Booking backup flights to Europe

[Ken1]

Is anyone here who has flights booked through the ME in the next couple of months planning to book backup flights through Singapore, Hong Kong or other Asian ports? We have an award flight SYD-LHR with QR in J booked with Avios that departs in 7 weeks. Our return flight at the end of the trip is a J award booking with SQ.

Yesterday I booked a PE flight with CX that departs 2 days before our QR booking in case QR are still not flying. At the moment a travel agent friend has a hold on the tickets and I have a couple of days before making the payment. I have booked the Essential fare that has a $550 cancellation fee but I am thinking about asking her to change it to a flex fare before the ticket is issued which will cost $600 more each but has free cancellation.

I would hope flights would be back to normal in the next 7 weeks but of course no one knows what will happen. We would of course prefer to fly QR J but at least the CX PE will be more comfortable than Y booked closer to the time, when prices are likely to be much higher. I wonder if QR flights don't resume for a few more weeks and have high demand on flights if they could downgrade our Avios redemption booking to Y, which we wouldn't want as we both get back pain or move us to a different date.

I am now thinking that I should change to the flex ticket and pay the $600 each extra now so if we can fly with QR we get all of the CX costs back and are not out of pocket, but if we can't fly with QR we are paying $1200 extra between us than if we leave it with the Essential fare with the $550 each cancellation fee.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is anyone here who has flights booked through the ME in the next couple of months planning to book backup flights through Singapore, Hong Kong or other Asian ports? We have an award flight SYD-LHR with QR in J booked with Avios that departs in 7 weeks. Our return flight at the end of the trip is a J award booking with SQ.

Yesterday I booked a PE flight with CX that departs 2 days before our QR booking in case QR are still not flying. At the moment a travel agent friend has a hold on the tickets and I have a couple of days before making the payment. I have booked the Essential fare that has a $550 cancellation fee but I am thinking about asking her to change it to a flex fare before the ticket is issued which will cost $600 more each but has free cancellation.

I would hope flights would be back to normal in the next 7 weeks but of course no one knows what will happen. We would of course prefer to fly QR J but at least the CX PE will be more comfortable than Y booked closer to the time, when prices are likely to be much higher. I wonder if QR flights don't resume for a few more weeks and have high demand on flights if they could downgrade our Avios redemption booking to Y, which we wouldn't want as we both get back pain or move us to a different date.

I am now thinking that I should change to the flex ticket and pay the $600 each extra now so if we can fly with QR we get all of the CX costs back and are not out of pocket, but if we can't fly with QR we are paying $1200 extra between us than if we leave it with the Essential fare with the $550 each cancellation fee.

It seems sensible. Book flex for a full refund if you end up flying the QR tickets as planned.

You’re essentially ‘self insuring’, and you’ll get back the taxes fees and charges on the avios booking, plus the points.

QR used to have a bad rap for bumping and downgrading passengers. So I’d say while the chances are small, be prepared. They should offer you a J class seat on the next service, but who knows with QR and the current situation.

How much is the cathay PE ticket? Hainan Airlines is offering SYD-LHR in business class (reasonably good airline) for just $3200 one way (that fare is for 7 weeks from today).

 

[RooFlyer]

I am now thinking that I should change to the flex ticket and pay the $600 each extra now so if we can fly with QR we get all of the CX costs back and are not out of pocket, but if we can't fly with QR we are paying $1200 extra between us than if we leave it with the Essential fare with the $550 each cancellation fee.

I think my J ticket on QR is already flex but I'll have my TA book a back-up if things don't look like being cleared up in a week or so (flight is in a month). I need to be in Europe within 3 days of my current scheduled arrival.

 

[I love to travel]

Thinking about it for end of May. Transiting via Doha on a combination of VA and TK to CDG. Aeroplan ticket.

 

[luxury-lizard]

I recently posted on another thread - we have booked backup flights to Europe for late May - on TG using AC points - not perfect but can be cancelled without penalty if the ME situation settles.

 

[Bundy Bear]

I am flying to Europe towards end of April I started looking at options over the weekend, one option was using points via the US.
Trump suggested that this should be over in a few weeks but that then starts cutting into contingencies.

