Qantas Newbie Question

[windycityf]

Hello
I am fairly new to Qantas/One World. I've spent that last 5 years heavily loyal to United and Star Alliance. I bought ticket on the Qantas website that included a few flights on American. I just noticed there an issue with the reservation. It just says, "Your flight booking may have been disrupted. Accept, change or cancel your new flight arrangements if these options are offered"

Is it normal for Qantas not to notify you of change? I am not complaining about the change, because I messed up with original booking only allowing myself a short connection in Sydney.

Thanks in advance.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

QF from SYD dom to SYD int does have very tight connections, even on the same one PNR booking.
I live in ADL and when I did SYD - WLG and SYD - CHC about 12 to 18 months ago, they gave me a very short connection time as well.
As a matter of interest, yours would probably be separate PNR, but how much time did you leave yourself to get from SYD dom to SYD int?
QF does have their own bus and bus route, inside the fence, which can be much faster than VA/SQ if you had connected with the *A in the past or (Air) NZ.
Have had 1hr30mins connection in my travels.
When QF have changed my schedules by a few mins, they have always sent me an email, to go to the QF website, and see what the note says, ("accept changes") is usually what I do.
QF does not fly internationally from my city anymore, so I have no choice but to go via the eastern states capital cities.

 

[BD1959]

Hello
I am fairly new to Qantas/One World. I've spent that last 5 years heavily loyal to United and Star Alliance. I bought ticket on the Qantas website that included a few flights on American. I just noticed there an issue with the reservation. It just says, "Your flight booking may have been disrupted. Accept, change or cancel your new flight arrangements if these options are offered"

Is it normal for Qantas not to notify you of change? I am not complaining about the change, because I messed up with original booking only allowing myself a short connection in Sydney.

Thanks in advance.

Hi windycityf,

Welcome to the Qantas Forum on AFF.

I *usually* get notification of flight changes via email - which advise me to check the booking in Manage Your Bookings, or an SMS notification due to disruptions/cancellations on the day.

If the original booking was all on the one ticket, qantas.com should not have offered an illegal connection at SYD, interesting if you've experienced otherwise.

Just to set your mind at ease: when you alight at Sydney you will need to clear immigration, retrieve checked bags, clear customs and then walk a short distance to the Domestic Connections area to recheck your bags. At this point, your connecting flight will be assessed and your will be put on a later flight if it looks like you would mis-connect (no waiting on wait-lists at the gate, not knowing whether you'll clear onto the next flight or not). *If* you are hand baggage only, again just check with the domestic connection desks for a new BP - these guys appear to have more flexibility to rebook etc than most CSEs elsewhere.

If you're still concerned with process/your connection, just post here: I'm sure someone will be able to address any concerns you have.

Regards,

BD

 

[Flying mermaid]

Hello
I am fairly new to Qantas/One World. I've spent that last 5 years heavily loyal to United and Star Alliance. I bought ticket on the Qantas website that included a few flights on American. I just noticed there an issue with the reservation. It just says, "Your flight booking may have been disrupted. Accept, change or cancel your new flight arrangements if these options are offered"

Is it normal for Qantas not to notify you of change? I am not complaining about the change, because I messed up with original booking only allowing myself a short connection in Sydney.

Thanks in advance.

In my experience very rarely get contacted. I check my bookings quite proactively, so maybe that is why they never contact me because I get to them first.

 

[bsb]

I think I qualify as a very frequent flyer and I always get notifications for QF, never from other airlines

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

OP does not say if they are coming into or going out of Aust though.
Umm, I thought from reading (assuming) that it was leaving from an Aust dom airport to transit out of Aust to the US on AA.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

As a matter of interest, yours would probably be separate PNR, but how much time did you leave yourself to get from SYD dom to SYD int?

I read it as being all booked on the one pnr with a short connection time in SYD. The OP could always arrive at the airport one hour prior to the flight before the one they're on and ask staff if they would transfer them to the earlier flight.

I find I get notifications from Award Wallet (free service) re any QF schedule changes so I can then go to the website and check out the changes. As I'm not always the primary contact in the booking I'm not the one who receives the schedule change notification from QF.

 

[windycityf]

Sorry to clarify, I was scheduled to arrive on QF at 10:00 domestic, connecting to AA International at 11:00.
It was booked on one PNR. I think the issue is with the AA flights, because I have to change my return and the new options are horrible. Like 11 hour layovers in LAX.
I guess I thought it was odd that did not notify me because I have to change my entire itinerary.

