What options do we have.. OW RTW in Business (so over bloody Qantas)

[gidxg03]

Back in October 2021 I managed to book 4 X OW RTW in Business flying from MEL-NRT-HEL-DUB flying Japan Airlines and Finnair flying June 25th returning July 27th. Japan Airlines then changed some of our flights so had to call Qantas to sort out new routes which I managed to sort after hours and hours on the phone. Then Finnair extended flight time HEL-NRT (understandable due to rerouting of flights to avoid Russian airspace). Again back to Qantas call centre and more hours on the phone but managed to sort it out albeit with some lengthy layovers. Now JL have cancelled our first flight MEL-HEL which leaves us totally stuffed. Called the 1300 659 116 number on the email getting an overseas call centre (I've called back 5 times already to sort it out) who have varying ranges of incompetence. Last call I had suggested I purchase a ticket to get to from MEL to NRT.

Some have argued the flight from MEL-NRT was not even booked as they cannot see it on their system. I don't know if I can face more hours on the phone to customer support. I've tried lots of different routings to try and find alternate flights to NRT but cannot find anything on the 25th of June from any Australian city or even via other Asian hubs.

Any suggestions?

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm afraid this may not totally help you, as you have obviously paid for the existing, corrupted booking.

BUT if you can get a refund (with the cancellation etc of the flights, I hope not out of the question), go to a good travel agent (not Flight Centre type). They will have knowledge of alternatives, should know the possible weaknesses etc AND if there is some disruption to the itinerary THEY sort it out.

If this is a possibility, PM me and I can give you some names. Downside is that the cost may be more, because of change in fares (not because you are using a TA).

 

[gidxg03]

I'm afraid this may not totally help you, as you have obviously paid for the existing, corrupted booking.

BUT if you can get a refund (with the cancellation etc of the flights, I hope not out of the question), go to a good travel agent (not Flight Centre type). They will have knowledge of alternatives, should know the possible weaknesses etc AND if there is some disruption to the itinerary THEY sort it out.

If this is a possibility, PM me and I can give you some names. Downside is that the cost may be more, because of change in fares (not because you are using a TA).

Thanks for the offer. Do you meant the travel agent can book with points?

 

[aikman]

I'm sure you already know all this but some options are:

1. Check every day, several times a day even, over the next 3 months in case new availability opens up on all potential route options
2. Fly in economy (if available) so that you can at least keep your itinerary
3. Change your itinerary to fit with whatever flights are available
4. Cancel and go another time
5. In another thread, someone mentioned that after 37 calls they managed to get Qantas to open up an award seat on a Qantas flight. You can try to get a Qantas seat opened up to Haneda, assuming Japan will even allow you to enter the country in June to connect with your NRT flight to HEL.

At the end of the day, not much you can really do if there are no business award seats available. If you do manage to find an alternative, be open to the possibility that you might have to do it all over again if any more changes occur.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks for the offer. Do you meant the travel agent can book with points?

Sorry, no. I didn't get the impression that it was a points booking from your post.

 

[Danger]

Thanks for the offer. Do you meant the travel agent can book with points?

I had the same impression as RooFlyer. You referred to a oneworld RTW which is a paid product, hence the suggestion to use a TA. If you used points, perhaps you booked a oneworld classic flight award.

 

[gidxg03]

Sorry, no. I didn't get the impression that it was a points booking from your post.

So sorry as Danger said it is a oneworld classic flight award.

I'm sure you already know all this but some options are:

1. Check every day, several times a day even, over the next 3 months in case new availability opens up on all potential route options
2. Fly in economy (if available) so that you can at least keep your itinerary
3. Change your itinerary to fit with whatever flights are available
4. Cancel and go another time
5. In another thread, someone mentioned that after 37 calls they managed to get Qantas to open up an award seat on a Qantas flight. You can try to get a Qantas seat opened up to Haneda, assuming Japan will even allow you to enter the country in June to connect with your NRT flight to HEL.

At the end of the day, not much you can really do if there are no business award seats available. If you do manage to find an alternative, be open to the possibility that you might have to do it all over again if any more changes occur.

1. Yes have been checking all options since I got the email
2. I can see an economy option albeit its MEL-BNE-CNS-NRT but thats all I can find for 4 of us.
3. Trying all other options to get to DUB on or after the 25th of June but with 4 of us not much is available. Might need to start trying 2 X 2
4. Not really an option as my wife is taking long service leave for the trip and her employer (DET) is extremely inflexible with when she can take leave. We will have to book economy if I can't get the flights.
5. Well I'm on hold for call number 6 so I'll be up to 37 before I know it. I did see that thread but no one is offering to open seats for me but I'll keep trying as long as I can.

Yes I agree our return flights (at the very least the Japan Airlines flights) may be high risk.

Is there any point (as one overseas consultant suggested) contracting JL as they cancelled the flight to see if they can help? I imagine they will tell me to call Qantas as that's who we have booked with.

 

[TheInsider]

Although the call centre is cough, it's not Qantas' fault that another airline has cancelled and offered you no alternatives.

