QF128 HKG-SYD 14/1/11 subbed from B744 to A333. Bugger.

[MatF]

#Note: I can't seem to edit the thread title - date should be 14/1/11.


Mrs MatF and I are booked on QF128 HKG-SYD next Friday 14/1. I noticed today that it's been subbed from a B744 to an A333.

I've got an upgrade request in for Y to J (or Y+ if unsuccessful), submitted about 1 minute after the upgrade window opened way back when .... but I presume there's very little chance of getting that now, sadly (and of course now no Y+ to fall back on).

This will be the last leg of a fairly exhausting trip (trip report still pending), so we were really hoping for that. Bugger.

I haven't been keeping up to date - are the A388's still not back to normal? Is that possibly the root cause of the sub?


Cheers from Positano

 

[MrJetset]

#Note: I can't seem to edit the thread title - date should be 14/1/11.


Mrs MatF and I are booked on QF128 HKG-SYD next Friday 14/1. I noticed today that it's been subbed from a B744 to an A333.

I've got an upgrade request in for Y to J (or Y+ if unsuccessful), submitted about 1 minute after the upgrade window opened way back when .... but I presume there's very little chance of getting that now, sadly (and of course now no Y+ to fall back on).

This will be the last leg of a fairly exhausting trip (trip report still pending), so we were really hoping for that. Bugger.

I haven't been keeping up to date - are the A388's still not back to normal? Is that possibly the root cause of the sub?


Cheers from Positano

It appears when you make the upgrade request isn't an important factor anymore, rather it's status, fare basis and length of QFF membership. So a request upgraded to J WP, in Y+ who is a 10 year member of QFF is more likely than say a WP, on discount Y who is a member for just as long.

 

[markis10]

There is always a worse possibility, OGR operated that flight a couple of times in the new year while the granddaddy OGB has been subbing for an A333 on QF19/20 and 40/41.

 

[whughes3]

There is always a worse possibility, OGR operated that flight a couple of times in the new year while the granddaddy OGB has been subbing for an A333 on QF19/20 and 40/41.

Tell me about it! Exactly that has happened to me for QF20 on 8/1. I have sent them a fairly loud raspberry about this, along with some unsubtle hints that a few sweeteners might be in order.

 

[Ric]

Tell me about it! Exactly that has happened to me for QF20 on 8/1. I have sent them a fairly loud raspberry about this, along with some unsubtle hints that a few sweeteners might be in order.

Interesting. My son is on the same flight QF20 on 8/1. They sub a A330 for a B767 and that is causing a big passenger jam! The B767 has 68 seats less (5J and 63Y). And not helping things is that the flight is oversold!

QF just rang him and offered to put him on QF168 that will depart about 6 hours later. Apparently, this flight is from HKG and diverted to MNL to pick up the "extra" passengers.

 

[JohnPhelan]

I haven't been keeping up to date - are the A388's still not back to normal? Is that possibly the root cause of the sub?

Correct, the A380 is back on the route to the UK, but cannot be used at the moment on the run to LAX. To replace the A380s scheduled for the American routes with 747s, this means that many of the 747 fleet have been taken off their other routes to cover. I believe that for most of the last two months, the QF127 and 128 have been served by A330s.

 

[mannej]

Tell me about it! Exactly that has happened to me for QF20 on 8/1. I have sent them a fairly loud raspberry about this, along with some unsubtle hints that a few sweeteners might be in order.

What would you suggest be suitable compensation for something like this?

 

[farawaymum]

Yesterday I was bumped from paid Premium Economy to Economy on QF127 on 16/1 due to an aircraft change to A333 which is 2 class only.What really peeved me was the fact that I was sent an email that seemed to try and disguise this info as an innocent schedule change- no info about options to cancel,reschedule,compensation as per the involuntary downgrade rules, etc. No phone call either.Obviously they expected me to accept it or chase them to discuss alternatives.I am only Silver but hoped this sort of situation would be handled better.

 

[markis10]

Yesterday I was bumped from paid Premium Economy to Economy on QF127 on 16/1 due to an aircraft change to A333 which is 2 class only.What really peeved me was the fact that I was sent an email that seemed to try and disguise this info as an innocent schedule change- no info about options to cancel,reschedule,compensation as per the involuntary downgrade rules, etc. No phone call either.Obviously they expected me to accept it or chase them to discuss alternatives.I am only Silver but hoped this sort of situation would be handled better.

Not great news, I take it you have read this thread as there should not be an issue with a refund!

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....program/class-downgraded-from-pe-e-26628.html

 

[farawaymum]

Thanks.I am not really interested in a refund as this would mean cancelling a whole stack of related arrangements and a holiday! I was on my computer when the Qantas email came through (just luck) so got straight on the phone to them-I got the feeling they really didn't want to look too hard for a solution initially , but I am my travelling with a family member who is 6'6 tall so 9 hours in Y was not a great option for us. The end result after some haggling is we have been rerouted via Mel on QF 29 on 15/1. I hoped to avoid this overnight flight and the problematic arrival time, but it seemed better than being stuck in Y, and more chance of a points upgrade coming through in theory -there was no hope on QF 127.The other downside is the Y+ cabin was already almost full so we are seated apart.

