Advice needed on cancelled leg of flight...........

[Benzo]

Hi,

I am currently abroad and just found out that my grandmother just had a stroke. She's Ok, well as well as you can be I guess, but I need to get back there to see her. Her and I have always been very close. Anyway, my current return flight is booked through to Sydney from HKG via Brisbane. I've always just flown direct to Sydney in the past so in this case it actually turned out alright. I wanted to delay the BNE-SYD leg of the flight a few days and go and see my family. Called Qantas and they said that I can just forfeit the flight to Sydney and that this would be actually cheaper.

I have a couple of questions - firstly does this seem correct? I realize my ticket is not the most flexible (L for the HKG-BNE and Q for the BNE-SYD). But is there another option that anyone knows about?

Also, if I do this and just forfeit the flight - so in this situation I would have to collect my bags in BNE to clear customs anyway right? So instead of checking them back in I just walk out the door after customs? Or would I have to tell them on departure to only check the bags into BNE?

Any answers on this would be very much appreciated. It's pretty hectic for me at the moment trying to wrap everything up on short notice and get back there. I don't really want to mess this aspect up.

 

[opusman]

Sorry to hear about your grandmother, hope she is ok.

Changing the flight would incur change fees, phone assistance fees (if applicable) plus any difference in fare. Since the change fee itself is about $85 and discount flights BNE/SYD are not much more than that, they're unfortunately correct when they advise you that throwing it away will probably work out cheaper.

Even if the bags are tagged through to SYD you will have to collect your bags in BNE to clear customs, so simply don't check them back in again - just rip the tags off and leave the airport. It may be better not to mention anything on check-in in HKG in case it confuses things.

If you have travel insurance it may be worth exploring whether you can claim for the lost flight or extra costs (although depending on your grandmother's age this may not be possible).

 

[harvyk]

When I've cancelled single legs of trips I simply called up QF and they cancelled just that leg. No refund, the fare was simply lost (only $85).
In terms of customs, you'll be entering AU in BNE anyway, so that'll make no difference.

 

[Benzo]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the help. That definitely clears things up for me. Takes my attention off that so I can put it onto wrapping things up.