Same-day flight change options??
Aug 11, 2015, 6:09 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: Double OWE (AA EXP, QF Plat), FI Gold
Posts: 1,887
Same-day flight change options??
Hello all,
Does Qantas offer a same-day flight change benefit to OW emeralds? I have a 7-hour layover in MEL with lots of flights departing for PER between my arrival time and scheduled departure, and I wouldn't mind heading out a bit earlier. If the only option would be to pay the difference in fare plus a change fee, I'll probably take a pass, but it would be good to know if there might be other options.
Thanks!
Does Qantas offer a same-day flight change benefit to OW emeralds? I have a 7-hour layover in MEL with lots of flights departing for PER between my arrival time and scheduled departure, and I wouldn't mind heading out a bit earlier. If the only option would be to pay the difference in fare plus a change fee, I'll probably take a pass, but it would be good to know if there might be other options.
Thanks!
Last edited by zpaul; Aug 11, 2015 at 7:18 am
Aug 11, 2015, 6:59 am
#3
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
I find that they tend to flexible if you have arrived on a QF international flight and connecting on a domestic one, but usually not particularly flexible on domestic flights or domestic-to-domestic connection, unless you have a flexible ticket.
Flight flexibility on non-flexible ticket is not an OWE benefit on QF.
Flight flexibility on non-flexible ticket is not an OWE benefit on QF.
Aug 11, 2015, 7:11 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: Double OWE (AA EXP, QF Plat), FI Gold
Posts: 1,887
I find that they tend to flexible if you have arrived on a QF international flight and connecting on a domestic one, but usually not particularly flexible on domestic flights or domestic-to-domestic connection, unless you have a flexible ticket.
Flight flexibility on non-flexible ticket is not an OWE benefit on QF.
Flight flexibility on non-flexible ticket is not an OWE benefit on QF.
Last edited by zpaul; Aug 11, 2015 at 7:17 am
Aug 11, 2015, 7:59 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
Agreed. I've been able to change flights multiple times when arriving from international flights simply by asking at the check-in counter, including once when I was able to change to a later flight (even though I still had time to make the earlier flight, it worked out better to catch one a little later).
Aug 11, 2015, 9:33 am
#6
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Although they may have been more generous with me due to my being Qantas Platinum, I suspect you will have a good chance if you approach them nicely.
Aug 19, 2015, 12:18 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: Double OWE (AA EXP, QF Plat), FI Gold
Posts: 1,887
Well, I can report back that I was denied by both the QP and Business Lounge in MEL. I wasn't on the lowest fare, but it was still not full Y, and they made sure to make me feel like a dog pestering his master for scraps when I asked.
Was not impressed at all with the MEL Business lounge.
Was not impressed at all with the MEL Business lounge.
Aug 19, 2015, 3:56 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
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There are recent reports (yesterday) on the "Australian Frequent Flyer" forums indicating a directive has gone out indicating that all discretion about such changes has been recently removed.
Unless there are IRROPS or Flow-Forward or the booking class is available and the fare allows it, no changes are permitted.
Unless there are IRROPS or Flow-Forward or the booking class is available and the fare allows it, no changes are permitted.
Aug 19, 2015, 4:07 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: QF Gold LTG (ow Saph), HHon Silver, Marriot Gold
Posts: 2,927
QF seems to ebb and flow with these directives...
Next month the NPS (Net Promoter Score) drops due to these new policies, so they go back to being customer friendly.
zpaul,
Agree the interior of the MEL Business Lounge isn't great, but the food and bev offerings are well above what you'd get in North and South America.
SYD and CBR equivalent are much better, BNE is average but due for renovation.
The brand new PER Business Lounge opens on Aug 27, depending on how long you are in Perth.
Next month the NPS (Net Promoter Score) drops due to these new policies, so they go back to being customer friendly.
zpaul,
Agree the interior of the MEL Business Lounge isn't great, but the food and bev offerings are well above what you'd get in North and South America.
SYD and CBR equivalent are much better, BNE is average but due for renovation.
The brand new PER Business Lounge opens on Aug 27, depending on how long you are in Perth.
Aug 19, 2015, 8:09 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: SYD (perenially), GVA (not in a long time)
Programs: QF PS, EK-Gold, Security Theatre Critic
Posts: 6,783
There are recent reports (yesterday) on the "Australian Frequent Flyer" forums indicating a directive has gone out indicating that all discretion about such changes has been recently removed.
Unless there are IRROPS or Flow-Forward or the booking class is available and the fare allows it, no changes are permitted.
Unless there are IRROPS or Flow-Forward or the booking class is available and the fare allows it, no changes are permitted.
Aug 19, 2015, 8:17 pm
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,581
It is not necessary to be booked in a Y booking class, just be booked on a fare that allows such changes. For domestic bookings, any flex fare is ( I believe ) allowed to be booked onto earlier flights.
Last edited by Dave Noble; Aug 19, 2015 at 8:22 pm
Aug 19, 2015, 9:02 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Perth, WA, Australia
Programs: QF Gold, VA Plat, IHG Plat Amb, LCAH Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,846
I can't remember any occasion when I arrived on a QF long haul international flight on a single ticket and couldn't leave on an earlier domestic flight, as long as there was a seat available in the same cabin as my original booking and the connection wasn't too tight. In many cases I have in fact been proactively offered an option to go on an earlier flight.
Although they may have been more generous with me due to my being Qantas Platinum, I suspect you will have a good chance if you approach them nicely.
Although they may have been more generous with me due to my being Qantas Platinum, I suspect you will have a good chance if you approach them nicely.
Jun 28, 2017, 7:34 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: ±38,000 feet
Programs: LH HON, BA GGL, AF Plat, EK Plat
Posts: 6,428
No problem changing to earlier Melbourne to Sydney flight today on BA-issued business class redemption, this way my 5 hour layover became only 2 hour. Just asked at premium check in and she was happy to oblige.
Jun 28, 2017, 11:53 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,016
T1 used to offer more (unpublished) flexibility on non-flexible tickets than over at T3, but reports the last year or 2 are mixed.