JASA/FASA fare restrictions to HKG

[Kangol]

I was about to pull the trigger on a JASA to HKG on the phone and when the CSA was reading the rules out to me, there was a $341 cancellation fee per person. Tried the same on a FASA and the same $341 fee was there.

Now my understanding is that these ASAs booked into the classic award bucket have the same fare conditions as the most flexible revenue fare condition for the respective cabin. ie fully refundable. This was the case for a LAX-SYD one I recently made. I do realise there are fare variations with different geographic regions.

I look and see that the most flexible revenue J or F category to HKG is refundable ("Refund adjusted for journey travelled") and the cancellation fee I was quoted is the same as that of the second (and third for J) most flexible category:

http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/amadeus/minirules/AUASSALE_SUMMARY/

The CSA tells me that the fare conditions for an ASA are slightly different and do not come under the same categories for revenue bookings, regardless of the fare bucket.

I looked up other regions in Asia and for Japan there is a $200 cancellation fee for Business Flex:
http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/amadeus/minirules/AUJPSALE_SUMMARY/

Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia have no fee:
http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/amadeus/minirules/AUAISALE_SUMMARY/

Same with Europe:
http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/amadeus/minirules/AUEUSALE_SUMMARY/


Is this normal?
For those of you who have booked JASA/FASAs to Asia, has there always been a cancellation fee for a refund?

 

[tuapekastar]

I have booked (and flown) a FASA MEL-SIN and a separately booked FASA SIN-MEL in 2012. I don't recall which was which but one of them had a $341 cancellation fee, and the other had no cancellation fee. So yes, international ASAs in premium cabins can incur cancellation fees.
I guess it depends on what type of revenue fare they align with.

 

[Happy Trails]

Is this normal?
For those of you who have booked JASA/FASAs to Asia, has there always been a cancellation fee for a refund?

Not always, but oftentimes yes, depending on the fare conditions.
ISTR it applied to the Business Saver type fares.
Pre June 26 these conditions would be clearly displayed when booking on line.

Edit:
I find I still have one of these in the pipeline for December (SYD-MEL-HKG) and yes, it's a Business Saver with a $341 cancellation fee.

 

[Joshua]

Not always, but oftentimes yes, depending on the fare conditions.
ISTR it applied to the Business Saver type fares.

This is correct. ex-AUS you'll get this but not vice-versa. It has always been this way to my knowledge. Generally books into the cheapest non-promotional fare i.e. Business/First Saver.

They should be flexible however and can be changed without charge IME.

 

[Kangol]

Thanks everyone, I ended up booking it and will wear the cost if need be.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

This is correct. ex-AUS you'll get this but not vice-versa. It has always been this way to my knowledge. Generally books into the cheapest non-promotional fare i.e. Business/First Saver.

They should be flexible however and can be changed without charge IME.

The cancellation fee was always applied in the fare rules when you could book them on the web. Oh the glory days...

I can also concur that I have cancelled a FASA without incurring this charge, despite the fare conditions.