Are you less likely to get bumped if you have status?

[Mattg]

This is more of a random thought than a serious suggestion, but I thought it could be worth asking. Is status something that international airlines consider when deciding which passengers to bump from international flights bound for Australia at the moment?

A friend of mine is due to fly from Europe to Australia in a few weeks with Qatar Airways and has a paid economy class ticket. He's worried about getting bumped off the flight. He doesn't currently have any status with Oneworld, but would there be any value (for example) in him signing up for an AAdvantage status challenge to get (temporary) Oneworld status ahead of the flight?

 

[dajop]

I reckon PPS Solitaire status my partner has with SQ helped us not get bumped from economy award tix in December into SYD , particularly after our original flight was cancelled. But top tier on airline’s own program is a different kettle of fish to “vanilla” status on an alliance partner.

Who knows with QR.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I'd say it's one of those situations where it can't hurt to have it, but no way to know if it will actually help.

 

[bernardblack]

I am not an expert, and I guess it couldn't hurt (and if any lounges are open the access might be worth it anyway), but I would guess that AA status is not especially compelling to QR, who seem generally pretty aloof from Oneworld and AA in particular.

 

[RooFlyer]

Who knows with QR.

I think this is on the money!

 

[levelnine]

In your friend's specific situation, anecdotal reports on Facebook groups suggest the most important criteria is your ticket class -- essentially, the more you paid for the ticket, the less your chance of being bumped. If they bought a deeply discounted economy ticket, the chances of getting bumped approach 100%. Basically only full Y are flying at the moment, and even then it is only a handful of seats per flight.

 

[Mattg]

In your friend's specific situation, anecdotal reports on Facebook groups suggest the most important criteria is your ticket class -- essentially, the more you paid for the ticket, the less your chance of being bumped. If they bought a deeply discounted economy ticket, the chances of getting bumped approach 100%. Basically only full Y are flying at the moment, and even then it is only a handful of seats per flight.

I fear you are probably right...

I did warn him about this but he can't afford a J ticket (at the rates QR is currently charging, anyway, which is over $12,000 one-way). Not sure if he looked at getting full Y or not, or how much that would have been. I suspect the outcome is that he'll be stuck in Europe indefinitely.

 

[SydneySwan]

Many years ago I booked SYD - HKG on CX in J whilst a QF WP. Flight was on Sunday afternoon and overbooked 2. I got bumped to Y at check-in. The explanation was that I was one of last 2 to check-in and I did check-in quite late (the other pax bumped was checking in at the same time and he had no OW status as I asked him). The check-in officer explained that J was full of primarily CX high status passengers and that they would not downgrade one of them over me. She also said they had been offering compo to anyone willing to downgrade but all had declined. So I took the compo and CX did treat me very well on the flight (2 seats to myself and J food / wine). It was the only time when I was QF WP that my status did not save me.

A friend of mine who has flown QR a lot pre-pandemic says that QR flying priority is;

1) QR Royal family and ruling elite.

2). QR status pax.

3). OW status pax.

4). Everyone else.

However I agree with levelnine that cost of ticket is probably primary determinant at the moment.

 

[Daver6]

I think the only benefit it would have is if there are two pax in discount Y and one needs to go, the one with some form of OW status might keep their seat over someone with none.

 

[dajop]

Also where in Australia is he coming to? If I was coming from Europe, irrespective of where I wanted to end up, I would book into ADL. IIRC it has the highest ratio of cap:flights (490 cap, 6 flights next week, meaning about 80 per flight meaning they'll be carrying Y pax as well as J)

 

[Virgin Bart]

Also where in Australia is he coming to? If I was coming from Europe, irrespective of where I wanted to end up, I would book into ADL. IIRC it has the highest ratio of cap:flights (490 cap, 6 flights next week, meaning about 80 per flight meaning they'll be carrying Y pax as well as J)

I understand QR don't look where you book to, it's now essentially treated as a ticket to an Australian port. And the onus is on you to get to your final destination.

 

[Mattg]

Also where in Australia is he coming to? If I was coming from Europe, irrespective of where I wanted to end up, I would book into ADL. IIRC it has the highest ratio of cap:flights (490 cap, 6 flights next week, meaning about 80 per flight meaning they'll be carrying Y pax as well as J)

FWIW, he's booked to Perth.

 

[dajop]

I understand QR don't look where you book to, it's now essentially treated as a ticket to an Australian port. And the onus is on you to get to your final destination.

Wow (particularly on the last bit ... getting to your own destination), but I guess beggars can't be choosers, and better to bumped to ADL than bumped fullstop. But does seem to suggest that ADL is the best chance of not being bumped.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Wow (particularly on the last bit ... getting to your own destination), but I guess beggars can't be choosers, and better to bumped to ADL than bumped fullstop. But does seem to suggest that ADL is the best chance of not being bumped.

That's right. That email was a week ago. My friend (who the email was for) is now in HQ in Brisbane.

 

[jakeseven7]

That's right. That email was a week ago. My friend (who the email was for) is now in HQ in Brisbane.

So he got bumped to Brisbane after this email?

 

[Virgin Bart]

So he got bumped to Brisbane after this email?

Yep. Ticket booked to Melbourne. Then it changed to Adelaide. Then bumped to Brisbane.

Post automatically merged: Feb 4, 2021

Also meant changing flights to Melbourne to get back home (but at least it was at least 2 weeks out because of HQ). Also some states charge different amounts for HQ.

 

[jakeseven7]

Yep. Ticket booked to Melbourne. Then it changed to Adelaide. Then bumped to Brisbane.

Post automatically merged: Feb 4, 2021

Also meant changing flights to Melbourne to get back home (but at least it was at least 2 weeks out because of HQ). Also some states charge different amounts for HQ.

Interesting, thank you.

Helping some friends get home....

I wonder if Cathay has the same approach given they are flying into multiple ports too....?

 

[Mattg]

Just thought I'd update this to say that my friend did get bumped from his QR flight, as well as all subsequent flights he tried to book to Australia. (He didn't use the status challenge, although I have no idea if that would have helped anyway.) As he wants to get back to Perth, he's still no closer to getting home.

 

[Quickstatus]

1)No status means good chance you are bumped off the flight - the cheaper the ticket within the travel class the higher change of getting bumped

2)QF status + cheap Y fare - I believe slightly less chance but not much more. Likely they can solve the issue by bumping 1)

3) QF status + J fare - risk of getting bumped - not off the flight but into Y with very little fare refund and hapless traveller 1) and or 2) making room for bumped 3).
In this situation depending on circumstances some might say bump me off the airplane