QF change fee to increase from 9 Oct 24

[servicerequired]

No, it's same price or more. Fare price can't be lower. The actual fare class makes no difference.

Hmmm are you certain? Unfortunately I am often with the grey button and being stung via the call centre …

 

[TheInsider]

Hmmm are you certain? Unfortunately I am often with the grey button and being stung via the call centre …

The fare rules state that.

 

[CaptJCool]

I’m pretty certain that QF tell you it’s change fee plus fare difference but that there is only a fare difference charged if there are no cheap seats available on the flight to which you plan to switch.

In that case The system will show you +$0

Sometimes it’s cheaper to cancel it completely and make a new booking as they will refund the entire taxes & charges in full even if this means the residual is less than $99.

 

[Bolt]

Thanks CaptJCool, I was about to ask about the refund of taxes scenario. For those that don't know, it's mandatory to refund any taxes collected when they aren't used towards taxes. Taxes for domestic QANTAS flights start at $18 and typically go as high as $69 for DRW-CBR. Some can be particularly high, up to $84 for flights to LDH, or $118 for flights to NLK.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Given it's almost impossible to make even basic flight changes via QF's IT, I suppose that's a fair point: it costs them money to force people to call in and painfully talk their reps how to do something we can't do ourselves, so I suppose we're on the hook for that cost.

Add to that the fact that sometimes not even the agent can make the change you want and so your only option is to cancel. Case in point: I originally booked SFO > SYD (connecting in LAX) on AS/QF in economy and then saw business award availability open up on AA. Called into QF and agent could see the flights and tried rebooking. They wanted something like 60,000 points more than the stated classic award amount (which I didn't have in points). They suggested I simply hang up, cancel out the flights and book the new award flights that way. Then call into QFF to get them to credit me the 1,000 points per passenger since it wasn't a cancellation but a change.

The new CEO says that QF is "changing for the better" ! I think she meant "changing the fees because it is better for QF" to charge more to move my bundle of rights from one aspiration but not guaranteed fight to another aspirational but not guaranteed flight.

In fairness to Qantas, they are offering a Premium Change Experience. Premium in the sense that you pay a premium for it!

Changes due to QF cancelling or materially changing time of flight will still be free. It's only change of mind changes.

I suppose the question is what is a material change? Would a 5 minute delay be enough to trigger a complimentary rebooking? In my case, that was the case on a revenue booking for ADL > SYD, allowing me to add in a connection at CBR for good measure so I could earn loyalty bonus for the year.

How much of that $20 increase will go to improving the skills of their call centres?

I'd rather that money be invested in expanding the Classic IT Awards on Qantas. That'll do way more to improve the passenger experience than having an agent accidentally drop your flights with a smile!