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Quote:

Originally Posted by nonce (Post 10866809)

I used to subscribe to the fixed out flexi return theory but to stretch my travel budget further I have changed to fixed/ fixed without any issues. QF rebook in times of cancellation/ delay based on status not fare class (from personal experience). So I havent had any issues with fixed/ fixed from this perspective. Actually I have found QF to be very good about the occasional free change at the QC to an earlier flight, or good at advising me to stay on the plane I am on rather than risking a change.

With the recent sales I have been able to double the reach of my travel budget by booking fixed rather than flexi meaning I get to fly twice as often for the same number of status credits. :-)

Sure, in the event of involuntary changes. But often with meetings, especially in another city, they may finish early, or may run late. That is why I have more flexible bookings for return flights to cope with those. Having said that, in practice it means semi-flexible for return flight and inflexible for flight outbound. The cost of fully flexible would only make sense if nearly every trip I needed to make changes, which is not the case.

Sometimes 'throw away' ticketing can come into play.

Currently one can purchase a red e-deal flight between MEL and SYD on QF for $89.

Given the cheapest Flexi fares on the same flights are $306, the purchase of more than one fare and simply using the one that works best with on-the-day timings can be less expensive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by serfty (Post 10871601)

Somtimes 'throw away' ticketing can com into play.

Currently one can purchase a red e-deal flight between MEL and SYD on QF for $89.

Given the cheapest Flexi fares on the same flights are $306, the puchase of more than one fare and simply using the one that works best with on-the-day timings can be less expensive.

only worth it if you can be sure that the fares on the day will be cheap

Dave

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Noble (Post 10871858)

only worth it if you can be sure that the fares on the day will be cheap

Dave

I guess you check first ... and if cheap, then book ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by serfty (Post 10871601)

That doesn't always work. QF, as with other airlines, does cancel multiple bookings for the same passenger on the same route on the same date.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer (Post 10872554)

That doesn't always work. QF, as with other airlines, does cancel multiple bookings for the same passenger on the same route on the same date.

but I have only had such calls when when I am booked more than once on the same flight. Never for same day, same route, different flight.

Not that I do it often, nor does that indicate Qantas won't do such a thing.

I have. Each time I've been told they will cancel all except one. When I am genuinely flying the route more than once in the same day, and can easily prove it is possible by reference to schedules, I have been allowed to keep the other bookings. However in other situations I have been forced to pick a flight to keep with the other(s) cancelled.

So you just have them cancel the flight you dont want. Or you log in and cancel it online and then call to ask for a refund of the taxes and charges.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonce (Post 10872952)

So you just have them cancel the flight you dont want. Or you log in and cancel it online and then call to ask for a refund of the taxes and charges.

Point is, QF does the cancellation well before date of departure. So as a means of providing cheap flexibility for an early/late finishing meeting it likely will not work. YMMV.

At the moment there is availability on the day of travel in N,O,Q,S classes of travel. So you book the cheap fare, get to the airport and just buy another. If you don't end up having to buy another ticket you are $150 to $200 in front and if you may still be $20 in front. The exception would be Friday night MEL-SYD in which case even a flexi ticket won't help anyway as the flights are full. For example last Friday afternoon I was at the airport at 1pm (for a 2pm flight) and the gentleman in front of me was told there was no available seat that evening (he was on a flexi ticket on the 9pm flight).