Epic fail for Qantas Price Promise [resolved]

[isdnman]

I had booked a ticket on Qantas.com and requested a price promise
Price Promise | Qantas

Last Friday, I booked for one adult the total fare was 1079 on Qantas.com
I found another website of the same flight about 1025.
So I grabbed a screenshot and sent it through the same day. (Price is for 1 adult)

Since I have booked used a voucher. It is impossible to add an infant to the booking.
So I added the infant into the booking after ticket is issued.

Then I got response from the Shr Sales Initiatives <[email protected]> team telling me the request is not valid.
Because it should be one adult and one infant price. So I sent them the updated screenshot quote the same day.

Then again I got response from them
We base our assessment on the first original submission.
It was rejected as the screenshot did not contain all the passenger numbers as per your booking

What a waste of time, they are really trying it very hard *NOT* to honor price guarantee.

Red Roo , are you able to help ?

 

[TomVexille]

I do think that QF's price promise terms are pretty strict and I'm not too sure of many instances of people being successful.

 

[Austman]

They are really pedantic. I've applied twice and have been successful twice.

 

[Red Roo]

Red Roo , are you able to help ?

As I'm not privy to the details of your case, please continue your conversation with the Price Promise team should you wish to include additional information for their consideration.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

As I'm not privy to the details of your case, please continue your conversation with the Price Promise team should you wish to include additional information for their consideration.

I think the issue appears to be that the price promise team is not willing to entertain additional information provided?

 

[RooFlyer]

As I'm not privy to the details of your case, <snip>.

Given its an anonymous forum, that shouldn't surprise us .

<snip>please continue your conversation with the Price Promise team should you wish to include additional information for their consideration.

It has been the case that Red Roo(s) sometimes offer PM correspondence to follow up, but I guess that purely at the discretion of the Red Roo at the time.

 

[isdnman]

As I'm not privy to the details of your case, please continue your conversation with the Price Promise team should you wish to include additional information for their consideration.

Thanks for your reply.
The problem is their altitude. They do not seem willing to accept price promise even though they had it in writing that they confirmed the lower price on that day I submitted my price match on the *other* website.
No further evidence is accept after the first original submission.

Their reply being:
We base our assessment on the first original submission.
Price Promise is rejected.

 

[isdnman]

I think the issue appears to be that the price promise team is not willing to entertain additional information provided?

Yes, spot on. That IS the problem.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes, spot on. That IS the problem.

The price promise page is a little difficult to interpret.

It says on the one hand the 'first valid claim per booking' will be successful, but then says only 'one claim in total can be made and it cannot be amended'.

Red Roo seemed to indicate you could enter into discussion with additional information - so it's confusing to say the least.

It might be argued that you haven't submitted a valid claim (because it didn't include the infant), so the second claim isn't an amendment... it's a brand new claim.

Again, confusing.

 

[emeline]

The problem is their altitude.

I've never had an issue with their altitude, thankfully.

 

[UP4014]

Yes the altitude is fine, the attitude is rubbish.

QF (Red Roo and the first point of contact) don't wish to do anything. Poor form and not good in my opinion. If you have a price promise and info supplied and more info supplied accept it, investigate it yourselves or abolish the price the promise, it's not worth wasting the electrons on the web page.

The spirit of the price promise is there, QF promote it, QF should honour it.

Matt

 

[Lone Wolf]

Qantas recently accepted 2/2 price match claims from me for a couple hundred in refunds each. The response was the same template and processed in a working day.

Yes the terms can be quite restrictive however there are also legitimate savings to be had.

In my opinion, the "apply once" term is there to discourage folks from starting a bidding war between different price guarantee offers.

In this instance the OP appears to have found a lower price that satisfies the terms apart from the clarification resulting in an extra claim. One option would be to cancel the original ticket under the 24hr grace period and purchase another to apply the price promise if the fares were still available?

Also one thing to be aware of is that the Price Promise does not refund credit card fees, even if the matched price does not charge extra for credit card use. Qantas will happily deduct the fees from your refund and keep it for themselves so it is not a true price "match".

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Qantas will happily deduct the fees from your refund and keep it for themselves so it is not a true price "match".

Gotta hand it to Jetstar here. They have a fantastic price match guarantee, they honour it, and are a pleasure to work with to help you achieve the savings.

 

[Austman]

One of my claims didn't quite meet the requirements and was initially rejected with the reason:

The screen capture does not display a date/time stamp.

But they also said:

We will be happy to reassess your claim if you could provide us a screenshot with the date/time stamp from the day you made your booking on qantas.com and submitted your claim. Please provide this by midnight tonight

And in my two successful claims they have stated:

Please be advised, any amendments to the itinerary prior to first flight departure, Price Promise would become invalid.

 

[mannej]

In this instance the OP appears to have found a lower price that satisfies the terms apart from the clarification resulting in an extra claim. One option would be to cancel the original ticket under the 24hr grace period and purchase another to apply the price promise if the fares were still available?

If you are referring to this - https://www.qantas.com/travel/airlines/same-day-no-mistake/global/en , it is only same day grace period (and subject to other conditions).

 

[CaptJCool]

And since I book stuff on an iPad or mobile device, just exactly how am I meant to get a screenshot with date and time????

The QF PRICE PROMISE HAS BEEN ENHANCED SUCH THAT ITS MEANINGLESS.
Like warranties and free air they never expect to have to actually have to pay out claims - it's so loaded in favour of one party even though the vast majority of customers act in good faith so let's punish everyone for that one kid in class who can't sit silent and still...
.
It's the classic give the customer something they value which costs you nothing. After all the dummy has to buy the ticket then make the claim... Feels like a contract variation on a new home build.... Charging like a wounded bull - sorry you didn't paperwork properly so you miss out. WTF
IT IS RISK AVERSE and if we are talking say $40 here and $200 there, why ???? WHats with all he unnecessary difficulties posed for customers ? The hoops to jump through are way too many

had a friend who in a travel agency who said they take price match guarantee seriously. And QF don't because if they did they would include in FAQs helpful info eg "what if my device doesn't screenshot with a date and time stamp ?" like how to capture their requirements on your device or they would honour it without the Red Roo tape.

Lastly, if they were serious, they would honour the Price match BEFORE you bought the ticket .... It's a case of bluff and who blinks first.

perhaps we need a new thread instructing people how to get a successful claim through?

 

[opusman]

Seems like Photoshop can solve a lot of these problems.

 

[medhead]

Why not go back to price promise and put out that the as booked fare did not include an infant, and that your claim is for the as booked fare for 1 adult only.

Subsequent changes are irrelevant. I do have to wonder why you added the infant. Should've been easy to predict this problem.

 

[isdnman]

Why not go back to price promise and put out that the as booked fare did not include an infant, and that your claim is for the as booked fare for 1 adult only.

Subsequent changes are irrelevant. I do have to wonder why you added the infant. Should've been easy to predict this problem.

I did register the details as 1 pax only. As per the original booking.
They kept saying the screenshot I included was for 1 pax only and the booking was for 1 adult and 1 infant.
Also they did not want to see any further evidence at all, only the initial submittion count. No dice.
Total waste of time and un-caring to say the least.

 

[medhead]

I did register the details as 1 pax only. As per the original booking.
They kept saying the screenshot I included was for 1 pax only and the booking was for 1 adult and 1 infant.
Also they did not want to see any further evidence at all, only the initial submittion count. No dice.
Total waste of time and un-caring to say the least.

I'm suggesting you tell them to check the history of the booking to see that it was originally made for 1 passenger only, which matches the screenshot. I.e. your claim is against the booking as made, not as it currently stands.