Might have to cancel a MASA in J - Noooo

[Jhig]

I have booked several J MASA awards last June when we still could, a couple more to take within the month, but one flight I have booked DXB-MEL-SYD-BNE for Apr 7th is no longer needed (Booked for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix, which has since changed dates).

I do plan on going to the Abu Dhabi GP though in November, so my question is, can this ticket be changed from the original April dates to a date in Nov for my return, if available???
The dates are within the 12 months of the original Ticket in April, but more than 12 months from the June 2014 date it was originally booked.

It would be a crying shame to cancel a J MASA that would attract 280 SC. This booking was to also keep me as a Gold FF for another year as well, although that does not seem such an issue as enough SC will probably be raised via other flights.

IF this can be changed, my next issue is that there appears to be no U seats on any suitable dates in Nov/Dec out of DXB. The very interesting thing is that when checking availability via AA.com, I CAN get a suitable U ticket on Flight QF10 into Mel, out of DXB on the dates I want.

WHY does QF show no availability in U (Nov 30, Dec 1,2,3,or 4) while AA.com will book me QF10 in U on either Nov 30th, Dec 1st or 2nd or even F on the 3rd.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.


Note, outgoing leg is via J MASA, BNE-SYD-MEL-HKT, Paid J MAS HKT-KUL-BKK, with the return flight being the DXB-MEL-SYD-BNE. so I have already booked some classic awards from BKK-HKG-DXB, to get my flight home from DXB. This seems a great waste of points and time just to fly to DXB from BKK just to catch a flight to MEL (seeing how I no longer have a need to fly to DXB and BAH).

If I cancel my classic awards from BKK-HKG-DXB and my J MASA from DXB-MEL-SYD-BNE, I would recover 172000 points (after 3 x 5000 point cancel fees) and about $1000 in taxes. This could go towards a paid J ticket from BKK to SYD-BNE, atract another 13550 points as well as 160 status credits, for a $2224 one way fare. Or even better would be if I could change the J MASA for the November dates.

This is what I am planning, but need some other knowledgeable thoughts on whether it is a good move or not. There may be a better option I have not thought of yet.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
JHig

 

[JessicaTam]

Anecdotally some members have managed to change their flights. I am not sure anyone has pushed them out as far as you would like though.

Have you checked EF to see if there really is U availability?

I don't suppose that you would want to take the flights 'just because' they are booked?

 

[Jhig]

Anecdotally some members have managed to change their flights. I am not sure anyone has pushed them out as far as you would like though.

Have you checked EF to see if there really is U availability?

I don't suppose that you would want to take the flights 'just because' they are booked?

I have had success in changing a MASA myself, next months flight to BNE-SYD-MEL-HKT was first booked as a BNE-SYD-MEL-SIN, but managed to even change the routing, I must admit they were not happy in doing it, but did, and actually got a credit in points as well (Due to MEL-HKT being JQ, although it is the Dreamliner, so am looking forward to that). Just not sure if I can push the dates as far a I want, wanted some additional thought before trying to ring QF,

Can you tell me what EF stands for Jessica, not sure. Really would like to confirm if U is available.

and yes, I was going to fly from BKK to DXB just to fly to MEL, because they were booked, but if I don't, I can spend a little extra time in BKK and maybe even fly out to Siam Reap and have a look at Angkor Wat, a better option than sitting on a plane for 2 days burning points for status credits.

 

[grrofunger]

I have had success in changing a MASA myself, next months flight to BNE-SYD-MEL-HKT was first booked as a BNE-SYD-MEL-SIN, but managed to even change the routing, I must admit they were not happy in doing it, but did, and actually got a credit in points as well (Due to MEL-HKT being JQ, although it is the Dreamliner, so am looking forward to that). Just not sure if I can push the dates as far a I want, wanted some additional thought before trying to ring QF,

Can you tell me what EF stands for Jessica, not sure. Really would like to confirm if U is available.

and yes, I was going to fly from BKK to DXB just to fly to MEL, because they were booked, but if I don't, I can spend a little extra time in BKK and maybe even fly out to Siam Reap and have a look at Angkor Wat, a better option than sitting on a plane for 2 days burning points for status credits.

EF = Expert Flyer - LINK: Flight Availability | Upgrades | Frequent Flyer Information

 

[ketsuzei]

When asking on the phone about the same thing I've been told an international booking can be pushed out by up to one year beyond the originally booked date of travel (as opposed to the date on which the booking was made), but can't immediately find anything in writing to confirm that.

 

[Jhig]

EF = Expert Flyer - LINK: Flight Availability | Upgrades | Frequent Flyer Information

WOW, can't say I knew about this, Thank you so much for the link, and Jessica. Looks like I will be signing up to EF tonight, thanks

 

[Jhig]

When asking on the phone about the same thing I've been told an international booking can be pushed out by up to one year beyond the originally booked date of travel (as opposed to the date on which the booking was made), but can't immediately find anything in writing to confirm that.