 

[ronlon]

Hi gidx03,

I have recently suffered the same fate with JAL and Finnair for June/July and spent hours trying to find alternatives to/from Europe from Melbourne utilising the multi city booking portal. I had to forsake business class on some of the flights but at least I had success and did not need to resort to a cash fare. Try routings that include CMB, SIN, DOH, LHR,AMS,CDG, TLV etc to DUB. There still are some economy seats left or business on some flights if you split the booking into two. Good luck and be quick ! Oh and by the way the call centre were not better than me in finding seats and that was speaking to the premium call centre!

 

[Guvner]

Although the call centre is cough, it's not Qantas' fault that another airline has cancelled and offered you no alternatives.

Qantas marketed and sold the product acting as the TA. They should own the problem.

 

[TheInsider]

Qantas marketed and sold the product acting as the TA. They should own the problem.

And Qantas is - there aren't any other available options besides a refund. That's why the airline that cancelled the flight should provide options.
I'm not saying they do, I'm saying that they should.

 

[Guvner]

Can you do MEL-NRT on the 24th?

4 pax

Post automatically merged: Apr 1, 2022

Wouldn't be part of your OWA though due to the JQ flight, but will get you to NRT.

 

[ronlon]

Who knows if JQ will even fly to Narita on 24 June? For example JAL themselves have cancelled all Mel-Nrt flights for the entire month of June. Plus you can't spend the night in Japan in order to catch the next day25 June flight unless you sit in the airport as Japan is closed to tourists.

 

[Guvner]

That may change in the next few weeks/months. It was just a suggestion.

 

[jrfsp]

If you are going to Europe id avoid via Japan atm.

I was scheduled to fly the exact same route on JL and AY in June but proactively cancelled and found another route. It took hours of searching options.

There are still options but you need to be flexible. Try looking at all AU ports not just MEL, via DOH or KUL seems to have some availability or even CMB.

 

[aidan059]

Going to dublin in early-mid June on a OTW award too. Found flights from SYD-PER-DOH-DUB in J. From searching I saw many many seats from DOH-DUB, doesn't seem to be a popular route for redemption albeit on a 787-8 which is not their flagship product but still very competitive. The SYD-DOH piece is the most difficult - I previously did find SYD-KUL-DOH-DUB if you're prepared to do an extra stopover. Qatar also fly some very weird/odd routes so as long as you're prepared to stopover in some nontypical places then there should be availability. I.e doha to madrid, zurich, copenhagen, Amman (in jordan) who has Royal Jordanian to LHR. Any place in europe, you can then connect onto a BA flight to LHR then to Dublin. Or alternatively with Madrid, you can connect onto Iberia. Also could be worth just getting to europe then booking a cash flight to get to dublin or if you have extra points with AF/KLM out of Amsterdam or CDG.

 

[gidxg03]

Hi gidx03,

I have recently suffered the same fate with JAL and Finnair for June/July and spent hours trying to find alternatives to/from Europe from Melbourne utilising the multi city booking portal. I had to forsake business class on some of the flights but at least I had success and did not need to resort to a cash fare. Try routings that include CMB, SIN, DOH, LHR,AMS,CDG, TLV etc to DUB. There still are some economy seats left or business on some flights if you split the booking into two. Good luck and be quick ! Oh and by the way the call centre were not better than me in finding seats and that was speaking to the premium call centre!

Getting to Dublin does not seem to be the issue. DOH-DUB has business class flights available but getting from Australia (trying all airports and even via NZ) is the issue. Very little options left.

Can you do MEL-NRT on the 24th?

4 pax
View attachment 274031

Post automatically merged: Apr 1, 2022

Wouldn't be part of your OWA though due to the JQ flight, but will get you to NRT.

There are a couple of options in economy but all include JQ flights. Was looking at this last night but agree with others that the danger may be they JA continue to cancel flights which would wipe out our return option.

Going to dublin in early-mid June on a OTW award too. Found flights from SYD-PER-DOH-DUB in J. From searching I saw many many seats from DOH-DUB, doesn't seem to be a popular route for redemption albeit on a 787-8 which is not their flagship product but still very competitive. The SYD-DOH piece is the most difficult - I previously did find SYD-KUL-DOH-DUB if you're prepared to do an extra stopover. Qatar also fly some very weird/odd routes so as long as you're prepared to stopover in some nontypical places then there should be availability. I.e doha to madrid, zurich, copenhagen, Amman (in jordan) who has Royal Jordanian to LHR. Any place in europe, you can then connect onto a BA flight to LHR then to Dublin. Or alternatively with Madrid, you can connect onto Iberia. Also could be worth just getting to europe then booking a cash flight to get to dublin or if you have extra points with AF/KLM out of Amsterdam or CDG.

Totally agree getting to Dublin from Asia etc is doable as there are so many European hubs and BA always have good availability. The issue is getting from Aus to Asia (or other mid point destination).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Another option might be to look for seats ex asia only… with a cheap paid flight to start. For example ex DPS, CGK, BKK, HKT etc, and pay to fly JQ there.

 

[aidan059]

There is Sydney to Doha via Bali on all dates I looked, however Jetstar for the first leg, then Qatar.