Seeking advice on award flight downgrades following cancellations

[neilmeister]

Hello All,

I had a situation a few weeks ago and I want to seek some advice. Its a bit long winded, but I just want to lay it out so everyone can see the full picture.

Before I start, I know things happen and I can't praise the QF staff enough for helping me to 'make it happen'....so this isn't a whinge thread, just want some advice on what to do next, if anything at all.

Short version: We were booked in J, at a cost of 128,400 points each....but we flew in PE after multiple fight delays/cancellations and changes, which should cost 81,300 each. So I effectively overpaid by 91,200 for what I received. I was hoping there would be some sort of credit, but that hasn't happened.

Long version: We were booked on a single classic award ticket, mostly in J, from CBR-SYD-LAX-YYC(Calgary)-YXX(Abbotsford), arriving in the evening so I could attend unmoveable large events on the day after. (A bit of a long winded itinerary, but these flights were booked before Qantas announced it would fly to YVR direct.)

Two days before departure, my QF11 from SYD-LAXwas delayed by 10 hours, meaning I would definitely miss the connectors, and all other alternative flights to YXX & YVR that day (and the next) were all sold out....so I would not have got to Abbotsford (just outside Vancouver in Canada) until the day after the events.

Worked the phones, QF were great and switched me onto the MEL-LAX flight instead...leaving the night before my original SYD plane. I then immediately got a notification that my new flight was also delayed by 12 hours.....but I would still make the connections! So all good.

The next morning (the day of the scheduled flight) the MEL-LAX flight was cancelled completely.

Working the phones again, I eventually managed to get onto a direct SYD-YVR (Vancouver) flight, in PE (and I booked a 1hr bus to get me to Abbottsford). The QF support staff said this was a 'voluntary' change, as my final destination had changed, and of course told me there were no classic awards tickets available in Biz for a flight leaving the same day (not a surprise obviously). However, she persevered and clearly spent more than an hour on hold/talking to more senior support staff to get the changes over the line. So I cannot praise her enough!

We were booked in J, at a cost of 128,400 points....but we flew in PE, which should cost 81,300. So I effectively overpaid by 91,200. I was hoping there would be some sort of credit, but that hasn't happened.

The actual question: 91k points isn't a huge amount, but its decent enough. I go onto the QF website about how I can raise this and QF make it pretty clear that the online forms are for 'urgent' matters only. This is hardly urgent and I didn't want to ring & speak to someone before getting a feel if I am being reasonable in thinking I should get a partial points refund. After all, QF got me where I needed to be.....albeit only after I rang them and found the alternative flights myself online.


Ohhh, and I will have a small whine about the plane, not the staff. The QF 787 PE suuuucks!! I am 6'2 and once the person in front of me reclined my legs were completely wedged just like I am in economy. Worst PE I have ever had! But, I got there

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hello All,

I had a situation a few weeks ago and I want to seek some advice. Its a bit long winded, but I just want to lay it out so everyone can see the full picture.

Before I start, I know things happen and I can't praise the QF staff enough for helping me to 'make it happen'....so this isn't a whinge thread, just want some advice on what to do next, if anything at all.

Short version: We were booked in J, at a cost of 128,400 points each....but we flew in PE after multiple fight delays/cancellations and changes, which should cost 81,300 each. So I effectively overpaid by 91,200 for what I received. I was hoping there would be some sort of credit, but that hasn't happened.

Long version: We were booked on a single classic award ticket, mostly in J, from CBR-SYD-LAX-YYC(Calgary)-YXX(Abbotsford), arriving in the evening so I could attend unmoveable large events on the day after. (A bit of a long winded itinerary, but these flights were booked before Qantas announced it would fly to YVR direct.)

Two days before departure, my QF11 from SYD-LAXwas delayed by 10 hours, meaning I would definitely miss the connectors, and all other alternative flights to YXX & YVR that day (and the next) were all sold out....so I would not have got to Abbotsford (just outside Vancouver in Canada) until the day after the events.

Worked the phones, QF were great and switched me onto the MEL-LAX flight instead...leaving the night before my original SYD plane. I then immediately got a notification that my new flight was also delayed by 12 hours.....but I would still make the connections! So all good.

The next morning (the day of the scheduled flight) the MEL-LAX flight was cancelled completely.

Working the phones again, I eventually managed to get onto a direct SYD-YVR (Vancouver) flight, in PE (and I booked a 1hr bus to get me to Abbottsford). The QF support staff said this was a 'voluntary' change, as my final destination had changed, and of course told me there were no classic awards tickets available in Biz for a flight leaving the same day (not a surprise obviously). However, she persevered and clearly spent more than an hour on hold/talking to more senior support staff to get the changes over the line. So I cannot praise her enough!

