Qantas changes expiry on COVID-19 flight credits – with a catch

Customers got flight credit over the previous three years because of the upheaval of regularly altering border closures and COVID-19 circumstances.

Travellers with Qantas and its price range airline Jetstar beforehand needed to e book and full their journeys by December 31 this 12 months.

But at the moment, the airline introduced a slight change to permit clients extra time to plan the journey.

Now, clients who’ve flight credit score can e book flights to finish till December 31, 2024, nevertheless, they need to e book the flights by December 31 this 12 months.

For instance, clients might e book a flight for August subsequent 12 months however would want to ahead plan and e book it by the tip of this 12 months.

Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer Markus Svensson stated the change was made to make it simpler for purchasers who have been pissed off by flight cancellations and border closures over the previous three years to make use of their credit score.

“We literally had millions of bookings that were cancelled during several waves of lockdowns and border closures,” he stated.

“No airline had systems that were designed to manage that in a seamless way and we realise there’s been frustration for some customers as a result.

“Our foremost aim is for everybody who has a COVID credit score to have the ability to put it to good use, which is why we’re doing one remaining extension of the journey expiry date by 12 months.

“Whether it’s for a domestic flight in Australia or internationally, this year or next, the extension of the travel date really opens up more opportunities for our customers to plan their next trip.”

Credit can be utilized on sale fares, frequent flyer flight promotions, and full-fare flights.

Qantas claims greater than $2 billion value of flight credit have been racked up throughout the pandemic.

There remains to be $800 million value of flight credit remaining for flight cancellations and buyer cancellations.

Most of the credit score held by clients is for lower than $500, Qantas revealed.

New information confirmed the ACCC was contacted almost 1740 occasions over the 2021-2022 monetary 12 months, greater than some other airline, and 68 per cent up on the earlier 12 months.

Leading complaints included points associated to refunds and flight credit associated to flights cancelled attributable to pandemic journey restrictions, and delayed and cancelled flights in mid-2022.

Complaints to the patron watchdog involving Jetstar declined 33 per cent from 2020-21 to 544.