Would you book?

[gidxg03]

Had planned to fly to Europe next year during the June school holidays. Can see availability but there's not much left. Realize there is little hope of flying not only due to covid but we're also in Melbourne. Would you book knowing you can cancel for free before end Oct or cancel later if we have to taking the 6k point fee?

Seems if we don't book now we won't have a hope of getting award business flights next June.

 

[Hvr]

IMHO I really don't think we're going to be heading overseas until 2022.
Would love to be proven wrong but....

I guess the question is, will losing 6,000 points make much of a difference to you?

 

[dajop]

not only due to covid but we're also in Melbourne.

If anything, being in Melbourne could actually increase the chance of being able to fly overseas (vs say Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide where elimination is the goal), rather than reduce. But I'd still say the chances are extremely slim.

 

[gidxg03]

6k wouldn't but it's for 3 people so would be 6k x 3 (all 3 booked on the same booking)?

 

[ChrisMars]

No matter what you decide, book now, secure yoir J seats, and make a finale decision to keep or cancel for free at the end of October. You will have more info in 2.5 months than now.

 

[Franky]

If anything, being in Melbourne could actually increase the chance of being able to fly overseas (vs say Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide where elimination is the goal), rather than reduce. But I'd still say the chances are extremely slim.

I live in WA and I don’t recall hearing that ‘elimination’ is the goal....

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

If they keep our borders closed, (even tho Josh F gave tip it might open by Jan), can you get (an) exemption/s?
Can you afford to pay for self isolation?
We all hope the Aust borders will be open by then of course.
What about if you have to book hotels, will they he lenient on cancellations?
Best of luck in this tho.
Personally I have not made any bookings, dom or int.

 

[gidxg03]

No way we would travel if we were required to isolate on either end or if an exemption were required. We have family in Ireland so no accomodation required. Only risk would be flights.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Had planned to fly to Europe next year during the June school holidays. Can see availability but there's not much left. Realize there is little hope of flying not only due to covid but we're also in Melbourne. Would you book knowing you can cancel for free before end Oct or cancel later if we have to taking the 6k point fee?

Seems if we don't book now we won't have a hope of getting award business flights next June.

A key question is what happens if you cancel? Is the amount that you would not get back $0, or low enough that you are ok to lose it?

If yes then book.

Anywhere that opens up again also seems to get cases rebounding at least to some extent. Sometimes not too bad, but sometimes not good at all. Second waves abound, and vaccines are still unknown, and so I personally am not booking any international trips at present.

Then there is the quarantine issue at either end.

 

[gidxg03]

A key question is what happens if you cancel? Is the amount that you would not get back $0, or low enough that you are ok to lose it?

Hi. Yes you are right this is the key question. If I book now for 3 people my understanding is:

1. I can cancel before end Oct 2020 and get a full refund including all points.
2. If I cancel up to 24 hours before the flight I get a refund of all charges but loose 6,000 Qantas Points per passenger. God knows what happens after 24 hours before the flight as it is as clear as mud on the Qantas website!

Therefore post Oct the risk is 18,000 points unless the 6,000 points is per booking if all passengers are booked at the same time on the same booking?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I guess if only consideration is loosing points, (for the booking fees, I guess go for it).

 

[eminere]

Hi. Yes you are right this is the key question. If I book now for 3 people my understanding is:

1. I can cancel before end Oct 2020 and get a full refund including all points.
2. If I cancel up to 24 hours before the flight I get a refund of all charges but loose 6,000 Qantas Points per passenger. God knows what happens after 24 hours before the flight as it is as clear as mud on the Qantas website!

You can cancel your booking within 24h of departure of the first flight in your booking, you just have to call Qantas to do this. (You won't be able to cancel online.)

Therefore post Oct the risk is 18,000 points unless the 6,000 points is per booking if all passengers are booked at the same time on the same booking?

The Cancellation Refund Fee is 6,000 Qantas Points per passenger.

 

[RichardMEL]

Book it.

Right now QF's free cancel is till end Oct. Almost certain that will be extended IMO as things continue to go the way they are.

I would not worry about being in Melbourne (I mean in respect to a trip next year)... frankly if the borders are still closed by next winter then a) your flights will be cancelled and free refund etc and b) we'll all be in a much worse situation. I do not think this will be the case. They just can't sutain this for much longer than the end of the year IMO but I guess we'll see how it goes.

At any rate if there still travel issues/restrictions your flights will likely be cancelled underneath you

and if you can afford the hundreds of thousands of points for 3 to go in J to Ireland (sounds wonderful ) then is 18k as a maximum penalty, which likely won't apply should things not happen then, is it that big a impost? it's going to be a small % of the overall spend IMO.

anyway book it.

 

[RichardMEL]

If they keep our borders closed, (even tho Josh F gave tip it might open by Jan), can you get (an) exemption/s?

