Alternatives Ways To Come Home on Classic Awards from Europe to Melbourne Next Week.

[dsotm]

I have two close friends in Copenhagen who are booked to return to Melbourne on an Emirates J/F Classic Award flight this Monday. They haven’t heard a squeak from Qantas or Emirates and it seems the drama in the Middle East won’t be resolved in the next five days.

What alternative QF/partner routes could I realistically look at to avoid the gulf states while still being able to use Classic Awards (not Plus)? I know short notice availability is usually non-existent, but the situation there is volatile and evolving, so there may be some options out there. They don’t care how long or far it takes to get home and are happy to transit to a departure from the UK or other European airport. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Bundy Bear]

I would start looking at options via the US, some segments likely paid and the other part using points.

With 2 people I think the chances of using the points x 2 is going to be impossible.

 

[adenda]

Via Helsinki - lot of options (but maybe no availability) from HEL via India or SE Asia back to MEL

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have two close friends in Copenhagen who are booked to return to Melbourne on an Emirates J/F Classic Award flight this Monday. They haven’t heard a squeak from Qantas or Emirates and it seems the drama in the Middle East won’t be resolved in the next five days.

What alternative QF/partner routes could I realistically look at to avoid the gulf states while still being able to use Classic Awards (not Plus)? I know short notice availability is usually non-existent, but the situation there is volatile and evolving, so there may be some options out there. They don’t care how long or far it takes to get home and are happy to transit to a departure from the UK or other European airport. Any advice is appreciated.

Departing from Copenhagen they are covered by EU261.

While there is no cash compensation due to the circumstances (war), they are still entitled to duty or care AND rerouting at the earliest opportunity (from the date of flight).

Rerouting does not need to be on the original airline (EK). But it does have to be in the same class of service. (Although noting that F isnt offered by many airpines, so that could limit options. They may have to settle for J all the way.)

Points booking makes no difference to this.

I would leave this entirely in the hands of the airline as they are required to find an alternative route and cover duty of care while waiting for that flight.

If the passengers take this into their own hands they lose any rights under EU261, including any additional accommodation costs and any additional expenses like new airfares.

The obligation here is on EK as the operating airline, not Qantas. I’d be contacting EK and asking what the arrangements are.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Edited to add: the official EK policy for rebooking on other flights, if made through a travel agency (which Qantas is in this case), is to contact the travel agent directly.

So might be worth a call to Qantas to see what options they have. This might be useful to quell nerves in advance of the day of travel.

But certainly as of the departure date EU261 kicks in and it’s the job of EK, not QF to find and book an alternative flight home to Australia. And that trumps all award/points and other issues.

 

[offshore171]

If they can get themselves to Helsinki, look at Finnair over the pole into Japan. Then JAL from there.