jrobin

Mrs Jrobin and I, who live in Canada, are on separate PNR's travelling CBR-MEL on October 26 on QF 811 at 9:40am arriving MEL 10:50am.

We just received an invitation from the family to attend the interment for a very good friend who has died of brain cancer.
It was finding out that she had brain cancer that made us decide we needed to come to Australia this year to reconnect with our friends there.
We had hoped she would still be alive when we arrived on October 26, but even then we realized the chances were not good; as it turns out, she died and is being interred at 11:30am in Springvale Cemetery that day.

However, QF811 arrives in Melbourne at 10:50, which is too late to collect luggage, get a car rental and be in Springvale Cemetery by 11:30am.

Anyway, I am wondering if there is any value in asking a favour of QANTAS and seeing if they would consider allowing Mrs Jrobin and I to take QF809 at 8:40am flight rather than QF811 at 9:40am
According to Expertflyer, QF809 has Y9 B9 H9 K9 M0 L0 G0 while QF811 which we are booked on has Y9 B9 H9 K0 M0 L0 G0

I am QF Gold on an LGLOB26 and there is no L available for me to switch simply.
Mrs Jrobin is on a paid fare in N Class; officially it would cost about $240 just for her to change.

Is there any point in asking about being able to take the earlier flight, even on a stand-by basis.? and if so, who/how should I ask?
I am certain I can provide documentation about the death and interment if needed.

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

We don't really have stand-by here in Australia the same way as in the USA for example. Here you should expect to fly on the flight booked, unless the airline has compelling reasons to want you to move (for example the later flight is looking like it might sell out). The other exception is when connecting to or from international flights, all on the one ticket. QF will sometimes allow you to fly earlier or later, depending when your international flight arrives (for example, if it's an hour early, they will put you on the first available connecting service).

in your case I'd probably make the change and pay the fee. Waiting till the day could see fares much higher, and it will cost you more.

Sad time, but perhaps better just to bite the bullet here and take the additional charge to be guaranteed of being there in time.

og

number_6

QF does have an official bereavement policy but it applies to death of immediate family (loosely defined but friends would not qualify). You can try contacting QF on facebook as others have done, with good results in the past. The morning flights CBR-MEL can often be sold out even when showing Y9 the day before (mid-day flights have the most free space).

Koru Flyer

Mwenenzi

The OP was flying 2 days ago.

jrobin

Thanks for all the advice.
In the end, we decided that even if we were able to change to the flight to leave an hour earlier, we would likely be late for the interment anyway, and we did not want to walk in late.
And changing flights would inconvenience our friends in Canberra who we were visiting.
So we left our flights alone.
We made the right decision; as it turns out there were no rental cars available at MEL for us to rent anyway.
We have plans to meet with the family at a different time or two.
But thank you all for the great suggestions; I may use them in the future.