Qatar Airways launches free flight ticket changes FOR ALL whilst S7 launches full refunds

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Qatar Airways has become the latest airline to bring in a change waiver.

The waiver applies to new bookings AND existing bookings. Here’s looking at you, BA and Virgin Atlantic …..

This waiver is also more flexible than the one offered by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, because Qatar Airways WILL allow you to cancel. The only snag is that your refund will be in the form of a Qatar Airways travel voucher, valid for 12 months.

The waiver applies for tickets booked for travel by 30th June. Up until three days before departure you can either request a change of date (repriced based on the current fare for the date you want) or take the voucher.

You can read more on the Qatar Airways website here.

S7 Airlines also shows how it should be done ……

S7, based in Russia and part of the oneworld alliance alongside British Airways, has announced that ALL tickets are now refundable.

Any ticket bought in any class from now until 10th April can be refunded up to 40 minutes before departure for a 1,000 Ruble (£11) administration fee.

Let’s see how long it takes for British Airways, Virgin Atlantic etc to copy this. I don’t see any other realistic solution in the medium term.

Category

Qatar Airways and Privilege Club

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Jb1000 says:

7 Mar7 March 07:20

I’m struggling to find solid answer on this. Is it possible to self refer from Personal AMEX Gold to BA PP Black card and get bonus MR?
- Genghis says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 07:35
  
  Yes. But I wouldn’t given Amex have shut down self referers in the US.
  - BJ says:
    
    7 Mar7 March 08:42
    
    They have also updated their IT in the UK within the last week so who knows what dangers and/or opportunities that might present.
  - Anuj says:
    
    7 Mar7 March 09:01
    
    If I already have Amex, but want to apply for a different additional card. Is it against the rules to use someone else’s referral link to apply?
    - Shoestring says:
      
      7 Mar7 March 09:09
      
      that’s fine, your spouse/ partner’s is fine too
    - Nick_C says:
      
      7 Mar7 March 09:09
      
      That’s absolutely fine. Couples are constantly referring each other. It’s referring yourself that might get your accounts closed down.
  - RakishDriver says:
    
    7 Mar7 March 10:54
    
    It’s because of this that I’m not taking any risks – I transferred out my stash of MR points recently after the last set of platinum referrals.
    Spoke to amex to cancel platinum – they just asked why, and then happily closed without any attempt at retention.
- Lady London says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 15:58
  
  see other comments. You’d be nuts.
  
  Try to sort it out so someone else can refer you – spouse, colleague, sibling,parent, son, daughter, in-law. You can refer them later.
Jon says:

7 Mar7 March 07:41

Has anyone managed to change their QR flight under manage my booking online? I either get what seems like an change charge or an error message saying no flights available (which I know there are – I still want to fly but thought I’d change to a more convenient flight time)
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 08:27
  
  There’s still a price difference to pay so if the better times price is a higher price than you booked for that’ll be the fee you are being asked for.
KBuffett says:

7 Mar7 March 07:46

OT – Has anyone managed to convince AMEX to honour their offers if the retailer has processed the payment a couple l of days after the offer expires?
I made some online purchase on the expiry date at Apple and Lakeland. Doesn’t look like they’ve qualified for the offer and the processing dates and beyond the expiry.
- Peter K says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 08:42
  
  There is usually a get out clause for Amex like this one for the Outnet:
  
  Spend must be billed to your Card account by 26/3/2020, to be eligible for this offer. If THE OUTNET does not charge your Card during this period, e.g. because of a delay in dispatching your goods, you may not be eligible for this offer.
  
  So it looks like you may be unfortunate.
Paul says:

7 Mar7 March 07:56

Hilton Bath- ugly on the outside uglier inside. Service was pitiful!
Paul says:

7 Mar7 March 08:04

Think to S7 waiver is by far the most reassuring. QR is not far behind and I am still planning travel both East and West where it is safe to do so.
Those plans don’t involve BA though primarily due to their stance on this and because their fares are at eye wateringly stupid levels given the lack of business. No one is going to risk paying £3/4 to cross the pond given their clear intransigence. Stupid!
- Peter K says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 08:18
  
  I’d pay £3 or £4!!!
- P says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 08:49
  
  Unlike you to slate BA Paul 😉
  - Abe says:
    
    7 Mar7 March 08:53
    
    And yet BA always speaks so highly of Paul!
    - Sloth says:
      
      7 Mar7 March 09:39
      
      Well they do because despite his constant moaning about them he continues to book with them…
- Lady London says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 15:32
  
  Come on this is poker as the biggest player BA are not going to fold too soon.
  
