Is there a way to tell if a flight is about to be canceled?

[henrus]

I don't fly Qantas a lot but is there a way to tell if a flight is about to be canceled?

Some people I know are booked on QF185 BNE-ZQN on Thursday 15 July 2021 and the flight has been removed from sale (in both directions).

Expert flyer shows a wide-open seat map so does this mean it's slated for cancelation?

 

[milehighclub]

If it is pulled from sale, that is a pretty good indication. I'd say they will put them via AKL instead.

 

[henrus]

If it is pulled from sale, that is a pretty good indication. I'd say they will put them via AKL instead.

That's what I thought.

It'd odd they're saying they've received no notification. I normally fly Air NZ (and Virgin domestically) and both are rather good with notifying about cancelations and rebooking. Lately with COVID Air NZ have been very flexible even allowing destination changes (Brisbane instead of the Gold Coast or Wellington instead of Christchurch etc)

 

[aikman]

It'd odd they're saying they've received no notification.

I am booked on flights to NZ next week that are no longer on sale but I have not yet received any notification. I think they are waiting until the last minute before cancelling bookings to stop people from asking for refunds.

 

[RichardMEL]

If EF shows all fare classes zeroed out too (as in yes removed from sale) that is a fair indication.

Now the pax won't receive any notification until it really IS cancelled. Right now they're more or less not accepting new bookings. While it probably will be cancelled since it's still loaded then there wouldn't be anything from QF unfortunately.

 

[dylarr]

If EF shows all fare classes zeroed out too (as in yes removed from sale) that is a fair indication.

Now the pax won't receive any notification until it really IS cancelled. Right now they're more or less not accepting new bookings. While it probably will be cancelled since it's still loaded then there wouldn't be anything from QF unfortunately.

Yep. This is exactly what happened last year. Flight removed from sale, inventory zeroed out on EF, booking would still be intact under MMB and you wouldn't have any notifications yet. Then once it was formally cancelled, you'd get a notification then it would disappear from EF completely.

 

[henrus]

Then once it was formally cancelled

Is there a rough guideline as to when they formally pull the plug.

 

[AIRwin]

Is there a rough guideline as to when they formally pull the plug.

Wednesday's flight is already showing as cancelled, so it may be tomorrow?

 

[henrus]

Oddly they've started selling it again and even loaded in some award seats.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Is there a rough guideline as to when they formally pull the plug.

Waffly on: When you can't check in for the flight, esp OLCI!
That is what JQd did for me, in my case about 4 years ago, MEL - ADL.
I tried to do OLCI, and it was within the 24 hour prior to flight, can't remember what the exact message, was, but something like go to airport for check in.
I tried the kiosk at T4 at MEL Tulla, also couldn't.
And then, while I was in the QP, lucky I had my phone with me, and for some reason, I decided to have a look at the screen, yup, cancelled.
They wanted me to overnight in MEL and get the first JQd flight to ADL the next morning, claim hotel at $120 I think it was.
Ran out of the QP to domestic sales and bought an immediate QF flight, flexY and get the flight to ADL on QF.
Waffly off.

 

[Cddc]

Oddly they've started selling it again and even loaded in some award seats.

Did the flight end up going in both directions? I've got the same problem with flights being pulled but o formal cancellation and just wondering whether to get ahead of the game and book with opposition.

 

[henrus]

Did the flight end up going in both directions? I've got the same problem with flights being pulled but o formal cancellation and just wondering whether to get ahead of the game and book with opposition.

Yes, it ended up going in both directions. Wasn't many people onboard either flight though.