Image Credit: Qantas
The Qantas Group is renewing calls for customers with COVID-era travel credits to use them towards booking a trip before the deadline of 31 December 2023. Trips can be taken through until December 2024[2].
The push coincides with the launch of a new customer tool, ‘Find My Credit’, which can help locate bookings that are up to three years old, that may have been changed several times due to numerous waves of border changes during the pandemic.
Around $2 billion worth of COVID credits were issued across the Qantas Group, with most generated when borders suddenly slammed shut in March 2020 causing mass flight cancellations, which no airline system was designed to deal with.
This figure continues to drop each week as more customers claim their credits. For Qantas customers in Australia the figure now stands at just over $400 million, comprised of around $250 million in bookings made directly with Qantas and $150 million in bookings made through travel agents and other third parties.
As a further incentive, Qantas customers who book a flight using a COVID credit between today and 31 July 2023 will receive double Frequent Flyer points.
The majority of Qantas customers with a COVID credit still have the option to request a refund if they prefer, and Qantas has also streamlined the process to trigger that (see information for customers, below).
These changes follow a number of earlier initiatives to help customers use their credits, including extending the expiry date three times (most recently by a further 12 months), establishing a dedicated help line with specially trained staff and sending email reminders to customers.
COMMENTS FROM MARKUS SVENSSON, QANTAS GROUP CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER
“We know the credits system has been challenging because of the sheer complexity of putting millions of bookings in a holding pattern for up to three years.
“We’ve made a number of improvements to our systems along the way and that’s clear from the amount of credit that has already been claimed.
“Qantas has one of the most flexible COVID credit policies of any airline, including among our global peers, and we’ve extended the booking expiry date three times.
“The majority of the COVID credits we hold can be converted into refunds but we can’t do it automatically as the credit cards used for the purchase as far back as 2019 may have expired.
“We’d obviously like customers to use their COVID credit to fly with us, but if they’d prefer a refund, we’re putting additional processes in place to help with that.”
INFORMATION FOR CUSTOMERS
HOW TO USE THE ‘FIND MY CREDIT’ TOOL
Find My Credit is a web-based tool accessed via qantas.com. It allows customers to search for COVID credits using their original booking reference that is up to three years old, even if it has been reissued or converted to a Qantas Pass.
By putting in their original booking details and surname or email address, the system will search for their credit and automatically email the detail they need to redeem their credit to the address on file. (See screenshots, below.)
It can also help customers who made bookings through travel agents by allowing them to check their up to date ticket number and travel agent details.
Qantas customers with a Jetstar voucher will also be able to use the tool to help locate vouchers.
Jetstar customers can continue to use LiveChat or the voucher balance checker at jetstar.com to help find their voucher or check their balance.
HOW TO CLAIM DOUBLE POINTS
Qantas customers who book flights using their credits before 31 July will be eligible for double Qantas points.
To access the double points promotion, customers will need to register at www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/member-offers/double-points-travel-credits.html and book an eligible flight with a QF flight number. Double points will be awarded from eight weeks after travel.
HOW TO REQUEST A REFUND
About 80 per cent of customers who have COVID credits have the option of a refund if they prefer, and we’ve further streamlined the process.
This includes automating a number of systems to reduce the amount of time taken by our call centre operators in processing refund requests and reducing the amount of paperwork required to access a refund if a customer’s details have changed.
If customers have made a booking directly through Qantas, they can call the Travel Credit Concierge Team on 1300 171 505 to request a refund. We will also email customers who have made a booking directly with Qantas over the coming weeks to remind them how to access a refund if they prefer.
If a booking was made through a travel agent, customers should contact the agent directly to request a refund. Customers with COVID credits who do not have the option of a refund but whose circumstances have changed and who are no longer able to use their credit are also encouraged to contact Qantas to discuss a refund.
[1] Figure represents COVID-era credits for Australian Qantas customers yet to be redeemed. Does not include Jetstar. COVID credits refers to travel credits for bookings up to and including 30 September 2021
[2] At any point Qantas travel can be booked up to a maximum of 353 days in advance, which reflects system range. On 31 December 2023, this will mean travel can be booked up to 19 December 2024. Jetstar vouchers can be used to book any flight, which are generally made available for booking 12 months in advance of travel
