August 31st 2023.
The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic may feel like a distant memory, but many Australians are still dealing with its effects. This is especially true for those who have unused flight credits from Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin after flights were cancelled due to border closures. In fact, as of late August 2020, Qantas revealed that it was holding around $500 million in unredeemed credits. Many customers have reported that the process of using them or getting a refund is not straightforward.
Qantas is holding approximately $370 million of unredeemed credits. Those affected can either request a refund or use the credits to book a future flight. The airline has removed the expiry date on these credits, meaning they will last indefinitely. However, the credits can only be used to book flights until December 31, 2023, as there is a system limitation in place. After that, customers will have to claim a cash refund. To find your credit, use the "Find my credit" tool on the Qantas website and to claim a refund, call 1300 668 885.
Jetstar, a part of the Qantas Group, also has unredeemed vouchers with no expiry date. As of late August, the airline was holding about $100 million in unclaimed flight credits. The catch is that these credits can only be used to book future flights, not for refunds. To claim your voucher, contact Jetstar via their online live chat service. Customers must also contact Jetstar to have their vouchers extended past their expiry dates.
Virgin Australia flight credits are more complicated. The company went into voluntary administration in April 2020, so if you had a booking on or before that date, you are considered an unsecured creditor and cannot receive a refund. If you booked after April 20, 2020, you may be able to get a cash refund depending on the fare type. Flight credits issued from August 2022 onwards can only be used for flights before December 31, 2023 and have a 12 month expiry. There are also a limited number of seats on each Virgin flight that can be booked using credits. To book a flight using travel credits, select "Future Flight Credit fares" under "special fares" when making your booking, log into your Travel Bank account, and use the Travel Bank balance on the payment screen. For more details, visit the Virgin Australia website.
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