What to do about my Bus Class award flight China Eastern?

[JennyMG]

Worried.
Mid last year I used my hard earned points to get 2 bus class seats on China Eastern for husband and self home from Europe end of JULY 2020. (Way over is not a problem going via Singapore.)
Home flight is rome > Shanghai, 5 hr layover, then Shanghai to Sydney.

I'm not clever at this.
I don't know whether to wait this coronavirus thing out, watch and wait.
Or ring Qantas, and do what?
Or ring China Eastern (good luck with that) and, again, do what?
or wait until Qantas or Ch.E. cancels the flight.....or maybe they wont. Then would there be bus. class seats available for us. We're only Bronze. Would they bother trying to find seats for us? I bet not.

But what will happen to my points? Would they refund them?
My flight? Would they find us another one? in Bus? on the same day?
My VERY FIRST bus class seats. Very, very unhappy. Not staying IN China, but we do have a layover, and it IS China Eastern.
Do I want to sit for 24 hrs on a chinese plane?
I'm NOT wearing a mask in business class. It's my first time!!!

I have no idea what to do. Without a crystal ball it's pretty difficult.

 

[Oubline]

Worried.
Mid last year I used my hard earned points to get 2 bus class seats on China Eastern for husband and self home from Europe end of JULY 2020. (Way over is not a problem going via Singapore.)
Home flight is Paris > Shanghai, 5 hr layover, then Shanghai to Sydney.

I'm not clever at this.
I don't know whether to wait this coronavirus thing out, watch and wait.
Or ring Qantas, and do what?
Or ring China Eastern (good luck with that) and, again, do what?
or wait until Qantas or Ch.E. cancels the flight.....or maybe they wont. Then would there be bus. class seats available for us. We're only Bronze. Would they bother trying to find seats for us? I bet not.

But what will happen to my points? Would they refund them?
My flight? Would they find us another one? in Bus? on the same day?
My VERY FIRST bus class seats. Very, very unhappy. Not staying IN China, but we do have a layover, and it IS China Eastern.
Do I want to sit for 24 hrs on a chinese plane?
I'm NOT wearing a mask in business class. It's my first time!!!

I have no idea what to do. Without a crystal ball it's pretty difficult.

It’s hard to know what the situation will be in July unfortunately. I’d be actively looking at alternative award availability options from Europe to Australia - if you can find any, you can call Qantas and they will change your routing for 5k points per passenger plus any difference in fuel surcharges. You can search for availability on the Qantas website or even just call the call centre and ask them to search for you for alternate routes home if you’re not confident.

Check for flights from Europe to Australia via Tokyo (japan Airlines), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysian), Singapore (British Airways), Doha (Qatar Airways) or even the maybe riskier Hong Kong (with Cathay Pacific).

If they cancel one or more of the flights in July it might be tough to get more than a refund, especially if it’s the case that flights in and out of China are basically not happening at that time. Best option would be to find alternative options and call Qantas if you can.

 

[SYD]

As per comments in the other thread. Worse case, your points will be refunded if you decide to cancel. But you still need to get home.

If the virus hasn’t burnt itself out well before July - then I guess we all have much bigger problems to worry about. I will leave that to the experts But you could be fine.

As a Plan B, you could keep looking for alternative J redemption options (unfortunately, they’ll be few and far between this close) but QF might be able to rebook to alternate availability minus any fees if not covered by waivers.

A drastic Plan C is to buy a one way fare home (maybe in economy as insurance)? Oneway fares are usually at the fully flexible rate (ie expensive) but ought to be refundable if you don’t need to use it.

 

[JennyMG]

I can see there are Bus. award flights available on Qatar from Rome to Doha, but for the life of me can't put Doha into the search to find if there are bus award flights from Doha to Sydney on 23rd July.

 

[Dr Ralph]

If you want peace of mind deal with this now. Proactively find and book a more palatable flight now is my advice. I detailed my similar experience with booked China Eastern flights routed to the US via China booked for June:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Respiratory illness - Effect on Travel

It was reported Indo doesn't have facilities to test so not capable to rule someone as confirmed. As at a couple days ago their airports didn't (and maybe still don't?) have the capability to take passengers temperatures. Suspect early days to make any conclusions about Indo. They didn’t have...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Points will be quickly refunded less 6000 point penalty. Taxes also refunded.

If you wait you will be at the mercy of Qantas and China Eastern. I guarantee you they will not be proactive. I guarantee you that they will care little for your problems. You risk there being no alternate flights available. They will not simply open up a business seat for you. In fact the best I think that you could hope for is a Y seat.

