Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Mr H]

Probably covered upthread, but beware of marriages. I had to change an itinerary (I'll detail it in a future post) and some of my flights that had been available individually had become married. Specifically, these were a pair of JL flights and a pair of QR flights - less than 24 hours connection within each pair. This meant that dropping one of the flights meant dropping the other in the pair. One of the involuntarily dropped flights came back for redemption and the other didn't - forcing a long and convoluted alternative route.

 

[renatts]

Where did you notice the change?
In MMB, or somewhere else?

Yeah in MMB. Flights had just disappeared. Instead of Amsterdam to Brisbane it was Singapore to Brisbane.

A little pathetic that QFs system doesn’t pick this up and email you at least.

 

[GaryLG]

My trip is falling apart so I'm after some advice.

Due to leave end of March and had planned and booked to come back via Japan mid-May spending about 11 days before returning to MEL

Last week my tour company decided to cancel their tour and this afternoon QF "made network changes" in other words cancelled my JL flight from NRT-MEL!!

I know Japan's been locked down but had hoped things were improving before I needed to decide to abandon my plans fully.

So before I end up back on the phone trying to sort out flights, etc some collective wisdom please?

1. Any insight to how likely Japan will be to open up in 3 months?
2. Any COVID safeish alternatives that I can try and get my flights, etc changed to?

Otherwise I guess I am looking at returning earlier or extending my stay in the UK (or maybe some more of Europe)!!

TIA

 

[Oubline]

My trip is falling apart so I'm after some advice.

Due to leave end of March and had planned and booked to come back via Japan mid-May spending about 11 days before returning to MEL

Last week my tour company decided to cancel their tour and this afternoon QF "made network changes" in other words cancelled my JL flight from NRT-MEL!!

I know Japan's been locked down but had hoped things were improving before I needed to decide to abandon my plans fully.

So before I end up back on the phone trying to sort out flights, etc some collective wisdom please?

1. Any insight to how likely Japan will be to open up in 3 months?
2. Any COVID safeish alternatives that I can try and get my flights, etc changed to?

Otherwise I guess I am looking at returning earlier or extending my stay in the UK (or maybe some more of Europe)!!

TIA

I can't help, but I have also just received a cancellation email for MEL-NRT in April. I'm hoping that JAL may contact us with alternative flights, and so that all might not be lost...

In terms of alternate ways home, I find there seems to be OK availability on HEL-SIN with Finnair.

 

[GaryLG]

I can't help, but I have also just received a cancellation email for MEL-NRT in April. I'm hoping that JAL may contact us with alternative flights, and so that all might not be lost...

Looks like there are flights though until I know there will be no quarantine there is no point.

 

[Mr H]

My trip is falling apart so I'm after some advice.

...

1. Any insight to how likely Japan will be to open up in 3 months?
2. Any COVID safeish alternatives that I can try and get my flights, etc changed to?

I feel your pain. Who can say what things will look like in three months. It is interesting looking at the threads when Covid first started with heroic predictions that were nothing like reality. The only thing I have learned is that when things change, they change quickly. I am personally booking things that are fully refundable - and if travel restrictions are still a thing then I will not risk travel at all. I cannot afford to get stranded or get Covid and get sent to Covid-jail while my itinerary unravels. Nor do I want to wear a mask everywhere.

 

[GaryLG]

I feel your pain. Who can say what things will look like in three months. It is interesting looking at the threads when Covid first started with heroic predictions that were nothing like reality. The only thing I have learned is that when things change, they change quickly. I am personally booking things that are fully refundable - and if travel restrictions are still a thing then I will not risk travel at all. I cannot afford to get stranded or get Covid and get sent to Covid-jail while my itinerary unravels. Nor do I want to wear a mask everywhere.

All very true and I think I have safely made everything fully refundable (and insurance of course).

My first thought before the QF email was to wait till the end of this month as the Japanese government may well do an update then but we'll see.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

All very true and I think I have safely made everything fully refundable (and insurance of course).

My first thought before the QF email was to wait till the end of this month as the Japanese government may well do an update then but we'll see.

