"fly ahead" with Qantas?

[MEL_Traveller]

...but I was a bit surprised that they'd rather I spend ~8 hours in the Qantas Club on a very busy evening than give me a seat on an earlier flight.

I'm sure they'd rather you pay for a higher flexible fare in future if you think you may need the flexibility. They might figure making you spending 8 hours waiting for a flight will provide you an incentive to do so!

 

[TheInsider]

The flow forwarding periods are only used for events such as weather, oversales, disruptions etc etc. Otherwise it just will not happen if you don't have a flex ticket anymore. Also if you miss your flight, no more free moves.

 

[TheInsider]

Pretty much everything is as per the fare rules for your ticket. No more flexibility or ignoring the fare rules and conditions.

 

[mrpooky]

I'm sure they'd rather you pay for a higher flexible fare in future if you think you may need the flexibility. They might figure making you spending 8 hours waiting for a flight will provide you an incentive to do so!

I see what you're saying, but it's not really any incentive for me. I'm pretty sure this is the first time it's happened to me in 4-5 years of frequent flying, and it was a last-minute change by my employer that got me to PER earlier than usual. I'd much rather spend ~8 hours here today (or if it does happen again from next week on, in the J lounge) than pay almost 2x every airfare I buy from my own pocket indefinitely, just on the off chance I might need to 'fly forward' again in another 4-5 years. ;-)

But from the other couple of responses, it sounds as though the dragons were actually being up front, and cannot move a red-e-deal forward under normal circumstances. I'll try to ask one of the angels I normally see when I'm here, next time I see them, and see what they say.

Thank you,

mrpooky.



mrpooky.

 

[mrpooky]

The flow forwarding periods are only used for events such as weather, oversales, disruptions etc etc. Otherwise it just will not happen if you don't have a flex ticket anymore. Also if you miss your flight, no more free moves.

Really!? When did this change of attitude/policy take place?

I have a colleague who always books a PER -> MEL flight that is scheduled to depart only about 20 minutes after another flight he's on lands. He was always confident about Qantas putting him on the redeye if he missed his booked flight, as they'd done it a few times in the past. I'll need to let him know that's not likely to happen anymore.



mrpooky.

 

[kpc]

Non flexible tickets will not be changed at all anymore. Unless qantas has a need to change them (like weather, delays, cancellations)

The flow forwarding periods are only used for events such as weather, oversales, disruptions etc etc. Otherwise it just will not happen if you don't have a flex ticket anymore. Also if you miss your flight, no more free moves.

Pretty much everything is as per the fare rules for your ticket. No more flexibility or ignoring the fare rules and conditions.

Thanks for the (unwelcome) info...that is why VA's "Fly Ahead" is such a great benefit for VA Golds / Plats and why I tend to fly VA domestically

 

[medhead]

I was told about this enforcement of the rules over a year ago. Might have even mentioned it in thread. VA is most definitely superior with their fly ahead policy.

Anyway, in 8 hours I sure as hell can pour a couple of hundred dollars of wine into glasses.

 

[mrpooky]

Anyway, in 8 hours I sure as hell can pour a couple of hundred dollars of wine into glasses.

Haha!

I'm normally here for about five hours anyway, so it's not as though it's that much more than normal. I guess I just expected something else; my weltanschauung needed some adjustment, I suppose.

The Angel Cove Sauvignon Blanc they have in here at the moment certainly isn't the best wine I've ever had, but it's not a bad drop. I think I need a First Lounge run ... .

mrpooky.

 

[Cessna 180]

I asked this very question tonight for a Perth flight and was told " not on that fair type"
Worked out ok, as I was then in the plat lounge in time for some yummy cheese and little pies!

Am also quite partial to the Wynns Riesling they have at the moment.

As a side note the 6 50 pm flight was barely 2/3 full I would guess at.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

As others have said I would argue this is very airport / route specific.

