Classic Reward Question

[Lynda2475]

Last night I booked a classic reward with a flight departing on a Fri night SYD-MEL and returning on a Sunday evening MEL-SYD to catch up with friends and ex-colleagues haven't seen for 18 months.

This morning a current colleague suggested I fly Fri morning instead, work form the MEL office for the day, to give me more time to catch up and also meet my new Melbourne based crew face to face. I had thought of it but new employer seem easily spooked if there is a covid case.

The boss is away so I cant get authorization until next week, but as there limited reward seats available on the 6 and 6:30am flights Im concerned I may not have the option next week. But likewise Im not confident about changing my night flight to a morning flight now in case I am denied morning travel and then the night flight isnt available (I got the last night J seat)

So my question is, If i book a separate one way morning flight for SYD-MEL on the same day, can I later cancel just the outbound leg of the return classic reward booking I already have if i am allowed to fly earlier? I assuming the system isnt smart enough to identify I have 2 flights for the same person on the same day?

 

[Mattg]

If you miss the first flight on a booking with multiple flights, subsequent sectors would be cancelled.

It's possible to cancel award flights without penalty (you might just have to wait a while to get the points/taxes refunded) so if I were you I would cancel the current bookings and re-book on separate one-way bookings.

I don't see any reason you couldn't book SYD-MEL flights in both the morning and evening (I don't think the system would flag this unless you book two tickets on the same flight, obviously), then cancel one of them closer to the time. Just check when the latest time you can cancel without penalty is.

 

[Lynda2475]

It's possible to cancel award flights without penalty (you might just have to wait a while to get the points/taxes refunded) so if I were you I would cancel the current bookings and re-book on separate one-way bookings.

If all 3 flights had availability I would do this, but right now 1 flight has no more availability, so concerned if I cancel someone else will snap up the one seat or that that the seat may not go back to the reward pool.

Will it work if I cancel the return leg on the existing booking which still has availability, making the existing booking one way? Then rebook two other one ways?

Im not worried about delay in refund of $30 of taxes and a handful of points, with no overseas travel, points are accumulating easily, hence spending them on domestic rewards to offset covid risk which I wouldnt do if spending overseas was an option.

 

[Mattg]

I'm not sure if you can cancel just one of two flights on a booking online. Maybe if you try calling (yes, I know) they may be able to do that for you?

 

[Lynda2475]

Thanks, yeah I think I may have to call to get the current booking split into 2 PNRs and then create the 3rd.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Last night I booked a classic reward with a flight departing on a Fri night SYD-MEL and returning on a Sunday evening MEL-SYD to catch up with friends and ex-colleagues haven't seen for 18 months.

This morning a current colleague suggested I fly Fri morning instead, work form the MEL office for the day, to give me more time to catch up and also meet my new Melbourne based crew face to face. I had thought of it but new employer seem easily spooked if there is a covid case.

The boss is away so I cant get authorization until next week, but as there limited reward seats available on the 6 and 6:30am flights Im concerned I may not have the option next week. But likewise Im not confident about changing my night flight to a morning flight now in case I am denied morning travel and then the night flight isnt available (I got the last night J seat)

So my question is, If i book a separate one way morning flight for SYD-MEL on the same day, can I later cancel just the outbound leg of the return classic reward booking I already have if i am allowed to fly earlier? I assuming the system isnt smart enough to identify I have 2 flights for the same person on the same day?

I suspect if you are going to be denied travel in the morning, you'd also be denied travel in the evening... unless you were right at the end of a snap two or three day lockdown which was lifted at midday. But I think they're usually lifted at midnight? So either way, you'd probably not be catching a flight to MEL.

 

[Lynda2475]

suspect if you are going to be denied travel in the morning, you'd also be denied travel in the evening... unless you were right at the end of a snap two or three day lockdown which was lifted at midday. But I think they're usually lifted at midnight? So either way, you'd probably not be catching a flight to MEL.

Sorry if I wasnt clear, I meant denied travelling by my employer not the states. If states have lockdowns, I cancel and get a refund no issue, but what my boss allows determines what time I can fly.

I usually wfh on a Friday, but if I fly to MEL at 6am (so can still be working by 9am), Id need to be allowed to work from our Melbourne office on Friday as I cant get into hotel room before early arvo. If my boss doesnt agree to me being onsite in Melburne office, Id have to fly in the evening, as he cant control what I do with my weekends, but does have a right t specify where I work on work days.

Tried to call Qanats last night, 3 hour wait so gave up. No reply to my Facebook message ether. Its not clear whether I can delete one eg from my booking online without it cancelling the whole trip. Such a pain. I will try calling again later.

 

[Vic]

Book the hotel for Thursday night? Then you have somewhere to "WFH", if need be. Tell hotel you're not checking in until the morning.
Is you're boss likely to refuse to let you work in the Melbourne office? If they did, it'd be a bit of a @#$! move...

 

[Lynda2475]

Well Qantas finally replied to my question after several days (had to ask via Facebook cause no time to wait hours on hold). They cant split booking.

But boss approved working in Melbourne office soijust changed flight time online at no penalty. But except for when there is only 1 flight per day, will book outbound and return flights separately in future.

 

[Seat0B]

Well Qantas finally replied to my question after several days (had to ask via Facebook cause no time to wait hours on hold). They cant split booking.

But boss approved working in Melbourne office soijust changed flight time online at no penalty. But except for when there is only 1 flight per day, will book outbound and return flights separately in future.

That's a lesson I have learned the hard way too, unfortunately a few times, before it really sank in. I don;t know why it has to be so hard!