Still learning the basics - Qantas booking changes & fees

Status
Not open for further replies.

ads

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Posts
114
Hi there,
Please excuse my ignorance here as I have what may be a fairly obvious question to ask.

I am looking at booking an International return ticket with Qantas, however at this stage I am uncertain of the exact travel dates in terms of the flight there and the flight home.

I have read the 'fare rules' on the Qantas website; yet for me, I am still unclear as to the 'change of date/booking changes' options with regards to having to pay a 'change fee'.

For the flights I am looking at (travelling in Economy) there is a $500 difference between a 'Saver' fare and the 'Flex' fare.

Am I correct in thinking that if I were to book the flights, then later change both the departure and arrival dates, the most I would be paying on a Saver fare (excluding any fare difference) would be $200; - $100 change fare for each flight?

Or is it advised to book the Flex fare if travel dates are uncertain at the time of booking?

(hope this makes some sense!)
Thankyou
-ads
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

You need to work out the costs of changing.

Both type of fares generally have change fees with Flex mainly less than that for saver.

So you need to look at cost of fare change in relation to the different up-front costs.

Also, fare buckets for Flex are more likely to be available for chnaging.
 
Thankyou for your reply serfty.


I was going off the info listed on the table below:
http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/amadeus/minirules/AUUSSALE_SUMMARY/

From what I gether, changes made to tickets purchased as a "Saver" fare would result in a $100 booking change fee if done so via the QF website.
Where as tickets purchased as a "Flex" fare can be changed without fee via the QF website.


Have I miss understood? Is the booking-change process more complex then this?
 
Seems like you are looking to head off to the USA.

Going by those you are correct.

Note that Flex is generally significantly more expensive (> $1000 round trip) than Saver, so Saver may be worth while.

Just be aware that to make changes you need your original booking class available.

Flex generally books into Y, B or H classes while saver comes from buckets like V & S class.
 
^
Thanks again. That makes things more clear.
Yes, I should have said that the US is my travel destination.


In the scenario where my travel plans see me fly out of Australia on fixed date I can confirm, yet the date of returning flight home is still not certain; I was looking at booking a 'Saver' fare ticket for the flight there and a 'Flex' fare for the flight home in case I need to change the travel date.

Would this work or is it a waste of time as since the booking falls under one ticket, it will be the rules of the lower fare which apply throughout?

I vaguely remember a few years ago I booked a 'Sale' fare ticket there and a 'Saver' fare ticket home and when I had to cancel that trip I was informed it would be the rules of the 'lesser fare' which applied for both flights.
 
...

I vaguely remember a few years ago I booked a 'Sale' fare ticket there and a 'Saver' fare ticket home and when I had to cancel that trip I was informed it would be the rules of the 'lesser fare' which applied for both flights.
Such generally applies to cancellations and refunds but not so in relation to changes.

Here's en excerpt from the rules for CANCELLATIONS:
Code:
...
---
COMBINED FARES-WHEN TWO OR MORE DIFFERENT QF 
FARES ARE COMBINED ON A HALF RT BASIS TO FORM A 
RT/CT/OJ JOURNEY THE MOST RESTRICTIVE HIGHEST 
CANCELLATION FEE WILL APPLY EXCEPT FOR 
CANCELLATION AT THE FARE BREAKPOINT OR AT ANY 
POINT THEREAFTER WHEN THE CANCELLATION FEE FOR 
THE FARE USED ON THE INBOUND FARE COMPONENT WILL 
APPLY.
---

Rules for for CHANGES:
Code:
.
---
WHEN TWO OR MORE QF DIFFERENT FARES ARE COMBINED 
ON A HALF RT BASIS TO FORM A RT/CT/OJ JOURNEY AND 
ONE FARE COMPONENT IS BEING CHANGED THE FEE 
APPLICABLE ON THE FARE COMPONENT BEING CHANGED 
WILL APPLY.WHEN MORE THAN ONE FARE COMPONENT IS 
CHANGED IN A SINGLE TRANSACTION THE MOST 
RESTRICTIVE -HIGHEST-CHANGE FEE WILL APPLY TO THE 
ENTIRE TRANSACTION ACROSS THE ENTIRE JOURNEY.
---
 
Flex generally books into Y, B or H classes while saver comes from buckets like V & S class.

Good point I usually, if in Y will buy the cheapest full Y fare for not much more than B or H. Full SC and to upgrade half the required points.

When they say it usually books into either Y B or H what determines that if you are online ?
 
Last edited:
Online at qantas.com it seems to be the cheapest available fare, although I have seen comment that the Y fare bucket won't show (deliberately? ).

It may be that for Y a TA can be required.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Enhance your AFF viewing experience!!

From just $6 we'll remove all advertisements so that you can enjoy a cleaner and uninterupted viewing experience.

And you'll be supporting us so that we can continue to provide this valuable resource :)


Sample AFF with no advertisements? More..

Recent Posts

Back
Top