Flight change refund price difference

[spudwa]

We're flying from Perth to Broome next week and there was a choice of two flights. One leaving at 6AM and the other at 10:30AM We paid the extra for the 10:30AM flight which has now been cancelled and we've been moved to the 6AM. The schedule change email didn't mention a refund of the difference in price. Am I entitled to one?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Good question. It's not normally something airlines will offer. Is the fare on the earlier flight still lower? If so you may be entitled to get a full refund on your cancelled flight and then buy new tickets on the 6am. If the 6am is now higher, QF will argue that they are moving you 'free of charge' to the new flight.

 

[spudwa]

Well after hour and a half on hold QANTAS said no refund of the difference as it's in the terms and conditions. Which seems a bit harsh as they normally charge for changes and definitely charge any difference if there is any. I'll just have to put it down to experience. Funny after 45 years of flying I'm still learning the new ways I can get screwed ;-)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well after hour and a half on hold QANTAS said no refund of the difference as it's in the terms and conditions. Which seems a bit harsh as they normally charge for changes and definitely charge any difference if there is any. I'll just have to put it down to experience. Funny after 45 years of flying I'm still learning the new ways I can get screwed ;-)

Is the fare currently lower on the 6am? If so, you can cancel and rebook.

If QF had moved you to a more expensive flight, equally there would have been no additional charge.

If you make a voluntary change, you will be charged extra, or refunded, according to the prevailing fare.

 

[oz_mark]

Well after hour and a half on hold QANTAS said no refund of the difference as it's in the terms and conditions. Which seems a bit harsh as they normally charge for changes and definitely charge any difference if there is any. I'll just have to put it down to experience. Funny after 45 years of flying I'm still learning the new ways I can get screwed ;-)

They don't normally charge fare differences when they have cancelled a flights (IME) though.

 

[RichardMEL]

Yeah the prices/inventory available on a replacement flight are irrelevant in this case so no you wouldn't be entitled to a refund of the difference. Frustrating I know (not to mention the very early rise!) but that's the way it goes. You'd be pretty livid if the replacement flight was charging $$$$ more and QF pushed a fare difference charge on you.

I too thought to cancel and buy the cheaper seat but a refund would take time to process which may not suit, and if you picked a crdit voucher the conditions would insist most likely on higher fare class purchase and/or equal/higher value of the voucher, so you would miss out there too.

 

[eminere]

Yeah the prices/inventory available on a replacement flight are irrelevant in this case so no you wouldn't be entitled to a refund of the difference. Frustrating I know (not to mention the very early rise!) but that's the way it goes. You'd be pretty livid if the replacement flight was charging $$$$ more and QF pushed a fare difference charge on you.

This.

In these situations sometimes you end up being better off, and sometimes you don't. C'est la vie.

 

[drron]

Well I'll be flying back home Monday week.Both choices virtually the same price so I picked the flights that would get me back to BNE earlier.
So QF cancelled the 1205 LST-MEL flight and put on a 1645 flight.Only connects to one flight MEL-BNE but the total price $200 cheaper.My agent can't get a refund of the difference even though it is a QF change and no other alternative.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well I'll be flying back home Monday week.Both choices virtually the same price so I picked the flights that would get me back to BNE earlier.
So QF cancelled the 1205 LST-MEL flight and put on a 1645 flight.Only connects to one flight MEL-BNE but the total price $200 cheaper.My agent can't get a refund of the difference even though it is a QF change and no other alternative.

No, but your agent could cancel, no penalty, and rebook the cheaper flight.

 

[drron]

Except that QF had already cancelled it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Except that QF had already cancelled it.

If QF changed your flight time you can cancel the ticket.
If the agent accepted the change without consultation, you can pursue the agent for the difference in fare.

 

[nutwood]

Well I'll be flying back home Monday week.Both choices virtually the same price so I picked the flights that would get me back to BNE earlier.
So QF cancelled the 1205 LST-MEL flight and put on a 1645 flight.Only connects to one flight MEL-BNE but the total price $200 cheaper.My agent can't get a refund of the difference even though it is a QF change and no other alternative.

You may now have other options apart from the Monday, although probably not a lot of help if you're trying to get home earlier.
They seem to be changing from 1205 twice a week to 1645 every day except weekends. Hopefully will free up some seats.

 

[spudwa]

And now the 6AM flight is over booked so we've moved to the 4PM flight!!!

 

[RichardMEL]

Oh THAT is insult to injury and truly frustrating !!! Seems like perhaps they should have kept your original one. I'm sorry!