Credit Voucher Rip Off

[shodgso]

Has anybody else noticed that when you use a voucher from a previously cancelled flight, that the cost of fares mysteriously rise compared to what you can book if you don't use the credit voucher? For example booking a Sydney > Brisbane return using the voucher costs $570, when booking the same flight without a voucher can be done for $344. Isn't that illegal?

 

[moa999]

No, but I believe voucher must be in same or higher clas.s

 

[medhead]

Yeah, definitely the voucher can only buy fares of the same or higher value. Got catch with this once for. $109 sale fare, went to use the voucher when their was a sale at $99. Using the voucher would then require buying a $175 fare, the next one above $109.

 

[Austman]

This has been covered soooo many times!!! But QF could probably do themselves a favour and allow people to throw away any residual value on the voucher, if they so wish (ie allow the voucher to be used when booking a lower fare class/value).

 

[Mgjdubs]

Cancelled a J trip to BKK last year. Ended up being lumbered with a $6k credit.

In addition to the OP's question, why does a credit like this have to be only on international flights, in one hit and on a higher class of fare? I could've used it solely on domestic and trans-Tasman flights. Which is irritating because I had no use for an F class trip to SIN. Which is what I ended up doing (I did get to try the A380 F, and going F to SIN was about the same as J to HKG) otherwise I was looking at losing all that cash.

 

[ajw373]

Cancelled a J trip to BKK last year. Ended up being lumbered with a $6k credit.

In addition to the OP's question, why does a credit like this have to be only on international flights, in one hit and on a higher class of fare? I could've used it solely on domestic and trans-Tasman flights. Which is irritating because I had no use for an F class trip to SIN. Which is what I ended up doing (I did get to try the A380 F, and going F to SIN was about the same as J to HKG) otherwise I was looking at losing all that cash.

Think you will find the reason it has to be used on international flights is because international flights are not subject to GST but domestic are. But do agree it is silly that the credit has to be used in one pop with no option of underspending.

 

[samh004]

The price rises because the change fee has not been deducted until you use the voucher.

Eg. You buy a return where each leg costs $100 = $200 total. You then cancel and get the voucher for use on another flight. Assuming the fares are the same you then need to tack on the ~$50 change fee to get the final price. Hence it appears the airfares are going up, but they’re actually the same, your voucher is just worth less than you thought/there’s an additional fee.

 

[serfty]

The price rises because the change fee has not been deducted until you use the voucher.

Eg. You buy a return where each leg costs $100 = $200 total. You then cancel and get the voucher for use on another flight. Assuming the fares are the same you then need to tack on the ~$50 change fee to get the final price. Hence it appears the airfares are going up, but they’re actually the same, your voucher is just worth less than you thought/there’s an additional fee.

Sorry, but that is basically incorrect. (Unless in the unlikely event weeks or months down the track that you find a new base fare that is exactly the same as that originally booked.)

Say you have a booking MEL-SYD one-way for $155 all up. The actual fare in Q class is $129.52 with Charges/Taxes at $25.48.

You then need to cancel it. One now has a voucher "valued" at $155. This voucher can then be used to help pay for travel where the fare component is at least $129.52.

It can't be used for an O class fare MEL-SYD at $99.52 since that is less than the original fare.


It can be used for a V class fare of $136.79 (with $32.21 in taxes making it $169.00).

When used for that V class fare, the additional payment is the fare difference + the change fee.

+$169 New Fare
-$155 Old Fare
+ $60 Change Fee
-----
+$ 74 Additional collect
=====

The reason Qantas do this is to stop people buying fares then, after seeing a cheaper fare beome available using the credit instead. FWiW, when red e-deals were originally introduced they were unchangeable - one flew as booked or the fare was forfeited.

 

[medhead]

I was going to say the OP mentioned a difference of $230-ish, too much to be explained by the change fee. Also I think the QF change fee is now $60.

 

[Austman]

This has been covered soooo many times!!! But QF could probably do themselves a favour and allow people to throw away any residual value on the voucher, if they so wish (ie allow the voucher to be used when booking a lower fare class/value).

Just to add that Jetstar do exactly this. So it's can't be too hard ...

(Jetstar) Voucher Terms and Conditions
...
b.You must redeem this Voucher in one transaction only. Any amount not redeemed will be forfeited. This Voucher is redeemable only by the person whose name is stated above.

But also the voucher can pay for not just the fare base:

c.This Voucher is only redeemable up to the value stated above for Jetstar fares, taxes, fees and other charges associated with normal Jetstar Internet or Reservations bookings...

So, how hard can it be, Qantas?

 

[samh004]

Sorry, but that is basically incorrect. (Unless in the unlikely event weeks or months down the track that you find a new base fare that is exactly the same as that originally booked.)

Say you have a booking MEL-SYD one-way for $155 all up. The actual fare in Q class is $129.52 with Charges/Taxes at $25.48.

You then need to cancel it. One now has a voucher "valued" at $155. This voucher can then be used to help pay for travel where the fare component is at least $129.52.

It can't be used for an O class fare MEL-SYD at $99.52 since that is less than the original fare.

It can be used for a V class fare of $136.79 (with $32.21 in taxes making it $169.00).

When used for that V class fare, the additional payment is the fare difference + the change fee.

+$169 New Fare
-$155 Old Fare
+ $60 Change Fee
-----
+$ 74 Additional collect
=====

The reason Qantas do this is to stop people buying fares then, after seeing a cheaper fare beome available using the credit instead. FWiW, when red e-deals were originally introduced they were unchangeable - one flew as booked or the fare was forfeited.

My math was meant to be purposely shoddy as I assumed the issue was with the change fee solely, not anything else. I just like simple math. I have faced a similar issue where I canceled a sale fare and tried to rebook on another sale fare where the base fare component difference was a dollar or so. Really annoying. Especially considering the change fee still made a much bigger difference.