlement and it applies to all airlines. If a delay or cancellation affects your ground time at a particular location I think the least they can do is work with you over a suitable return flight. Obviously it’s not always workable but being asked to be moved to a flight an hour or so later isn’t that much of a ask is it?

Not as if on most flights there aren't many spare seats!

Demand is way down on a few years ago.

 

[RichardMEL]

The entitlement force is strong on this one.

In general I would agree with some folks.

obviously per my previous post on this particular situation I do not see it as entitlement. I see it as reasonable.

Yes, QF by their rights can say no budge on a return flight that is not changed (although I would note when I've had flight cancels and change online the option has always been there to change the return) technically...

but really isn't this just common sense?

In the scenario of booking say SYD-ADL for a meeting with say 3 hours on the ground in ADL giving time for a 90min-2 hourish meeting (possibly at the airport or nearby, whatever) and a return same day is something that used to happen a lot. Now, airline cancels the inbound, puts one on the next flight which reduces that downtime to 40min. You can't have that meeting. So there's no point in the trip. Sure airline may allow you to move to an earlier flight in the day, but what if this means a six hour ground time, or what if the next earlier flight is the day before? What if one's business (or personal) plans mean the new outbound flight can work if the return flight is moved back a few hours?

Yes, aiirlines are paid to get us from A to B, and schedules are not guaranteed (let's face it, on the day of travel weather or mechanicals or whatever could screw up this hypothetical plan, but it's a lot less likely these days) and they aren't responsible for our scheduling decisions (I think of some who might time a flight to get in a few hours before a cruise departurre, then losing heir minds when the flight is late an they miss the cruise when most people would fly in the night before just to be safe, etc). I get all this.

However this is not a customer generated change. It's an involuntary change by the airline and I don't see why the agent would not allow a change to the return flight (assuming availability and all that stuff). With the existing situation the trip has essentially been made a waste of time since whatever the planned ground time was for can't be achieved.

I would also note QF offers fly flexible and tout it as change whenever you want etc, yet perhaps some are not applying this principle - at least in intent if not the letter of the conditions? (I have seen nothing that says they won't change all flight segments if one is cancelled).

Finally, assuming flights involved are under the fly flexible policy, then under the cancel in theory they could have refunded the whole thing and booked again, but why go through all that rather than just be allowed to change the return flight?

I think the agent involved was wrong, or at the very least did not apply some common sense, and I do not feel this is a case of entitlement imo.