Qantas Schedule Change Policy
This policy provides instructions on managing and servicing schedule changes.
A schedule change is an involuntary change to a flight where a UN/TK is generated to your customer’s booking to notify you of a cancellation or change. A disruption is an involuntary change to a flight less than 72 hours prior to departure where, close to departure, no UN/TK is generated to the booking and Qantas deals directly with the customer.
To understand how disruptions are handled, refer to: Schedule Change and Disruption Handling Guide.
If no reaccommodation has been offered or if the new flight is not acceptable, you will need to rebook you customer in accordance with this policy. Each option below contains instructions on rebooking, ticketing and refund.
Please select from ONE of the following four options dependent on the flight that has been schedule changed:
Other Airline Flights on a Qantas ticket
Rebooking
When a schedule change occurs on another airline’s prime flight that is ticketed on a QF (081 ticket) as part of a Qantas Through fare, rebook to another flight operated by the same airline:
- On the same day; or
- A day either side; or
- To the next available; and
- In the same class; or
- For connecting QF operated and marketed connecting flights only, rebook in the lowest class in cabin if the same booking class is not available.
This policy does not apply to other airline connecting flights that are issued on a separate ticket.
Note: If the other airline flight affected by a schedule change is ticketed as a separate fare and is unsuitable, the flight should be cancelled, and the affected coupon refunded after travel is complete.
All tickets impacted by a schedule change must be either revalidated or re-issued.
Revalidation
You can revalidate a reaccommodated Qantas operated and marketed flight following a schedule change, unless booked through Qantas NDC, if it is for the same city pairs and in the same booking class. No authority is required. Where possible, the ticket is automatically revalidated by Qantas when the schedule change is generated to your customer’s booking, this includes Qantas NDC bookings.
Reissue is required in all other cases.
Reissue
For schedule changes to codeshare and other airline prime flights as well as changes to routing and booking class, and for Qantas NDC bookings, the ticket must be reissued as follows:
- All details of the original ticket to be shown on the new ticket including fare basis and fare calculation
- No additional collection or refund of fare, surcharges, and ticket taxes
- No change fees
- Any existing data in the tour code box is to be retained
- The following authority added to the endorsement box
For flights with a Qantas flight number:
‘QFSKEDCHG’
For flights with another airline’s flight number:
’OASKEDCHGAA111/10MAY’ - including the airline, flight number and date
Once a schedule change has been accepted and the ticket has been reissued, further changes will be considered voluntary, and any additional fare, taxes and fees will apply.
Ticket in Credit
Your customer’s ticket can be held in credit for future travel. Include the authority in the ticket endorsement when you reissue the ticket to waive the change fee. Additional fare, surcharges and ticket taxes may apply.
This option is unavailable for Canadian flights.
Refund
If the schedule change is not acceptable and your customer does not want to hold their ticket in credit for future travel, you can request a refund of the Qantas (081) ticket. Ensure all flights that are no longer required are cancelled.
If your customer’s ticket is fully refundable, no authority is required, and you should process an automated refund through your Technology Partner system.
For tickets that have a cancellation fee, manual refund requests can be processed through BSPlink/ARC. The Refund Application must:
- Include proof of the cancellation/schedule change
- Be requested on the original ticket, the ticket cannot be reissued
Qantas releases a Commercial Policy when extraordinary circumstances such as weather events and natural disasters may impact our customers’ travel plans. A Commercial Policy provides options for affected customers and an authority to service their tickets. For details of our current policies, refer to: Commercial Policies Library
If your customer’s flight impacted by a schedule change is to or from Canada, please refer to: Requirements for Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulations
Following a QF schedule change, our auto-revalidation process attempts to revalidate the ticket. If the ticket has been revalidated and your customer accepts the change, no further action is required.
If your customer does not accept the change, reshop to an alternative flight.
If you have rebooked the flight or if QF has not revalidated the ticket, you’ll need to reissue your customer’s ticket. No waiver code is required to be added to the ticket if your technology partner has developed the Qantas NDC involuntary change capability. Refer to your technology partner for further information.