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Travel/Overseas destinations

Redford

Tiger Legend
Dec 18, 2002
34,360
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Tel Aviv
Hey guys, got a questions regarding Qantas changing the departure city for a return international flight.

I booked a "classic rewards" return flight from Melbourne to San Francisco a couple of months ago. The deal pretty sweet: 140,000 frequent flyer points + $400 AUD (equates to about $1800 AUD if you take 100 points/$1)

The outbound flight departs 26th September '22 (2 days after the grand final - can't miss another tigers flag ;)) and I'm returning to Australia in mid October '22.

The return flight was supposed to be from San Fransisco to Sydney, however I received an email yesterday announcing this had been cancelled, and I need to accept an alternative flight from Los Angeles to Sydney - so a different departure city!!!

They said nothing about an interconnecting flight between San Fran and LA until I complained about it in length to the Qantas Rep. the rep had to consult their supervisor and eventually call me back where I was offered an interconnecting flight from San Fran and LA, which sounds great except but this flight is from 6:00am - 8:00am, leaving me with a 14 hour wait at LAX as the international flight to Sydney leaves at 10pm - Not all that keen on this option but they wouldn't budge on anything else. They won't book/pay for any other commercial flight because of the T&C's regarding "Classic Rewards" flights.

Is it worth complaining to the ACCC or the Aviation complaints body? Just never heard of an airline changing departure city for an international flight before and it gives me the *smile*.

If i just need to suck it up I will do so - I'll still be better off booking a later flight from San Fran to LAX at a later time considering the good deal i received in the first place.
And what about the Sydney to Melbourne part upon return ? Was that to be included ? Was that part of your return from SFO originally ?
 

BT Tiger

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Jun 5, 2005
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And what about the Sydney to Melbourne part upon return ? Was that to be included ? Was that part of your return from SFO originally ?

Yeah that hasn't changed, i was always flying via Sydney on the way back.

I'm going via Brisbane on the way there.
 

Redford

Tiger Legend
Dec 18, 2002
34,360
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Tel Aviv
Yeah that hasn't changed, i was always flying via Sydney on the way back.

I'm going via Brisbane on the way there.
I’ve flown dozens of times to the USA using points, cash or a combination of both and going via different classes. Bottom line: Qantas are a pack of aholes who will look to screw your over at every turn be it when you are trying to book, after you’ve booked or when you’re actually travelling - something that’s happened to me a few times. And it doesn’t matter if it’s points or cash, but more likely to happen when it’s points. Anyway, rant over.

Cutting a long story short using FF points you are open to a host of clauses (many of them open ended) that they can apply and in you’re case, they’re applying them. (They usually do this to make an extra buck when looking at their load capacities, class demands etc.)

Consider doing what I did in 2017 when without telling me, they changed my LAS-SFO-MEL return home in business class, using my points, to a LAS-LAX-MEL set of flights in economy because …in their words ….they had “plane maintenance problems” flying out of SFO - despite the fact the flight was still showing as being bookable and on time online. Clearly trying to shaft me for a cash paying flyer.

I told them to f themselves and said I’d stay an extra day in Vegas and go out of SFO a day later where I could see that a number of seats were still free both LAS to SFO and the SFO to MEL flight. And that’s what happened.

If they’re making you spend 14 hours in LAX then, can you just do the same and spend an extra day in the city by the bay and go your original way home ?

Alternatively, you can fly down to LAX, they’ll have checked your bags in back to Sydney, then you can get out of LAX and spend the day sauntering around LA. Something I’ve also done before.

It’s not too long a drive to Santa Monica, Venice etc and a VERY nice way to spend the day. Hic !!
 
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mrposhman

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Oct 6, 2013
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Unfortunately not. I did a general business degree and have worked in banking/financial markets in the banking and government sector. Mrs PT did a BA in communications and has worked in politics (got over that pretty quickly) now works in a policy job in the state public service which she really enjoys.

Interestingly, I did a bit of service time in the ADF in my late teens, early 20s. Didn’t actually realise until I hit my 30s years later, that as a quirk of history citizens of Commonwealth countries (even those who aren’t eligible for grandparent or parent linked citizenship) could actually enlist in the British Army. In one of those ‘what if’ moments, had I known that when I was of the right age, I would have very seriously looked at taking that path as my ticket in.

Another option I conjured up for an overseas living experience was getting a teaching English as a foreign qualification and going somewhere like Spain or Portugal for 6 months to a year. But schooling for the kids (they only speak English at this stage) could be tricky. And unless Mrs PT wants to also do English teaching, she wouldn’t really be able to work. Hence the UK looked a better option.

Be careful with what Visa you apply for. It does seem quite hard to get into the UK if you don't have a job.

Be careful on the student visa, I don't think it provides any working rights for either yourself or your partner hence the higher cash limits you need to prove to cover you for a year.

There is a fairly sizeable job list which I think your jobs would likely qualify you for, you just need to find a job before you leave Australia. This may or may not be easy for you as your new employer would need to wait until your Visa is accepted before you can work. Does your current employer have operations in the UK?