The alternative is to sit back and wait and see what happens. All may work out for you without you needing to do anything.

 

[p--and--t]

@JennyMG

Nobody knows what July 2020 will look like.

It, of course, also depends on whether you are travelling on an Aussie passport or not.

Hopefully it will not be the case, but if the epidemic carries on/escalates for a few months then I foresee more and more people who are in the "wait and see" category will be prompted to action.

At that point in time I can imagine in a more serious environment:

• perhaps any Chinese port, SIN and HKG will be closed off as transit points without quarantine for Aussie passport holders on returning home and foreign nationals banned entry from any of those ports
• any currently visible award and non-award seats not transiting those ports will have evaporated
• the carriers not transiting thru the major Asian touch points will be able to flog their seats at whatever price they feel like, if there are any left unsold

Of course, the opposite could occur if the current measures are totally effective in limiting the spread and largely everything returns to normal and/or people's appetite for risk drives them to defer travel all together until late in the year or 2021 and planes are flying with lots of empty seats the airlines are desperate to fill.

All depends on your personal appetite for risk, ability to pay for any recovery actions not covered by insurance, and what you are prepared to do for peace of mind.

To date, not been able to find a reliable supplier of crystal balls.

 

[JennyMG]

@Dr Ralph my thoughts exactly. I can't see it being any better in 5.5 mths. It will get worse before it gets better.
'a more palatable flight....' - exactly again.

I just am wrangling with the website, I can see availability from Rome to Doha in Bus, but can't put Doha in the 'from' to Sydney, to get the second leg. ugh. Tried ringing. Hopeless of course.

Would prefer Rome to Syd, but if I have to do a 2 stop flight, I would.
Any thoughts? about that Doha problem?
Website won't let me put in Rome to Sydney. Not sure why. So I'm trying multicity. But to do that I have to know the stopover city. aaaaaggh.

@p--and--t
Agreed. Have felt for a week or two that it will be much worse before better. Then a lull. Then slowly back to 'normal'... and that will take many many months. Just like ALL the other scares.
I, for one, do not want to use a mask on my first bus class flight ever. And I don't want to sit in Shanghai for 5 hours. And I don't want to be on a Chinese airline, who may or may not have cleaned it. Let alone the people on board. Of course, not everythign can be controlled or contained.
I'm not particularly scared, but I feel insecure about it.

I have no appetite for risk, this is a lifetime trip for me. Saved up my points for many moons.
All insurance was taken out before all purchases of flights, accom. etc. But I want peace of mind. I don't want a trip with the flight home a pot luck of germs. As for the crystal ball, you're no use then...

My main problem now is the blo-dy website!!!

 

[jase05]

I can see there are Bus. award flights available on Qatar from Rome to Doha, but for the life of me can't put Doha into the search to find if there are bus award flights from Doha to Sydney on 23rd July.

The QF website won’t allow you to start your search from DOH.
If you want to check for availability do a multi city search from say FCO-DOH and DOH-SYD to get around the issue
From what I can see there is no availability DOH-SYD

 

[p--and--t]

@Dr Ralph my thoughts exactly. I can't see it being any better in 5.5 mths. It will get worse before it gets better.
'a more palatable flight....' - exactly again.

I just am wrangling with the website, I can see availability from Rome to Doha in Bus, but can't put Doha in the 'from' to Sydney, to get the second leg. ugh. Tried ringing. Hopeless of course.

Would prefer Rome to Syd, but if I have to do a 2 stop flight, I would.
Any thoughts? about that Doha problem?
Website won't let me put in Rome to Sydney. Not sure why. So I'm trying multicity. But to do that I have to know the stopover city. aaaaaggh.

@p--and--t
Agreed. Have felt for a week or two that it will be much worse before better. Then a lull. Then slowly back to 'normal'... and that will take many many months. Just like ALL the other scares.
I, for one, do not want to use a mask on my first bus class flight ever. And I don't want to sit in Shanghai for 5 hours. And I don't want to be on a Chinese airline, who may or may not have cleaned it. Let alone the people on board. Of course, not everythign can be controlled or contained.
I'm not particularly scared, but I feel insecure about it.

I have no appetite for risk, this is a lifetime trip for me. Saved up my points for many moons.
All insurance was taken out before all purchases of flights, accom. etc. But I want peace of mind. I don't want a trip with the flight home a pot luck of germs. As for the crystal ball, you're no use then...

