VA Flight cancelled, was rebooked, got booking moved but downgraded

[DLD]

Hi, not sure if this is the right place.

Trying to see what I should be doing.

I was booked on Sydney to Melbourne this morning, my first ever points redemption, it was about 70K all up for two return, business on the way down. Feel free to let me know if that was a bad deal but we needed to fly this weekend and wanted to surprise with our first business flight even if just a very short trip.

We got to the airport and a bunch of flights cancelled this morning, they rebooked us in business at 615pm sitting separately.

We waited in the service line at the airport, and managed to get on a 515 in Economy x at least sitting together.

Checked in the bags, now sitting in the lounge for the day.

Just curious about a few things
- is wanting a refund on some of the points is reasonable? Who/how do we ask?
- Do you think we'd have any chance of getting our return flight upgraded to business to make.up for losing the one on the way down? How?
- We've got checked bags, is it possible to move to an even earlier flight (if there was any flights that people didn't turn up to, they said they werent doing a waitlist) or are we locked in now that the bags are checked?

Thankfully didn't have many plans today, so not overly put out, but 8 hours in the lounge was not what I was hoping to be doing. There goes seeing Indiana Jone's at Imax

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi, not sure if this is the right place.

Trying to see what I should be doing.

I was booked on Sydney to Melbourne this morning, my first ever points redemption, it was about 70K all up for two return, business on the way down. Feel free to let me know if that was a bad deal but we needed to fly this weekend and wanted to surprise with our first business flight even if just a very short trip.

We got to the airport and a bunch of flights cancelled this morning, they rebooked us in business at 615pm sitting separately.

We waited in the service line at the airport, and managed to get on a 515 in Economy x at least sitting together.

Checked in the bags, now sitting in the lounge for the day.

Just curious about a few things
- is wanting a refund on some of the points is reasonable? Who/how do we ask?
- Do you think we'd have any chance of getting our return flight upgraded to business to make.up for losing the one on the way down? How?
- We've got checked bags, is it possible to move to an even earlier flight (if there was any flights that people didn't turn up to, they said they werent doing a waitlist) or are we locked in now that the bags are checked?

Thankfully didn't have many plans today, so not overly put out, but 8 hours in the lounge was not what I was hoping to be doing. There goes seeing Indiana Jone's at Imax

Sorry to hear that

A one way business class reward is 15550 points plus $34 cash in airport taxes. You can elect to not use cash and pay the taxes in points. I think that bumps up the award price to ~24k points one way. Not a good use of points.

An economy award is ~7500 points one way, before tax. Can be higher if you elect to pay the taxes in points.

So your overall spend is quite high.

In answer to your questions…

A refund of points is unlikely to be forthcoming as compensation for the delay. You would have had other options, such as flying ecinomy on an earlier flight. If you fly economy the difference in points would be refunded.

Similarly, the delay in this leg won’t assist you in a free upgrade for the return. You could fly economy now, get the points back, and apply those to a business class ticket home (if available)

I don’t think it’s possible to move once you have checked your bags. But you could ask for the bags to be returned and get your tickets fully refunded. How much is a rex ticket today? Uogrades ion rex are going for about $30-$50 over the lowest economy fare. But I’m not sure when the upgrade windows closes… I think it’s at least three hours.

My advice… approach the service desk in the lounge. Get moved to an earlier flight, even in economy… but check you’ll get the points difference between business and economy back! 8 hours is way too long in the SYD VA lounge.

 

[jase05]

I personally would’ve taken the J flight seated apart but that’s just me.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

just to add that VA domestic business is *not* worth an 8-hour wait.

just found out my friend was in a similar situation yesterday, flight cancelled and first one offered was 9am this morning,

They got a refund on the VA flight and bought a last-minute walk-up fare on rex.. just $249!!

in theory Rex should have been packed given the number of displaced people. Always worth keeping them in mind!

 

[DLD]

I personally would’ve taken the J flight seated apart but that’s just me.

Yeah giving up the J to get on a flight an hour earlier was a spare of the moment decision, after waiting in the service line for an hour.

