Hi there, I’m trying my lucky asking on this article as I’m in quite a dilemma right now and didn’t really know what is the best way out.

We used Qantas points to redeem 2 business reward flights for Emirates from Zurich to Dubai, and Dubai to Brisbane (1 business / 1 first). Leg one is supposed to have departed on the 16th night arriving 17th morning. However due to the floods in Dubai our flights were cancelled and Emirates is now asking us to contact our travel agent (Qantas) to rebook our flights instead of automatically rebooking for us.

We are going to attempt calling Qantas tmr when the office phone line operates again. We just are not sure what we should watch out for….

Thanks a lot for this article, it supported my spine a great deal while I was going through the motions. I had business class flights from Melbourne to Frankfurt and return from Helsinki to Singapore booked with QF Classic points flying Japan Airlines through Tokyo both ways. (2 passengers)
First JAL changed the MEL-HND leg from a day flight to an overnight flight, resulting in us arriving in Tokyo 6 hours after the connecting flight is supposed to leave. 5 calls to Qantas, 3 hrs, 20 minutes! of waiting for responses and heated discussions, with much insistence from my end that I have a confirmed booking in hand and that means an obligation on Qantas to take me there. After much umming and ahhing and repeatedly asking me to cancel the flight they relented and booked us on a Qantas flight via London followed by a short BA leg to Frankfurt. Leaving next Sunday, and I sure hope that they deliver on the newly confirmed ticket.
Then JAL decided to fly the southern route around Russia rather than the northern one, resulting in 4 hours longer flighttime from Helsinki to Tokyo and subsequently missing our connecting flight. Same hassle, but more calls this time (15, > 6 hours), several complaints, a call to JAL, who said that the ticket belongs to Qantas and it's out of their hands. Now I have a confirmed ticket with a flight from Helsinki to Tokyo on it, and a connecting flight from Tokyo to Singapore - which we cannot reach, because it leaves before the originating flight arrives, and another reservation on the same route some hours later. Qantas claims they cannot "unmarry" the original flight that is on the ticket, even if it is clearly a useless reservation, given that we cannot get there in time due to JAL's flight change.
The lesson: Be firm and stick to your guns. Thanks again for the article!

Great article, Immanuel. Does anyone have tips or tricks to bypass the standard call center run-around and get to someone who can/will actually help? A magic phone number of email address would be valuable to a lot of people here. My partner and I have had our flights (CDG-HKG-BNE Sept 2023) cancelled and five calls and several emails later are still no closer to getting home. We have time though so I'd like to have a crack at getting Qantas to fix the issue rather than just accept the refund and purchase a ticket. Do you think an application to QCAT might prompt them into action? Or an EU261 claim? or both?

Hi Immanuel
I had booked through my travel agent two first class tickets to ORD on one of Qantas first flights on this new route. Then Covid came and the trip was cancelled. Now I try to book two business tickets to the US from BRE, SYD and/or MEL. Nothing. I have tried website & calling for months, dozen & dozens of times. I have kept a records of these attempts. My next step is to sue them. Can you comment on this strategy?

Hi Immanuel,
was reading this thread and interested in your opinion regarding my situation.
I booked a rewards flight with Qantas to Bali. The only option available was on a Jetstar flight.
Jetstar cancelled our outbound flight shortly after we arrived at the airport. After waiting in the check in line for 90 minutes, ground staff finally handed us a scrap of paper and said to call this number (Jetstar) for a refund or credit.
Jetstar then advised they could not refund me as I had booked through a third party, Qantas.
Qantas have now advised that as Jetstar was the operating carrier who cancelled the flight, I need to speak to them about my refund.
Do I keep pursuing this with Qantas or do I just try my luck through my travel insurance?

