Qantas changes pets policy - now freight.

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Dear RedRoo, it would appear that while you may value your fur-babies, it seems that QF as a company does not, now as of 1 December ticketing date - advising us at check in tonight - that our pet is no longer welcome to travel QF by in-terminal check-in at SYD/MEL/BNE and that he now needs to be consigned as freight at the freight terminal some hours ahead of time and at a ridiculous fee which rivals our fare in cost.

This was a differentiator and made our monthly commutes with our fur-baby a pleasant experience. Now we are left with the options to leave him at home at great expense, travel with you with hours of inconvenience and expense or travel with your competitor.

Frankly, this is appalling, and if this is under the guise of cost cutting, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

As there is now no differentiator for our travel with our pet, and in fact we can now travel cheaper with your competitor, this marks the end of our long relationship with QF for these commutes. I note he can also earn frequent flyer points when he travels on your competitor also.

I now have to break it to our poor pup that we simply can't afford the additional $140+ each way extorted by QF Freight for him to visit his grandparents each month, (despite being a platinum frequent flyer and never using any checked baggage domestically) and that QF thinks they can make a buck at his expense.

Shameful.



Harry is upset now, I hope you are proud of yourselves.

 

[artemis]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

Dear RedRoo, it would appear that while you may value your fur-babies, it seems that QF as a company does not, now as of 1 December ticketing date - advising us at check in tonight - that our pet is no longer welcome to travel QF by in-terminal check-in at SYD/MEL/BNE and that he now needs to be consigned as freight at the freight terminal some hours ahead of time and at a ridiculous fee which rivals our fare in cost.

This was a differentiator and made our monthly commutes with our fur-baby a pleasant experience. Now we are left with the options to leave him at home at great expense, travel with you with hours of inconvenience and expense or travel with your competitor.

Frankly, this is appalling, and if this is under the guise of cost cutting, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

As there is now no differentiator for our travel with our pet, and in fact we can now travel cheaper with your competitor, this marks the end of our long relationship with QF for these commutes. I note he can also earn frequent flyer points when he travels on your competitor also.

I now have to break it to our poor pup that we simply can't afford the additional $140+ each way extorted by QF Freight for him to visit his grandparents each month, (despite being a platinum frequent flyer and never using any checked baggage domestically) and that QF thinks they can make a buck at his expense.

Shameful.

View attachment 38032

Harry is upset now, I hope you are proud of yourselves.

I'd say Harry needs a nice meal of kangaroo meat this week!

I've found the Qantas check in staff to be very inconsistent re: pets for years. I despair of getting my guinea pig on a plane. Tempted to smuggle her through security and pop her in my handbag afterwards...

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

The new "enhanced, simpler and fairer™" policy can be found here: http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/travelling-with-pets/global/en

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

Harrison reacts to the new policy by destroying his Qantas baggage receipt.


"That's what I think of the new policy daddy!"

 

[Pushka]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

He is so cute. He's the breed of the dog on that TV ad for spoilt dogs and their food. How can you resist those eyes.

 

[Jaryd]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

Nooo!!!! What does this mean? I booked my flights months ago for christmas! Will I not be able to take my dogs on board??

 

[Jaryd]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

And I am travelling on Christmas day when Qantas Freight is closed!!! What the **** Qantas!! Please respond RedRoo I need to know what the hell is happening. If I bought my tickets with the allowance to take pets - I would expect this when travelling.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

You need to PM Red Roo.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

And I am travelling on Christmas day when Qantas Freight is closed!!! What the **** Qantas!! Please respond RedRoo I need to know what the hell is happening. If I bought my tickets with the allowance to take pets - I would expect this when travelling.

The new policy says "ticketed on or after 1 December". My reading of that is that it is fine for existing bookings.

Of course the policy could change again if past performance is an indicator of future performance, so I've printed a copy of the new policy in play at the time of booking the ticket and will take it to the airport.

Oh and you've never been able to take them "on board"... This isn't Europe or the USA y'know

 

[Jaryd]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

The new policy says "ticketed on or after 1 December". My reading of that is that it is fine for existing bookings.

Of course the policy could change again if past performance is an indicator of future performance, so I've printed a copy of the new policy in play at the time of booking the ticket and will take it to the airport.

Oh and you've never been able to take them "on board"... This isn't Europe or the USA y'know

Not sure where the pets on board thing came from.

I just came out of MEL T3 and spoke to a baggage guy there. His understanding is that from 1 December all pets need to be ticketed - hence my request for clarification. 'ticketed' should read 'purchased' for clarity.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

You need to PM Red Roo.

Why? So they can regurgitate the policy and provide some ambiguous reason for the change in policy?

My experience after many years here is that despite what is said, once a policy has been changed, only lip service follows.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

Not sure where the pets on board thing came from.

I just came out of MEL T3 and spoke to a baggage guy there. His understanding is that from 1 December all pets need to be ticketed - hence my request for clarification. 'ticketed' should read 'purchased' for clarity.

Well they can call it what they like but your pet has to be sent as freight from the freight terminal at a ridiculous fee. Not to mention have to be there much earlier and be picked up much later - a negative on the animal welfare front if you ask me.

You said on board here:

Will I not be able to take my dogs on board??

I wish we were as liberal as the USA and Europe here. Not sure about yours, but mine is better behaved than most children onboard!

And I can add the people at the airport have no idea. The lady told me from the 1st December they aren't allowed in the terminal. That's in conflict with their published policy which states they can be checked in terminal for tickets issued prior to 1 December.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

Why? So they can regurgitate the policy and provide some ambiguous reason for the change in policy?