That's good to know, was hoping that was the case, just have to see if I can find available flights now, will play with EF tonight, thanks

 

[madrooster]

When asking on the phone about the same thing I've been told an international booking can be pushed out by up to one year beyond the originally booked date of travel (as opposed to the date on which the booking was made), but can't immediately find anything in writing to confirm that.

The rule is the following, and applies to most if not all major airlines in general:

If the ticket is entirely unused:

You can rebook to any date within 12 months from the original booking date

If the ticket is partially used (eg. at least the first sector flown):

You can rebook to any date within 12 months of the departure date of the first sector

Note: some airlines restrict ticket validity as part of the fare conditions, eg. CX restricts ticket validity to 6 months on a lot of Y sale fares

 

[Jhig]

Thanks so much for introducing me to EF, how have I lived without this gem?

I see on EF that U DXB-MEL is avail on Sun, Mon, Tue, and Wed as per AA.com, but only economy available when checking for a flight on QANTAS.com.
Can I assume that if I ring QANTAS to change my booking, they will see the U seats, or only economy as per their web site I can see?

 

[ketsuzei]

It might be one of those "married segment" things... you can actually get LHR-DXB-MEL in F on (say) November 30, but not the DXB-MEL leg in isolation.

I'd just give them a call and see what they can do for you.

 

[Jhig]

Well I rang QANTAS and was told no U availability for Dec 2nd, told them I could see some via EF, went had another look and came back to tell me that the computer says no. It appears that the 12 months to change ticket, is from the date the booking was made not the date on the ticket, as Mad Rooster posted earlier. That can be read in different ways, originally booked date.

Any way it is of no use now if there is any U availability or not, cannot blow it out til Dec. Have not cancelled it yet, will sit on it for another few weeks, in case I change my mind, bugger!!

 

[madrooster]

That can be read in different ways, originally booked date.

Original ticketing date only has one interpretation - the date that the original ticket was issued, irrespective of how many reissues a ticket has had.

 

[ketsuzei]

What exactly are you quoting from?

The rule is the following, and applies to most if not all major airlines in general:

If the ticket is entirely unused:

You can rebook to any date within 12 months from the original booking date

If the ticket is partially used (eg. at least the first sector flown):

You can rebook to any date within 12 months of the departure date of the first sector

Note: some airlines restrict ticket validity as part of the fare conditions, eg. CX restricts ticket validity to 6 months on a lot of Y sale fares

 

[madrooster]

What exactly are you quoting from?

I'm not quoting/copying from anywhere - it's bread and butter for anyone in the industry. It's often found in the CoC (definitely in BA's) if you want a definitive source.

 

[ketsuzei]

Just in this context, something definitive from QF would have been handy. But thanks.

 

[madrooster]

Just in this context, something definitive from QF would have been handy. But thanks.

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/conditions-carriage-full/global/en

See 6.2 Ticket Validity Period

As previous mentioned, this is the standard for all airlines that use any of the major GDSes.

 

[ketsuzei]

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/conditions-carriage-full/global/en

See 6.2 Ticket Validity Period

As previous mentioned, this is the standard for all airlines that use any of the major GDSes.

Without specific terms for ASAs (which no longer exist), I don't think it's that cut and dried (see below, for example). I've definitely extended a trip I hadn't commenced well beyond a year from the date of which the ticket was originally issued, and I know I'm not alone there.

14.6 Classic Flight Rewards - ticketing
14.6.1 Classic Flight Rewards will be valid for one year from the original ticketed departure date, unless otherwise specified.

 

[madrooster]

I don't think it's that cut and dried (see below, for example). I've definitely extended a trip I hadn't commenced well beyond a year from the date of which the ticket was originally issued, and I know I'm not alone there.

14.6 Classic Flight Rewards - ticketing
14.6.1 Classic Flight Rewards will be valid for one year from the original ticketed departure date, unless otherwise specified.

This is the reason why I specified that it's also subject to the fare conditions (which as you've stated, they can vary), and I gave CX as an example of a carrier that does modify the ticket validity based on the fare. ASAs were a bit of a special case... unfortunately we can't see the fare rules (the full ones, available in a GDS) anymore.

 

[serfty]

In the early days of points/SC earning mASA's I was easily able to change international bookings to have travel beyond a year from original ticketing date.

This is as per madrooster's linked qantas.com page.

However in the last year or so any attempt to change beyond 12 months from ticketing date has been rebuffed.

I have .pdfs of fare rules taken on booking and there is no reference to ticket validity.

With my last attempts to change a segment which was already for travel 18 months after ticketing date I was told "it should not have been changed [so] in the first place.".

I suspect a directive came out early last year.

I have stopped worrying about changing dates for the few JASA's I have remaining.

 

[amaroo]

I tried to move one out a few weeks ago (Int) was told the limit was 12 months from date of booking - ended up cancelling.

Looking forward to our LHR return FASA in April and a few JASA to Asia when we return ... looking good for the new business suite experience.