I've had 100% success rate with both Gold/WP status and no status at all including red-E deal seats but always SYD-MEL where there are several flight options open and I'm usually freeing up a seat on a 'peak' flight whether it be a Monday or Friday.

For the BNE-CNS route I'd want to be at least Gold and requesting in the lounge (not check in counters) for the best shot.

 

[pauly7]

I was told about this enforcement of the rules over a year ago. Might have even mentioned it in thread.

I'm sure you did - it came up ages ago but I think flow forward must still be used frequently to mitigate the peaks especially on the golden triangle because I'm still jumping on earlier QF busses at a very high strike rate on those routes.

 

[medhead]

The Angel Cove Sauvignon Blanc they have in here at the moment certainly isn't the best wine I've ever had, but it's not a bad drop. I think I need a First Lounge run ... .

mrpooky.

I wasn't suggesting that the wine should actually be consumed. Just poured in to glass.

I'm sure you did - it came up ages ago but I think flow forward must still be used frequently to mitigate the peaks especially on the golden triangle because I'm still jumping on earlier QF busses at a very high strike rate on those routes.

I've had a few flow forward events to Adelaide. Weather in brisbane or melbourne, cancelled flights. I've also had one person move me as if it was the old days. But this latest news makes me think it must have just been a flow forward situation.

That's the funny thing as well, I've had someone offer to move me, who said they were in flow forward when I told them the fare wasn't eligible. So it isn't always obvious when a move might be possible.

 

[danielt25]

Is the request to "fly forward" best done at the Qantas lounge?

Have a paid business ticket (CNS - BNE) and might chance my luck at trying this

 

[Capricornus]

Is the request to "fly forward" best done at the Qantas lounge?

Have a paid business ticket (CNS - BNE) and might chance my luck at trying this

I had no problems on a business fare both in the lounge and at the counter.

 

[BAM1748]

You should be ok, I've never had a problem even in the cheap seats.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

If travelling with checked bags you'll need to ask at check in before they tag your bags.

Only ask in the lounge if travelling HLO.

 

[danielt25]

Ok, so I tried this "fly forward" this morning. Was booked CNS - BNE J paid (got a sale fare for $479) for 5pm departure. I called up lounge early this morning at 6am as I wanted to move ahead to 10am flight if possible. Lounge advised they would contact sales desk and call me back. Got a call back, have to pay difference to current J fare - currently at $818. Stumped up the cash difference ($339), was considering the Jetstar flight for $119.

Oh well ..

I didn't want to risk missing a 10am flight - so didn't just rock up to the lounge on the hope I could move ahead and then be told sorry cannot do! Once I get to P1 I think they will move you ahead for free!

 

[annielee]

booked an award ticket from SYD-MEL 5pm (as im arriving from BKK at about 1030am, just to be on the safe side).. approached the checkin counter for an earlier flight, no issue, got on the 12pm flight..

 

[RichardMEL]

Ok, so I tried this "fly forward" this morning. Was booked CNS - BNE J paid (got a sale fare for $479) for 5pm departure. I called up lounge early this morning at 6am as I wanted to move ahead to 10am flight if possible. Lounge advised they would contact sales desk and call me back. Got a call back, have to pay difference to current J fare - currently at $818. Stumped up the cash difference ($339), was considering the Jetstar flight for $119.

Oh well ..

I didn't want to risk missing a 10am flight - so didn't just rock up to the lounge on the hope I could move ahead and then be told sorry cannot do! Once I get to P1 I think they will move you ahead for free!

I imagine if you'd showed up at check in in time for the earlier flight the kiosk/lounge angel/check in agent would have offered up the flight. I think the lounge made the wrong call to call Sales tbh because that's treated differently than a flight under airport control.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[danielt25]

I chatted to the lounge person who I spoke to on the phone earlier in the morning

Because I was on a sale business fare the system would not allow her to change the flight. So she called down to the sales desk and they too couldn't force the system to change the flight either.

Looks like these sale business fares are pretty restrictive!