Back flying again

[pretentious git]

Having travelled extensively for the past 25 years, my last flight was in March. Hard to believe I have not boarded a plane in 10 months! So I'm easing my way back into flying - booked a trip from Melbourne to Tassie on Qantas and get notified of my flight cancellation less than 24 hours prior to departure. Rebooked on a later flight and that was promptly cancelled. Called Qantas and they got me on a Jetstar flight. Let's hope it still flies.

 

[AIRwin]

All 5 MEL-LST flights tomorrow are still listed as on time:

 

[defurax]

That's very unlucky, both MEL-LST flights cancelled tomorrow. If you really don't want to fly JQ (like me) you can ask QF to reroute you with a connection through SYD or fly direct to DPO or HBA. They are very flexible in case of involuntary flight changes.

Edit: I see you have already accepted to fly on JQ, your options may be more limited now. But these are unusual times, so you can always ask or cancel and rebook.

 

[AIRwin]

If you really don't want to fly JQ (like me) you can ask QF to reroute you with a connection through SYD or fly direct to DPO or HBA. They are very flexible in case of involuntary flight changes.

Edit: I see you have already accepted to fly on JQ, your options may be more limited now. But these are unusual times, so you can always ask or cancel and rebook.

The only SYD-LST flight tomorrow is operated by Jetstar but Qantas has scheduled 3 MEL-HBA flights. And @pretentious git you're a Platinum after all...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Might be a cheapo ploy with QF.
As we all know, at MEL, JQ flies from T4, so if you want to use the QP (edit: MEL QP still closed)/QF MEL J lounge, you would have to include some time to go through dom security at T2, go to the lounge, come out of T2, and then walk to T4, go through security again, and then wait for your flight at the "bus" terminal T4, ... granted I have not ever gone into the domestic security zone at T4, but from the pics I have seen, its a very basic terminal.
So, if less people use the QP/QF MEL J lounge, there is less expenses to be laid out.
The troublesomeness of having to having to pass double security, then to have your smart phone out to either QR read code the code for contact tracing, or to provide your details for manual chasing, and minimum foods in the lounge etc.
Best of luck with the flying bus anyways.

 

[Matt_01]

Might be a cheapo ploy with QF.
As we all know, at MEL, JQ flies from T4, so if you want to use the QP (edit: MEL QP still closed)/QF MEL J lounge, you would have to include some time to go through dom security at T2, go to the lounge, come out of T2, and then walk to T4, go through security again, and then wait for your flight at the "bus" terminal T4, ... granted I have not ever gone into the domestic security zone at T4, but from the pics I have seen, its a very basic terminal.
So, if less people use the QP/QF MEL J lounge, there is less expenses to be laid out.
The troublesomeness of having to having to pass double security, then to have your smart phone out to either QR read code the code for contact tracing, or to provide your details for manual chasing, and minimum foods in the lounge etc.
Best of luck with the flying bus anyways.

I would not think QF are running a "cheapo ploy", if there are not enough PAX to run a QF flight MEL-LST of course they would move them to JQ I am aware that these types of changes (QF/JQ) happened in a pre Covid world. As for you comments on MEL T4, you stated you have never been there and IMO you are wrong, it is not that basic and in some ways better than post security of both QF and VA. You do not have to go through the T4 security entrance (maybe at the moment) as access to T4 can be gained via the VA T3 security that accesses gates 11-14 or what ever gates they use.

 

[Melburnian1]

I would not think QF are running a "cheapo ploy", if there are not enough PAX to run a QF flight MEL-LST of course they would move them to JQ I am aware that these types of changes (QF/JQ) happened in a pre Covid world. As for you comments on MEL T4, you stated you have never been there and IMO you are wrong, it is not that basic and in some ways better than post security of both QF and VA. You do not have to go through the T4 security entrance (maybe at the moment) as access to T4 can be gained via the VA T3 security that accesses gates 11-14 or what ever gates they use.

T4 is 'better than post security of QF and VA??'

