Qantas Fare Rule Changes

[NM]

Changes to Economy Fare Rules 05 August 2008

Effective 5th September 2008, Qantas will implement changes to Australian Domestic and International Retail, Wholesale and Corporate Private published economy fare rules for point of sale Australia. These changes will deliver further consistency across the tariff structure.

 

[docjames]

Looks like they're trying to simplify, but also taking the opportunity to hike fees on the Dom tix.

 

[JohnK]

The change fee for domestic red e-deal has increased again. You are almost better off to cancel and not re-use a cheap one-way red-edeal then to try to re-book it for a later travel....

 

[serfty]

Every cloud has a silver lining:

- Minimum Stay: Minimum Stay requirements have been removed on all fare types for all destinations.

 

[Driver]

A silver lining indeed - I used to work away from home and could only come home for 6 weeks at a time. Good news!

 

[Kendall Roy]

A bit rich (i.e. 50% of a Red-E Sale) MEL-SYD for changing.

As JohnK stated, we would be better off canning flights and rebooking if there's still availability.

 

[NM]

A bit rich (i.e. 50% of a Red-E Sale) MEL-SYD for changing.

Well these fares are aimed at people with a low likelihood of changing flights. If you think you might need to change, then by a flexible fare.

I made a booking yesterday for a domestic trip next week for an early morning Monday meeting starting time, so booked a flexible fare for Sunday night. This morning I found the meeting start was delayed until lunch time so I can easily arrive on Monday morning, and my flexible fare was easily changed at no cost and no issues with fare bucket availability. The saving of a night's accommodation and per-diem allowance makes the overall cost of the trip less than if I have booked the cheapest red-e-deal fare and not changed it.

I suggest only booking restricted fares if you are fairly certain you won't need to change and you are happy to wear the risk. Look at the additional cost of a flexible fare as being insurance for the situation where a change is needed. If you don't see value in the cost of that insurance then be prepared to accept the cost if you need to change.

 

[straitman]

Well these fares are aimed at people with a low likelihood of changing flights. If you think you might need to change, then by a flexible fare.

I made a booking yesterday for a domestic trip next week for an early morning Monday meeting starting time, so booked a flexible fare for Sunday night. This morning I found the meeting start was delayed until lunch time so I can easily arrive on Monday morning, and my flexible fare was easily changed at no cost and no issues with fare bucket availability. The saving of a night's accommodation and per-diem allowance makes the overall cost of the trip less than if I have booked the cheapest red-e-deal fare and not changed it.

I suggest only booking restricted fares if you are fairly certain you won't need to change and you are happy to wear the risk. Look at the additional cost of a flexible fare as being insurance for the situation where a change is needed. If you don't see value in the cost of that insurance then be prepared to accept the cost if you need to change.

NM,

I agree entirely.

There will of course be a fresh round of complaints of Qantas ripoffs by those who don't read the T&C's.

 

[JohnK]

Every cloud has a silver lining:

Good news for some but this one never bothered me. It is not an issue for domestic flights and I never see minimum stay conditions imposed when purchasing airfares overseas.

Well these fares are aimed at people with a low likelihood of changing flights. If you think you might need to change, then by a flexible fare.

Flexible airfares are not an option for most self funded travellers. I am more concerned if I have made a error when I booked, and did not realise it until much later, or if plans change and I cannot travel due to sickness.

I guess that is one of the drawbacks of booking cheap airfares in advance.

There will of course be a fresh round of complaints of Qantas ripoffs by those who don't read the T&C's.

In my opinion it is a blatant rip-off. I do read the terms and conditions most times and I should know better but I still cannot see the justification in the higher change fee. But then QF does not need to justify any of their blatant rip-off charges....

 

[straitman]

But then QF does not need to justify any of their blatant rip-off charges....

Alternately you could say 'QF never justifies any of their blatant rip-off charges....'

 

[medhead]

Without worrying about the rip off or not but

International and Domestic Published Economy

Change fees have been standardised ......

Yet the change fees are not the same. In what way have they been standardised? :!: Surely if they were standardised the change fee would be the same for both domestic and international.

 

[Dave Noble]

Yet the change fees are not the same. In what way have they been standardised? :!: Surely if they were standardised the change fee would be the same for both domestic and international.

The fees do not have to be identical throughout for them to have been standardised

If all domestic change fees became $44 and all trans tasman became $300 and all others were $500, that would be standardised rather than different fees existing in the same markets

Dave

 

[medhead]

The fees do not have to be identical throughout for them to have been standardised

If all domestic change fees became $44 and all trans tasman became $300 and all others were $500, that would be standardised rather than different fees existing in the same markets

Dave

Yes true. However, all international and domestic change fees were already the same. Hence, there were already standardised fees in the same market. I suppose it reduces the impact to annouce that our standardised fees are now standardised.