Rebooked - what can/should I do?

[ffhound]

Hi everyone

I have a couple of Qantas related questions please.

First this saga begins with a classic award booking I had as follows in J for 1 June

QF691 MEL-ADE 3.40PM 1 June
CX176 Ade-HKG 9.20PM 1 June

The reason I am flying via Adelaide is twofold. First I could not find award seats in J around that time direct from Melbourne and I wanted to fly at night.

Earlier I had a 4.30PM flight to Adelaide on 1 June but Qantas changed that back to the 3.40PM flight above.

2 days ago I received a text from Qantas to say that my QF176 booking had been cancelled and I was now booked on a day flight (in J ) CX174 at 1.00 P.M. on 31 May (the day before my connecting flight from Melbourne).

I have looked at the booking engine but there don't appear to be J availability direct or indirect from Mel to HKG for 1-3 June.

I called Qantas but they told me there was nothing they could do other than the flight the day before.

It appears that my Qantas experience has been enhanced (TM).

Do Qantas have J award availability that one can not see online? If worst comes to worst I can fly on 31 May if the connecting flight is changed to that day. What can/should I do?

One other question. I did consider Premium economy although there is no availability in classic awards. Do Premium Economy seat holders get the same food as those in J. If so it makes me think that for day flights there is not much advantage in flying J over Premium Economy.

Thanks Peter

 

[TomVexille]

I'd be asking to be accommodated on the day you booked, either non-stop from MEL or via SYD or BNE

 

[Austman]

I have always found that the Qantas call centre has considerable discretion in these situations. Especially to allocate other flights up to +/- one day.

It might be a matter of HUACA if your first experience is not satisfactory.

 

[serfty]

Carefully read this ...

Qantas and Other Airline Schedule Change Policy

Qantas can open a seat on their metal by that policy.

 

[Austman]

Carefully read this ...

Qantas and Other Airline Schedule Change Policy

Indeed.

But despite what that says it can still sometimes, IME be a matter of HUACA.

 

[justinbrett]

Adelaide is ADL, not ADE

 

[ffhound]

Thanks

Remember this is a classic award seat in J. I suspect that Qantas would be unlikely to recaccommodate me unless there was a class award vacancy on a replacement flight available.

Also there is the following wording

Process for Other Airline Tickets (non 081)
For tickets issued by another airline (non 081) that are affected by another airline’s schedule change, please contact the validating airline for options.

That suggests to me that Cathay might have to do the reaccommodating.

 

[Austman]

But Qantas award seats do have the 081 ticket number.

Well at least dozens of mine have!

As the OP's even begins with Qantas in Australia, it will be an 081 ticket.

 

[ffhound]

Remember though. My flight ex Adelaide is with Cathay and is/was CX176. So its a class award seat but with another airline.

 

[ffhound]

I just rang their call centre but as things are busy they will call me back in half an hour, i'll see what options they can give me.

Meanwhile can anyone comment on my unanswered question as follows?

"I did consider Premium economy although there is no availability in classic awards. Do Premium Economy seat holders get the same food as those in J? If so it makes me think that for day flights there is not much advantage in flying J over Premium Economy."

 

[Austman]

In CX premium economy you get the same food as Y but you have a bigger seat in a forward cabin.

It's more Y+ than J-.

 

[ffhound]

All done

I was able to secure a J seat on QF29 flying direct Mel-HKG so I'm quite happy. Thanks for the help.

I have also now booked seat 4A which hopefully should be ok.

cheers Peter

 

[snabbu]

Thanks

Remember this is a classic award seat in J. I suspect that Qantas would be unlikely to recaccommodate me unless there was a class award vacancy on a replacement flight available.

Also there is the following wording

Process for Other Airline Tickets (non 081)
For tickets issued by another airline (non 081) that are affected by another airline’s schedule change, please contact the validating airline for options.

That suggests to me that Cathay might have to do the reaccommodating.

If you booked MEL-ADL-HKG as a single QF classic award then your ticket number will start with 081 for the entire journey so its up to QF to sort it out.

 

[serfty]

That suggests to me that Cathay might have to do the reaccommodating.

As indicated it has to be a Qantas (081-) ticket.

(FWIW, all Qantas Classic Award booking are 081- ticketed.)

It was Qantas who needed to reaccomodate, not Cathay.

With that it seems you got someone in the end who knew the policy and opened a seat for you.

 

[ShrinkWrapped]

In CX premium economy you get the same food as Y but you have a bigger seat in a forward cabin.