I had a similar experience where Qantas cancelled a portion of my return leg home flying Helsinki-Tokyo-Sydney. The alternative Qantas offered was to overnight in Tokyo but under Japanese immigration law this was not allowed at the time of travel. I spent countless hours on the phone speaking to their call centre zombies but as these are now all offshore they have the brains and empathy of a swamp rat.
Despite asking them several times to find an alternate route they made absolutely no attempt to assist and in the end I was left stranded at Paris airport and had to purchase a ticket home at full economy price (even though I had confirmed business class ticket). I lodged a claim with Qantas on my return and two months later still have not had any assistance even though I have clearly spelled our my legal rights and the obligations that Qantas has under EU Aviation law. I have even written letters to their Managing Director (Andrew David) and their Head of Loyalty (Olivia Wirth) but neither has had the courtesy to bother to respond.
I thought I might be able to do something via my travel insurance but amazingly the policy does not cover the passenger if the airline cancels the flight other than for industrial action or technical faults. I went through the policy wording with a fine tooth comb and was only able to get them to stump up for the additional accomodation expenses I incurred. They are probably assuming that the passenger will get re-imbursement from the airline as is required by law but basically Qantas is ignoring its legal responsibilities.
I have complained via the Airline Consumer Advocate but I think they are so swamped with complaints from being this years winner of the Shonky Awards that they have not yet had a chance to respond. In my opinion Qantas Frequent Flyer points are now completely worthless and I am on a personal mission to inflict as much pain as I can on Qantas commercially.
I am now seriously considering engaging someone like Slater and Gordon to put together a class action as it is pretty clear Qantas does not care.

Just had our Cathay flight disappear from my bookings. We are due to fly home on 26 December, Qantas tell me they have until 10th December to reinstate flight or will just refund my points and taxes. I want them to find me a new flight though as paid flights are very expensive then. Don’t know what to do.

Great article!
We have had our flight home cancelled, no solution offered or found yet. Booked classic rewards from Lisbon to Melbourne - Lisbon to LHR on BA, QF metal the rest.

Qantas is saying they are doing us a ‘favour’ by re-booking/re-routing as it’s a partner airline- but your article gives me the confidence to argue otherwise.

They have booked us on a flight home but haven’t issued the tickets yet, apparently flight is oversold.
Partner is gold status, they’re still not finding us a solution, it’s very frustrating. We do not want a refund!

Hi Immanuel! I've booked a QF classic rewards flight from AMS to LCY on BA metal, looking through my Qantas app I found that this flight was missing and investigating further it looks like the fought is cancelled. No alternative was given, and QANTAS on the phone has said that they can book me the next day (which doesn't fit into my travel plans). There is a KLM that leaves at a similar time but there's only business reward seats available on the website. Should they be rebooking me for free on that, or to LHR/LGW even if it's not available on points?

This is a great post, thank you!! We booked business seats on Cathay from CDG - HKG - SYD in October last year to travel this October. Cathay changed our flight to leave HKG to SYD before we'd bloody arrived from Paris. Qantas did the old "there's no classic reward seats available, so you can have a refund". I gave them the Cathay flight number 18 hours later which we'd be happy to take to get back to SYD.....I'll give them a week, read the conditions of carriage then buckle in for the call back to Qantas. This is not OK to make people go thru this shit....

I booked qantas rewards flights Vancouver to Perth one way connecting in HK for travel jan 2023. Recently Cathay dropped flight to HK and put us on a later flight same day with a connecting flight in Hong kong that leaves the day before we arrive!! Called qantas twice both times said no other reward flights Cathay cancelled flight nothing they could do. I did tell qantas not to cancel it. I have now paid 3000 for 2 pax one way van perth made online with Cathay leaving a day earlier with the same connecting flight that I had on points the day earlier but qantas wouldn’t let me cancel just the flight to Hk, and Travel insurance says I need evidence from airline stating why it was cancelled before they will reimburse me, qantas says to get letter from Cathay. What do you think? I live in perth. Have another one way booking Perth syd Honolulu Vancouver and a previous trip not taken due to Qatar not honouring rewards booking I cancelled via lax and opted for Doha routing when Westjet cancelled connecting flight. Never got a ticket for Doha in hindsight I could have paid any airline from la to van. I still trusted qantas then. I am now thinking one needs two or three bookings at a time just in case!