Sorry to hear that
...
So your overall spend is quite high.
...
In answer to your questions…

A refund of points is unlikely to be forthcoming as compensation for the delay. You would have had other options, such as flying ecinomy on an earlier flight. If you fly economy the difference in points would be refunded.
...
I don’t think it’s possible to move once you have checked your bags. But you could ask for the bags to be returned and get your tickets fully refunded. How much is a rex ticket today? Uogrades ion rex are going for about $30-$50 over the lowest economy fare. But I’m not sure when the upgrade windows closes… I think it’s at least three hours.

My advice… approach the service desk in the lounge. Get moved to an earlier flight, even in economy… but check you’ll get the points difference between business and economy back! 8 hours is way too long in the SYD VA lounge.

Thanks! I knew it was a little high, but was happy considering the prices of the flights in $ given school holidays and it being a fairly last minute booking. I was actually expecting to have to pay the taxes, but was surprised it never showed me them that I saw.

Re other options, I wasn't offered any. I suspect because it was a J flight there were not a lot of options to move us to so 630 was what was done automatically. And by the time anything could be adjusted all the economy and planes, qantas/jetstar/rex included were all full. Although not all to Melbourne they said there were 13 cancelled flights this morning.

You mentioned that a downgrade should include a refund, I have been downgraded, but no refund.

It seems like there are no options, economy or otherwise to get out of here earlier, unless someone doesn't turn up to their flight, but then is the bag issue.

But hey, they did just open the upper lever which I haven't seen before.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I have done the VAd SYD J lounge, not a bad setup, downstairs and upstairs.
Would have kept the J seating, even if it was separate seating between the pair of you, personally, also as mentioned above.
8 hrs with a right to walk around SYD dom airport T2, some will say why, but I am a backseat wanna be airport poochie.
Granted at an Aust airport, security don't tend to question people.

 

[MooTime]

Noted that people have swapped seats in J cabin, my family personally moved seats to accommodate others, no sweat, sometimes it's a nice world...or Wonderful.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yeah giving up the J to get on a flight an hour earlier was a spare of the moment decision, after waiting in the service line for an hour.



Thanks! I knew it was a little high, but was happy considering the prices of the flights in $ given school holidays and it being a fairly last minute booking. I was actually expecting to have to pay the taxes, but was surprised it never showed me them that I saw.

Re other options, I wasn't offered any. I suspect because it was a J flight there were not a lot of options to move us to so 630 was what was done automatically. And by the time anything could be adjusted all the economy and planes, qantas/jetstar/rex included were all full. Although not all to Melbourne they said there were 13 cancelled flights this morning.

You mentioned that a downgrade should include a refund, I have been downgraded, but no refund.

It seems like there are no options, economy or otherwise to get out of here earlier, unless someone doesn't turn up to their flight, but then is the bag issue.

But hey, they did just open the upper lever which I haven't seen before.

If you were on a business reward, but are now flying ecinomy, you should get the points difference refunded. But if you have used ‘points to pay’ rather than a classic award, there might not be much to refund given the last minute fare will be really expensive. Check with Velocity after you have flown (or call them now if you have the time )

The other thing you can do is keep checking the flights. When BA suffers IRROPS random seats can keep popping up all day… this is because pax are moved by the system to new flights (meaning flight full), but then make other arrangements, freeing up those seats.

 

[Bagpuss]

Huge problems in Sydney today which is due to wind and the airport is on one runway operations.
Lucky to be accommodated.
You will be refunded in line for the downgrade to economy. Use the feedback form on the website once you have completed the travel.

 

[DLD]

The other thing you can do is keep checking the flights. When BA suffers IRROPS random seats can keep popping up all day… this is because pax are moved by the system to new flights (meaning flight full), but then make other arrangements, freeing up those seats.

Cheers, Have been doing this, almost made my way up to a 4pm flight, but the seats were gone by the time I got to the front of the line.

Huge problems in Sydney today which is due to wind and the airport is on one runway operations.
Lucky to be accommodated.
You will be refunded in line for the downgrade to economy. Use the feedback form on the website once you have completed the travel.

Yes, definitely not complaining, will just be happy to make it at this stage.

Thanks for the tips all.

 

[antycbr]

Yeah giving up the J to get on a flight an hour earlier was a spare of the moment decision, after waiting in the service line for an hour.

Given the delays to operations today, there's a quite possible chance the service you are on in Y will now further torment you and depart after the J flight.

 

[DLD]

Given the delays to operations today, there's a quite possible chance the service you are on in Y will now further torment you and depart after the J flight.

Yep! They just got 30 mins closer... can only laugh