My experience after many years here is that despite what is said, once a policy has been changed, only lip service follows.

Just in relation to the specific query re Xmas Day.

Otherwise I agree .

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

Just in relation to the specific query re Xmas Day.

Otherwise I agree .

It would be good to clarify, but as we all know, QF staff seem to interpret their policies any way they see fit so YMMV...

 

[Jaryd]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

Well they can call it what they like but your pet has to be sent as freight from the freight terminal at a ridiculous fee. Not to mention have to be there much earlier and be picked up much later - a negative on the animal welfare front if you ask me.

You said on board here:



I wish we were as liberal as the USA and Europe here. Not sure about yours, but mine is better behaved than most children onboard!

And I can add the people at the airport have no idea. The lady told me from the 1st December they aren't allowed in the terminal. That's in conflict with their published policy which states they can be checked in terminal for tickets issued prior to 1 December.

Oh its been one of those days. I think I was whinging to the cab driver whilst typing...

I just want to make sure that if I have existing tickets, I can take them on board, and that travelling on Christmas Day will not change anything about them being able to be checked in as per normal (well... what was normal in the good days).

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

Oh its been one of those days. I think I was whinging to the cab driver whilst typing...

I just want to make sure that if I have existing tickets, I can take them on board, and that travelling on Christmas Day will not change anything about them being able to be checked in as per normal (well... what was normal in the good days).

I know how you feel!

A good question. I'm travelling on Christmas Eve with our fur-baby and my reading of the policy is that it is based on the ticketing date, so should be ok for in-terminal check in.

 

[Jaryd]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

Or taken as checked-in baggage, I should say.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

So much for privacy, however I have been contacted by QF Freight to clarify that the policy applies for bookings *ticketed* after 1 December. Existing bookings are unaffected.

The charge for us is $80 each way when on same flight, and consignment at freight required 90 mins before flight, trek over to freight on pickup and wait an indeterminate time for collection. So add $160 to each trip plus another 2 hours of inconvenience to every trip.

I was fed the line that apparently this is about animal welfare. A quick google search will show how many poor animals have expired at the hands of QF's freight system. I also refuse to believe having an animal away from its owner 90 minutes before a flight (current oversize baggage cutoff is 30 mins) and another 30-60 minutes after the flight is better for the animal.

All of the explanations I received seemed to be about making it easier for QF, not for passengers nor for the the pet's welfare. They want to 'standardise at all ports' - despite offering a different service in SYD/MEL/BNE in-terminal previously.

This smacks of a cash grab and creates great inconvenience to customers, who it would appear they are actively trying to discourage from travelling with their pets.

Hell will freeze over before our fur-baby is consigned as freight in the freight terminal.

We will see out our existing bookings with QF and then we will have to discontinue our travel with our little one, much to his and our disappointment. No more visits to see his grandmas.

Should we ever decide to travel with him again, I note VA charge $75 each way and he earns frequent flyer points. Still, freighting our precious fur baby will probably be a bridge too far.

QF are damn determined to undermine my loyalty to them, and this is yet another example. I think it is time to vote with my feet, dump my many direct earn FF credit cards for more flexible options, move my domestic and international travel and otherwise get out of the QF tent.

It's clear to me that QFs strategy is to upset as many loyal customers as possible. They no longer suit my needs.

 

[Rebekkap]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

So much for privacy, however I have been contacted by QF Freight to clarify that the policy applies for bookings *ticketed* after 1 December. Existing bookings are unaffected.

The charge for us is $80 each way when on same flight, and consignment at freight required 90 mins before flight, trek over to freight on pickup and wait an indeterminate time for collection. So add $160 to each trip plus another 2 hours of inconvenience to every trip.

I was fed the line that apparently this is about animal welfare. A quick google search will show how many poor animals have expired at the hands of QF's freight system. I also refuse to believe having an animal away from its owner 90 minutes before a flight (current oversize baggage cutoff is 30 mins) and another 30-60 minutes after the flight is better for the animal.

All of the explanations I received seemed to be about making it easier for QF, not for passengers nor for the the pet's welfare. They want to 'standardise at all ports' - despite offering a different service in SYD/MEL/BNE in-terminal previously.

This smacks of a cash grab and creates great inconvenience to customers, who it would appear they are actively trying to discourage from travelling with their pets.

Hell will freeze over before our fur-baby is consigned as freight in the freight terminal.

We will see out our existing bookings with QF and then we will have to discontinue our travel with our little one, much to his and our disappointment. No more visits to see his grandmas.

Should we ever decide to travel with him again, I note VA charge $75 each way and he earns frequent flyer points. Still, freighting our precious fur baby will probably be a bridge too far.

QF are damn determined to undermine my loyalty to them, and this is yet another example. I think it is time to vote with my feet, dump my many direct earn FF credit cards for more flexible options, move my domestic and international travel and otherwise get out of the QF tent.

It's clear to me that QFs strategy is to upset as many loyal customers as possible. They no longer suit my needs.

Unbelievable - I'm right with you - no way my fur babies will ever travel as freight!

Mind you, I still think they should be allowed in the cabin in their bag, like they are in the US and Europe. Totally uncivilised having to put them in the hold. Poor babies.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

I have a cat who is adored. But MrP is highly allergic to dogs. He gets asthma almost immediately when in the same room as where a dog has been. I'd be really concerned about animals in the same plane and getting into respiratory issues.