Assistance required re flight change by Qantas

[GRstrawb]

I'm after some assistance if anyone would be kind enough to offer some suggestions. A few months ago my wife and I used points to book business class flights to the UK at xmas time. We will be travelling over there together to catch up with our daughter who has recently moved there for a year or 2. I will be coming home in early January to go back to work, whilst my wife will come home a few weeks later. I used the Frequent Flyer Solutions service and we ended up with both of us flying over on SQ. My wife will also fly back on SQ but we didn't have enough points for me to do the same, so I had the choice (using QFF points) of flying back in 1st class with Emirates or business class with BA and China Eastern. The Emirates offering was more appealing but it was a morning departure (from Paris), whilst the BA/MU offering departed in the evening. I took the latter because it basically gave me an extra day with my wife and daughter.

Last night though, I got an email from Qantas telling me that my flight out of LHR had changed and I would now be departing LHR at 13.50, instead of 21.40. So that 8 hours that I was hoping to spend with my family is now supposed to be spent at Shanghai airport (I can probably head out into Shanghai though). Clicking on the link in the email indicates that I can accept, change or cancel (or call Qantas). Before I do anything though, I'm hoping to find out here if I have any real options other than just hitting the accept button. Or do I just have to cop the pineapple and move on?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[bam71]

Just call them and see what other options they have ...

 

[Hvr]

Look at what flights suit you and ask Qantas to see if they can get you on your preferred flights.

Knowing what options are available means you know what you can live with and what is totally unacceptable.

 

[BriarFlyer]

In early January there is F availability on QF2 LHR-SYD on quite a few days, which probably was not available when you booked. If you have the extra points and flying into Sydney works, you might be in luck. Check the dates on QF, so you have something in mind before you call.

 

[GRstrawb]

Rang them, spent forever in line on the phone, then got it sorted (F on QF2 on the following night). Thanks everyone for your help. Much appreciated.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just to clear up one point regarding the extended layonver in Shanghai. These days it's far from clear whether those in transits less than 12 hours - sometimes upto 16 hours - will be allowed to enter China and visit the city. increasingly these 'short' transits are being told they must stay in the terminal.

So I think you dodged a bullet on this one with the re-route on QF