This is the list of jobs where you can go into the UK (assuming you have a job). https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ed-worker-visa-eligible-occupations-and-codes
 
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Panthera Tigris

Tiger Champion
Apr 27, 2010
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Be careful with what Visa you apply for. It does seem quite hard to get into the UK if you don't have a job.

Be careful on the student visa, I don't think it provides any working rights for either yourself or your partner hence the higher cash limits you need to prove to cover you for a year.

There is a fairly sizeable job list which I think your jobs would likely qualify you for, you just need to find a job before you leave Australia. This may or may not be easy for you as your new employer would need to wait until your Visa is accepted before you can work. Does your current employer have operations in the UK?

This is the list of jobs where you can go into the UK (assuming you have a job). https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ed-worker-visa-eligible-occupations-and-codes
Thanks for this Posh.

No, we both work in State Govt roles. Wife actually in the state service, myself in a GBE (Govt Business Enterprise).

I look at the masses of people in the UK who clearly were not born there, but are not from EU nations either and are working normal working class or run of the mill jobs (no special high qualifications needed) and just scratch my head at how they all managed to migrate. Because I don't find many pathways for us. And the irony is that most of my ancestry is from that part of the world - albeit 6 generations removed - and there are not many ways for us to get in.

I remember when I was living and working in Sydney, one was nearly looked upon as some type of alien if you weren't eligible for grandparent or parent linked rights to abode or for passports to another country - I felt like one of the only ones. So colleagues and friends kind of scratched their head as to how anyone could possibly have this dilemma. Nearly like those of us that go back many generations on every lineage in Australia are some type of exotic species. :LOL:

Interesting looking at that list though. It's more extensive than the last time I looked. Seem to have revised their migration categories and processes of late. As you say, the trick being that one would need to land a job first.

Given we're not at that young going out partying stage that we would have been in our 20s, plus we would have our two primary school aged kids in tow, I think we'd be looking at something quieter than the London experience. So would look at living and working in one of the second tier cities (or their surrounds). I actually really love exploring Scotland and the north. So the likes of Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Sheffield might be more our cup of tea. If looking outside the north, somewhere like Bristol or perhaps even Cardiff in Wales. Given we'd have the kids in school, we wouldn't want to be gypsies. Would try and find ourselves a solid base and community to link ourselves into, with good transport links to explore the surrounding area in our time off.
 
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BT Tiger

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I’ve flown dozens of times to the USA using points, cash or a combination of both and going via different classes. Bottom line: Qantas are a pack of aholes who will look to screw your over at every turn be it when you are trying to book, after you’ve booked or when you’re actually travelling - something that’s happened to me a few times. And it doesn’t matter if it’s points or cash, but more likely to happen when it’s points. Anyway, rant over.

Cutting a long story short using FF points you are open to a host of clauses (many of them open ended) that they can apply and in you’re case, they’re applying them. (They usually do this to make an extra buck when looking at their load capacities, class demands etc.)

Consider doing what I did in 2017 when without telling me, they changed my LAS-SFO-MEL return home in business class, using my points, to a LAS-LAX-MEL set of flights in economy because …in their words ….they had “plane maintenance problems” flying out of SFO - despite the fact the flight was still showing as being bookable and on time online. Clearly trying to shaft me for a cash paying flyer.

I told them to f themselves and said I’d stay an extra day in Vegas and go out of SFO a day later where I could see that a number of seats were still free both LAS to SFO and the SFO to MEL flight. And that’s what happened.

If they’re making you spend 14 hours in LAX then, can you just do the same and spend an extra day in the city by the bay and go your original way home ?

Alternatively, you can fly down to LAX, they’ll have checked your bags in back to Sydney, then you can get out of LAX and spend the day sauntering around LA. Something I’ve also done before.

It’s not too long a drive to Santa Monica, Venice etc and a VERY nice way to spend the day. Hic !!

Thanks Redders. They are being aholes but there's not much I can do it seems. They did offer to leave things as they are for now and wait to see if a more convenient classic rewards flight comes up between now and September, which sounds like my best option. Otherwise I'll book another flight between SFO and LAX at a more convenient time which should only cost about $100.

I am meeting a friend who lives in Germany and we're doing a 3 week road trip through California so i'll be visiting all those places anyway. I would change the road trip plans to end in LA but my friend has already booked flights home from San Fran so it probably won't work out.
 
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Redford

Tiger Legend
Dec 18, 2002
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Thanks Redders. They are being aholes but there's not much I can do it seems. They did offer to leave things as they are for now and wait to see if a more convenient classic rewards flight comes up between now and September, which sounds like my best option. Otherwise I'll book another flight between SFO and LAX at a more convenient time which should only cost about $100.

I am meeting a friend who lives in Germany and we're doing a 3 week road trip through California so i'll be visiting all those places anyway. I would change the road trip plans to end in LA but my friend has already booked flights home from San Fran so it probably won't work out.
Hard to imagine they can’t get a co-partner flight down to LAX at a more reasonable time, fair dinkum. That route is like MEL-SYD. They’re going in and out all the time, all day.
 