Is it that JAL has made the network changes and cancelled the flight, for which QF has advised you of as the ticket issuer? If JAL is still running the flight I'm not sure how QF can unilaterally cancel it.

 

[GaryLG]

Is it that JAL has made the network changes and cancelled the flight, for which QF has advised you of as the ticket issuer? If JAL is still running the flight I'm not sure how QF can unilaterally cancel it.

Looks like JAL are no longer flying directly to MEL so I guess they can but it would have been better if they had offered the new via SYD one at the same time.

 

[Oubline]

Looks like JAL are no longer flying directly to MEL so I guess they can but it would have been better if they had offered the new via SYD one at the same time.

A problem is that the MEL flight went into NRT and the SYD one into HND. At the moment with the lack of ability to transfer between NRT and HND it will mess up those who were planning to only transit Japan. For for anyone planning to stay in Japan and not just transit, the SYD flight would have been perfect though.

 

[renatts]

I too had my JAL MEL - NRT flight just cancelled in May..

I’m hopeful it will come back as JL8774 like the March flights.

Background - JAL Cancelled JL774 MEL to NRT and replaced it with JL8774 departing MEL 2 hours earlier. That would still work perfectly fine for me, if there are seats available obviously.
Either that or beg Qantas to SYD - HND and hope for JAL HND to HEL

 

[GaryLG]

I checked both NRT and HND departures for MEL and it didn't look there were either but hopefully as renatts posts they come back. Though without non-quarantine access not sure if I should bother trying to rebook straight away.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I checked both NRT and HND departures for MEL and it didn't look there were either but hopefully as renatts posts they come back. Though without non-quarantine access not sure if I should bother trying to rebook straight away.

Yes! Book/rebook as soon as possible. Once a country opens up any seats will be snapped up in a second… leaving you with few, if any, choices.

 

[GaryLG]

Yes! Book/rebook as soon as possible. Once a country opens up any seats will be snapped up in a second… leaving you with few, if any, choices.

Okay, will do.

 

[Oubline]

I too had my JAL MEL - NRT flight just cancelled in May..

I’m hopeful it will come back as JL8774 like the March flights.

Background - JAL Cancelled JL774 MEL to NRT and replaced it with JL8774 departing MEL 2 hours earlier. That would still work perfectly fine for me, if there are seats available obviously.
Either that or beg Qantas to SYD - HND and hope for JAL HND to HEL

JAL Website now says that the MEL-NRT flight is cancelled but that they're considering setting up extra flights based on demand trends: https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2022/inter/220501_05/

 

[GaryLG]

JAL Website now says that the MEL-NRT flight is cancelled but that they're considering setting up extra flights based on demand trends: https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2022/inter/220501_05/

Thanks for that. Wonder how we create the demand for it?

Just tried phoning QF and got cut off after 15 minutes so I'll try again in the morning.

 

[DC3]

JAL Website now says that the MEL-NRT flight is cancelled but that they're considering setting up extra flights based on demand trends: https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2022/inter/220501_05/

Based on demand trends?

 

[Ktan89]

JL needs to work on their routing, especially if Japan doesn't allow you to change airports in Tokyo and you can't stay overnight at NRT.
Looks like they cancelled all flights from HND to MNL... and Philippines borders are open as of today.
No way for SYD - hnd nrt - MNL to work.

 

[renatts]

JAL Website now says that the MEL-NRT flight is cancelled but that they're considering setting up extra flights based on demand trends: https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2022/inter/220501_05/

Thanks, I kept refreshing waiting for the update but it must have only just been put up.

That makes it extremely hard for us to get to Helsinki now, what a shame. It's so late in the piece to be finding 2 new award flights in business that avoid Singapore and Hong Kong.

 

[GaryLG]

Well a call first thing in the morning got through fairly quickly and after some initial questionable responses including not recognising I couldn't change this online and trying to book me into economy, I finally got new flights booked on the original dates. Seems like she had to trick the system to use "paid" tickets as award ones or that is what she said.

And QF flights rather JAL and via SYD but that will have to do until we know for sure if Japan will be open and JAL puts on more flights.