My main problem now is the blo-dy website!!!

If you look at the current world map of infection (could change overnight) there are zero infections in South America or South Africa. If the ME route becomes too difficult you might consider the "scenic" route back to AU in your planning

 

[get me outta here]

. I just did a very quick search FCO – DOH 23 July. D0H – SYD 24 July. This is what I found: One long sector is in Y.

 

[get me outta here]

Or, if you go FCO – DoH 24 July and DOH - SYD via Osaka (KIX), it’s all in business class.

 

[sudoer]

the carriers not transiting thru the major Asian touch points will be able to flog their seats at whatever price they feel like, if there are any left unsold

Just imagine the price of QF9/10 tickets...

 

[JennyMG]

Or, if you go FCO – DoH 24 July and DOH - SYD via Osaka (KIX), it’s all in business class.

ugh.....400K points is too rich for me.!! and almost another 24 hours. aaagh.

 

[ja1]

Did you ever decide what you are going to do Jenny ? I figured since it has been around a month since the original post..

I'd assume you really want to avoid anything to do with transiting mainland China currently. Too many risks to deal with in terms of flight schedules and cancellations. Plus you don't want to end up being in a position where because of that transit you're forced to self isolate for 14 days if that's what the Government requires you do as a result of a transit (even if you had no contact with anyone..)

July is also when the Olympics are running in Japan so I'm not sure what that does for your options on how to get back from Europe. I'd assume your normal options are via UAE, Singapore, Qatar or HK or the 'long way' around via the US (e.g. into JFK and then LAX and back that way or perhaps via AKL)

 

[JennyMG]

Did you ever decide what you are going to do Jenny ? I figured since it has been around a month since the original post..

I'd assume you really want to avoid anything to do with transiting mainland China currently. Too many risks to deal with in terms of flight schedules and cancellations. Plus you don't want to end up being in a position where because of that transit you're forced to self isolate for 14 days if that's what the Government requires you do as a result of a transit (even if you had no contact with anyone..)

Yes, after 2 weeks I rang Qantas in the late afternoon (picked up a tip that I might get an Auckland operator), which I did, and explained that I'd found a Qatar flight that was from Rome to Bangkok via Doha. I asked if I could cancel the MUH flight, and book the QR. AND then add a sector BKK >SYD with $.
It took about 45 minutes, Todd was cool and calm, WONDERFUL to deal with, answered my myriad of questions without any sense of hurry, or irritation (I bet there's plenty of that around). He cancelled my MUH, refunded my points, and rebooked my award flights with QR Rome>Doha>BKK.
I booked 3 days stopover in BKK, which I am very familiar with, I thought it would be a nice rest after the frenetic tour, and a QF flight in J home to Syd. (not award.)

I was absolutely delighted. My new flight cost far fewer points than the original, and the refund of points virtually paid the price of the QF flight.

Now I'm not delighted.
Now I'm panicking again, because I note that Thailand has forbidden entrants from Italy (which is where my QR flight origininates - Rome) - after my having been there for the 12 days prior. (our last European destination.) They say on the IATA website that entrants require 14 days in Quarantine if you have been to Italy. Well THAT'S NOT happening. Not to mention Thailand itself is destined to be a hotbed of infection given their regular modus operandi, which is "everyone for himself, in a crowd, all hot and sweaty, and not too many rules or regulations."

NOW I have to figure out whether to bite the bullet AGAIN, and work out some other strategy, or to wait and see.
Cancel my 12 days in Italy (Venice, Rome Sorrento)? or Cancel the entire QR flight (which I was excited about) and which was an award flight, and find some other way to get home from Europe, which won't result in my being incarcarated.

I figure it's almost nonsense to go cancelling and readjusting now. The situation is volatile.
I reckon in 2 weeks, no country will allow ANY country to travel. Except the ones who don't care. Which I wouldn't want to go through anyway.

Even my trip OVER to Europe is a bit dicey. Singapore Airlines Syd>Sing>Charles de Gaul. Waiting for it to be cancelled along with the other 7983 flights they've cancelled, but holding out so far. But will France let me land if I've transited singapore. So far so good.

I'm hoping it's all going to go ballistic, pre- my trip, everyone will get it, No one will die (except they will), and the whole thing will be an awful footnote in the history books. Then I can go on my holiday of a lifetime, museums will be open, restaurants will be bustling, and piazzas and places will be atmospheric.
In my dreams anyway.