BT Tiger

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Hard to imagine they can’t get a co-partner flight down to LAX at a more reasonable time, fair dinkum. That route is like MEL-SYD. They’re going in and out all the time, all day.

Yes that is obscene but they're arguing that it's the T&C's of booking classic rewards flights and they won't fork out any money to get me on a commercial flight.

Qantas have certainly dropped down my list of preferred airlines.
 

Redford

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Dec 18, 2002
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Yes that is obscene but they're arguing that it's the T&C's of booking classic rewards flights and they won't fork out any money to get me on a commercial flight.

Qantas have certainly dropped down my list of preferred airlines.
They’re a pack of starfish’s. Their CEO sets the standard.

Flying with Air NZ at Christmas MEL-NYC. Should be interesting. MEL-AUK then AUK straight through to JFK. First time they’ll fly that route. They start it in September.
 
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TT33

Yellow & Black Member
Feb 17, 2004
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Yes that is obscene but they're arguing that it's the T&C's of booking classic rewards flights and they won't fork out any money to get me on a commercial flight.

Qantas have certainly dropped down my list of preferred airlines.


You should tell them that, also let them know there are plenty of other airlines that you can travel with. I've always found that Qaintass are a very arrogant bunch of *smiles*. If at all possible I use any other mob. Except Jetstar, they're even worse.
 
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Redford

Tiger Legend
Dec 18, 2002
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Tel Aviv
You should tell them that, also let them know there are plenty of other airlines that you can travel with. I've always found that Qaintass are a very arrogant bunch of *smiles*. If at all possible I use any other mob. Except Jetstar, they're even worse.
For a number of reasons, they have a bit of a monopoly of sorts on the Aus-USA route though.

And don’t they shaft Australians for that fact.
 

tigertim

something funny is written here
Mar 6, 2004
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Going to Engerland in late December, early January. London seems an easy place to find things to see/do but I’m going up to Liverpool to do the Beatles things.

What other things are there to do/see in Liverpool?
 
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Redford

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Dec 18, 2002
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Got NYC for 17 nights - before Christmas and after NYE. Will be good to escape the boring Australian sporting Abyss over Summer. NHL, NBA, NFL. Beer, pubs, restaurants, Broadway, NYC pizza, Carnegie Club, the Village etc. etc. Thank goodness.
 
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BT Tiger

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Thanks Redders. They are being aholes but there's not much I can do it seems. They did offer to leave things as they are for now and wait to see if a more convenient classic rewards flight comes up between now and September, which sounds like my best option. Otherwise I'll book another flight between SFO and LAX at a more convenient time which should only cost about $100.

I am meeting a friend who lives in Germany and we're doing a 3 week road trip through California so i'll be visiting all those places anyway. I would change the road trip plans to end in LA but my friend has already booked flights home from San Fran so it probably won't work out.

Fortunately Qantas came through with an interconnecting flight a few weeks ago so I'm all set to go. But this was only because I searched for classic rewards flights and called Qantas when I found some. If they had treated me properly they would would called me when alternatives became available.

I'm at Melbourne airport right now waiting to head San Fran on a 4 week California road trip. I'm meeting German-National friend of mine, hiring a car and cruising around the state, also doing Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Should be amazing although I'd have preferred if the AUD wasn't so weak against the US. But at least we're allowed to travel now!
 
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bigwow

Tiger Legend
Jul 24, 2003
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Melbourne
The family is considering a month in Europe, late next year, when the kids finish Uni, starting in Greece, (relo's of the in-laws), and Eurailing it across the continent, and flying home from London. Has anyone done similar, is this viable? The kids have a list of countries/sites that are 'must-dos', ranging from the Leaning tower of Pisa, to Anne Franks house, to Auschwitz.
 

artball

labels are for canned food
Jul 30, 2013
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The family is considering a month in Europe, late next year, when the kids finish Uni, starting in Greece, (relo's of the in-laws), and Eurailing it across the continent, and flying home from London. Has anyone done similar, is this viable? The kids have a list of countries/sites that are 'must-dos', ranging from the Leaning tower of Pisa, to Anne Franks house, to Auschwitz.
perfectly viable. Euro train travel is easy and relaxing. i lived there for 11 years and because of the train systems saw everything i wanted to and more...
my tips beyond the 'must-sees' (which there are plenty). Istanbul and Prague .. and Sicily .. and ... and ... :) Siena, Italy ..
 

bigwow

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Jul 24, 2003
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perfectly viable. Euro train travel is easy and relaxing. i lived there for 11 years and because of the train systems saw everything i wanted to and more...
my tips beyond the 'must-sees' (which there are plenty). Istanbul and Prague .. and Sicily .. and ... and ... :) Siena, Italy ..
Thanks, I'm just concerned that most of my holiday, will be spent looking out of train windows.
The kids have 17 countries on the must visit list.
 

The Big Richo

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Aug 19, 2010
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The home of Dusty
If anyone has first hand experience with Italy I'd love to hear it.

My daughter has decided to get married there at the end of next year despite the fact none of us have ever been there.

Planning to fly over before the end of the year to check out some places but would be nice to narrow it down a bit first.