That's not my experience.

Granted there are two ways to approach T4, but if one takes the route of the majority (i.e. from dropping off bags), it's a heck of a walk, albeit with one travelator. Seating in the T4 terminal (at gates) was woefully inadequate pre-COVID, and not only when planes ran late (frequent occurrence on JQd).

It must be one of Oz's larger city worst terminals. In comparison, QF and VA piers have a more relaxed atmosphere and more seating, plus some retail facilities in most cases that are closer to a number of each airline's gates.

 

[oz_mark]

T4 is 'better than post security of QF and VA??'

That's not my experience.

Granted there are two ways to approach T4, but if one takes the route of the majority (i.e. from dropping off bags), it's a heck of a walk, albeit with one travelator. Seating in the T4 terminal (at gates) was woefully inadequate pre-COVID, and not only when planes ran late (frequent occurrence on JQd).

It must be one of Oz's larger city worst terminals. In comparison, QF and VA piers have a more relaxed atmosphere and more seating, plus some retail facilities in most cases that are closer to a number of each airline's gates.

Well, it was purpose-built for LCCs.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I must one day go through MEL airport T4 security to see it personally, and then go to T3, before my next Vic sojourn, (maybe when travel goes back to normal next year, or when ever).

 

[RichardMEL]

Might be a cheapo ploy with QF.
As we all know, at MEL, JQ flies from T4, so if you want to use the QP (edit: MEL QP still closed)/QF MEL J lounge, you would have to include some time to go through dom security at T2, go to the lounge, come out of T2, and then walk to T4, go through security again, and then wait for your flight at the "bus" terminal T4, ... granted I have not ever gone into the domestic security zone at T4, but from the pics I have seen, its a very basic terminal.
So, if less people use the QP/QF MEL J lounge, there is less expenses to be laid out.
The troublesomeness of having to having to pass double security, then to have your smart phone out to either QR read code the code for contact tracing, or to provide your details for manual chasing, and minimum foods in the lounge etc.
Best of luck with the flying bus anyways.

Good grief. Talk about conspiracy theories. Are you a member of QFanon?

QF operations, I promise you, do not give a tinkers cuss about pax desires or needs for lounges (and yes, someone would have put a full stop prior to "desires" )... good grief.

Given the late cancels I would assume either consolodation with JQ having the much more flex schedule or possibly an aircraft availability issue(or even possibly crew related).

People accessing lounges? Not on the radar.

 

[TheInsider]

To put your mind at easy AustraliaPoochie, the MEL-LST flights were cancelled due to a broken Q300 on the 17/01/21. This aircraft was actually doing a MEL-MQL yesterday and got diverted back to MEL due to a hydraulics issue with the landing gears, steering and breaks, reportable no control what so ever, even had to be towed back to the gate after using the full length of the runway.

They used the Q400 (which was for MEL-LSTvv) aircraft to use it on the MQL run and cancelled the LST flights because there were literally other options with other airlines to get people out within the day and even today.

There is no less expenses to be laid out for lounges, they are all static expenses on the day of departure.

 

[serfty]

In comparison, QF and VA piers have a more relaxed atmosphere and more seating, plus some retail facilities in most cases that are closer to a number of each airline's gates.

The T4 philosophy is to keep people at/near the retail outlets until it is time to board - maximises the opportunity to extract $$$ from PAX.

A bit like CNS, although at CNS the BP's are scanned before the long walk from the shops rather than after.

 

[RichardMEL]

Yep, aircraft availability issue. I almost said mechanical but yeah.. so there.. that makes sense. But sure, it's all about saving money on lounge access...

 

[Cognac]

Also in the "Haven't flown since March" boat and have a PER-BME flight booked for a couple of weeks time. Just happened to log in to the app yesterday and noticed that my original flight had been cancelled and I'd been moved to an earlier service.

I wouldn't mind, except that I haven't received any kind of notification. Surely QF should have some sort of automated notification process when a booked flight gets cancelled?