This week our members discuss the compensation received from Qantas after their flight was ruined by defective on-board equipment. Issues warranting compensation on recent flights range from faulty in-flight entertainment systems to broken seats; and the compensation received varied from a few thousand points to many hundreds of dollars.
Although most passengers would prefer that the on-board equipment worked properly in the first place, there are several options when it comes to requesting compensation after a poor in-flight experience. One method is to contact the airline’s customer service department. In the case of Qantas, the purser may also be able to facilitate some form of compensation, in the form of bonus frequent flyer points, or perhaps some complimentary duty-free.
The most common method of compensation offered appears to be in the form of frequent flyer points. However the number of points offered varies considerably. One Qantas passenger received 10,000 points for a faulty in-flight entertainment system on a domestic flight. By comparison, another passenger was given just 5,000 points as compensation for a faulty business class seat that was stuck in an upright position all the way from London to Australia. Many members believe this amount was not sufficient.
Some passengers have been offered cash compensation for on-board failures. Amounts vary, though one Qantas customer received $600 because their seat was faulty on a flight to Hong Kong.
If you’ve experienced a problem in-flight, our members recommend contacting the airline as soon as possible, and being assertive if you are not offered a satisfactory level of compensation.
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