It's more Y+ than J-.

this is incorrect and people need to stop spreading this myth

on regional sectors yes the food in Y+ is the same as Y. on LONG HAUL sectors the entrees for Y+ is the same as J for both meals (minus one choice so three choices instead of 4)

having said that CX J food is umm variable

 

[Austman]

this is incorrect and people need to stop spreading this myth

Because it's been like Y+ on all my CX PE sectors with meals from Y. But I think they have all been regional flights? But quite long regional flights - eg 4+ hours. Even HKG-AUS I think.

And here is a recent review of the product for BNE-HKG:

Cathay Pacific Airbus A350 premium economy (Brisbane-Hong Kong)

The meals look Y+ to me! The reviewer even states "Meal presentation more 'economy plus' than 'business minus'".

Good to know that it's better on true long haul?

 

[Steady]

Hi everyone

I have a couple of Qantas related questions please.

First this saga begins with a classic award booking I had as follows in J for 1 June

QF691 MEL-ADE 3.40PM 1 June
CX176 Ade-HKG 9.20PM 1 June

The reason I am flying via Adelaide is twofold. First I could not find award seats in J around that time direct from Melbourne and I wanted to fly at night.

Earlier I had a 4.30PM flight to Adelaide on 1 June but Qantas changed that back to the 3.40PM flight above.

2 days ago I received a text from Qantas to say that my QF176 booking had been cancelled and I was now booked on a day flight (in J ) CX174 at 1.00 P.M. on 31 May (the day before my connecting flight from Melbourne).

I have looked at the booking engine but there don't appear to be J availability direct or indirect from Mel to HKG for 1-3 June.

It appears that my Qantas experience has been enhanced (TM).

Do Qantas have J award availability that one can not see online? If worst comes to worst I can fly on 31 May if the connecting flight is changed to that day. What can/should I do?

One other question. I did consider Premium economy although there is no availability in classic awards. Do Premium Economy seat holders get the same food as those in J. If so it makes me think that for day flights there is not much advantage in flying J over Premium Economy.

Thanks Peter

I had Mrs & Miss Steady booked in J on the same flight and they too were rebooked onto the Friday flight. Theirs was DPO-MEL-ADL / ADL-HKG on a multi city booking and the domestic legs hadn’t been changed so arrived into ADL more than 24h after the new CX flight departed. QF were helpful* and spoke to CX about opening up 2 J seats on MEL-HKG, CX did and a few hours later I got confirmation and some points/tax back.

*Initially they found seats really quickly and I almost agreed to get them ticketed - until I realised they were in whY

 

[ffhound]

I had Mrs & Miss Steady booked in J on the same flight and they too were rebooked onto the Friday flight. Theirs was DPO-MEL-ADL / ADL-HKG on a multi city booking and the domestic legs hadn’t been changed so arrived into ADL more than 24h after the new CX flight departed. QF were helpful* and spoke to CX about opening up 2 J seats on MEL-HKG, CX did and a few hours later I got confirmation and some points/tax back.

*Initially they found seats really quickly and I almost agreed to get them ticketed - until I realised they were in whY

That's interesting.
Normally the charges and points for my cx routing are higher than qf direct mel-HKG. I asked whether I would get points and any cash back but was told no.

Perhaps I will see Mr and Mr steady in the Qantas Lounge on 1 June? Do say hello.

I note also from my app that lunch and refreshment is served. Is this a full meal and does one also get the complementary pjs on a day flight? (Note that I am rebooked on QF not Cathay)

 

[downgraded]

this is incorrect and people need to stop spreading this myth

on regional sectors yes the food in Y+ is the same as Y. on LONG HAUL sectors the entrees for Y+ is the same as J for both meals (minus one choice so three choices instead of 4)

having said that CX J food is umm variable

My experience if CX PE a good few years ago was a definitely Y breakfast on MEL to Hong Kong, and I mean a true Y meal, not me just being negative about a J- meal experience. Hong Kong to LHR was a proper PE service more akin to QF.

 

[ShrinkWrapped]

My experience if CX PE a good few years ago was a definitely Y breakfast on MEL to Hong Kong, and I mean a true Y meal, not me just being negative about a J- meal experience. Hong Kong to LHR was a proper PE service more akin to QF.

(I know this is an aside). I did HKG-AKL in W last year and it was J entrees for supper (served in Y class dishes) then the J breakfast entrees again in the ugly Y dish (I had the dim sum selection which is normally not available in Y)

at the end of the day, the food isn't that stellar anyways haha