Changing to earlier flights on non-flexible tickets

[JohnK]

I know it is not possible and we have discussed this in the past although my last 2 times out of BNE I have been able to change to earlier flight.

A couple of weeks ago I was offered an earlier flight, I guess, due to possible weather interruptions.

Today I could not complete check-in online and went to use QuickCheck at airport and had the same issue and it gave me a note to go and see the service desk. I also noted that QF547 was scheduled for 18:30 (original 16:45), QF549 18:20 (17:45), QF551 18:40 (18:15), QF553 18:45 and QF557 19:15 which was also my flight.

Went to the service desk and I was assured not to worry and my flight would be on time. Before the check-in agent had a chance to print the boarding pass I asked if it was possible to change to earlier flight QF549 as there were a lot of delays. I know my ticket does not allow changes. She told me to hang on a minute and called he supervisor reading out my details and after a minute or so pirinted out a boarding pass for QF549 with seq #260.

Do people feel that QF is becoming a little more accommodating or is this just a once off change and not expect this to happen again.

Also good to see that QF549 took off as per revised scheduled time and was able to get into SYD almost an hour earlier.

 

[docjames]

Plat status definately helped, but i;ve always found QF accommodating when there are "operational issues".

 

[medhead]

I've found the QP or J lounge to be fairly accommodating. Since being platinum, the J lounge has changed me twice. Once I missed my flight, fronted the J lounge "I missed my flight, can you help me get on another flight". They just changed me, I expected to pay, but was told we're moving people anyway. I have no idea why they were moving people. The other times I've just fronted at about 17:30 with a 20:45 flight and asked about moving to the 18:30 flight. At least one of these times there were storms around in SYD. Again success. I also asked in the SYD QP as gold and got moved, storms again iirc. Or maybe a board full of delays.

I've also asked about 3 other times and been turned down.

 

[Febs]

As with any QF benefits that you're not entitled to, it's depends entirely on the staff member you're dealing with.

It's like getting away with not paying the 2,500pt (now 3,500pt) phone booking fee for FF flights. Or asking for Express passes when you're sitting in economy. Being Platinum can help, being friendly can help, but at the end of the day, it's up to the QF staffer's discretion.

FWIW, I've often managed to change non-flexible flights, and get Express passes whilst sitting in economy, but sometimes I've had to ask two different staff members.

Funny story: A colleague once booked a non-flexible domestic ticket for a Sunday flight he knew he was going to catch. Until he had a massive night on Saturday, and turned up to the airport an hour after the plane left. He told the check-in agent "I'm not going to lie to you...I had a big night and slept in" and was met with "Well, we're not supposed to, but because you're Gold...here's a boarding pass for the next flight." (I forget the exact flight, but it was one that only runs 2-3 times a day).

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[kirk7]

express pass for WP is a published benefit....

 

[Febs]

express pass for WP is a published benefit....

On check-in yes, but on return to Australia (on-board)? For example I flew SYD-PER-CGK on Jetstar recently, and returned CGK-SYD on QF. So I didn't get any Express passes on the way out, but asked for one on-board on the way back.

I'd never had a problem asking for them on-board before (half the time it's usually given without asking, and once I got a whole stack of them), but one particularly nasty FA decided I wasn't worthy. Asked her very nicely and was handed a regular immigration card. When I said "Oh, sorry I meant the Express pass" she said "No, we don't have those."

I asked another (much nicer) FA and was handed one no questions asked.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[kirk7]

Yep on board too. What they suppose to do is get the manifest and written all the seat numbers of WP and CL in Y and hand them out. F and J get them anyway.

 

[blackcat20]

I've previously turned up early for a MEL-BNE flight and have been offered the earlier flight, without my asking for it. That was a few years back, and I wasnt even a QFF member back then...

 

[burrco]

Ultimately I think Qantas would like to get someone away on an earlier flight as it is one less person to worry about if something happens to later flights. Of course this has to be balanced against the fact that they'd also like people to pay more for the flexible tickets.

I've never had a request to take an earlier flight denied in the lounge.

 

[nlagalle]

I got an earlier flight from PER - MEL on a JASA.

The girl had a look for me and said, we aren't supposed to do this but we look after our WP members.. I had fully expected to have to wait so it was good getting an earlier flight.