 

[serfty]

No No No! It's not a refund.

Qantas will compensate you ex Gratia for the downgrade, while at the same time you continue to travel on the flights originally booked.

Qantas have set reimbursement rate for such downgrades.

See here for more information:

• Involuntary Downgrade Policy

See here for rates:

• Fare Refund Table - Valid to 30December 2010

Going by that, you would have been due at least $550 each!

Athough what you have done is probably the better option for you (and also for Qantas with their $1100 saving).

 

[whughes3]

What would you suggest be suitable compensation for something like this?

What would be nice would be a percentage of the fare, but I will wait and see what if anything is on offer.

I was interested to note the comments by "Ric" above on this flight..at least I have a guaranteed seat on QF20 in J, so thankfully I am not as badly affected as some! What annoys me is that as late as 31/12 the flight was still showing as a 333; if I had had a bit more advance notice of the change I could, and would, have altered my travel dates.

 

[JohnPhelan]

What would be nice would be a percentage of the fare, but I will wait and see what if anything is on offer.

I would be betting on a travel voucher for $xx_ to be redeemed on a future flight. That's happened to me in the past when disrupted travelling in J, and it was for a substantial amount so was very welcome.

 

[MatF]

Correct, the A380 is back on the route to the UK, but cannot be used at the moment on the run to LAX. To replace the A380s scheduled for the American routes with 747s, this means that many of the 747 fleet have been taken off their other routes to cover. I believe that for most of the last two months, the QF127 and 128 have been served by A330s.

Thought that might have been it, cheers.

A bit of an unfortunate way to end our honeymoon (that potential J upgrade would have been a real plus), but it does sound like it could have been worse!

We've been able to select 23 J/K, so not too bad.

 

[MatF]

Quick Q - I can see the seat map on EF for QF128 HKG-SYD 14/1, but not the availability. Can anyone else see it?

Cheers,
Mat.

 

[tuapekastar]

Quick Q - I can see the seat map on EF for QF128 HKG-SYD 14/1, but not the availability. Can anyone else see it?

Cheers,
Mat.

It's not just you - ditto for me.

 

[whughes3]

Well, I survived my 767 trip on QF20 last night, but in the process I noticed something mildly unusual. While I was waiting at the gate lounge prior to boarding, I noticed a woman sitting nearby with a Y boarding pass showing a seat number of "JS1", a sequence number of 220 (ie nearly the last to be issued) and nothing in the "servce information" field. I presume this is for a jump seat; would this person have been a QF staffer (there was nothing obvious to indicate this), or were they so desperate to fit people on that paying pax were being put in jump seats?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thanks.I am not really interested in a refund as this would mean cancelling a whole stack of related arrangements and a holiday! I was on my computer when the Qantas email came through (just luck) so got straight on the phone to them-I got the feeling they really didn't want to look too hard for a solution initially , but I am my travelling with a family member who is 6'6 tall so 9 hours in Y was not a great option for us. The end result after some haggling is we have been rerouted via Mel on QF 29 on 15/1. I hoped to avoid this overnight flight and the problematic arrival time, but it seemed better than being stuck in Y, and more chance of a points upgrade coming through in theory -there was no hope on QF 127.The other downside is the Y+ cabin was already almost full so we are seated apart.

Generally it should be easy to sort seating out once onboard as long as you are not trading a middle for an aisle!!

I understand your frustrations here,however the older I get the more relaxed I get about factors essentially outside my control.

 

[Ric]

What would be nice would be a percentage of the fare, but I will wait and see what if anything is on offer.

I was interested to note the comments by "Ric" above on this flight..at least I have a guaranteed seat on QF20 in J, so thankfully I am not as badly affected as some! What annoys me is that as late as 31/12 the flight was still showing as a 333; if I had had a bit more advance notice of the change I could, and would, have altered my travel dates.

I did not want to reveal all before the flight as I did not want to put QF in a difficult position. When they rang my son, they have seen the J upgrade request I have put in for him. They offered him a confirmed J seat on QF 168 without taking out my points or US$300 compensation and stay in economy. Told him to take the confirmed J seat. All this for a 5 hour later flight which is to our advantage....means we can have a proper dinner before heading off to the airport at a leisure pace.

Interesting to note was that they rang for my son on my Oz mobile number! My son didn't put in his contact details in his "manage my booking". Must have seen my upgrade request and contacted him through my Oz mobile which is always on.

 

[straitman]

or were they so desperate to fit people on that paying pax were being put in jump seats?

Not unless they had an ASIC card and were on business. Even CASA FOIs have this restriction.