qantas schedule change, help require

[zhfs]

i just got a call from my agent today, my upcoming qantas trip to hongkong has been changed by qantas, she asked me if i am happy to accept the changes.

but i have another trip book under other airline before my return leg, if the schedule changes then there will be a huge chance that i would not able to make it. so i asked if i can change the return leg till next day or the day after, she told me after she called qantas,

I have just spoken to Qantas and they have advised that as you have booked the flight separately and it is not on your Qantas ticket they are unable to change your flight free of charge.


There advise is that you try and change your flight from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong.





If you are not able to change this flight then you can pay to Change your Qantas flight. If you wanted to change it to the 27th at the moment you are looking at a total of $185 each to make this change.

[FONT=tahoma,sans-serif]Unfortunately there is no way around paying the surcharge if you do require to change your flights. Qantas has no obligation to re-accommodate if they make a schedule change that impacts flights not booked on the same ticket and/or airline[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,sans-serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,sans-serif]This is unfortunately always a risk when you are booked on two separate tickets with different airlines.[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,sans-serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,sans-serif]Let me know if you would like to make the change to the 27th of December for $185 per person (subject to availability at time of making change)[/FONT]

is there any chance i can call qantas to make the change without a fee?

thanks in advance.

 

[markis10]

Has the schedule changed for both flights, if not then I would doubt Qantas would change the return FOC, if it is both flights then Qantas should be doing what they can to accomodate you.

 

[harvyk]

Which flight is it that has been changed by QF? Your outgoing or return flight?

If it's your return flight, you can always ask to be moved to a flight on another day. The proviso when I've had that done was that QF wouldn't pay for my extra nights accom, but there was certainly no change fee or any extra QF costs.

 

[zhfs]

they kind of did.

the departure is only delayed for 15mins, and the return leg is shifted 1hour early.

should i give them a call?

 

[serfty]

Sadly it's too late now, but you should always keep your powder dry - generally you should avoid telling them the reason why a change is unacceptable to you is that it may result in a misconnect on a separate ticket. That just gives them something to "Hang their Hat On".

What exactly are the changes?

 

[Ansett]

If it is your out going flight that has changed then Qantas should be able to reaccomodate you on the same day using another airline IE CX as this happened to me recently with the changes to the Manilla departure days. Initially it was going to be I would need to go a day earlier or later but then managed to get hold of a wonderful woman on the Plat Line in tasmania who simpley said no problem we will change you to CX and you can fly to Hong Kong then Manilaa rather than having to go Mel to Sydmey to Manilla.

I should point out that we had connecting flights on PR from Manilla to kalibo and QF made sure our new flights were timed to enable us to get the PR flights which were on a completely seperate PNR booked directly with PR

Because it was an involintary change made by QF then it is their responsibility to offer you a suitable alternative.

If it is the return leg then same should apply too.

 

[serfty]

they kind of did.

the departure is only delayed for 15mins, and the return leg is shifted 1hour early.

should i give them a call?

Sadly, a one hour change is generally not substantial enough to get a change free of charge (especially for the reasons you have advise them of).

How soon is this travel?

 

[N860CR]

I've found that if you're just swapping onto a different Qantas flight, they will usually allow a free change if you just say it doesn't suit anymore.

I wouldn't waste your time with the TA... Just call Qantas yourself.

 

[Ansett]

they kind of did.

the departure is only delayed for 15mins, and the return leg is shifted 1hour early.

should i give them a call?

Personally I dont think you have a leg to stand on now that I have read this. I always allow extra time incase of a delay if booking seperate PNRS normally an additional 2 hours plus the normal transit time. Any shorter and you are pushing it.

 

[mannej]

I've found that if you're just swapping onto a different Qantas flight, they will usually allow a free change if you just say it doesn't suit anymore.

I wouldn't waste your time with the TA... Just call Qantas yourself.

QF will handball you back to the TA as per normal practise.

 

[harvyk]

15 minutes can be the difference between all pax arriving on time and a pax failing to board, so not a chance there.
An hour becomes enough of a concern that you could say that you no longer make MCT and there is now no room for error, thus the reason you need to change. Remind them that it was them who changed the flight schedule around if you get any push back. You may still be able to get moved to a later flight / a flight on the next day without charge. That said you would still most likely be up for accom expenses yourself.

 

[markis10]

15 minutes can be the difference between all pax arriving on time and a pax failing to board, so not a chance there.
An hour becomes enough of a concern that you could say that you no longer make MCT and there is now no room for error, thus the reason you need to change. Remind them that it was them who changed the flight schedule around if you get any push back. You may still be able to get moved to a later flight / a flight on the next day without charge. That said you would still most likely be up for accom expenses yourself.

It really comes down to what is a "significant change" when referred back to the terms of carriage, I would not be surprised if the definition differs significantly between consumer and travel provider, given I cannot find said definition!

 

[zhfs]

update:

called qantas directly, CS told me the changes was done back in AUG, and my TA(flightcentre) never told me until 30days before departure.

CS said there will be no charge for me to change the flight/date, gave me her name and office she base in. very nice CS.

long story short, complaint against TA and change my flight without charge.


thank you all

 

[roncritch]

Its great when Qantas do fix things...we complain too readily at times on here I think.

 

[serfty]

update:

called qantas directly, CS told me the changes was done back in AUG, and my TA(flightcentre) never told me until 30days before departure....

AUgust ... that makes sense then as I have a couple of HKG bookings made in February which were indeed changed earlier this year as part of a raft of Asian flight timing changes.

After seeing the OP I thought "not again" and scurried to recheck my bookings - they had not changed further.

Frightcentre strikes again!

 

[N860CR]

Figured that would be the case.

QF don't seem to have any issues bypassing the TAs (unlike some other operators)

 

[Awesom Andy]

It almost sounds like the TA was too lazy to actually go to Qantas regarding the change, and basically clicked a few buttons on the computer to check how much it costs to change flights, and hopefully get you to pay up and pocket some commission in the process. Ok, just speculations here, but it is feasible, I suppose.

Anyway, in such cases, I would usually say something like I have a client meeting that won't finish until a certain time, and a schedule change of 1 hour is not suitable. And then work through the available options from there.

 

[pauly7]

Sadly, a one hour change is generally not substantial enough to get a change free of charge (especially for the reasons you have advise them of).

How soon is this travel?

I've had QF change a flight free of charge for a 5 min retime

But agree it is usually not possible for the average change and customer.

 

[serfty]

I've had QF change a flight free of charge for a 5 min retime

But agree it is usually not possible for the average change and customer.

I believe the midyear retiming for most Asian flight scheduled had a specific relaxation of the rules for affected customers in rebooking flights.¹

Without that information available up front here the only reasonable option was to relate to general experience in such things.

With the additional information now available, advice would have been different.

¹(With a 90 time change I was able to change a connecting flight to the day before at no charge.)

 

[harvyk]

update:

called qantas directly, CS told me the changes was done back in AUG, and my TA(flightcentre) never told me until 30days before departure.

CS said there will be no charge for me to change the flight/date, gave me her name and office she base in. very nice CS.

long story short, complaint against TA and change my flight without charge.


thank you all

Ah, Flight Centre... Only twice in my travels have I faced the risk of needing to sleep on a park bench. Flight Centre was directly responsible for one of those times...