Article: Qantas Will Improve Reward Flight Downgrade Compensation

[Jacques Vert]

The next flight with U availability could be weeks or months away!

I'm retired so that might suit me...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The next flight with U availability could be weeks or months away!

Downgrades are usually an issue on the day of departure. In that case it won’t be U availability, it will be the next available business class seat. For someone like VA that could be an issue given their small J class cabins, but for Qantas there’s a much better chance given the frequency of service and cabin sizes. International you just need one person not to turn up.

 

[danmate]

Another example of involuntary downgrade I have with nil comp from QF. I booked rewards seats for 2 of us in J MEL SYD MNL. The option for JQ J on an international sector from MEL to SYD suited me as we wouldn't need to change terminals in SYD between flights. The JQ13 flight no longer starts in MEL & they put us on a regular JQ flight MEL SYD on A320 so obviously no J class. Answer from QF is basically tough luck!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Another example of involuntary downgrade I have with nil comp from QF. I booked rewards seats for 2 of us in J MEL SYD MNL. The option for JQ J on an international sector from MEL to SYD suited me as we wouldn't need to change terminals in SYD between flights. The JQ13 flight no longer starts in MEL & they put us on a regular JQ flight MEL SYD on A320 so obviously no J class. Answer from QF is basically tough luck!

That is mean. However, a good example of where the coupon for that sector may have little or no value.

The biggest thing I think you have to worry about - if applicable - is the cabin baggage allowance. They’ll weigh it strictly at 7kg. I’d push for a QF flight, if not and if you might be over 7kg, check to see what they can go for your extra allowance.

 

[LoaderTosh]

“… 75% of the ticketed coupon value …”. I see ‘weasel words’ here. What is a ticketed coupons ‘value’? The price I paid for it 12 months ago? The price it sold for on the day of my flight? The price it peaked at during the last school holidays?

I recently had two Air NZ business fares, from an NZ provincial city to MEL return, cancelled at the last moment due ‘a/c unserviceable’. Ended up flying down (way … down) to CHC then Econ to MEL. The refund of the fare difference was virtual instantaneous, but the irritation was mainly the loss of ALL Business privileges; increased baggage allowance (which we weren’t using) and lounge access, both of which Air NZ could have left in place at virtually no cost to them, as a goodwill gesture.

I sometimes wonder at the ‘nous’ of highly paid (?) Customer Service management personnel who don’t appear to be able to ‘see the wood for the trees’ in these often occurring situations.

 

[justinbrett]

Another example of involuntary downgrade I have with nil comp from QF. I booked rewards seats for 2 of us in J MEL SYD MNL. The option for JQ J on an international sector from MEL to SYD suited me as we wouldn't need to change terminals in SYD between flights. The JQ13 flight no longer starts in MEL & they put us on a regular JQ flight MEL SYD on A320 so obviously no J class. Answer from QF is basically tough luck!

I think this is one of those times QF and JQ play the “we’re totally separate airlines” card, and as it was JQ that cancelled its their responsibility to rebook you.

Stay away from JQ I guess is the takeaway.

That is mean. However, a good example of where the coupon for that sector may have little or no value.

The biggest thing I think you have to worry about - if applicable - is the cabin baggage allowance. They’ll weigh it strictly at 7kg. I’d push for a QF flight, if not and if you might be over 7kg, check to see what they can go for your extra allowance.

I’d say the bigger issue is that bags won’t be connected in SYD and you’re ineligible for the transfer service (albeit there’s questions whether that’s running at the moment).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

“… 75% of the ticketed coupon value …”. I see ‘weasel words’ here. What is a ticketed coupons ‘value’? The price I paid for it 12 months ago? The price it sold for on the day of my flight? The price it peaked at during the last school holidays?

There’s no weasel words there. It’s a question of fact. The coupon value is the value you paid for it. If you paid $1000, that’s the coupon value.

It becomes tricky where you might have a short domestic connector which will still have a value, but might have been included in the fare for no extra charge.

The coupon value is pretty standard terminology, no hidden catches.