What exactly is your thinking here regarding exemptions????

The current closed borders situation is strict for very good reasons. Exemptions are only being granted for a limited number of reasons. A family trip to Europe to see friends/relatives isn't one. Why would you suggest this?

Further IF mid next year our border is still closed to such an extent that one would even want to consider an exemption (and the OP has said they are not interested in that) then nobody in their right mind would want to go anyway

(Ireland itself may well be its own situation too next summer.. who can possibly know.. but that's a separate situation.. and again it would be for the OP to make a choice much closer to the time given whatever the situation here or there are)

I just do not understand why you would suggest to even consider applying for an exemption for a school holidays family trip. IMO

 

[Mattg]

My personal opinion is that there's little point in booking this now. We have no idea if you'll be able to travel, and it's equally likely that any flights booked now will just be cancelled in due course. In the meantime, the airline keeps your points and taxes paid until they are (eventually) refunded. Many people have reported waiting 3+ months for this to happen.

If we are indeed able to travel then, I don't think it will be too difficult to find award availability closer to departure. I know this goes against everything we're usually told, but the usual rule book has been thrown out the window at this point.

But if you don't mind paying 6,000 points of cancellation fees per passenger (worst case scenario) and having your points/money tied up until the airline refunds you, then go for it.

 

[gidxg03]

My personal opinion is that there's little point in booking this now. We have no idea if you'll be able to travel, and it's equally likely that any flights booked now will just be cancelled in due course. In the meantime, the airline keeps your points and taxes paid until they are (eventually) refunded. Many people have reported waiting 3+ months for this to happen.

If we are indeed able to travel then, I don't think it will be too difficult to find award availability closer to departure. I know this goes against everything we're usually told, but the usual rule book has been thrown out the window at this point.

But if you don't mind paying 6,000 points of cancellation fees per passenger (worst case scenario) and having your points/money tied up until the airline refunds you, then go for it.

This was my thinking as well but I’ve been keeping an eye on availability and there has been lots of options until we hit the June/July 2021 mid term break and there is literally only 2 options available that would suit us. Every other flight is gone which is what made me nervous and pushed my thinking to book now, lock in an option and then cancel if things don’t change.

A bigger issue for me would be (if by some miracle there is a vaccine etc) if we were actually able to fly next June but there is no availability. Timing is critical as my wife is a teacher so we’ve not much flexability.

 

[Seat0B]

This was my thinking as well but I’ve been keeping an eye on availability and there has been lots of options until we hit the June/July 2021 mid term break and there is literally only 2 options available that would suit us. Every other flight is gone which is what made me nervous and pushed my thinking to book now, lock in an option and then cancel if things don’t change.

A bigger issue for me would be (if by some miracle there is a vaccine etc) if we were actually able to fly next June but there is no availability. Timing is critical as my wife is a teacher so we’ve not much flexability.

So @gidxg03, I've bolded the key sentence in your post above that would suggest to me that you probably should just book the flights and wear the possibility of maybe losing 18k points if you choose to cancel. You'll get your taxes back if you cancel. Remember that if they cancel the flights, you get the points and taxes back.

If a bigger issue than booking and cancelling is having the ability to fly but no seat availability at that point, seems like you should chance it on the booking, IMO.

 

[Mattg]

This was my thinking as well but I’ve been keeping an eye on availability and there has been lots of options until we hit the June/July 2021 mid term break and there is literally only 2 options available that would suit us. Every other flight is gone which is what made me nervous and pushed my thinking to book now, lock in an option and then cancel if things don’t change.

A bigger issue for me would be (if by some miracle there is a vaccine etc) if we were actually able to fly next June but there is no availability. Timing is critical as my wife is a teacher so we’ve not much flexability.

I honestly don't think that the flights currently being sold/scheduled now are a good indication of what will actually be operating next June though.

Personally I think it's quite likely that any flights you book now will end up being cancelled anyway. Which leaves you stuck looking for new award availability closer to departure anyway.

But if you'd feel more comfortable booking now, go for it. Potentially losing 18,000 points is not the worst thing in the world.

 

[ChrisMars]

Personally I think it's quite likely that any flights you book now will end up being cancelled anyway. Which leaves you stuck looking for new award availability closer to departure anyway.

If the airline cancels your classic reward, wouldn't it work with you to rebook, i.e. next day or previous day or alternative routes, in the same cabin, within seats availabilities (not within rewards seats availabilities).

 

[Mattg]

If the airline cancels your classic reward, wouldn't it work with you to rebook, i.e. next day or previous day or alternative routes, in the same cabin, within seats availabilities (not within rewards seats availabilities).

It depends on the airline. But in my experience, generally not. (i.e. they may only rebook you onto another flight with availability - particularly if the flight is with a partner airline.)