Drat - looks like QF have pulled the A380 from SYD-HKG before Christmas

[falconea]

I had a booking on SYD-HKG on 11 Dec in F. It's just changed to a 747 so no F. (It's part of MELxSYDxHKG-TPE-HKGxSYD-BNE-MEL.)

It was in part booked as a status run so changing voluntarily to the 787 MEL-HKG is annoying. Plus I booked at the Premium Companion rate so there wouldn't even be any refund....

At present working out what I want to do. The return flight isn't yet notifying the change but I can't book F on the return date.

Any advice? What are my chances of getting the original status credits credited if I ask as part of changing the flight?

And am I even going to be allowed to fly HKGxMEL-BNE-MEL?

Audrey

 

[wannabe_wp]

Still showing as an A380 if you try to make a booking.

Edit - the 10th and days before show as a 747.

 

[dajop]

Still showing as an A380 if you try to make a booking.

Edit - the 10th and days before show as a 747.

In ExpertFlyer, all days showing as 747.

 

[Happy Trails]

EF is showing QF127 with a mix of B747 and A330 from Dec 4th until Dec 17th.

Edit: just saw Dajop's post above and, on a closer look, the A330s are presently scheduled on the 15th & 17th only.

 

[tinkybelle]

I have a client flying back on QF award late jan is F avail then or is it finished

 

[DMar86]

My booking on QF127 on 03 Jan still showing as an A380.

 

[Isochronous]

There seems to be good F availability early next year on points too.

 

[samh004]

Interesting, will have to check what emails my mother has received from QF. She was due to fly HKG-SYD-BNE on the 14th in F for the leg to SYD. She didn't need to go via SYD. Will be interesting to see what compensation is offered for the downgrade, as at the time the F fares were slightly more than the J fares. She may just switch to a direct.

 

[levelnine]

What are QF going to do with this extra A380?

 

[Max Samuels]

I had a booking on SYD-HKG on 11 Dec in F. It's just changed to a 747 so no F. (It's part of MELxSYDxHKG-TPE-HKGxSYD-BNE-MEL.)

It was in part booked as a status run so changing voluntarily to the 787 MEL-HKG is annoying. Plus I booked at the Premium Companion rate so there wouldn't even be any refund....

At present working out what I want to do. The return flight isn't yet notifying the change but I can't book F on the return date.

Any advice? What are my chances of getting the original status credits credited if I ask as part of changing the flight?

And am I even going to be allowed to fly HKGxMEL-BNE-MEL?

Audrey

Interestingly this has just happened to a booking I am managing for later this month. BA F ticket SYD-SIN-LHR-HKG-SYD. Combination of QF and BA A380 aircraft all in F.

I received notice from the travel agent of the aircraft change, and were given options of re-routing via SIN (instead of HKG) to stay on aircraft with F, but the advise given was that staying with the current itin - the change to 747 with no F - that QF will still honor the status credits of F - is this true???? I suppose it could be - because when you are "upgraded", you only receive the SC of the class of the fare paid for. So I imagine the reverse is also true? Can anyone confirm?

 

[DC3]

What are QF going to do with this extra A380?

Extra? There’s still only 12 isn’t there?

Edit: 1 x A380 (at a time) out of action, for upgrades over the next 12+ months?

 

[jpp42]

Interestingly this has just happened to a booking I am managing for later this month. BA F ticket SYD-SIN-LHR-HKG-SYD. Combination of QF and BA A380 aircraft all in F.

I received notice from the travel agent of the aircraft change, and were given options of re-routing via SIN (instead of HKG) to stay on aircraft with F, but the advise given was that staying with the current itin - the change to 747 with no F - that QF will still honor the status credits of F - is this true???? I suppose it could be - because when you are "upgraded", you only receive the SC of the class of the fare paid for. So I imagine the reverse is also true? Can anyone confirm?

Yes you are always entitled to the points and SC's for the class and routing that you've booked. It may not credit automatically - what you do is wait for the flights to post, and if the incorrect amount is there, email the details to QFF and request "original routing credit." explain the issue and they will credit your account in a few days.

If you officially rebook onto J and receive a part refund though, you wouldn't be eligible for F status credits.

 

[levelnine]

Extra? There’s still only 12 isn’t there?

Well there is now an A380 free for the times that it was going to be used on the HKG route. Is QF going to simply let it sit on the ground for those times? Accelerate the refurbishment program? Deploy it on another route?

 

[Melburnian1]

Mattg's article said (correctly) airlines are struggling to fill seats on planes bound for HKG. However in AFF open discussion I mentioned under BITRE international passenger activity for August 2019 that while QF passenger traffic to and from HKG dropped 11.3 per cent in that month, CX's was up 3.2 per cent.

I doubt this good run for CX will continue, as the latest Hong Kong tourist arrivals show a 25 per cent drop from Australia (and similar declines from most other nations/regions, if not worse.)

 

[Max Samuels]

It's pretty cough though to sell a product, have people pay for that product, then on a whim pull that product out of the market ... and just hope that your customers are content to be downgraded and not challenge your absolute authority and discretion on the subject.

 

[AIRwin]

More changes:

News | Routes

Routes is the home of the world’s leading aviation network development conferences and events. Plus aviation news and features, and profiles of global airlines and airports.

www.routesonline.com

 

[straitman]

It's pretty cough though to sell a product, have people pay for that product, then on a whim pull that product out of the market ... and just hope that your customers are content to be downgraded and not challenge your absolute authority and discretion on the subject.

Do you really think aircraft types are changed on a whim? It's quite a process of changing out bookings, crews etc.

 

[OATEK]

More changes:

News | Routes

Routes is the home of the world’s leading aviation network development conferences and events. Plus aviation news and features, and profiles of global airlines and airports.

www.routesonline.com

We had our March booking changed from A380 to B787 as part of this change.

 

[bPeteb]

and just hope that your customers are content to be downgraded and not challenge your absolute authority and discretion on the subject.

It would be an interesting airline that didn’t have absolute discretion and authority over the operation of its fleet...