QF A388's out of action - who is inconvenienced? [Merged Thread]

[Boris spatsky]

On QF93 today in J (always was a 744). Shows as very full on seat selection. No up at check-in, so fingers crossed for the gate 'beep'

 

[markis10]

On QF93 today in J (always was a 744). Shows as very full on seat selection. No up at check-in, so fingers crossed for the gate 'beep'

You never know, its all zeros on expert flyer.

 

[Vanesa]

Thought you might like to know that my husband was due to fly Business out of LAX QF12 Thursday night LA time but was put in a hotel overnight and set to go the same time Friday. Qantas reps in the hotel have delayed a night again and say they leave 9am Sat, LA time on the A380. Say they need 16 hours to 'clear' A380.

He has not been offered alterative flights/seats.

 

[markis10]

Thought you might like to know that my husband was due to fly Business out of LAX QF12 Thursday night LA time but was put in a hotel overnight and set to go the same time Friday. Qantas reps in the hotel have delayed a night again and say they leave 9am Sat, LA time on the A380. Say they need 16 hours to 'clear' A380.

He has not been offered alterative flights/seats.

Hi Vanesa, and welcome to AFF! Thanks for reporting on the situation from LAX on behalf of your husband, having been stranded in LAX for 24 hours myself I know its not a pleasurable experience if you need to remain near the phone and airport.

I am sure things must be fairly difficult at present, but I can assure you the reason that there is no alternates available at this stage is very simple, you cannot buy a seat in any class on any scheduled service ex LAX for SYD:

Its the same for Saturdays departures (US Time).

 

[straitman]

Thought you might like to know that my husband was due to fly Business out of LAX QF12 Thursday night LA time but was put in a hotel overnight and set to go the same time Friday. Qantas reps in the hotel have delayed a night again and say they leave 9am Sat, LA time on the A380. Say they need 16 hours to 'clear' A380.

He has not been offered alterative flights/seats.

Hi Vanesa,

Welcome to AFF.

Does hubby have any QF status as those with higher status would normally be ahead in the line for any changes :?:

 

[Vanesa]

Thank you for your responses. markis10, that does not bode well! As of a few minutes ago he was told that he has been delayed again and would not go till Saturday night at the earliest if at all! Looks like they must be keeping the A380 out of service for longer than expected. He spoke to a QANTAS rep about moving to an economy seat to Auckland. She is trying and will call him back shortly.

straitman I'm afraid he is a lowly Bronze. Most of his travel is interstate.

 

[straitman]

Thank you for your responses. markis10, that does not bode well! As of a few minutes ago he was told that he has been delayed again and would not go till Saturday night at the earliest if at all! Looks like they must be keeping the A380 out of service for longer than expected. He spoke to a QANTAS rep about moving to an economy seat to Auckland. She is trying and will call him back shortly.

straitman I'm afraid he is a lowly Bronze. Most of his travel is interstate.

Vanesa,

All I can say is good luck and keep trying the various alternate route options.

 

[docjames]

Vanesa,

All I can say is good luck and keep trying the various alternate route options.

Depending on budget/travel insurance, consider some serious alternate routings (which happened after the EU Volcano).

So via Sth America LAX-DFW-EZE-SYD or LAX-SCL-AKL-SYD (using AA/LAN) or LAX-LHR-SIN/BKK-SYD as just two options depending on seat availability. Could also look at via LHR/Europe then JNB (+/- PER) with QF/BA/Sth African).

I guess the decision is how long to wait, how much extra flying time you're prepared to go to, and who's stumping the bill. And how important it is to get home!

 

[Vanesa]

The latest is that he was able to get a seat (Econ) on QF 26 to Auckland, leaving about 23:30 from LAX, then has 5 hours or so wait for a connecting flight from Auckland to Sydney. He is 6ft 4 so might be squashed but happy to be heading home-ish. From what I can tell, he could have been stuck there for days yet. He has been pretty lucky really, apparently he had to pretty much beg for the seat, and they took sympathy.

 

[Febs]

Edit: Vanesa - just read above. Sorry to hear about your husband's position. Hope he gets some form of refund/compensation from QF for having to fly Economy!

QF look after their premium passengers. Two colleagues were due out on QF12 (A380) tonight. Both in Business, one Gold, one Platinum. They left on-time on QF12 (on a 744), and the Platinum got an upgrade to First (which I'd predicted!)

I think I might've had a decent shot at an upgrade too, but am on Cathay to HKG a few hours later. Still, an upgrade on CX would be nice!

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[digitalrampage]

A380 Flight this coming Friday

So I am out on QF11 this Friday, and it seems that its full.

I called QF yesterday to find out WTF is going on in regards to the 380's as I have a unrelated PNR F flight from LAX-SFO-SEA-YVR 5.5 hours after I am meant to be getting to LAX.

I got QF to associate my PNR's so they know I am flying on with AA.

Im just really annoyed they have not offered to rebook me on a 74' service under the circumstances via BNE or AKL or MEL for that matter.

Such a pain, I am wondering if I should just cancel my whole trip, its all my travel insurance will really cover me for ATM, as I was ordering specific travel insurance for this trip but had not processed it before this "failure" .

