Well thank you Wilco & Reductionist, I do appreciate your input, however, not your comments about my attitude and behaviour towards Qantas staff which is completely untrue and uninformed.
I have never once demanded any change - it has always been politely requested and that is my right as a regular customer with Qantas.
The truth is, all I actually want for my family is to get them to London earlier - it has nothing at all to do with demanding anything, and BTW I don't want Qantas to do anything other than to try and change our dates of travel.
My main issue (and therefore the subsequent complaint to Qantas) was that this first enquiry started around 10 weeks ago and I feel at that time they could have changed the seats as there were many available.
With regards to Wilco's comment;
It never hurts to ask, but from reading your post, it seems like you have asked several times over several weeks and im not sure how many times you need to be told "NO". Further to that, I read your posts as being exceptionally demanding and impolite despite your assertions to the contrary.
For your reference each time I called to speak to Qantas Platinum I was advised to call back in another weeks time to check if the situation has changed. Which I always did to ensure I could try and secure the earlier flights.
If the Qantas staff had the same attitude as you i.e. "how many more times do I have to be told no" then I wouldn't fly them at all.
In addition I really have no idea how you have found my posts to be "exceptionally demanding and impolite" despite my assertions to the contrary
I really quite surprised by your comments made and quite upset to read these.
If I've offended you, then im happy to apologise, but this reply is completely different to your previous ones. In earlier posts you came across as quite demanding and rude with comments like the ones I referred to above.
You have explained the situation a little more clearly now, but I still dont think you have a leg to stand on.
Qantas FF or customer care really cant help you either as award availability is limited at the best of times, let alone around Christmas and let alone for 4 seats. Expecting to be able to date change at such sort notice is also, IMO, unrealistic.
It now appears that Qantas were telling you to call back regularly to check on availability, which you seem to have done, but unfortunately the answer always came back that no seats were available. IF an award flight was cancelled by someone, the seats would not necessarily be returned to award inventory in any case, so whilst I appreciate your persistence (and as you so rightly point out, there is nothing wrong with it), I dont see how you can be upset about this.
You keep saying that "I don't want Qantas to do anything other than to try and change our dates of travel", but it seems that they have and if seats were available, Qantas would have changed them for you, but they are not, so i'm at a loss as to what exactly you want them to do?? They will not and cannot change availability 1 week or 10 weeks out, to suit you.
Like i said, if i've offended you, i apologise, but im just highlighting to you how your posting came across from a different point of view and i just dont see what you have to be upset about. You tried, Qantas tried, but sadly it was all to no avail. I think you have done well to get the 4 seats in the first place, and not that I understand your predicament, but I fail to see what difference 1 to 5 days make, but having said that, im sure you have your reasons. If the flights are no longer appropriate, cancel them and perhaps make use of some of the suggestions other members have posted.
good luck with with your travels.