Qatar was very excited to announce the return of DOH -> CBR - Qatar Airways Resumes Canberra-Doha Flights
This involved a technical stop in MEL. Today I received an email advising they are cancelling the onward journey from MEL-CBR. I have a already booked a hotel for the night in Canberra (as the arrival time into Canberra was 1.50AM), and a business class flight with Virgin that afternoon to Brisbane (my final destination). This is a huge inconvenience and stress now, just 2 weeks out from flying. I booked the business class flight from CBR to BNE as I needed the additional luggage allowance. I will have to pay cancellation fees for that, and rebook a new flight and hotel. Cash fares on both Qantas and Virgin are now $400+ for economy and no rewards flights that I can see for Oct 16th when I need to return from MEL - BNE on Qantas. Virgin has some business class rewards for 158,400 points, when I paid 15,500 points for the original booking (and I don't have 100,000 Virgin points to book with, even if I wanted to)
1. Anyone else's QR onward flight to Canberra get cancelled? Trying to work out if it is just this day (15th Oct) or if they are pushing back start dates of the flights to CBR?
2. Would I be entitled to any refunds in terms of points or cash given this change? The flight now stops in MEL instead of CBR... did I pay any extra points or cash initially for it to go to CBR?
3. What are my chances travel insurance will assist with any of this? Or will they refer back to airline? For example I booked the original CBR -> BNE in business using points (was around $49.50 and 15500 points), now the flights are like $1000-$2000 for cash fares? Does travel insurance normally cover any of that?
4. I booked the hotel using a $100 Qantas Hotel voucher, which is supposedly non-refundable.... given this situation is out of my control, anyone else had any luck with Qantas re-issuing the $100 voucher or offer any other compensation?
This involved a technical stop in MEL. Today I received an email advising they are cancelling the onward journey from MEL-CBR. I have a already booked a hotel for the night in Canberra (as the arrival time into Canberra was 1.50AM), and a business class flight with Virgin that afternoon to Brisbane (my final destination). This is a huge inconvenience and stress now, just 2 weeks out from flying. I booked the business class flight from CBR to BNE as I needed the additional luggage allowance. I will have to pay cancellation fees for that, and rebook a new flight and hotel. Cash fares on both Qantas and Virgin are now $400+ for economy and no rewards flights that I can see for Oct 16th when I need to return from MEL - BNE on Qantas. Virgin has some business class rewards for 158,400 points, when I paid 15,500 points for the original booking (and I don't have 100,000 Virgin points to book with, even if I wanted to)
1. Anyone else's QR onward flight to Canberra get cancelled? Trying to work out if it is just this day (15th Oct) or if they are pushing back start dates of the flights to CBR?
2. Would I be entitled to any refunds in terms of points or cash given this change? The flight now stops in MEL instead of CBR... did I pay any extra points or cash initially for it to go to CBR?
3. What are my chances travel insurance will assist with any of this? Or will they refer back to airline? For example I booked the original CBR -> BNE in business using points (was around $49.50 and 15500 points), now the flights are like $1000-$2000 for cash fares? Does travel insurance normally cover any of that?
4. I booked the hotel using a $100 Qantas Hotel voucher, which is supposedly non-refundable.... given this situation is out of my control, anyone else had any luck with Qantas re-issuing the $100 voucher or offer any other compensation?
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