Reconsider non-essential overseas travel - waiver of QF change fees?

[DC3]

For clarity - I cancelled all travel from mid Jan 2020 - it just seemed so obvious ...

Nothing beats being proactive with this.

 

[amaroo]

Started to have "might prepare a Plan B" thoughts about Wednesday this week - only had a trip to Bali in Y booked so was happy to take a wait and see approach

My advice - cancel and bunker down. It's going to get very ugly.

 

[RSD]

I'm still on the line with QF call centre after 3 1/2 hours. On line chat not operating. Can't change the FF bookings online and travelling on 16/3. Check in might open before I get through!

Where was you off to - and now trying to change to?

 

[RSD]

Have an upcoming trip to Bali next week, saver and discount business return. I'll lose a lot by cancelling it or changing the dates so I will go so long as I don't have a doctors note advising otherwise. Presume a doctors note advising otherwise would remove the fees?

I doubt that a doctors note would remove the fees - illnesses requiring a doctors note is why they offer you travel insurance when you book

 

[amaroo]

Nothing beats being proactive with this.

Correct. It started to look bad very quickly..... the training just kicked in, I hope some have benefited.

 

[RSD]

My advice - cancel and bunker down. It's going to get very ugly.

Have canned the Bali trip - looking for options here in Oz.

 

[samh004]

I doubt that a doctors note would remove the fees - illnesses requiring a doctors note is why they offer you travel insurance when you book

So I guess it's too much to ask that airlines are a little lenient and look after their customers during a trying time. Not like I want to cancel. If I can avoid doing so I plan to continue the trip.

 

[justinbrett]

At this point in time (with a possible closure of all schools), I wouldn't be ruling out significant cancellation of both international AND domestic flights - Qantas may even stop flying completely (they've done that before for much less). The situation is just getting so ugly internationally and now here domestically, we can't rule out drastic action like that.

 

[RSD]

So I guess it's too much to ask that airlines are a little lenient and look after their customers during a trying time. Not like I want to cancel. If I can avoid doing so I plan to continue the trip.

When did you book the trip?

 

[Pushka]

So I guess it's too much to ask that airlines are a little lenient and look after their customers during a trying time. Not like I want to cancel. If I can avoid doing so I plan to continue the trip.

That's the thing. Qantas are being lenient with changes, but only for those who booked in the last couple of weeks, Ridiculous and frustrating policy and penalises those who booked in good faith and well before this damn virus hit the planet.

 

[RSD]

That's the thing. Qantas are being lenient with changes, but only for those who booked in the last couple of weeks, Ridiculous and frustrating policy and penalises those who booked in good faith and well before this damn virus hit the planet.

I guess a lot depends on when bookings were made -

• if someone made their booking before Coranavirus was "widely reported" or whatever term the travel insurers are using to determine their cut off date for insurance coverage of anything Coronavirus related then they need to speak to their travel insurer - not Qantas
• if someone rolled the dice and booked after those dates and before the 10th of March knowing that travel insurance wasn't going to cover them then they rolled the dice...
• if someone booked after the 10th of March when Qantas started offering free changes etc then they have nothing to worry about

 

[Pushka]

I guess a lot depends on when bookings were made -

• if someone made their booking before Coranavirus was "widely reported" or whatever term the travel insurers are using to determine their cut off date for insurance coverage of anything Coronavirus related then they need to speak to their travel insurer - not Qantas
• if someone rolled the dice and booked after those dates and before the 10th of March knowing that travel insurance wasn't going to cover them then they rolled the dice...
• if someone booked after the 10th of March when Qantas started offering free changes etc then they have nothing to worry about

Travel Insurance won't help if it's change of mind regardless if Covid is covered.

 

[samh004]

When did you book the trip?

That's the thing. Qantas are being lenient with changes, but only for those who booked in the last couple of weeks, Ridiculous and frustrating policy and penalises those who booked in good faith and well before this damn virus hit the planet.

First part last year, second part yesterday

All I would be asking for is the ability to shift the trip a month or two into the future, and then again if there's an issue then. That said, considering what the PM is announcing right now, as I returned from overseas 3 days ago, it might be impossible for me to take the next flight in less than a week. That part at least booked prior to knowing anything about this.

Bottom line is, while not being selfish, I don't think I should be penalised for having to isolate myself when I booked this flight last year before there was even a hint of this.

 

[RSD]

First part last year, second part yesterday

First part - travel insurance, second part you can move as per Qantas's bookings made after 10th March.

That said, considering what the PM is announcing right now, as I returned from overseas 3 days ago, it might be impossible for me to take the next flight in less than a week. That part at least booked prior to knowing anything about this.

Compulsory self-quarantine for those flying in only starts for those arriving from midnight tonight, but if you have come from a country that has major issues with Covid-19 then you shouldn't need the prime minister to tell you to self quarantine - you should already been doing it since you arrived back

Bottom line is, while not being selfish, I don't think I should be penalised for having to isolate myself when I booked this flight last year before there was even a hint of this.

You won't be - you do have travel insurance don't you?

 

[Pushka]

First part - travel insurance, second part you can move as per Qantas's bookings made after 10th March.


Compulsory self-quarantine for those flying in only starts for those arriving from midnight tonight, but if you have come from a country that has major issues with Covid-19 then you shouldn't need the prime minister to tell you to self quarantine - you should already been doing it since you arrived back


You won't be - you do have travel insurance don't you?

Travel Insurance won't help!

 

[RSD]

Travel Insurance won't help!

If the booking and travel insurance was taken out before the "widely known" cutoff date then why not?

 

[Scr77]

If the booking and travel insurance was taken out before the "widely known" cutoff date then why not?

Travel insurance doesn’t cover change of mind Or being scared to go.

 

[Pushka]

If the booking and travel insurance was taken out before the "widely known" cutoff date then why not?

Because of

Travel insurance doesn’t cover change of mind Or being scared to go.

Its a ridiculously unfair and stupid requirement of Qantas with this particular issue.

 

[moa999]

Bottom line is, while not being selfish, I don't think I should be penalised for having to isolate myself when I booked this flight last year.

But equally should Qantas staff or Qantas shareholders - not their fault either.

I suspect in any event today's announcement is going to result in a lot more flight cancellations, so you will probably get what you want anyway

 

[turtlemichael]

A point of clarification if I may. We are booked prior to 31 March to NZ on a business saver fare. We are not going to travel. The current terms of cancellation allow a credit without penalty, but apparently no refund. The terms include, for NZ bookings, the sentence that the credit: "To be used for travel within 12 months of the date that the original ticket was issued." As I booked in October I take it I have to fly, rather than merely book, by this coming October. I'm not confident that things will be anything like normal by October. ps I have travel insurance but it is unlikely to help as it excludes claims related to pandemics and appears to not be conditional on whether the pandemic was known when I booked.