 

[Colster]

Hi Windy,
1 hour is way too short IMHO to get from SYD DOM
to INT. I think it breaks MCT as well. I would strongly suggest getting a flight into SYD that leaves at least 1:30 if not 2:00 hours. If you are a OneWorld Emerald (or flying F) I would suggest even longer and enjoy the QF SYD F Lounge as it's quite alright

 

[RooFlyer]

<snip>

Is it normal for Qantas not to notify you of change? I am not complaining about the change, because I messed up with original booking only allowing myself a short connection in Sydney.

Thanks in advance.

Like many others, I proactively monitor my reservations checking for uninvited scheduling or seat changes. I found one recently and when I called the QF Plat line, asked why I hadn't been called about the change. The reason given was that the flight was still some way off (6 weeks).

 

[cove]

Yes 1 hour is not going to work well for you. I leave 2 to 3 hour gaps between flights you have mentioned. No need to raise your stress level.

 

[RichardMEL]

I think the OP is well aware that the 1 hour connection is too short. What's surprising is that QF allowed that booking to be made online, but anyway.

re the original question - QF have usually sent an email regarding such changes pointing you to go manage the booking and see the options. This happened to me a few months back when AA changed their SFO-LAX schedule and my 4:30pm flight got moved to 4:50 and a different flight number. QF "helpfully" moved me to the 1200 flight - which is absurd given I was connecting to QF out of LAX. No big issue I just phoned and explained same to the agent who clearly saw the logic in this and popped me on the 4:50pm flight, which was the obvious move. Anyway the point was I didn't know till i got an email.

QF can also send texts, but that is usually close in to departure when there's an assumption that you may be on the road.

I've also had phone calls from the P1 team and res with cancellations or delays, but clearly that's a specific P1 thing so not terribly relevant, though just included it to note that QF do use all sorts of contact methods.

 

[Lone Wolf]

I was not contacted by Qantas when LAN couldn't be bothered flying their plane over for QF321 / LA800 SYD-AKL. This was as a WP. The cancellation was not uncommon (there's even a "survival guide" on FT). As I needed to connect at AKL for the onward flight to SCL I ended up arranging the ticket change myself. Kudo's to LAN for the op-up to J AKL-SCL (Do Qantas give op-ups these days ever?).

So in short, don't expect Qantas to proactively contact you.

As others have mentioned, the 1hr layover is borderline MCT and security lines at SYD can be long.

I would suggest to give Qantas a call to understand your options. The flight disruption may allow you to book on an earlier flight without incurring the change fees - insist on the Qantas waiving the fee if they don't initially.

AA used to have a stated policy that they would reaccommodate passengers traveling on separate PNRs where the connecting flights are also OneWorld. However it appears o have been replaced by "OneWorld Global Support", who have operations in Sydney and may assist if the connection is at risk. oneworld alliance | Seamless Service | aa.com

 

[RichardMEL]

I was not contacted by Qantas when LAN couldn't be bothered flying their plane over for QF321 / LA800 SYD-AKL. This was as a WP. The cancellation was not uncommon (there's even a "survival guide" on FT). As I needed to connect at AKL for the onward flight to SCL I ended up arranging the ticket change myself. Kudo's to LAN for the op-up to J AKL-SCL (Do Qantas give op-ups these days ever?).

Think it's a tad harash on QF when it's a LA operated flight. Yes, a QF code so I see the point that if the "marketing" carrier is going to sell you something they should follow through, but the reality is that it was (in my view, anyway) LA's responsibility to contact you as their passenger for their cancel, which QF has no control over.

Codeshares cause a grey area and I think the systems automation between carriers in this regard has a long way to go - and some are better than others (specially those on the same platform)

And yes, QF do give the occasional op up these days.

So in short, don't expect Qantas to proactively contact you.

except that they do. Not consistently (which is typical QF and a sad part of the whole operation) but they do.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I would if it were me, pay a change fee and phone "assistance" fee (if they won't waive it), if I was flying, seeing that there is only one AA flight per day isn't it. from SYD - to the US (ignoring QF's own flights?
Either go for QF400, or QF501, which would be the first ones from MEL/BNE to SYD, windycity, not sure which of the 2 that you come from though.
Edit: QF is selling online, the flight that arr into SYD dom at 10am, and the AA dep to LAX at 11am, so if they can do that, the question has to be asked, will this mean that you can if you are on that one, get your BP all the way through from BNE (assuming that is where you are going from and to LAX), and that your bags can be checked all the way through.
Your choice OP, either pay the change fee/assistnace fee and go for the earlier flight, or go on the 10am arr into SYD and see what happens.

 

[windycityf]

They are not charging me to change my flights. If I am honest I am just annoyed by the new flight choices.

It's either a ugly layover in LAX on both ends or taking the DFW flight. I really should not complain. I am flying business.

And I can check out the First Class Lounge in SYD.