Booking class after involuntary schedule change

[Captain Halliday]

I have a booking SIN-BNE. It’s a QF marketed flight, where EK is the operating carrier. The ticket is a red-e deal.

EK have made a schedule change from a night departure to a morning departure. QF have emailed inviting me to accept the revised flight time with EK.

However, my inbound flight to SIN is on a different PNR. While the morning departure would comply with MCT, I’m not protected as it’s a different PNR. I’d therefore prefer a later flight.

QF have a direct evening flight, along with options via either SYD or MEL. But, none appear to have red-e available for sale.

My questions:
1. What are my chances of moving to QF metal given it’s an involuntary schedule change by EK?
2. If so, would I likely be re-booked on a red-e, or might I end up in a different fare bucket? I’m wondering given the inventory available for sale if I might end up in an economy bucket that is eligible to upgrade?
3. Could I opt for one of the options via SYD or MEL? This would be based on aircraft preference.

TIA.

 

[opusman]

Change is involuntary so fare bucket shouldn't matter imo. Tell them the revised flight time is unacceptable.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Change is involuntary so fare bucket shouldn't matter imo. Tell them the revised flight time is unacceptable.

I’m very happy to do that.

If there’s any prospect I might end up in a fare bucket that is upgradeable, that might influence my preference for what time I’d prefer to fly .

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I've always found QF Res to be accommodating when an INVOL occurs, even when the shift was just a couple of hours. As for the fare bucket - who knows? They'd probably maintain the selling class is my guess because, heaven forbid, a pesky customer might get some extra SCs and the chance to upgrade

 

[RichardMEL]

It's an invol change, and an evening to morning flight change is not just an hour or two, you absolutely have grounds to move to the evening QF flight, or even via SYD or MEL depending on timing and/or availability. Just call them and discuss - don't accep tonline(unless they offer the QF melta evening flight as an option of course).

 

[Captain Halliday]

It's an invol change, and an evening to morning flight change is not just an hour or two, you absolutely have grounds to move to the evening QF flight, or even via SYD or MEL depending on timing and/or availability. Just call them and discuss - don't accep tonline(unless they offer the QF melta evening flight as an option of course).

Certainly haven’t accepted the online offer. Just looking to establish my best option before calling them.

 

[ftm]

Fare bucket doesn't matter in a schedule change like this. As long as seats are available in the original cabin booked, you are able to change to the flight and it goes into the higher fare bucket. The airline will try it on, but it's their own rules!

 

[Captain Halliday]

I like the sound of it potentially booking into the higher bucket! Thanks.

Now to decide which option has the better upgrade probability... 52 to BNE, 2 to SYD or 36 or 38 to MEL.

And of course on the 36 I might end up with JB driving.

 

[Captain Halliday]

For future reference for anyone in this situation, I was able to change flights easily enough, as expected.

However, the agent said that he had to force the booking into the original fare bucket to prevent it throwing up errors.

So unfortunately I'm still in a fare bucket that can't be upgraded.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

However, the agent said that he had to force the booking into the original fare bucket to prevent it throwing up errors.

Surprise, surprise

 

[JohnK]

If there’s any prospect I might end up in a fare bucket that is upgradeable, that might influence my preference for what time I’d prefer to fly .

One of my recent Friday night flights was delayed then cancelled. For some reason I cannot understand I was not rebooked on another flight. At the airport I was rebooked on an earlier flight and I received flexible SCs as the booking class was changed.

I know it doesn't help you but it can happen. Should I push for double SCs?.

 

[opusman]

I know it doesn't help you but it can happen. Should I push for double SCs?.

Surely you should demand ORC!

 

[madrooster]

So unfortunately I'm still in a fare bucket that can't be upgraded.

This is where using a TA is useful. TAs can just use the higher fare bucket. QF will force open the same fare bucket.

 

[Captain Halliday]

This is where using a TA is useful. TAs can just use the higher fare bucket. QF will force open the same fare bucket.

It's a very good point. It originated as an online booking and I thought about sending you a PM. Lesson learnt.

I might be in touch in relation to a certain other thread though.

 

[mitti]

It's a very good point. It originated as an online booking and I thought about sending you a PM. Lesson learnt.

I might be in touch in relation to a certain other thread though.

I just had an invol flight change on a LHR-DXB-BNE-SYD EK F/QF J Award booked through QF. End destination was SYD and the change meant missing my QFJ BNE-SYD flight so they rebooked direct DXB-SYD (Z fare bucket wasn't available). The agent rebooked in full 'F' fare, although unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to realise, and didn't ask them to put me on the QF flight no rather than the EK one, so won't earn status credits. Oh well!

The agent was very helpful though, and I'm sure would have been accommodating to any reasonable request for different flight options, including LHR-SYD on QF 2 in F.

 

[docjames]

I had an invol change on the old QF9 route from MEL-DXB having booked in I and then a points upgrade to P.

Invol change onto to the EK flight leaving 1hr earlier. Initially ended up in an earning fare bucket (they'd pushed the booking over onto EK in A which appears that on EK is F SC earning). It was then corrected by QF 72hrs later (manually it seemed).