What if one person can't travel on a 2 pax booking?

[astrosly]

A friend of mine has booked an international return ticket and it may be possible that the other person won't be able to make the trip so she would like to know what her options are in this case. She's wondering if the other person doesn't show will she be able to just use the empty seat next to her, but I've told her that a no show on the first flight will mean the rest of the flights on the ticket will be cancelled but I don't know what impact that would have if one of two did show and I'd appreciate some advice on what she can do with the ticket should the other person not be able to fly.

Info about the booking: Sydney to Frankfurt return for 2 pax, all QF flight numbers on EK metal purchased from Qantas so 081 ticket number and all on one PNR. Booked Nov 2017 for travel Jun/Jul 2018. Fare rules are here: Bookings - Fare Types . This was not booked as part of a Companion Sale.

I told her she will need to split the booking and get a new PNR for the other person to cancel so it won't affect her fare otherwise she will have to pay a re-issued ticket at a higher fare.

Option 0: Do nothing. Rest of the ticket and therefore her travel will be cancelled.

Option 1: Split ticket and get a cash refund for the other person. Charge of $500 (or $600 as no show fee applies?).

Option 2: Split ticket and get a credit voucher refund for the other person. Re-issue fee $225 charged when redeem voucher. However, the voucher will be in the other person's name and so I'm not sure if a name change is permitted when redeeming a credit voucher as she may be the one that can use it rather than the other person. Also restrictions in using the voucher to be considered (higher $ and fare class, 12 months expiry).

Option 3: Convert other person to a comfort seat and get refund of taxes/surcharges, or is it not possible because name changes are not permitted? Will this mean a re-issue and then at a higher fare?

Have I got this right, and are there any other options I haven't thought of? Thanking you in advance for any clarification and advice on what can be done in this situation.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I would think to split the booking and cop the refund fee.

You could ask about converting to an extra seat. But I'd suspect it would follow the same process as cancelling and rebooking. Probably by the time you cop the refund fee it would be a wash in terms of total cost (the taxes fees and charges refund vs the cancellation fee).

Don't nothing is not an ideal option. The whole ticket will cancel and the spare seat will be lost.

 

[astrosly]

I would think to split the booking and cop the refund fee.

You could ask about converting to an extra seat. But I'd suspect it would follow the same process as cancelling and rebooking. Probably by the time you cop the refund fee it would be a wash in terms of total cost (the taxes fees and charges refund vs the cancellation fee).

Don't nothing is not an ideal option. The whole ticket will cancel and the spare seat will be lost.

Thanks for the info @MEL_Traveller. I wasn't sure if one person being a no show cancelled the whole ticket or both have to be no show for that to happen. I agree that a re-issue would probably happen for a conversion to comfort seat and the cost will be more than a straight out cancellation.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the info @MEL_Traveller. I wasn't sure if one person being a no show cancelled the whole ticket or both have to be no show for that to happen. I agree that a re-issue would probably happen for a conversion to comfort seat and the cost will be more than a straight out cancellation.

Although on the same PNR, each passenger is treated separately for no show purposes. Fail to board would open up the seat for all remaining sectors.

Just reviewing your post though - if it's EK I don't think they offer comfort seats? QF flights not a problem.

 

[astrosly]

Although on the same PNR, each passenger is treated separately for no show purposes. Fail to board would open up the seat for all remaining sectors.

Just reviewing your post though - if it's EK I don't think they offer comfort seats? QF flights not a problem.

Ah yes, forgot that it may not be possible to book a comfort seat on EK.

So she's down to options 1 and 2, depending on if she really wants to save a few hundred dollars and book a future flight under voucher restrictions and then don't know if can change name on redemption of a credit voucher.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ah yes, forgot that it may not be possible to book a comfort seat on EK.

So she's down to options 1 and 2, depending on if she really wants to save a few hundred dollars and book a future flight under voucher restrictions and then don't know if can change name on redemption of a credit voucher.

i personally would shy away from the restrictions on any credit voucher. Do you have to book a higher fare if you go to use it for example?

 

[astrosly]

i personally would shy away from the restrictions on any credit voucher. Do you have to book a higher fare if you go to use it for example?

Yes higher fare applies, the conditions are here: Qantas Credit Vouchers | Qantas
Even though there is a fair chance that my friend will book to return to Europe in the next 12 months it appears she won't be able to use the voucher for herself as I notice the conditions do say its not transferrable so no name change permitted.

Thanks for helping me work through the problem, looks like her only option is 1 at a cost of $500 or $600.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes higher fare applies, the conditions are here: Qantas Credit Vouchers | Qantas
Even though there is a fair chance that my friend will book to return to Europe in the next 12 months it appears she won't be able to use the voucher for herself as I notice the conditions do say its not transferrable so no name change permitted.

Thanks for helping me work through the problem, looks like her only option is 1 at a cost of $500 or $600.

having to buy a higher fare is the real killer When the likes of Singapore airlines are offering Europe for $900, crazy to be lock in to prices well over $1000 on QF/EK (or even higher if you have to take the next fare up).