Qantas Flight Change

[willclan]

Hi,
I had a booking with Qantas on QF 95 Melb to LAX on 10th June. Managed to get Premium Economy seats on points for my wife and I. Have now been advised that we will be flying to Sydney on QF 438, and then on QF17 Sydney to LA, thus making a much longer trip. Can anyone explain what has happened to QF 95, seems not to be there on the 10th June, yet our return direct flight LA to Melb QF 96 still seems ok. Thanks for your help.

 

[Ansett]

Perhaps could be low demand that day or no aircraft available due to maintenance and or being required elsewhere?

If you can why not see if you can change to QF93 from Melbourne direct on the A380?

 

[willclan]

Hi Ansett, thanks for your advice, I was able to get moved to QF93 ex Melbourne, so very happy with the outcome. It seems they have taken QF95 off the Wed flight, perhaps not enough demand mid week. Very curious as to when Qantas will actually notify other passengers as to the schedule change, as I had received no notification of the change, it was just my nature to check now and again, glad I did!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi Ansett, thanks for your advice, I was able to get moved to QF93 ex Melbourne, so very happy with the outcome. It seems they have taken QF95 off the Wed flight, perhaps not enough demand mid week. Very curious as to when Qantas will actually notify other passengers as to the schedule change, as I had received no notification of the change, it was just my nature to check now and again, glad I did!

Many airlines don't have good systems in place to notify of schedule or equipment changes.... leaving it for passengers to check their bookings and see some message along the lines of 'your flight has been changed...'

However - there is one advantage of that. If QF had sent an email to everyone on the QF95 at the same time, your chance of securing the QF93 might have been somewhat reduced. At least this way, savvy FFers, checking their bookings regularly, will get the heads-up and hopefully have first dibs on securing better flights/seats before everyone else does however.

 

[amaroo]

Any issue leaving acceptance of changes until the 11th hour?

Have received a notification for our BNE-HKG- (FCO) flight in December - change is BNE now departing 2+ hours later.

Wouldn't mind using this as an opportunity to change to BNE-SYD-HKG- (FCO) if a flight comes available. Working on the understanding that I could amend for limited or zero penalty. All flights are J awards x 4 with CX ... looking for 4 seats is always difficult however, IME they will become available on CX a week or so from departure.

 

[kermatu]

I would average being notified just 1 out of every 10 times there's a flight change/cancellation/upgrade, despite every preference and contact detail being set and correct. I now set EF alerts and regularly check my bookings to catch any changes (but also to have first pick of alternatives as MEL_Traveller suggests).

A top class system would notify top tier pax first, and perhaps make an automatic move to a preferred flight or give suggestions. Probably too hard and what is 'preferred' would be hard to pick sometimes.

I presume this is what the P1 team does when something goes wrong at the last minute but I wonder if they monitor such things weeks or months out (I doubt it, but have no experience yet to confirm).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Any issue leaving acceptance of changes until the 11th hour?

Have received a notification for our BNE-HKG- (FCO) flight in December - change is BNE now departing 2+ hours later.

Wouldn't mind using this as an opportunity to change to BNE-SYD-HKG- (FCO) if a flight comes available. Working on the understanding that I could amend for limited or zero penalty. All flights are J awards x 4 with CX ... looking for 4 seats is always difficult however, IME they will become available on CX a week or so from departure.

Ordinarily a 2 hour time change, if it has no material affect on remaining flights or connections, would not grant a free-of-charge right to change. But YMMV.

 

[amaroo]

Ordinarily a 2 hour time change, if it has no material affect on remaining flights or connections, would not grant a free-of-charge right to change. But YMMV.

Had a look but couldn't locate a ruling on this.

A few days ago I got a BA phone agent to shift us for forward on our LIN-LHR sector because the connecting LHR-BGO had moved forward by 2 hours .... would've put money the answer was going to be NO.