Second one was for my ex's grandma. We got caught majorly in traffic and arrived at the airport 5 mins after baggage check in closed. i went to the service desk and the simply printed me a boarding pass for the next flight, no questions asked. That was on a red edeal fare too.

I always think it is how you approach them too. I always ask nicely etc etc..

 

[Febs]

I always think it is how you approach them too. I always ask nicely etc etc..

Definitely. It's amazing how many people go through life without learning this simple fact. It'll have more impact on the outcome than anything else.

 

[JohnK]

Ultimately I think Qantas would like to get someone away on an earlier flight as it is one less person to worry about if something happens to later flights. Of course this has to be balanced against the fact that they'd also like people to pay more for the flexible tickets.

Have been denied earlier flights numerous times and in my experience QF only ever offered them to get out of jam.

I don't normally ask which is why I was surprised I was given earlier flight yesterday.

I always think it is how you approach them too. I always ask nicely etc etc..

Some people simply do not have any manners....

 

[Lawlass]

I have found I have invariably been put on an earlier flight when I ask if one is available at check-in, no matter what ticket I'm on.

I always figured that Qantas figure that if they have empty seats on a flight leaving in 20 minutes, they are less likely to be able to sell them than an empty seat on a flight in 2 hours, so it makes sense to bring people forward.

 

[Baysider]

I have found I have invariably been put on an earlier flight when I ask if one is available at check-in, no matter what ticket I'm on.

Precisely my experience, and just the same whether at Bronze FF level or higher.

 

[Dnicoll]

Was given an earlier flight in the Syd T3 business lounge yesterday without asking - was advised that it was because of weather delays.

Asked very nicely at Mel domestic check in today and was given an earlier flight (my colleagues were denied this at another counter) but told that they won't be able to do this again as of next week with the NGCI check in.

Was very happy! Agree that being friendly makes a big difference.

 

[pshepvic]

Back in the days of being a QP or PS QFF, I always had requests denied for changing to earlier flights, although they have put me on the next flight when I've missed one (even though a red e-deal).

But as soon as hitting SG, I've had every request for an earlier flight fulfilled, no matter what the type of fare (red e-deal, classic award flights, and any seat awards).

Might have been lucky there, but just ask nicely and you've got a good chance!

(Must admit though, now that our work preferred airline is DJ, they actually have offered to move me twice without even asking, although in both cases they were corporate plus fares).

 

[Undercover Brother]

Had a request for an earlier flight knocked back 2 days ago. QP attendant seemed to have better things to do. Being QP Bronze I am not surprised, but VB don't seem to blink twice if the flight is available for early flyers!

 

[tuapekastar]

Have never asked for a change like this, but myself and a friend were proactively offered it (on a fare that doesn't allow it) by the QF man at the Int-Dom transfer at SYD (flying AKL-SYD-MEL).

We had plenty of transit time and the guy said there was a delay on our booked flight and we were in time to catch the earlier one - 2 flights earlier than our scheduled one IIRC - if we wished, which we gratefully did.

 

[serfty]

Have never asked for a change like this, but myself and a friend were proactively offered it (on a fare that doesn't allow it) by the QF man at the Int-Dom transfer at SYD (flying AKL-SYD-MEL). ...

When using the "Seamless" transfer from T1 to T3 the agents seem to have a lot more freedom than those elsewhere to move PAX to different flights.

They will almost always try to put you on the next practical flight - this is especially the case with flights to BNE and MEL.

Different people take different times to get through immigration/customs so they try to fill up the connections as people come through.

 

[bdfly]

When using the "Seamless" transfer from T1 to T3 the agents seem to have a lot more freedom than those elsewhere to move PAX to different flights.

They will almost always try to put you on the next practical flight - this is especially the case with flights to BNE and MEL.

Different people take different times to get through immigration/customs so they try to fill up the connections as people come through.

I actually disagree with that. I could have easily been put on an earlier SYD-MEL domestic flight when transiting through the new transfer facility. I gave the agent my bag and asked if it was possible to catch the earlier flight, and she told me (in a very friendly way) that they weren't allowed to do it. She was very nice but wouldn't even check her screen!