Qantas: Flight credits and refunds – extended till 2022!

Earlier to day, I wrote about the demise of my trip to the Caribbean, due to the cancellation of my outbound flight from Sydney to New York. It’s OK, I’ve cried all I can cry. Guess I lost my chance to experience the refurbished Qantas A380.

Major extension to flight credits

Well, in that initial communication from Qantas, they said they would follow up with specifics about my options for a refund or rebook. Today I received the more detailed good news. You can read the full missive below, but let me headline it for you?

• Flight Credits now expire on 31 December 2022
  If your credit was issued from 1 February for travel before 31 October 2020 it’s now valid for booking and travel up until 31 December 2022 – that’s’ Twenty-twenty-two!
• Flight credits can be applied over multiple bookings
  The booking must have been made pre-30 April 2020, and travel on Qantas was between 31 January and 31 October 2020
• You can get a refund without change or cancellation fees
  If previously you had taken a Flight Credit due to cancellation by you or Qantas, or if Qantas made a substantial change to your flight. Call 131313
• Double Status credits on the new Sydney to Ballina (Byron Bay) route
  You need to book between 18 and 24 June for travel between 1 July and 31 August 2020

The email goes on . . .

2PAXfly Takeout

The aviation industry has a difficult road ahead when it comes to sustainability. It’s going to require a relative revolution in technology, with ‘electric planes’ or hydrogen planes, or some form of jet engine that doesn’t require a carbon based fuel. And that is going to require the development of an alternative to jet engines probably.

It’s a big ask. It will take time to develop.

This move to home grown and manufactured SAF is a first step – maybe even a baby step in a very long road of innovation. In the long run, US$200 million won’t even touch the sides.

Mmmmm credit or cash; credit or cash . . . Decisions will have to be made.

This is a smart mood by Qantas. Given government indications that international borders will not be open until the beginning of 2022, this is still only effectively a 12 month period for Qantas customers to apply their credit to international flights. From the same prespective, it is probably more like an 18 month extension if you wish to apply your credit to domestic routes.

I’m still not out of the woods, because my inbound flight is for November. I think I’ll wait until they cancel that before I take action.

On Sydney to Ballina – I have a credit, so I feel a trip north coming on!