I won't make gold if I do it thou.

Anyone offer there prior experiences in this quandary?

 

[dfcatch]

A380 Flight this coming Friday

I would hold my nerve for another day or two. I suspect by Monday there will be useful information from QF in this regard. If you're covered by your insurance then you don't lose anything by waiting a couple more days.

It was reported in the other A380 disruption thread that QF are only worrying about pax booked to travel in the immediate (2-3 days) future.

I imagine that by Monday they will either be flying again or be contacting passengers with flights in the coming days to rebook/cancel.

I'm on QF 11 the week after so also playing the watch and see game.

 

[markis10]

Re: A380 Flight this coming Friday

Im just really annoyed they have not offered to rebook me on a 74' service under the circumstances via BNE or AKL or MEL for that matter.

Quite a lot of airlines learned lessons from the Volcano disruptions and one of them is to leave unaffected passengers unaffected, that is dont move them if there is no need, by leaving all future flights as booked they have a clear picture in terms of capacity for what they can do with those who are displaced currently. At the moment there is no free seats across the pacific, by Friday the picture will be a lot clearer and hopefully mostly resolved.

 

[Vanesa]

Edit: Vanesa - just read above. Sorry to hear about your husband's position. Hope he gets some form of refund/compensation from QF for having to fly Economy!

QF look after their premium passengers. Two colleagues were due out on QF12 (A380) tonight. Both in Business, one Gold, one Platinum. They left on-time on QF12 (on a 744), and the Platinum got an upgrade to First (which I'd predicted!)

Gold and Platinum Flyers understandbly aside, it seems to me they are keeping up with current and future flights and those who are already in hotels will be held over till the A380 is back up. Dear Husband is in his flying to Auckland as we speak. AUK-SYD is Business Class after a 6 hour stopover, so at least he won't be too crumpled by the time we see him.

Thanks again for your kind thoughts. Here's to smooth travels and upgrades for you all.

 

[ab156]

QF11 2/12 - deliberate routing MEL-SYD-LAX to get on the A388 (well, also spend a few hours in the bigger FLounge )

Looks like they will be back in the air soon so not worried. I'm WP and the other half is SG (qualifies WP on this trip). More concerns on the ORD flights booked in December

 

[Sprucegoose]

AJ has announced that QF has grounded their entire A380 fleet. Interesting things are going to be happening now I'm sure. I had a 4 class 744 subbed to a 2 class in 2 weeks for SYD-SFO, so I wonder what will happen with that now..

What class were you in originally drewbles?

 

[FlyboyAl]

My wife was booked Sun AM ADL-MEL-LAX. She is now coming to LAX via AKL on Air Newzealand. It was either that, or delay the trip for 24 hours which she did not want to do.

My trip yesterday was a real "experience"!!!

Got my seat allocation when checking in and was happy with 40a to LAX. Got a call in the QP about 10 mins before leaving ADL and was presented with an upgade to PE by a smiling staff member. I was even happier with that, so off I went to SYD.

After some duty free shopping and a great little smoked salmon meal in the SYD QP, I wandered off to the departure gate and when my boarding pass was scanned it failed. My thoughts were the upgrade had failed, but after a trip to a different counter at the boarding gate, I was upgraded at the gate to J.

So I actually got a double upgrade. Had a great flight, good sleep and all was wonderful.

Have not told the wife, and will leave that until she gets to LAX just in case she gets stroppy at me getting the U/G, and her not getting one.

I'm not going to worry about the return trip for the next 8 days - by then, I hope all is normal, otherwise we will just go with the flow.

 

[drewbles]

What class were you in originally drewbles?

Y with Y+ seating on the way over, Y with Y seating on the way back (thanks to an a/c change, I was in row 36 both ways on a 4 class 744 originally).

Considering it's just under 2 weeks away (and still empty as QF73/74 tends to be unfortunately), I don't see anything major happening, but keeping eyes peeled as always.

 

[docjames]

They received phone call this afternoon advising to be prepared to be called again tomorrow or Sunday am, as decisions on flights on 7/11 still "up in the air" (my phrasing - pun). I guess partly confirming they were still traveling, but possibly also just called to update them due to status.

Irony is they thought the schedule was a 744, but turns out to be a 380.....

So QF9 1705 7/11 now delayed to 930a 8/11.

Parents initially on that but it seemed to escape qf their final destination was in eu not sin, so eventually qf have switched them to ek dep 2230ish so arr about 6hrs later than initially scheduled. Not bad. They're not thrilled after past ek experiences, but it was that or just keep waiting, and no doubt they've done better than many so not complaining.

Will be interesting to see if any compensation is (spontaneously) offered by qf, and how much hassle getting the sc's (not that they need them as both already ltg).

 

[FuzzyAUS]

Im in Orlando now, heading out to LAX in about 8 hrs where i am told i have a seet on the way home.

Dont like my upgrade chances at the moment

Looking at the flight loads for the next few days it looks like all classes/buckets are 0 0 0

At least i am getting home Tuesday morning as planned..

Cheers
Fuzzy