Qantas won’t protect self connections QF-QF (?)

[justinbrett]

I’ve always clinged to the clause in the QF Conditions of Carriage :

(if we) “cause you to miss a connecting Qantas flight on which you have a confirmed booking“.

Well today I tested that out, flying BNE-MEL-HBA on separate bookings. Scheduled 55 minute connection became 20 and flight closed before we got off the aircraft (other pax on board had a through connection and were advised at the door).

Being on a Y points booking I wasn’t concerned particularly knowing the above clause but was given a rude shock when the service desk said “we can’t do anything for you as you were on two different bookings”. When I quoted the above clause she said “we don’t consider that you have a connection unless you have a single booking, so for a self connection it doesn’t apply”.

She also said I would need 90 minutes and I said straight away “that’s not the MCT for MEL, it’s 40 minutes”, which she then said “well you didn’t even have that!” - so I pointed out I had a scheduled 55 minute connection. I think being WP and realising I was going to be difficult she got approval to move me anyway. I got a QF flight 3 hours later which I was fine with - the single booking pax got moved to JQ so I’d count that as a win!

She wasn’t rude or anything and overall I was happy with it, just not happy with the interpretation of the rules. Perhaps it is just a MEL thing as this is also the port where most separate interline bookings are refused for bag connection despite QF policy.

She did say had I checked in at a desk for both flights they could have linked the bookings, which would have been done if I had checked bags. I’m checking with MadRooster if that’s actually the case, but if so it seems an easy fix. I guess perhaps it’s so they can proactively offload you and sell/use the seat for standby rather than it going empty.

All worked out well in the end but I’m far less confident in self connections after this. I don’t do them often, usually associated with international travel (I to D not D to I) who seem much more OK with it.

I even got my Neighbour Free seat refunded which I regretted booking after seeing all the spare seats when I checked this morning. Seems like I’m the only Queenslander stupid enough to head into the cold for the holidays. Service Desk said that as well, lucky I was going to Hobart as anywhere else would have been difficult.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

‘connecting flight’ isn't defined, and I agree with you, I’ve always read it that QF->QF would be covered. Especially when the call centre tells you to book a separate domestic connector because they can’t add it to your exiting international departure.

 

[AuSammy]

I’ve always clinged to the clause in the QF Conditions of Carriage :

(if we) “cause you to miss a connecting Qantas flight on which you have a confirmed booking“.

Well today I tested that out, flying BNE-MEL-HBA on separate bookings. Scheduled 55 minute connection became 20 and flight closed before we got off the aircraft (other pax on board had a through connection and were advised at the door).

Being on a Y points booking I wasn’t concerned particularly knowing the above clause but was given a rude shock when the service desk said “we can’t do anything for you as you were on two different bookings”. When I quoted the above clause she said “we don’t consider that you have a connection unless you have a single booking, so for a self connection it doesn’t apply”.

She also said I would need 90 minutes and I said straight away “that’s not the MCT for MEL, it’s 40 minutes”, which she then said “well you didn’t even have that!” - so I pointed out I had a scheduled 55 minute connection. I think being WP and realising I was going to be difficult she got approval to move me anyway. I got a QF flight 3 hours later which I was fine with - the single booking pax got moved to JQ so I’d count that as a win!

She wasn’t rude or anything and overall I was happy with it, just not happy with the interpretation of the rules. Perhaps it is just a MEL thing as this is also the port where most separate interline bookings are refused for bag connection despite QF policy.

She did say had I checked in at a desk for both flights they could have linked the bookings, which would have been done if I had checked bags. I’m checking with MadRooster if that’s actually the case, but if so it seems an easy fix. I guess perhaps it’s so they can proactively offload you and sell/use the seat for standby rather than it going empty.

All worked out well in the end but I’m far less confident in self connections after this. I don’t do them often, usually associated with international travel (I to D not D to I) who seem much more OK with it.

I even got my Neighbour Free seat refunded which I regretted booking after seeing all the spare seats when I checked this morning. Seems like I’m the only Queenslander stupid enough to head into the cold for the holidays. Service Desk said that as well, lucky I was going to Hobart as anywhere else would have been difficult.

Very Disappointing. Luckily you were well informed and persisted

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Unfriendly staff at MEL is a common problem unfortunately

 

[justinbrett]

I have confirmed with MadRooster and basically the agent was correct.

