QFF Award CX flight confirmed and then wait listed, what are my next steps?

[gojun]

I had been looking for business award seats the last couple of weeks for SYD <> HKG and managed to snag two seats via CX yesterday. Points were deducted, payment was made and e-ticket confirmation was received.

I went onto the CX website, selected my seats, all was going well. About an hour later, I noticed the first segment, SYD > HKG, was no longer showing on the CX website. I checked on the Qantas website and the flight was now showing as "wait listed". I called Qantas and they stated "Cathay has oversold the seat and they have cancelled your seat, you should receive a refund". That's not ideal, even though I received confirmation? So I decided to call Cathay, they said they're unable to cancel the ticket as they are not the issuer but they can see it as wait list as well but I need to follow back up with Qantas.

I then followed up with Qantas, overseas call centre, and they said "Your ticket is confirmed, your flight is there, it's fine". It didn't instill much confidence in me, so I called back, overseas call centre again, and again they said "Your ticket is confirmed, but we can see it is on a wait list which is weird. We will email Cathay to ask them to re-instate the ticket. If they do not re-instate your ticket, then an alternative flight will be found for you as you have paid and been ticketed." They said they weren't able to provide me an ETA on when this will be confirmed, which is a bit annoying as I have other things I need to organise and book as well.

I've had a look and there is no more business award availability near the date I need to fly out.

Has anyone experienced something like this? What's a realistic outcome? What are my next steps?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Does QF fly to HKG from SYD? I think the answer here is yes (but please correct if I’m mistaken). In the absolute worse case scenario if the CX ticketing issue doesn’t get resolved they should be able to put you on the QF flight to HKG in whatever ticketed class you were in no trouble even if there is no classic award availability since this represents an irregular operation and so any available seat in your cabin is all that’s needed. If this were to happen to me I would try pushing QF to get the date and departure time I wanted. If QF wants to bungle the ticket I’ve got they’re gonna pay for it by giving me the flight I always wanted if money were no option!

-RooFlyer88

 

[sqrt()]

Does QF fly to HKG from SYD? I think the answer here is yes (but please correct if I’m mistaken). In the absolute worse case scenario if the CX ticketing issue doesn’t get resolved they should be able to put you on the QF flight to HKG in whatever ticketed class you were in no trouble even if there is no classic award availability since this represents an irregular operation and so any available seat in your cabin is all that’s needed. If this were to happen to me I would try pushing QF to get the date and departure time I wanted. If QF wants to bungle the ticket I’ve got they’re gonna pay for it by giving me the flight I always wanted if money were no option!

-RooFlyer88

QF128 HKG-SYD is daily from next month.

 

[gojun]

Yep, Qantas has an A380 flying from SYD > HKG daily.

I'm having trouble getting an agent that's actually willing to help, when both the Qantas agents said "my ticket was confirmed" I had to push them to look into it further before I actually got the response from the last agent about the ticket being re-instated. I guess I have to keep HUCA until I get someone competent or is there another department I could go to that could help?

 

[RnD]

I noticed a lot of CX awards going up and down yesterday, then disappearing altogether.

[email protected]

 

[gojun]

I noticed a lot of CX awards going up and down yesterday, then disappearing altogether.

[email protected]

Thanks RnD, will send them an email.

 

[Dave G]

Gojun - I'm in exactly the same situation as you -
Flight booked - have an e-ticket saying confirmed ( the magical 081 ++++) but flghts showing as waitlisted on qantas website.. will be interesting

 

[gojun]

Gojun - I'm in exactly the same situation as you -
Flight booked - have an e-ticket saying confirmed ( the magical 081 ++++) but flghts showing as waitlisted on qantas website.. will be interesting

I remember seeing your post in the other thread. Are you having any luck with this? Depending what day I land in HKG, we were planning on taking a side trip elsewhere as well but the uncertainty makes it extremely hard to organise anything.

Are all your flights showing as wait listed or only certain segments?

I've just sent an email as per @RnD's recommendation.

 

[Dave G]

Nope - I'm stuffed at the moment... flights showing as waitlisted and have already cancelled my PE flights. I knew sin did waitlisting - but didnt know Cathay redemption waitlisting was a thing

 

[gojun]

Nope - I'm stuffed at the moment... flights showing as waitlisted and have already cancelled my PE flights. I knew sin did waitlisting - but didnt know Cathay redemption waitlisting was a thing

I remember seeing Cathay used to have a wait list back when I was an AM member, but I don't think it's an option these days. Will you try your luck emailing [email protected]?

I wonder if anyone else has had luck with the team that manages the inbox

 

[Dave G]

Think I'm going to try calling again today

 

[gojun]

Think I'm going to try calling again today

Hope you get the Hobart team. The last 4 agents, all overseas - sounded like Manila, were all pretty useless. One person sounded like she hated her job and didn't even bother and was trying to brush me off.