We were booked in J, at a cost of 128,400 points....but we flew in PE, which should cost 81,300. So I effectively overpaid by 91,200. I was hoping there would be some sort of credit, but that hasn't happened.

The actual question: 91k points isn't a huge amount, but its decent enough. I go onto the QF website about how I can raise this and QF make it pretty clear that the online forms are for 'urgent' matters only. This is hardly urgent and I didn't want to ring & speak to someone before getting a feel if I am being reasonable in thinking I should get a partial points refund. After all, QF got me where I needed to be.....albeit only after I rang them and found the alternative flights myself online.


Ohhh, and I will have a small whine about the plane, not the staff. The QF 787 PE suuuucks!! I am 6'2 and once the person in front of me reclined my legs were completely wedged just like I am in economy. Worst PE I have ever had! But, I got there

ok… a couple of things to unpack here!

first off… the operator was in error suggesting this was a voluntary change once the MEL-LAX was cancelled. QF’s terms and conditions state they *will* provide alternative flights or routings. Once subject to this provision you are the entitled to be accommodated in a regular fare class… you do *not* need award seats to be available. If business class was available as a paid seat on the flight to YVR you would have been entitled to it despite being on an award.

The reason why the agent was successful with the help desk is that the help desk realised they had to provide alternative flights. The agent seemed to be unaware of this. I’m not sure that an agent spending an hour to rectify their error deserves praise. Although perhaps their perseverance does, and the fact they didn’t just hang up on you (sad state of affairs, I know).

It shouldn’t have taken the agent that long to relay to the help desk that your flights were cancelled, you are entitled to rerouting, and would like ‘x’ seats on the YVR flight.

Secondly, 91K points is a significant and substantial amount! Earning 1 point per dollar you spend = a significant investment on your behalf. Even if you got those points through large bonuses on credit card applications, or indeed by flying long haul, QF’s notional value of a point at .007c each means the value is $637.

Of course the value is much higher if you were to use those 91k for flight awards… that’s almost a one way business class to the USA, or a return business class AU-Bali… both of those being in the thousands of dollars.

This is worth following up and getting a refund of the points owed. Use the online form and ignore any advice that the form is for urgent matters only, You are entitled to a refund under Australian law.

I would keep the email simple…

On x date we had awards Australia to Canada in business class at xx_ points, booking reference abc123. Due to a flight cancellation we were accommodated in Premium Economy.​

We have not been refunded the points difference of xx_ points. Can you please follow this up to arrange a refund.​

Or something like that

 

[neilmeister]

ok… a couple of things to unpack here!

first off… the operator was in error suggesting this was a voluntary change once the MEL-LAX was cancelled. QF’s terms and conditions state they *will* provide alternative flights or routings. Once subject to this provision you are the entitled to be accommodated in a regular fare class… you do *not* need award seats to be available. If business class was available as a paid seat on the flight to YVR you would have been entitled to it despite being on an award.

The reason why the agent was successful with the help desk is that the help desk realised they had to provide alternative flights. The agent seemed to be unaware of this. I’m not sure that an agent spending an hour to rectify their error deserves praise. Although perhaps their perseverance does, and the fact they didn’t just hang up on you (sad state of affairs, I know).

It shouldn’t have taken the agent that long to relay to the help desk that your flights were cancelled, you are entitled to rerouting, and would like ‘x’ seats on the YVR flight.

Secondly, 91K points is a significant and substantial amount! Earning 1 point per dollar you spend = a significant investment on your behalf. Even if you got those points through large bonuses on credit card applications, or indeed by flying long haul, QF’s notional value of a point at .007c each means the value is $637.

Of course the value is much higher if you were to use those 91k for flight awards… that’s almost a one way business class to the USA, or a return business class AU-Bali… both of those being in the thousands of dollars.

This is worth following up and getting a refund of the points owed. Use the online form and ignore any advice that the form is for urgent matters only, You are entitled to a refund under Australian law.

I would keep the email simple…

On x date we had awards Australia to Canada in business class at xx_ points, booking reference abc123. Due to a flight cancellation we were accommodated in Premium Economy.​

We have not been refunded the points difference of xx_ points. Can you please follow this up to arrange a refund.​

Or something like that

Thanks for the positive response that I wasnt being unreasonable. I didnt want to have a DYKWIA moment