Middle East Airspace Diversions/Cancellations

[MEL_Traveller]

Am I at their mercy regarding which routes/companies they choose to reroute me on? Or is there room to negotiate? (I'd far prefer to be on an AF + QF option than BA + AI/CZ, for example.)

Ex EU they have to re-route you at the earliest opportunity. In the same class of service and under comparable conditions. You can suggest routes, but theyre under no obligation to accept those.

Under their JWC policy for other departures: rerouting up to 10 days later out you get a selection of OW airlines… Cathay and Finnair are in there. Rerouting within 2 days out you get a much wider selection, but the flights might be full.

I’d reckon unkess the airline the offered was really 3rd rate… and depending on the agent you get… you might not have much room to negotiate.

Do your research, go armed with alternatives. Suggest those if you don’t like their initial offering. But it may be a case of taking what you can get.

 

[jasrulz63]

I just feel like I'm being too hopeful that QR will play ball and reroute where necessary. What do you think?

It could potentially take a lot of tearing your hair out to initially get in contact with them, and then get them to play ball re the re-routing policies but I think it'll be do-able based on what I've been reading.

Might require a bit of flexibility date wise.

We've got a trip booked to Europe in May, returning in June both on J reward flights. The flight to Europe is on SQ which should hopefully be OK. We're coming back on QR, so in the meantime we've booked backup SQ economy tickets.

 

[Seat0B]

Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case if the flight is booked via a VA reward seat...

Not VA (QR) paid seats either.

 

[RooFlyer]

Its just fallen within their new extended window; will be talking to my TA on Monday whether its actually been cancelled (I could have called the agency's 24/7 line to get things going now, but decided to wait for my own TA).

My flight on the 31st not yet cancelled. They only appear to have cancelled to about the 27th or 28th for that route. Not terribly impressed.

I can still afford to hang until the last moment to see if they offer me rerouting but I doubt any rerouting will fit into my current itinerary . C’est la vie.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My flight on the 31st not yet cancelled. They only appear to have cancelled to about the 27th or 28th for that route. Not terribly impressed.

I can still afford to hang until the last moment to see if they offer me rerouting but I doubt any rerouting will fit into my current itinerary . C’est la vie.

Anything coming up on google flights for SIN-xx_ (your destination)? I’d have a couple options at the ready for your TA. If you travel within 2 days of your original, my understanding is that you get to use any interline partners of QR.

 

[fkcn]

Does the QR rebooking apply to award flights, if booked via QR with Avios?

 

[jasrulz63]

Does the QR rebooking apply to award flights, if booked via QR with Avios?

Yes.

 

[fkcn]

Will they rebook into a cash flight if no award flight available on other airlines? Ad there won’t be.

 

[Rembrandt]

Will they rebook into a cash flight if no award flight available on other airlines? Ad there won’t be.

Yes, they have arrangements with alliance & partners airlines. However, I've heard it's becoming increasingly difficult for the likes of QR to re-route people as other airlines struggle with the demand etc. So, in some circumstances QR may just cancel the booking. The only saving grace may be outbound flights from Europe, as due to EU law, airlines must re-route passengers if they cancel a flight.

 

[RooFlyer]

However, I've heard it's becoming increasingly difficult for the likes of QR to re-route people as other airlines struggle with the demand etc.

Spoke to my travel agent about my flight Singapore to Madrid by Doha in a week time.

Basically QR are being really bad about accommodating customers whose flights are cancelled, coupled with the fact there are simply no alternative seats available.The TA has had no one rebooked by QR. Everyone has done what I’ve done and separately booked an alternative and will take a refund.

The actual rebooking options that QR will accept are not open slather but somewhat restricted by their rebooking rules. They would never rebook me Singapore - Newark Madrid as it’s a different continental combination Singapore - Doha - Madrid.

And not restricted to the current situation either - by the TAs own experience!.

 

[SCM]

I read QR have put a whole bunch of aircraft including all A380s into long-term storage, which I think is a crazy bad sign in relation to where they think this all is headed.

They clearly don't think they will be anywhere near their previous capacity anytime soon - whether it won't be necessary, or perhaps even possible ?

I have more flights through QR from end of May, and wondering whether I should go ahead now and cancel and re-book

 

[Rembrandt]

I have more flights through QR from end of May, and wondering whether I should go ahead now and cancel and re-book

Seems like many have the same idea, it's good to have a backup if you can afford to do so.
That being said the way this conflict is panning out it will soon be inadvisable to travel to Europe if Iran starts shooting missiles in their direction. Even trying to holiday overseas in general may be frowned upon in the coming weeks if things escalate further. A worsening energy crises will have some severe knock on effects which will make overseas travel very difficult.

 

[elanshin]

I read QR have put a whole bunch of aircraft including all A380s into long-term storage, which I think is a crazy bad sign in relation to where they think this all is headed.

They clearly don't think they will be anywhere near their previous capacity anytime soon - whether it won't be necessary, or perhaps even possible ?

Qatar's position with having the largest US military base along with DOH's rwy orientation makes it hard for then to do anything. They've also likely considered now that things are likely more to escalate than desecalate with everything going on.

There's also a situation where Qatari government is looking at their finances and asking QR to try to stem as mich bleeding as they can.

 

[Saab34]

I think the VA/QR lease deal might be put on ice for the moment with all passengers simply transferred over.

 

[SYD]

I think the VA/QR lease deal might be put on ice for the moment with all passengers simply transferred over.

Unless they can try and quickly turn them to somewhere else both can make some money (similar to AY planes with QF doing Asia).

 

[RooFlyer]

That being said the way this conflict is panning out it will soon be inadvisable to travel to Europe if Iran starts shooting missiles in their direction.

Sorry, I think that's a rather silly scenario. As long as airlines are flying there, I'm going there in a week, and I'm returning there in June.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Might be time for KLM, Lufthansa, Air France to come back to the Australian market...

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm still waiting for Qantas to wet-lease some of the spare QR birds to take up the slack to Europe. I wonder which airline would be more repulsed by that prospect?

 

[SYD]

Sorry, I think that's a rather silly scenario. As long as airlines are flying there, I'm going there in a week, and I'm returning there in June.

Yeah, but does make fly/drive trips a bit more painful. We’re recently back from another road trip in NZ, petrol ranged from NZ$2.50 to over $3.00 for E91 (which, fortunately all the rental was supposed to take). At least the AUD-NZD rate was well in our favour!

Hate to think what’ll be like driving thru the Baltics in a few months time…

Might be time for KLM, Lufthansa, Air France to come back to the Australian market...

and VS (via HKG). I’m surprised they haven’t TBH.

 

[I love to travel]

Unless they can try and quickly turn them to somewhere else both can make some money (similar to AY planes with QF doing Asia).

I'm still waiting for Qantas to wet-lease some of the spare QR birds to take up the slack to Europe. I wonder which airline would be more repulsed by that prospect?

I looked really hard for the QR planes at BNE today. Certainly not in the QF or VA hangars so must be parked somewhere near the INT terminal ( I was on the A side of the plane so could not see INT terminal)