Middle East Airspace Diversions/Cancellations

[Seat0B]

Looking like an 8 hr delay - if it goes at all

View attachment 500159

Oops you can see how stressed I am - it’s only a 2 hr departure delay at the moment. Not 8 hrs. I misread arrival time as departure time. I need to get a good night’s sleep.

 

[SCM]

Going to ask again, if anyone has had any success with QR visa via eu 261 in the last week? My flight will likely be cancelled sometime on Saturday evening, I'm wondering how best to contact Qatar about requesting accommodation and re-routing and what to say.

Update:
Not that they specifically emailed me about it, but they emailed saying "there are flexible options to manage your trip", then when I logged in to manage booking, I see that the first leg (AMS -> DOH) says it's cancelled (though the DOH -> SYD isn't, despite it also not running). Is that presumably enough to trigger EU261?

I had a look and neither Emirates nor JAL is currently flying out of AMS which does complicate things. Could I push for a hotel for a week and reschedule my flight do you think, would that fall under the regulation? I'd rather wait a week and see what happens, given there are limited options to fly out of AMS anyway.

So basically ideally I just push my flights 1 week to the 23rd, which I think I can do myself, book a hotel, and somehow need to get Qatar to pay for that, but just clarifying is this is fine under eu261, since I can see on their website my flight out of AMS is cancelled? The reason I say 23rd is Qatar's guidance is all flights to the 22nd.

Update2:
Doesn't seem like it's possible for me to change anything, it's all a bit broken, but they direct you to broken live chat either on the website or app - neither of which works

There is something on the contact page to say call the local number, but as a non-local my esim is data-only, I can't really call anyone. Really stupid if you ask me.

 

[Seat0B]

They are on their way and over Africa. Looks like there will be a wedding after all. . I hope I can sleep now.

 

[MARTINE]

They are on their way and over Africa. Looks like there will be a wedding after all. . I hope I can sleep now.

View attachment 500164View attachment 500165

Wishing Seat son all the very best for this exciting/stressful time

And you can have a Bex and a lie down

 

[jbman]

Have been monitoring the VA advise for friends flights at the end of the month. Updates happen at different times each day on the VA advisory page. They have finally announced all the VA flights are cancelled for the next few days rather than trying to say only some are.

Some days they are pushing the cancel day out by one, currently sitting on March 22nd bookings.

Helped friend contact VA via chat, short wait to get an agent. Only offer was the same as the advisory, cancel if flight is up to the 22nd for free. There is no option to change flights to a different carrier. Only option on offer is refund or change of date still with VA/QR.

They are really having a laugh not moving the cancel option up to the end of March.

Booked alternative flights with SQ.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Going to ask again, if anyone has had any success with QR visa via eu 261 in the last week? My flight will likely be cancelled sometime on Saturday evening, I'm wondering how best to contact Qatar about requesting accommodation and re-routing and what to say.

Update:
Not that they specifically emailed me about it, but they emailed saying "there are flexible options to manage your trip", then when I logged in to manage booking, I see that the first leg (AMS -> DOH) says it's cancelled (though the DOH -> SYD isn't, despite it also not running). Is that presumably enough to trigger EU261?

I had a look and neither Emirates nor JAL is currently flying out of AMS which does complicate things. Could I push for a hotel for a week and reschedule my flight do you think, would that fall under the regulation? I'd rather wait a week and see what happens, given there are limited options to fly out of AMS anyway.

So basically ideally I just push my flights 1 week to the 23rd, which I think I can do myself, book a hotel, and somehow need to get Qatar to pay for that, but just clarifying is this is fine under eu261, since I can see on their website my flight out of AMS is cancelled? The reason I say 23rd is Qatar's guidance is all flights to the 22nd.

Update2:
Doesn't seem like it's possible for me to change anything, it's all a bit broken, but they direct you to broken live chat either on the website or app - neither of which works

There is something on the contact page to say call the local number, but as a non-local my esim is data-only, I can't really call anyone. Really stupid if you ask me.

Yes, passengers are successfully using EU261 to get QR to re-route them on other airlines out of the EU, to their final destination.

EU261 considers the journey as a whole, origin to destination, including and transits. a if the AMS-DOH is cancelled that’s enough to trigger.

The obligation is to then refund or change dates or re-route. The latter being at the earliest opportunity.

Duty of care also kicks in. However, the duty of care only applies while you’re waiting for the re-route at the earliest opportunity. You can’t voluntarily take a flight a week later and expect the airline to pay for accommodation and meals.

If your re-route is the same day as your originally cancelled flight you might only get a meal, if it’s overnight, you’ll get one night’s accommodation.

You can fly anyone you like out of Amsterdam… you’re not limited to Emirates of JAL. Cathay, Finnair, KLM to Singapore kf Denpasar even (and onwards to AU).