Which department/number prompts are you inputting when you call?

 

[bellroy26]

I also got my CX HKG-BKK flight for June cancelled yesterday. I called them for alternative options, and they put me to a CX flight later the same day. However, until now it's still waitlisted. Called them again to check what's up and was told I just have to wait until CX reissues the ticket. They gave me 48 hours to wait and see and if not to call them again. Reading so many CX issues today so I'm losing a bit of confidence if this alternative flight is gonna go through.

 

[ShrinkWrapped]

the CX issues were not so much related to CX, as much as it may be QF end related when all of us were spamming the search engine. I'm actually wondering if inventory was not keeping up in real time, so some people got 'ticketed' without a confirmed seat.

the question is what obligation does QFF have now given that there was actually no confirmed seat, and the GDS automatically chucked everyone onto a wait-list.

I'd be curious to see how this resolves itself given that this is different to the usual losing a confirmed reservation due to sloppy ticketing by QF scenario. it is actually a QF tried to ticket a non existent seat scenario

 

[aus_flyer]

Yep, Qantas has an A380 flying from SYD > HKG daily.

3 times a week for A380

 

[gojun]

I've been on the phone to Qantas twice this morning, both very unhelpful.

First I called the 1300 Customer Care number, the agent told me "ticketing is not open today so they can't assist"

Second agent refused to help me and has put me on hold. She first gave me some "new" policy that Qantas Classic Awards are no longer to redeem Cathay flights, whut? and I said that's not true as I have two CX legs and one is confirmed and one isn't. She said the only solution is to cancel or reallocate to another Awards flight, I kept pushing saying this is a QF ticketing error and I need to fly on this day and I've gone ahead and made other arrangements on the false pretense of receiving a "confirmed" ticket from Qantas. Agent kept saying "that's not a Qantas issue, Cathay has removed you, it's a Cathay problem.". I pushed back saying this is a Qantas issue as they are the ticket issuer. She gave me the whole run around again, I asked to speak to a supervisor/manager and she said they can't transfer calls, whut!? Honestly, this went around in circles for 30 minutes with her constantly talking over the top of me and not being able to empathise with my issue.

This has been a frustrating ordeal. I don't think I have time to raise an ACA case.

 

[gojun]

3 times a week for A380

Oops, yep the other flights are A330.

 

[aus_flyer]

I've been on the phone to Qantas twice this morning, both very unhelpful.

First I called the 1300 Customer Care number, the agent told me "ticketing is not open today so they can't assist"

Second agent refused to help me and has put me on hold. She first gave me some "new" policy that Qantas Classic Awards are no longer to redeem Cathay flights, whut? and I said that's not true as I have two CX legs and one is confirmed and one isn't. She said the only solution is to cancel or reallocate to another Awards flight, I kept pushing saying this is a QF ticketing error and I need to fly on this day and I've gone ahead and made other arrangements on the false pretense of receiving a "confirmed" ticket from Qantas. Agent kept saying "that's not a Qantas issue, Cathay has removed you, it's a Cathay problem.". I pushed back saying this is a Qantas issue as they are the ticket issuer. She gave me the whole run around again, I asked to speak to a supervisor/manager and she said they can't transfer calls, whut!? Honestly, this went around in circles for 30 minutes with her constantly talking over the top of me and not being able to empathise with my issue.

This has been a frustrating ordeal. I don't think I have time to raise an ACA case.

HUACA

 

[ShrinkWrapped]

I mean, you can jump up and down all you want but I really think that you’re going to struggle to get traction from QF in this situation. The way I see this particular situation with the CX flights booked on Friday, is very much like a error fare/mistake fare type situation, rather than the usual QR cancels because QF did not ticket on time situation.

It seems perhaps during the frenzy on Friday there was some error in communication between the QF servers and the GDS, which may have led to seats being ‘available’, but not in real time perhaps. So even though they created the reservation, CX have decided to cancel it.

Ultimately the responsibility in this situation really falls with CX deciding to cancel it, not QF. You could jump up and down, but to be honest I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Also re: waitlist, yes you can waitlist with asiamiles

 

[gojun]

I mean, you can jump up and down all you want but I really think that you’re going to struggle to get traction from QF in this situation. The way I see this particular situation with the CX flights booked on Friday, is very much like a error fare/mistake fare type situation, rather than the usual QR cancels because QF did not ticket on time situation.

It seems perhaps during the frenzy on Friday there was some error in communication between the QF servers and the GDS, which may have led to seats being ‘available’, but not in real time perhaps. So even though they created the reservation, CX have decided to cancel it.

Ultimately the responsibility in this situation really falls with CX deciding to cancel it, not QF. You could jump up and down, but to be honest I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Also re: waitlist, yes you can waitlist with asiamiles

I understand your view, but wouldn't this fall on to QF for being the ticket issuer? Issuing a ticket with no availability due to their own technical fault? They should be held for some accountability