  Just possible this may all blow over reasonably soon and, while sadly infections probably will continue, panic will subside.
Roger says:

7 Mar7 March 08:37

anyone with screenshot for Amex SPG card who applied before change over?
Very grateful.
- Shoestring says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 09:08
  
  Roger did you see the banner at the top of your online a/c? (Now replaced with Flybe banner)
  
  But it read: [We no longer offer the SPG card as it has been rebranded to Marriott Bonvoy. We will write to you in June about migrating you to this new product. You will continue to enjoy your existing benefits including 3 points/ £ on all eligible spend. 6 points/ £ on spend at Marriott properties.]
  
  so you don’t really need a screenshot – they know the date you got your SPG card and if it was before the cutoff (ISTR 22 January???) then you are fully entitled to the 3 points/ £ and these have restarted after the brief couple of days when it mistakenly went down to 2 ponts/ £. Just go on Chat and spout that at them, get it escalated to a supervisor if you get a dumb BSing agent – & ask for any missing points by starting a formal enquiry/ complaint
  - Roger says:
    
    7 Mar7 March 09:30
    
    No, I have no such banner on my account .
    - Shoestring says:
      
      7 Mar7 March 09:32
      
      As I already mentioned, it got replaced with the Flybe banner
      - Roger says:
        
        7 Mar7 March 09:46
        
        I mean I never had a banner prior to current flybe banner
      - Shoestring says:
        
        7 Mar7 March 09:49
        
        I should just go on Chat and spout the banner at them anyway, if you got your card before the cutoff date you’ll be fine
        
        I’m back on 3 points/ £ with just a couple of transactions on 2 points/ £, not enough to stop me closing down the card as soon as the next points transfer goes through
  - Robert says:
    
    7 Mar7 March 10:27
    
    I noticed the banner and immediately got on to Chat (having recently applied for the card under the old system). They’ve given me a ref# and said they will look in to it – I’m going to get back in touch in a few days as requested and see what’s happened. I notice today, though, the “points earned” box has disappeared from the Amex account page – assume this is just while they re-update the systems to honour the promise they made in the banner, but I’d already spent almost £1000 on the card already.
Paul says:

7 Mar7 March 09:02

RE: QRs cancellation policy: what is “for travel up to 30 June 2020” supposed to mean? That your original itinerary should be completed but the, or just the outbound? If it is the former, I am guessing a change of date to, for example July, would entail quite a big fare difference, as this is usually high season. (Even if the change fees are waived). Thanks
- Joseph Heenan says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 10:00
  
  I’d presume just the outbound (it seems to relate to cancelling the full trip, cancelling only inbound doesn’t appear the be catered for) – the text on Qatar’s website refers to ‘departure’. Probably worth asking them if yours stradle end June. Text from their website:
  
  Passengers travelling with Qatar Airways up to 30 June 2020 can now change their travel plans free of charge by altering their booking dates or opting to receive a travel voucher up to three days prior to departure.
  
  Fees for booking alterations will be waived if reservations are changed at least three days before departure. Fare differences may apply. The travel voucher can be used for future travel with Qatar Airways, valid for one year from its issuance date. Penalties will be waived if cancellations are submitted at least three days before departure.
  
  This policy is valid for all Qatar Airways flights and those of its codeshare and interline partners booked as published fares, either directly from or through travel agents.
Tony says:

7 Mar7 March 09:21

OT: What is the MCC of Cash withdrawal on Curve?
- Travel Strong says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 09:49
  
  “Mail Order / Phone / Online Purchase” is the description for the MCC, but thats all I see i’m afraid.
  It always goes through as a purchase either way – but be aware of curve limits, they are the limiting factor (e.g. £200/month fee free on blue card)
- stevenhp1987 says:
  
  7 Mar7 March 11:16
  
  MCC 6540 – POI Funding Transactions