Wondering if anyone is in a similar position and what are you doing about it?
I have a Qantas ticket MEL to LAX return. It is a 1 week trip departing 1 Oct which was booked in early March via American Express travel (to use the voucher that comes with the Qantas branded AMEX cc). For what it is work, I'm a Q Platinum FF.
I've decided regardless of any border openings, I do not want to go. I don't want to travel without comprehensive travel insurance that would cover covid, I do not want to risk getting covid, I don't want to quarantine for a 1 week trip regardless of what the quarantine process will look like in October (hotel/home whatever), I don't want to stress my immediate family out as I was going alone to see my extended family, and on & on. As an aside, I suspect that travel to/from the USA won't be generally open in October - but curious as to what others think.
Exploring cancellation - this is what I found (I'm sure most already know this).
According to Q website (copy/pasted) below, I fit the criteria for full credit/no refund/can use credit for multiple bookings - BUT their system does not yet accommodate this AND you need to exercise this cancellation right before 30 June to take advantage of it.
If Qantas cancels - full "cash" refund (yes. I've read how long it takes, but still full cash refund)
Lastly, because I booked through AMEX travel online, I need to work through this with AMEX travel online.
What I learned
I called Q first as I wanted to confirm that if Q cancels, I would indeed be eligible for full refund - confirmed. I also asked about the "splitting the credit" mentioned in the Q credit offer. I wanted to make sure that I could use my credit for, say 4 domestic tickets which included myself, but also my immediate family. Q said "NO" - only for tickets in my name! It's a premium economy ticket - if we aren't willing to travel internationally in 2021, there's no way I will use all the cash value to travel domestically - in my name.
Then I called AMEX travel online. They had to call me back because I pointed out that what they were telling me was different than what was on Qantas' website. So when they called me back, they said they would be able to offer exactly what Qantas is offering ONLY AFTER QANTAS UPDATES THEIR SYSTEM AS PER THE MID-JUNE DATE.
Here's my complaint (of course there is a complaint):
- Qantas is playing games with the timing - the offer sounds so-so generous as far as refunds go, but right now, you cannot take advantage of it because the system cannot process it until mid-June. The door on the refund closes on 30 June - imagine the phone lines between the mysterious mid-June date and 30 June. The 30 June deadline is arbitrary - it is playing off the uncertainty of when international travel to/from AUS/USA will resume and under what conditions. When the public has no knowledge of the resumption date, Q is able to play mind games with the consumer - would the consumer bite at a certain full credit which means Q gets to keep the cash or will the consumer gamble and wait for a cancellation of the flight for the win of a full cash refund. Lastly, and this is the cynic in my (growing every day) - has Q asked the government to remain vague around international travel until the 30 June deadline passes, allowing Q to play these mind games with the consumer. Imagine if the government came out and said "look, there's going to be no resumption of flights between the USA/AUS before Jan 2021 at the earliest" (except for those limited "emergency flights" which require government approval to take). Qantas would HAVE to cancel these flights AND issue full refunds - clearly the one outcome Qantas does not want. I think that while Qantas is holding itself out as not asking for a government bailout - they are effectively getting a government sponsored consumer bailout.
OH - one more - and why can't I use my flight credit for multiple tickets for my entire family - why isn't it like a store credit? why only for flights in the original passenger's name? This is the policy as per the Qantas website as well.
Rant over - thanks for reading!
Qantas policy below
Changes to international travel plans
Flights on or before 31 October 2020
If you have an existing Qantas international flight (excluding trans-Tasman) booked before 19 May, and are due to travel between 1 August and 31 October 2020 and wish to change your plans, you can now cancel your booking and retain the full value as a Flight Credit.
I have a Qantas ticket MEL to LAX return. It is a 1 week trip departing 1 Oct which was booked in early March via American Express travel (to use the voucher that comes with the Qantas branded AMEX cc). For what it is work, I'm a Q Platinum FF.
I've decided regardless of any border openings, I do not want to go. I don't want to travel without comprehensive travel insurance that would cover covid, I do not want to risk getting covid, I don't want to quarantine for a 1 week trip regardless of what the quarantine process will look like in October (hotel/home whatever), I don't want to stress my immediate family out as I was going alone to see my extended family, and on & on. As an aside, I suspect that travel to/from the USA won't be generally open in October - but curious as to what others think.
Exploring cancellation - this is what I found (I'm sure most already know this).
According to Q website (copy/pasted) below, I fit the criteria for full credit/no refund/can use credit for multiple bookings - BUT their system does not yet accommodate this AND you need to exercise this cancellation right before 30 June to take advantage of it.
If Qantas cancels - full "cash" refund (yes. I've read how long it takes, but still full cash refund)
Lastly, because I booked through AMEX travel online, I need to work through this with AMEX travel online.
What I learned
I called Q first as I wanted to confirm that if Q cancels, I would indeed be eligible for full refund - confirmed. I also asked about the "splitting the credit" mentioned in the Q credit offer. I wanted to make sure that I could use my credit for, say 4 domestic tickets which included myself, but also my immediate family. Q said "NO" - only for tickets in my name! It's a premium economy ticket - if we aren't willing to travel internationally in 2021, there's no way I will use all the cash value to travel domestically - in my name.
Then I called AMEX travel online. They had to call me back because I pointed out that what they were telling me was different than what was on Qantas' website. So when they called me back, they said they would be able to offer exactly what Qantas is offering ONLY AFTER QANTAS UPDATES THEIR SYSTEM AS PER THE MID-JUNE DATE.
Here's my complaint (of course there is a complaint):
- Qantas is playing games with the timing - the offer sounds so-so generous as far as refunds go, but right now, you cannot take advantage of it because the system cannot process it until mid-June. The door on the refund closes on 30 June - imagine the phone lines between the mysterious mid-June date and 30 June. The 30 June deadline is arbitrary - it is playing off the uncertainty of when international travel to/from AUS/USA will resume and under what conditions. When the public has no knowledge of the resumption date, Q is able to play mind games with the consumer - would the consumer bite at a certain full credit which means Q gets to keep the cash or will the consumer gamble and wait for a cancellation of the flight for the win of a full cash refund. Lastly, and this is the cynic in my (growing every day) - has Q asked the government to remain vague around international travel until the 30 June deadline passes, allowing Q to play these mind games with the consumer. Imagine if the government came out and said "look, there's going to be no resumption of flights between the USA/AUS before Jan 2021 at the earliest" (except for those limited "emergency flights" which require government approval to take). Qantas would HAVE to cancel these flights AND issue full refunds - clearly the one outcome Qantas does not want. I think that while Qantas is holding itself out as not asking for a government bailout - they are effectively getting a government sponsored consumer bailout.
OH - one more - and why can't I use my flight credit for multiple tickets for my entire family - why isn't it like a store credit? why only for flights in the original passenger's name? This is the policy as per the Qantas website as well.
Rant over - thanks for reading!
Qantas policy below
Changes to international travel plans
Flights on or before 31 October 2020
If you have an existing Qantas international flight (excluding trans-Tasman) booked before 19 May, and are due to travel between 1 August and 31 October 2020 and wish to change your plans, you can now cancel your booking and retain the full value as a Flight Credit.
- Request your Flight Credit by 30 June 2020.
- Then book and travel by 31 December 2021.
- When you’re ready to rebook, we'll waive the change fee one time and you'll need to cover any fare increase in your new booking, if applicable.
