Changing a reward booking - what happens to cancelled seats?

[Happy Dude]

Hi folks,

I have a reward booking for CBR-BNE-MKY return. I now wish to remove the CBR-BNE and BNE-CBR segments.

I can't seem to do that online. My reading of the rules suggests that I'm up for a change fee ($40) and a points fee (5000).

I thought I would try to cancel the whole booking, thus incurring only the points fee and I would be entitled to a full refund of money paid (is that right?). Then I would rebook the BNE-MKY segments.

The problem is that the BNE-MKY flight I want (and currently have) is now not available as a reward. The MKY-BNE segment is available.

If I cancel the whole booking, what happens to the seats?

I'm hoping that they go back into the rewards pot (which I presumably would have the jump in retrieving). But I'm thinking that if there's a request in the system then the seats don't go back into said pot. Anyone have experience/knowledge?

I also presume that I would incur the service fee if I called up and asked them to "hold" the seats I just cancelled - if they'd do such a thing for a PS?

Many thanks....

HD

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi folks,

I have a reward booking for CBR-BNE-MKY return. I now wish to remove the CBR-BNE and BNE-CBR segments.
...

There is no real way of knowing what's going to happen to award seats once released back into general inventory.

If the flight is looking full, or if QF deem they are likely to be able to sell the seat, it may never come back as an award. The $40 is probably a good insurance.

 

[serfty]

There is no specific cash fee to change an award booking although +++ may vary reslting in refund/additional.

However with a change like you are looking at, calling (with the attached service fee) would ne the easiest way.

As indicated there is no gaurantee the award booking class would be reinstated.

 

[Happy Dude]

Thanks for the replies folks - much appreciated.

 

[Mattg]

The theory is that they should be returned to the inventory they came from. If that's an award bucket then they would go back there.

There are no guarantees that this will work every time in practice.