 

[Quickstatus]

Anyone considering JL/NH which operates via alaska and greenland into LHR?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Anyone considering JL/NH which operates via alaska and greenland into LHR?

Similarly LH will fly you from HND via FRA … also flies over Alaska/Greenland.

 

[RooFlyer]

I recently posted on another thread - we have booked backup flights to Europe for late May - on TG using AC points - not perfect but can be cancelled without penalty if the ME situation settles.

You may have done well. Just having a look for the end of this month. Most flights ex Aust are on Emirates via DXB , most of rest are VA (QR) via DOH No TGs at all, even ex SIN.

 

[RooFlyer]

OK; have now booked a last-resort flight out of dodge city to JNB on Aeroplan points (via a stopover in Mauritius, which is why the points were bought!) If I have to have a Plan B, I expect to buy a flight out of Oz, but in case things go really crazy, this fully refundable flight is there.

 

[Quickstatus]

Similarly LH will fly you from HND via FRA … also flies over Alaska/Greenland.

Yes and maybe get a 747-400 fix if getting 747 cravings. Sometimes it goes west over China/Kazakhstan

 

[Ken1]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have the fare at just over $2500 with the $550 cancellation fee. I was ready to ask for it to be changed to the flex fare with free cancellation but since I wrote this post the price with CX has increased from just over $3100 to just over $4200 so I will leave it how it is. At least I have a good backup option as we cannot afford a current J fare with CX or SQ..

MEL_Traveller I looked at your suggestion of Hainan Airlines and they did not have anything on the dates we need but a nearby date did have something at that price, but when I went to their website a screen came up with info about power banks and mine do not have the Chinese 3C mark as required in China and I didn't want to mess around trying to find something suitable so we decided to stick with CX.

Urgent Notice on Requirements for Passengers Carrying Power Banks on Board​

According to the latest notice from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the following requirements for passengers carrying power banks on board are hereby notified in order to ensure safe air transport. Please be sure to read and comply with these requirements:
From June 28, 2025, passengers are prohibited from carrying power banks without the 3C mark or with an unclear 3C mark, or of models or batches that have been recalled onto domestic flights.

 

[SYD]

I think my J ticket on QR is already flex but I'll have my TA book a back-up if things don't look like being cleared up in a week or so (flight is in a month). I need to be in Europe within 3 days of my current scheduled arrival.

From memory, it’s probably at worst ~$500 cancellation fee.

Our next Euro trip isn’t until August - including QR ex CGK (QF J CRs from/to SYD) but we’re already pondering options. CX gets us where we want for about $5k (return) v $3k already paid but still better than $10k+ ex Oz!

 

[chitown_boy]

Similarly LH will fly you from HND via FRA … also flies over Alaska/Greenland.

Dec 2025 I flew MEL-NRT-MAD-NRT-MEL for $1400 on a JL ticket (booked last minute). The two Madrid legs were on IB - who always flew east so it just misses the north pole on the outbound but does also take the arctic route (given russian airspace restrictions). IB gave me an op-up as well with measly Qf SG to an emex PY seat. On the other iberia flight I was the only person with a row to myself in Y (does IB do shadows?) I thought it was a bargain, as I got an overnight layover to enjoy tokyo as well to break up the circumnavigation, and it was cheaper than straight mel-nrt-mel on JL!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes and maybe get a 747-400 fix if getting 747 cravings. Sometimes it goes west over China/Kazakhstan

747-8! Even better!

 

[Berlin]

I wish you all the best of luck!

I am feeling so lucky right now as we have booked our annual trip to Germany via Cathay this time- pure coincidence because the last two years we went on Qatar

 

[MEL_Traveller]

OK; have now booked a last-resort flight out of dodge city to JNB on Aeroplan points (via a stopover in Mauritius, which is why the points were bought!) If I have to have a Plan B, I expect to buy a flight out of Oz, but in case things go really crazy, this fully refundable flight is there.

The AC tickets are fully refundable if booking flex. Which is just the difference in price, points wise, between the ‘lowest’ award plus the cancellation fee (converted from $ to points).

If you do end up flying you’ve lost a couple hundred dollars, but in terms of ‘insurance’ that’s not a bad price to save t(e holiday!