Used Qantas FF point. We are both Platinum/ Emerald one world.
We have a similar problem booked Business awards. Emirates to Glasgow and no problems so far with this booking.
Return London to Perth via Hong Kong. Cathy brought the London Flight forward by 6 hours which was OK - a 9 hour layover but Ok Then they cancelled the flight from HK to Perth and re booked us a day later. This would mean 36 hours in Transit which is not allowed nor are we able to go into HK for the night ( have to quarantine for & nights)
Having hugh problems with Qantas who say they have found me another flight so no longer their problem. The call centre tell me they have no supervisors to speak to!!!.
I have sent emails to customer care and FF with no response.
Never had this sort of treatment with qantas before and am unsure where to go/do next.
Any ideas?

Hi Immanuel, love your site, and great post - even knowing what terminology to use on the phone is invaluable!

I’ve booked a OneWorld Business RTW trip using (hard-earned) Qantas points. 3 weeks to go before it begins, and suddenly my LHR > JFK leg with BA has disappeared (BA cancelled the flight). No options/alternatives offered, so I called Qantas, they said they would need to contact BA as no more reward seats appearing (but I can see several BA J seats available to purchase that day). They told me they would email BA, will take a few days to hear back (given it’s the weekend) - does that sound right to you? I’m nervous that with each passing day, my options are starting to run out.

I booked this itinerary 9 months ago, arranged dates to meet friends and family along the way, booked hotels and events, etc. Now, just 3 weeks before lift-off, I’m afraid the wheels might be starting to fall off! What would you do in this scenario?

Hi Immanuel,

My partner and I usually travel during school holidays when there isn't much availability. What would happen if a rewards flight was cancelled and there weren't any other rewards flights available? Would Qantas then have to find a paid flight for me?

Hi Immanuel, I booked a Syd - Dar using QANTAS rewards points for me and the family. Date was firm as I had accommodation booked. My rewards flight was cancelled, and there was no other reward flights. QANTAS said the only thing they could do on the day was a refund and I would have to re-book myself. I had to re-book for that day as it was our only option, and the re-booked flights cost an extra 207400 frequent flyer points. On top of the 75000 I had refunded. Would I have any right to be refunded some or all of the 207400 points I am now out of pocket due to QANTAS cancelling? Or chase it through the ACCC?

Hi Blaz, liked your summary also having dramas. Have booked a flight BNE to LAX then two more connecting flight, accommodation etc. Qantas has changed the classic rewards flight to arrive several hours after the connection leaves. The problem is the do have a flight at the same time as our original but a different flight number that does have seats but not classic rewards. All the tickets were booked through qantas at the same time. I’m feeling a bit taken advantage of when they say they can’t do anything apart from refund and won’t let us talk to a supervisor just promise to send an email. Any magic bullets that you can suggest?

I'm having similar issues.. all booked using American airlines point on oneworld flights (three airlines) in Business class . Booked months ago, with flights being changed all the time since then. Adelaide to Melbourne, Melbourne to Narita, Narita to Paris via Helsinki. Melbourne flight to Narita cancelled now, and the new flight no longer connects to Paris (with existing itinerary) The person I spoke to tells me that alternative flights don't have "availability" ..whatever that truly means. I suspect it is the reward flights that aren't available ,because the website still shows availability in business for a paid ticket. It gets tricky with multiple airlines, but having said that, both the Melbourne to Narita (Japan Air) and the Narita to Paris (Finnair) have changed schedules, so both airlines need to show me some flexibility here I think. Getting to Melbourne with Qantas shouldn't be a real concern as there are plenty of alternative options still on the table.

Great post! What do you think will happen to Qantas Rewards bookings on Cathay Pacific flights between Australia and Europe? I believe Cathay is cancelling these flights for the next few weeks, would Qantas have to find an alternative for you as well with another OneWorld/partner airline?

Do the same rules apply (i.e. it's up to the airline to re-accommodate you) on, for example, a multi-sector ticket that hasn't yet commenced?

‘If those options aren’t suitable for you, you will be entitled to a full refund; in this case, this will be points + taxes (any fees will be waived as well).’

What if you are part way through your trip when the remaining flights are cancelled? E.g if you had book a round the world ticket? Would they calculate the difference and refund based on the flights completed?