Qantas actually penalizes passengers for using Classic Awards – or rather using a combination of Classic outbound and cash return makes the return $1000 more expensive.
I went to book BNE-MNL-BNE 6 Dec / 5 Jan and the best price for economy was $524 +626 = $1140 per Adult pax
With the new online booking system all of the above pricing is on the one long web page. I have a choice for each date Click to the right to choose business class, middle for economy or click to the far left to buy a classic rewards seat – which is what I wanted to do.
So I click left and choose the classic reward seat for 30,000 points + $292 in taxes. But when I do that the return flight suddenly jumps to $1639 (from $626) for a grand total $1931 + 30,000 points.
So I say that it is not a reward at all. That in fact it is a deceptive promotion. It’s not a reward when it costs me and extra $1,023 per passenger plus 30,000 points! Basically doubling the price.
There is no rule or condition I have broken. The QF web site states:
You can also combine wholly Australian or international Qantas or Jetstar and selected partner airline Classic Awards with an Any Seat Award or cash fare in the same booking.[SUP]#[/SUP] For example, you can choose a Classic Award for your flight out, and a cash fare for the flight back. Check the conditions that apply to these new combined bookings.[SUP]β[/SUP]
# The option to combine a wholly Australian domestic and international Qantas, Jetstar and selected airline partner Classic Awards departing from Australia with an Any Seat Award or a cash fare is only available when ‘Search Qantas & Partner Classic Awards' has not been selected.
β When combining a Classic Award with another fare in a single booking, points and Status credits will not be earned on any Classic Award flights in the booking. If you combine Classic Awards with non-Classic Award fares (“Commercial Fares”), the most restrictive fare condition of those Commercial Fares apply to the segments booked as Classic Awards for booking changes, cancellations and refunds. Please refer to the applicable Commercial Fare conditions for details.
I contacted reservations, who told me to frequent flyer who told me to contact customer care who after a week of no reply told me they only care about post flight problems and to contact reservations. Or anyone else but not me.
So I finally got only a helpful person in Reservations. Ross. Wonderful, helpful Ross could not fathom it either and spends about two weeks contacting various experts who had no idea. In the third week he called me to say he gave up.
Ross was unwilling to admit I was being screwed - but I’m sure I could hear him nodding on the phone.
I also tried Plan B. Making two separate bookings. But making a one way MNL – BNE while cheaper than $1639 (about $714) the catch was they insisted that I show my passport and credit card at the manila office within 14 days. Clearly impossible. Even when I “paid” for the MNL-BNE on 100% points ( points + Pay) and therefore no possible credit card fraud could be involved, they still insisted on showing my passport and credit card ( but what card?) to the MNL office.
In all I spent about nine hours on this and got nowhere. One call went for an hour and 15 minutes including being put on hold for 19 minutes. Detailed written complaints with screen shots etc. were ignored.
A “reward” flight is supposed to be a sweet “gift” not a pain in the backside. It’s not – its punishment.
It’s a Loyalty system Mr Joyce – get it? So why target your most loyal customers and annoy them most? Crikey QFF is the only profitable arm of the business. Are the cretins hell bent on destroying that too?
Where do I take this next? I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more.
ACCC? They don’t act on single complaints?
Ombudsman? - are they toothless? Does anyone know from experience?
I think small claims court. At least then as a legal case the board will have to hear of this rubbish.
GaryBNE
Loyal customer since 1991 ….one time Platinum, now silver
I went to book BNE-MNL-BNE 6 Dec / 5 Jan and the best price for economy was $524 +626 = $1140 per Adult pax
With the new online booking system all of the above pricing is on the one long web page. I have a choice for each date Click to the right to choose business class, middle for economy or click to the far left to buy a classic rewards seat – which is what I wanted to do.
So I click left and choose the classic reward seat for 30,000 points + $292 in taxes. But when I do that the return flight suddenly jumps to $1639 (from $626) for a grand total $1931 + 30,000 points.
So I say that it is not a reward at all. That in fact it is a deceptive promotion. It’s not a reward when it costs me and extra $1,023 per passenger plus 30,000 points! Basically doubling the price.
There is no rule or condition I have broken. The QF web site states:
You can also combine wholly Australian or international Qantas or Jetstar and selected partner airline Classic Awards with an Any Seat Award or cash fare in the same booking.[SUP]#[/SUP] For example, you can choose a Classic Award for your flight out, and a cash fare for the flight back. Check the conditions that apply to these new combined bookings.[SUP]β[/SUP]
# The option to combine a wholly Australian domestic and international Qantas, Jetstar and selected airline partner Classic Awards departing from Australia with an Any Seat Award or a cash fare is only available when ‘Search Qantas & Partner Classic Awards' has not been selected.
β When combining a Classic Award with another fare in a single booking, points and Status credits will not be earned on any Classic Award flights in the booking. If you combine Classic Awards with non-Classic Award fares (“Commercial Fares”), the most restrictive fare condition of those Commercial Fares apply to the segments booked as Classic Awards for booking changes, cancellations and refunds. Please refer to the applicable Commercial Fare conditions for details.
I contacted reservations, who told me to frequent flyer who told me to contact customer care who after a week of no reply told me they only care about post flight problems and to contact reservations. Or anyone else but not me.
So I finally got only a helpful person in Reservations. Ross. Wonderful, helpful Ross could not fathom it either and spends about two weeks contacting various experts who had no idea. In the third week he called me to say he gave up.
Ross was unwilling to admit I was being screwed - but I’m sure I could hear him nodding on the phone.
I also tried Plan B. Making two separate bookings. But making a one way MNL – BNE while cheaper than $1639 (about $714) the catch was they insisted that I show my passport and credit card at the manila office within 14 days. Clearly impossible. Even when I “paid” for the MNL-BNE on 100% points ( points + Pay) and therefore no possible credit card fraud could be involved, they still insisted on showing my passport and credit card ( but what card?) to the MNL office.
In all I spent about nine hours on this and got nowhere. One call went for an hour and 15 minutes including being put on hold for 19 minutes. Detailed written complaints with screen shots etc. were ignored.
A “reward” flight is supposed to be a sweet “gift” not a pain in the backside. It’s not – its punishment.
It’s a Loyalty system Mr Joyce – get it? So why target your most loyal customers and annoy them most? Crikey QFF is the only profitable arm of the business. Are the cretins hell bent on destroying that too?
Where do I take this next? I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more.
ACCC? They don’t act on single complaints?
Ombudsman? - are they toothless? Does anyone know from experience?
I think small claims court. At least then as a legal case the board will have to hear of this rubbish.
GaryBNE
Loyal customer since 1991 ….one time Platinum, now silver
