What happens when the airline changes your domestic reward flight?

We’ve all been there. Flight booked, hotel arranged – and then, chaos descends. The airline changes your domestic flight – or worse, cancels it altogether. What do you do? What can you do?

In a way, it’s funny. When you cancel your flight, you have to follow the rules. There can be change fees, fare differences – or when you’ve booked with points, the need to find an available reward seat to switch onto. But when the airline disrupts your journey, it’s practically free rein to find a solution.

Here’s how to get your domestic adventure back on-track when your airline changes or cancels your domestic reward flight.

When Qantas changes your domestic flight

When Qantas tweaks your domestic travel plans, the door is open to full flexibility. But sometimes, you need to know to ask. Especially when your flight is delayed, rather than cancelled outright.

For instance, let’s say you arrive at the airport and learn your flight will now depart later. Don’t just accept it – find somebody to talk to. If you have checked baggage, this would be the staff at check-in. Otherwise, at the airside service desk or lounge reception desk, if you qualify for lounge access. A simple “my flight is delayed but there’s one departing earlier, would it be possible to switch?” can be all that’s needed. As long as there are still seats available on that new flight, it’s been a quick switcheroo.

But what about when Qantas changes your domestic reward flight completely – for instance, by cancelling your original flight? More often than not, an alternative flight will automatically take its place. You can then choose to accept this flight, or can often choose a different flight online, at no fee. After all, Qantas cancelled your original flight. You’re not going to be penalised for that.

If there isn’t a suitable alternative available, you can generally request a full refund. Or, depending on how far ahead the cancellation occurs, you might be able to call and secure an alternative option not presented online.

My experience with requesting an alternative

Here’s one example where requesting another flight proved successful. The situation? I was once booked to fly Brisbane to Launceston via Sydney. A couple of months before departure, I received word that the Sydney-Launceston leg had been cancelled. As part of that, I could choose to accept an alternative connecting flight. The airline suggested I have a longer connection than before – but I had a better idea.

I discovered that, since booking my ticket, Qantas had introduced non-stop Brisbane-Launceston flights. Of course, these weren’t available when I’d originally booked. I picked up the phone and explained the situation. I asked that, given I was already booked to fly from Brisbane to Launceston, could I simply fly Brisbane-Launceston non-stop? It turns out, yes. Done: ticket changed with minimal fuss. It didn’t matter that there were no reward seats on that desired leg. All that matters is that my original flight is cancelled. It’s Qantas’ problem to get me there.

You can find more information about scenarios like this in the published Qantas Schedule Change Policy. Sometimes, Commercial Policies can provide even greater freedoms. For instance, during major disruptions like Cyclone Alfred.

When there’s a disruption to your Jetstar domestic ticket

Booking Jetstar flights using points generally takes place through Qantas Frequent Flyer. So when Jetstar changes (or cancels) your domestic reward flight, the options are similar.

The system will usually offer you an alternative flight, which you can accept. Or you may be able to select a flight that suits you better, via the Qantas website. If that’s not an option, be prepared to call.

If your disruption occurs far in advance, call the Qantas Frequent Flyer team. Because Qantas issues the ticket, they’ll need to handle your flight change to get you travelling again. But if the change happens at the last minute, Jetstar might need to action the change. Jetstar’s compensation and refunds policy explains more.

When Virgin Australia changes your domestic flight

Over at Virgin Australia, you can expect similar flexibility when the airline changes or cancels your domestic reward flight. By default, when there’s a cancellation, Virgin Australia will offer the best available alternative. But whether that alternative is even suitable will depend on your own plans.

In my experience, the airline takes Velocity status into account when rebooking to those alternatives. For instance, I once had a Brisbane-Sydney reward flight cancelled. At the time, I had Velocity Platinum. An industry colleague, on a separate booking, had Velocity Silver. With flight loads already high that day, I was offered a flight that evening. But my colleague was offered a flight the next day, requiring an overnight in Newcastle. (Yes, ouch!)

Virgin Australia says that in these circumstances, “we prioritise based on a variety of factors to ensure that all guests can get to their destination as quickly and safely as possible. We take into account connections, booking size, Velocity status, fare class, booking dates, individual requirements and availability of spots across our network of aircraft.”

But what happens when the alternative doesn’t suit? First, you can see what other options might be available. But in the absence of something suitable, you can take the option of a full refund. That’s exactly what I did. After all, my cancelled flight was to have departed at 8 am. I had a dinner to attend, so rebooking me to fly at 6 pm – the first available alternative – clearly isn’t a good fit.

After declining to travel, I received a full refund of the Velocity Points and taxes/fees paid. But I had to buy a last-minute flight on another airline to get where I needed to be – at my own expense. Virgin Australia’s Guest Compensation Policy hints that it may have been possible to put a case together to be reimbursed for this unexpected cost. But it’s not automatic, and the airline already notes that “flight times don’t form part of your contract with us.” Clearly, it’s an uphill battle.

Also read: Qantas’ new reward seat tables from August

Featured image courtesy of Virgin Australia.