If your flight is cancelled you call QR and ask what they’re going to do to get you to your destination. They may already have options for you. If you find other options, which will get you in earlier than those proposed by QR, you mention EU261, and that you’d like your re-route at the earliest opportunity.

 

[Quickstatus]

I had a look and neither Emirates nor JAL is currently flying out of AMS which does complicate things

If not AMS then LHR or another airport in Europe?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If not AMS then LHR or another airport in Europe?

And EU261 will include the connecting flight from AMS to anywhere in Europe.

EU261 isnt complicated. It’s no different to taking a faulty product back to a retailer here in Australia. That’s second nature to us now, and simple to do.

The only catch with EU261 is the wait times to get through at the moment… reports are being on hold for up to an hour. Although for many of us who remember long call wait times at QF, or Aeroplan… an ‘hour’ is really not that long!

Just put your itinerary into google flights and go from there!

 

[Steady]

There is something on the contact page to say call the local number, but as a non-local my esim is data-only, I can't really call anyone. Really stupid if you ask me.

Can you use wifi calling via your Aussie sim?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Can you use wifi calling via your Aussie sim?

On the issue of contacting QR… the channels are busy.

With chat apparently you need to continuously connect, disconnect, and reconnect… eventually you’ll get connected to an agent, as in almost immediately. So just keep trying… connect, then disconnect.

Same with calling, apparently one of the difficulties is getting into the queue… can take repeated dialling. But once you get accepted into the queue the wait is up to an hour.

 

[Hunter4vr]

If you have Gold or higher status with QR, they have a dedicated WhatsApp service. It's not instant but I managed to cancel a couple flights no issues even though the chat was disabled and couldn't get through by calling.

 

[Harrison_133]

Qatar have released their limited flight schedule through to March 17.

Includes some Melbourne and Perth sectors.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2031821822694735923

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Qatar have released their limited flight schedule through to March 17.

Includes some Melbourne and Perth sectors.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2031821822694735923

Farcical to be running so few flights yet still sticking to March 22 as the farthest out pax can cancel.

I have no issue with Qatar taking a more cautious approach than Emirates and not flying if that's the decision they've made, but their insistence on coupling that with the least generous rebooking/refund policy has, in my view, led them to being the worst of the major ME carriers in their handling of this mess.

--
We're booked to Paris via Qatar end of March and back mid-April; I'm not holding my breath and have been mulling backup flights vs. simply giving up and going somewhere else. The only alternative (excluding Etihad and obviously Qatar) that isn't $4000+ in Y return (not worth it for what is just a leisure trip) is via Dubai, so we could chance it but if it falls apart we're going nowhere unless we buy a backup to somewhere else if Plans A and B fall through. Tough choices especially as some of our bookings in Europe are no longer refundable and won't be covered by travel insurance now. I'm increasingly tempted to be ridiculous and book both a fee-free Emirates back-up and a refundable ticket somewhere else in a desperate attempt to ensure we don't end up nowhere.

Helpful note: if anyone does chance it with Emirates, be very careful where you book. Emirates appears to be offering free refunds for flights before the end of the month including for new tickets booked for those risking it. Meanwhile, Qantas is selling the same flights at the same price under the QF codeshares which would earn SCs and points but Qantas is not offering free cancellation if you've booked after March 6. Part of me gets it, e.g., "you took the risk of booking with open eyes after this started so if you voluntarily cancel you should pay the fee," but still, taking the least customer-friendly approach for EK-operated flights despite EK happily refunding flights before the end of the month regardless of booking date feels very on brand for the champs in Mascot.

 

[Quickstatus]

Farcical to be running so few flights yet still sticking to March 22 as the farthest out pax can cancel.

But not surprising. Fog of war, low certainty and the need to hold on to cash as much as possible. So they move the rebook/refund window a little at a time.

......
eSIM with data only makes it very difficult to speak in person to the airlines. WhatsApp would be the only other possibility. Activating wifi calling with home country sim will still cost the roaming fee just by activating it. So might as well use the included "local" calls

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

But not surprising. Fog of war, low certainty and the need to hold on to cash as much as possible. So they move the rebook/refund window a little at a time.

Not surprising that a company would want to hold onto cash as long as they can and drip-feed the cancellations and refund periods as slowly as they can.

But the fact remains that Qatar is still out of sync with its largest competitors, and it's not as if Qatar --- owned by one of the richest governments in the world --- can't afford to extend the window a week in line with the others.

...or does Qatar really expect to be running a more comprehensive schedule than their competitors on March 23 to justify this? (...)

 

[Seat0B]

They have safely landed in Johannesburg about 90 mins ago. I feel like I’ve been on spin cycle for a couple of weeks. Taking your advice @MARTINE - a cup of tea a Bex and a good lie down is just what the doctor ordered.

Thanks to everyone for the practical advice and moral support you’ve so kindly offered. I appreciate you all.

Now, on to my packing!