Japan Airlines flight change causing extremely short transit time

[crispychips]

Hey all! Looking for some advice on what to do.
Booked JL flight for 2 pax MEL->NRT, HND->JFK business class all on 1 booking using our FF points. The time between landing at NRT and departing HND would've been 9 hours (therefore plenty of time to travel from 1 airport to the next). Recently we got sent an email saying the initial flight is now moved 7 hours later, meaning we only have 2 hours transit time between the 2 flights. The email from Qantas specifically says 'If you’ve booked directly with us online, we’ll be in touch with your new connecting flight details' but it appears that nothing has come through yet of a flight change for the second flight. It's physically impossible to make it from NRT to HND in 2 hours passing immigration etc. We've called numerous times trying to see if we can either make the first leg earlier or move the second leg later, but no luck. We thought it was fixed when one agent pushed our second flight to the next day, but looks like she was doing a dodgy as she added it as a commercial J flight and upon calling again, Qantas refused to issue the e-ticket for this. Am I wrong to think that this is either Qantas or JAL's responsibility in issuing us a reasonable second flight that we can actually make on time? Any helps much appreciated, TIA!

 

[DrGear]

Oof, that's a tight one. Even if you got out the gate quickly and managed to get on the Keisei Skyliner and a quick connection to Haneda, 2 hours is nowhere near enough time with check in and customs.

Best of luck with it, hopefully you find a resolution.

 

[exLXCXFF]

Recently we got sent an email saying the initial flight is now moved 7 hours later, meaning we only have 2 hours transit time between the 2 flights.

Do you at least currently have this connection eTicketed? Have you added your itinerary on CMT and do you have eTickets for each leg? I would check and ensure this part first.

 

[crispychips]

Do you at least currently have this connection eTicketed? Have you added your itinerary on CMT and do you have eTickets for each leg? I would check and ensure this part first.

yes, so the connection has the same eticket number (checked on CMT) as they were both booked on the same itinerary

 

[Captain Halliday]

If it’s a QF ticket but a JL schedule change, getting assistance from QF may be challenging.

You’ll need to call again, but before you do, carefully plan one or two alternatives. Note the routing and flight numbers of other options.

Then when you call try to present solutions to the agent, rather than telling him/her your problem and expecting them to find a solution. Of course, you shouldn’t have to solve the problem for them, but if you want to get to New York…

Consider other days, travelling via a different intermediate port or airlines other than JL. In particular look at QF options like MELxSYD-LAX and add an AA connection to JFK.

QF can’t do much about other airlines, but can turn revenue seats into award seats on its on metal.

Good luck and welcome to AFF.

 

[exLXCXFF]

yes, so the connection has the same eticket number (checked on CMT) as they were both booked on the same itinerary

thanks - so, my next question would be, if
it is on one PNR, is this even a legal connection now, best guess, I would think not but would love if someone with right access could look that up. Because if it is not, then JAL “eventually” will have to deal with it.

Otherwise, I fully agree with @Captain Halliday’s suggestion. Success will also depend on your status (WP & CL would work best).

 

[madrooster]

NRT/HND cross airport connections have a 3h30m MCT so this is below MCT.

 

[sevenfourtyseven]

Having stood in the immigration queue for nearly 2 hours at Narita after arriving on JL774 a couple of weeks ago, that connecting time is definitely not workable.

Good luck finding a resolution with QF, it will definitely take some perseverance and patience to get it sorted!

 

[renatts]

I have a similar, but even less realistic issue with a JAL Schedule change.

We were flying MEL - FRA via NRT with JAL. Schedule change put our connection time as -6h45m.

I booked alternative flights with Singapore Airlines knowing that this change was almost a certainty and QF will be a nightmare to deal with in this instance. We no longer need to JAL flights.

I have purposefully left the booking active though. We also received three emails over a week stating that someone will be in touch with our new connecting flights. I'm, more than anything, just interested to see if this ever actually happens.


More to the point of your problem though - actually needing the flights - this is a JAL issue to fix unfortunately.
Their policy is found here: https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/inter/change/irregular.html
The way I read it, Qantas will need to request that JAL accommodate you on a different flight to get you to your destination. No mention of same fare bucket, only "open seats".
The challenge will be getting a Qantas staff member who is competent enough to do this.

It states;
Eligible tickets

• JAL international tickets (tickets issued by JAL with numbers beginning in 131) that include a reservation on a delayed or cancelled JAL Group flight.
• Non-JAL international tickets that include a reservation on a delayed or cancelled JAL Group flight (delayed/cancelled JAL Group segment only).

• For JAL award tickets issued by other carriers, please contact the corresponding mileage program.

How change is made

• The reservation will be changed to an alternate JAL Group flight or flights with open seats.

• However, JAL may authorize changes to other carriers' flights in some cases.

• If the change results in extra costs in fare, charges, taxes, or miles above the purchase price, you do not have to pay the difference.

For delayed and cancelled flights operated by other carriers, please inquire separately.

 

[Ade]

NRT/HND cross airport connections have a 3h30m MCT so this is below MCT.

Okie, so in this case then, QF made a whoopsie and issued a ticket with this "below MCT" connection ... Is it then safe to say that QF have to "somehow" fix this because the ticket was issued incorrectly? Agree that QF can only request partner airlines to release reward seats AND QF did not make a schedule change, it was JL, so then is it safe to say that the onus is on JL to "somehow" fix the situation?

Although, given that the ticket was issued in error, can QF offer to pay for the pax's fare on alternatives? Gosh, this is one of the many confusing cases ...

@crispychips - welcome to AFF and I think it is best to get into a call with QF armed with all possible alternatives (routes, cities, flight numbers, dates) that you can gather. Good luck and let us know how you go?

 

[PERLHR]

I really don't see why this even has to be confusing except for the common denominator: it's Qantas!! The minimum transfer time is not possible. End of. What do they expectant pax to do? (Question for the Qantas agent). . Sometimes I wonder why Qantas are in One World as they are pathetic in dealing with any changes even if it's the partner who instigated change. If the tickets are QF coded its a qantas issue if it's JL then just call JAL? In fact maybe just call JAL for it all and see if they can sort it despite what the website says on who to speak to on other airlines issuing JAL ticket. Just tell them Qantas are pathetic, they probably know that. . I'm also sick of in every occasion we have to ask the question is there Qantas staff capable of understanding anything that is beyond standard bread and butter application. Good luck.

 

[crispychips]

Thanks for all the replies! Just giving an update that we decided to get a refund for these flights. They kept saying that the 2 flights (MEL->NRT, HND->JFK) were married segments and so if they cancelled 1, they would have to cancel the other, but no equivalent business class seats were available. Given that it has been 3 months since we purchased the business class seats, it looked very unlikely that we'd ever find new business seats, hence we got a refund. They even stuffed up the refund with only refunding 1 person's points, so had to call up again to get that fixed. This ordeal has really made me rethink earning further points with this FF program, and definitely feels scammy to me. Hope others in a similar situation have a happier ending!