Public Service Announcement

When travelling on separate bookings with Qantas, you either neeed to be travelling with bags checked through or, if HLO, you need check in manually at the desk and ask to be checked through to your second reservation. The agent will use the “Find Connection” function to link the bookings (prompt them with this if they don’t know what you mean). Note, this is nothing to do with the call centre linking the bookings which does nothing. Don’t bother with that.

If you HLO and don’t tell anyone prior to your first flight, QF is under no obligation to help you if you miss your connection.

So easy fix, but I don’t think many people know this. @AFF Editor might be something to include in a future article?

 

[JohnK]

Not criticising you @justinbrett but I would never leave anything less than 2-3 hours even for domestic connections.

P.S. I know this is somewhat different to your scenario but a few years back I had Qantas award BNE-MEL that was going to connect to paid JQ flight MEL-BKK. I could have got there at 10:00am for a 1:30pm flight but way too risky so I flew in night before.

 

[Aeryn]

Not criticising you @justinbrett but I would never leave anything less than 2-3 hours even for domestic connections.

In this case it was Dom --> Dom so Id expect 3 hours to be overkill.

Dom --> Int or Int--> Dom is a different risk level.

 

[justinbrett]

Not criticising you @justinbrett but I would never leave anything less than 2-3 hours even for domestic connections.

P.S. I know this is somewhat different to your scenario but a few years back I had Qantas award BNE-MEL that was going to connect to paid JQ flight MEL-BKK. I could have got there at 10:00am for a 1:30pm flight but way too risky so I flew in night before.

I wasn’t really concerned even if I lost the booking as the second one was on points and there’s plenty of availability on the route to rebook.

But I did expect QF to move me for free if I missed it.

I’d certainly have no issue with 55 minutes in MEL on a single booking. This is D-D not D-I.

 

[JohnK]

In this case it was Dom --> Dom so Id expect 3 hours to be overkill.

Dom --> Int or Int--> Dom is a different risk level.

Still 2-3 hours for connection on separate tickets.

I have booked first flight of the morning OOL-SYD or BNE-SYD 6 times this year and it has been cancelled 5 times.

I've been lucky that they've put me on a flight 2 hours later each time but I'm waiting for the time where they tell me there's no availability that day.

I know my luck is unique but anything less on separate tickets and you're asking for trouble.

 

[Happy Dude]

Just for comparative purposes, a few years ago VA would not through check my bags in CNS for CNS-BNE and BNE-CBR as they were two separate bookings. I can't recall why I booked separately but I haven't done it since, so don't know if they still practice such sh!thousery.

 

[justinbrett]

Still 2-3 hours for connection on separate tickets.

I have booked first flight of the morning OOL-SYD or BNE-SYD 6 times this year and it has been cancelled 5 times.

I've been lucky that they've put me on a flight 2 hours later each time but I'm waiting for the time where they tell me there's no availability that day.

I know my luck is unique but anything less on separate tickets and you're asking for trouble.

I just can’t stress enough how much I didn’t care about missing my connection.

Nobody else is crazy enough to fly to Hobart in July so the flights are wide open.

 

[JohnK]

I just can’t stress enough how much I didn’t care about missing my connection.

Nobody else is crazy enough to fly to Hobart in July so the flights are wide open.

Yes I do realise that's the case.

 

[justinbrett]

Unfriendly staff at MEL is a common problem unfortunately

I do wonder if it would have been easier in the lounge. I don’t travel domestic much these days (except for intl connections to SYD) and I didn’t even know service desks were back in the terminal, let alone the lounge. I did see it open in the MEL J lounge after I was rebooked.

Even the agent that did end up moving me (who got permission) did it herself with no data input from her supervisor so clearly she had the technical permissions to move me in the system.

 

[Muppet501st]

Not the only Qlder, we flew BNE-MEL- DPO on Tuesday. MEL leg was extremely empty and was our first time on an A220.
Driving down to Hobart tomorrow.

 

[Seat0B]

I really hate this when they make it all but impossible to add a domestic SYD or MEL -CBR connection at the end of a multi leg International trip. You are therefore unprotected either at the start or the end. We usually choose the end as frankly we’ve had more trouble getting to SYD than getting home from SYD. But stressful either way.

 

[justinbrett]

I really hate this when they make it all but impossible to add a domestic SYD or MEL -CBR connection at the end of a multi leg International trip. You are therefore unprotected either at the start or the end. We usually choose the end as frankly we’ve had more trouble getting to SYD than getting home from SYD. But stressful either way.

It is protected QF to QF as long as you follow the steps in post 5