 

[ja1]

I was absolutely delighted.
Now I'm not delighted.

OK, now I'm stressing over you stressing. What a roller coaster. I was so looking forward to the happy ending which is now.. looking very complicated.

Good luck.. I'm almost expecting your Itinerary when originally planned:

- Take in the sights in Iran
- See dynamic South Korea
- Visit beautiful Italy
- Take in a cruise somewhere as long as it's on a ship named <something> Princess
- Perhaps check in somewhere in Tokyo
- Stop in amazing China.
- Home sweet home to NSW..

What could possibly go wrong..

 

[JennyMG]

OK, now I'm stressing over you stressing. What a roller coaster. I was so looking forward to the happy ending which is now.. looking very complicated.

Good luck.. I'm almost expecting your Itinerary when originally planned:

- Take in the sights in Iran
- See dynamic South Korea
- Visit beautiful Italy
- Take in a cruise somewhere as long as it's on a ship named <something> Princess
- Perhaps check in somewhere in Tokyo
- Stop in amazing China.
- Home sweet home to NSW..

What could possibly go wrong..

What could go wrong is that the Quilton factory burns down.

I think that I just have to hold my cards, and wait and see. MyONLY problem is that my usual modus operandi is to book early, get what I want, then sit tight. Now I'm out of my comfort zone, cancelling or booking late. Possibly not getting what I want. But what else is there to do but wait and see. Crystal balls were all sold out at Coles. I saw some people walking out with 20 boxes.

 

[Waypoint]

Yes, after 2 weeks I rang Qantas in the late afternoon (picked up a tip that I might get an Auckland operator), which I did, and explained that I'd found a Qatar flight that was from Rome to Bangkok via Doha. I asked if I could cancel the MUH flight, and book the QR. AND then add a sector BKK >SYD with $.
It took about 45 minutes, Todd was cool and calm, WONDERFUL to deal with, answered my myriad of questions without any sense of hurry, or irritation (I bet there's plenty of that around). He cancelled my MUH, refunded my points, and rebooked my award flights with QR Rome>Doha>BKK.
I booked 3 days stopover in BKK, which I am very familiar with, I thought it would be a nice rest after the frenetic tour, and a QF flight in J home to Syd. (not award.)

I was absolutely delighted. My new flight cost far fewer points than the original, and the refund of points virtually paid the price of the QF flight.

Now I'm not delighted.
Now I'm panicking again, because I note that Thailand has forbidden entrants from Italy (which is where my QR flight origininates - Rome) - after my having been there for the 12 days prior. (our last European destination.) They say on the IATA website that entrants require 14 days in Quarantine if you have been to Italy. Well THAT'S NOT happening. Not to mention Thailand itself is destined to be a hotbed of infection given their regular modus operandi, which is "everyone for himself, in a crowd, all hot and sweaty, and not too many rules or regulations."

NOW I have to figure out whether to bite the bullet AGAIN, and work out some other strategy, or to wait and see.
Cancel my 12 days in Italy (Venice, Rome Sorrento)? or Cancel the entire QR flight (which I was excited about) and which was an award flight, and find some other way to get home from Europe, which won't result in my being incarcarated.

I figure it's almost nonsense to go cancelling and readjusting now. The situation is volatile.
I reckon in 2 weeks, no country will allow ANY country to travel. Except the ones who don't care. Which I wouldn't want to go through anyway.

Even my trip OVER to Europe is a bit dicey. Singapore Airlines Syd>Sing>Charles de Gaul. Waiting for it to be cancelled along with the other 7983 flights they've cancelled, but holding out so far. But will France let me land if I've transited singapore. So far so good.

I'm hoping it's all going to go ballistic, pre- my trip, everyone will get it, No one will die (except they will), and the whole thing will be an awful footnote in the history books. Then I can go on my holiday of a lifetime, museums will be open, restaurants will be bustling, and piazzas and places will be atmospheric.
In my dreams anyway.

Alternatively save your points, ditch the risk of incarceration and plan a retry next year. Having said that, in 1974 on my first ever overseas trip, there was an oil crisis.planes were empty, fear reigned, and I went anyway - had ordered a new car from Paris to be shipped back to OZ after whizzing around Europe for a few months. 60 pax on a BA747 - Y seemed like J!! Hotels empty with bargain prices,etc etc.
I think this is different however, and think my OW J award for 1 August is doomed. If current rules persist, we won’t get past Singapore.
Best of luck and stay tuned to the good folk here who are the best informed in the business!