Options to utilise QANTAS credit under another name.

[SenZubEanS]

Hi All, This has probably been answered before but I didn't find a search response which quite covered it, perhaps poor searching on my behalf. I'm only versed in the basics of the FF world so apologies for any short sights in my questions etc.

The situation is as follows.
Booked 2 months back for late Nov flight MEL-HKG QF29\30 return for myself and girlfriend. We have since broken up and she is no longer coming on the trip.
The booking was made by myself and I have paid for both fares. The booking is linked under my QFF # as she was not a QFF member, her's was just an additional name on the booking I made.
These were booked as SALE fare rules, O class. Name changes not permitted. Cancellation will result in a credit being issued to be used within 12 months from booking date and must be used as payment for a higher fare.

Now, I called QF and was advised that the credit would only be issued in my Ex's name and not just to my QFF account. This was somewhat of a disappointing outcome as im now $1200 out of pocket.
I was wondering if i cancelled the fare under her name, how is this credit handled? Is a voucher or something similar actually sent out in her name? Given she is not a QFF and the booking is linked to my account, all the info they have for her is a name and d.o.b i think.

I thought that perhaps I could have this credit sent out or whatever they do with it and then book a flight which has a fare type allowing for name change and then foot the cost of a name change on that fare back to my name?
Do QF have fare types that allow name change on international journeys?

Has anybody else got any suggestions, ideas or previous experience which they are able to share/advise here so that I may hold onto the hope of NOT being out of pocket and also to be able to go on another holiday next year utilising the outcome from this unfortunate series of circumstances.

Thanks all in advance, any questions also welcomed. I hope I have provided enough info to allow assistance.

 

[Travel Guru]

You're basically up the proverbial creek on this one unfortunately.

If I had a dollar for every trip I'd booked for couples who broke up before the departure date I'd be a millionaire many times over.

There's really nothing you can do, if you book a flexible fare which is name changeable, the rules revert to the original fare when cancelling etc.

Sorry I can't give you better news but QF Credits are a bit inflexible like that.

Re the question about the credit itself, it's just held under the original ticket number, they dont (as far as Im aware) send anything out, certainly thats how its handled for my clients.

All the best

TG

 

[SenZubEanS]

I understand that in a cancellation the original fare rules would apply, but what I was suggesting was just a name change and then actually using the flight booked not cancelling it to get a refund etc in my name.

 

[Travel Guru]

I've never heard of anyone trying it, I couldnt say for sure either way but my gut feeling is there'd be a clause in there somewhere preventing it but I can't say conclusively.

TG

 

[dfcatch]

If you leave it as is, I assume it has you and your ex listed as passengers? If so -

1/ Call QF and have them "split" the booking into two PNRs

2/ Cancel her booking. She will now have a credit in her name.

3/ either travel on yours, or cancel it and have a credit in your name.

4/ Decide whether to tell her she has a credit, or just let the credit lapse.

Either way - you're out of pocket for her fare, unless she reimburses you.

 

[SenZubEanS]

But can anybody answer definitively whether booking a fare that accepts a name change using a credit, then changing the name to mine would be possible or not?

 

[elbarto]

But can anybody answer definitively whether booking a fare that accepts a name change using a credit, then changing the name to mine would be possible or not?

Well it's looking like you're $1200 out of pocket, so what have you got to loose by going to qantas.com and giving it a try? The only issue that I can think of is that name changes, I don't believe, cannot be done online. So you would have to call QF to do it and that's where you could get tripped up.

 

[SenZubEanS]

Can easily have a female call up or something along those lines I guess.

 

[serfty]

If name changes were "cheap" and "easy" then whenever a "sale" comes on, entrepreneurs could book lots of seat and then on sell them for a profit.

Basically you are SOL (unless prepared to risk a domestic fare use for the credit).

 

[inlilystime]

If you leave it as is, I assume it has you and your ex listed as passengers? If so -

1/ Call QF and have them "split" the booking into two PNRs

2/ Cancel her booking. She will now have a credit in her name.

3/ either travel on yours, or cancel it and have a credit in your name.

4/ Decide whether to tell her she has a credit, or just let the credit lapse.

Either way - you're out of pocket for her fare, unless she reimburses you.

What does 'split the booking into two PNRs' mean? I have booked a flight to LA that I would like to cancel, but I would rather my friend and I each had our own credit vouchers so that we don't have to travel together (if we don't want) to use the credit. So is it possible to split the reservation we have that includes us both into two reservations that we can then each cancel and have our own credit vouchers?