AA did not recognise Oneworld Ruby (Qantas Silver) Status at check-in

[nlagalle]

OK so at this point we don't even have a response. Let alone a refund. That's why I'm here, aggrieved and posting on a frequent flyer discussion forum.

Clearly stated in the OP I've said "perhaps" compensation for loss of service etc. Firstly I'd like a response from the airline(s), then a refund and then, after having to go through the bollox of posting on websites, logging enquiries, posting on forums and generally wasting my time trying to get a refund for a fee I shouldn't have had to pay, they might say here's a Q Club voucher or a free sticker for your trouble. One might consider that a reasonable gesture in the circumstances...

No offence, but is offering compensation for wasting time posting on websites etc justified? Also what was the "loss of service" you were carried with both bags, although one was charged. I don't think QF will be able to do too much as it was AA/OW rules. I'd be contacting them.

 

[mannej]

Thanks. Job logged with them, see how we go... although their desk at DFW did say it was an issue for Qantas to resolve.

Who did you book the flight with?

All I can see so far is an issue with AA, so that's why I'd be contacting them and not QF

 

[Kef]

You should go into the AA website where they have a section for complaints. Write to them flight details etc., and explain what happened.
Its not a Qantas problem but a glitch with AA which they can fix upon check in when
showing your Qantas card. Its happened to me but I pulled out my Qantas FF card and all was good.
Good luck with it all. Its frustrating in future stand your ground and ask to speak to a supervisor.

I had one AA check in agent give me a BP with no priority access (most important when travelling domestic in the US) and no acknowledgement of my OW status(emerald) in getting into the lounges- after I pulled out my Qantas FF card-(Platinum)said to me AA did not recognise Qantas as part of the oneworld network. LOL,
I finally got what I wanted and was entitled too.

 

[ozmille]

Very important question. Did your partner have her silver card on her?

If she was bronze when the booking was made AA could have easily fixed the issue by removing FFN from the booking and adding it in again. Nothing to do with QF, for the check in agent it might have been the easy way to get you to pay and out of the queue, as suggested above contacting AA is the best option.

 

[ric_melb]

Seems to me this is an issue that AA should address, and compensation should be the incorrect charge for the bag, and an apology.
Good to notify Qantas, so they are aware of the issue, but remedy seems to be in AA's hands.

 

[wingspan]

Hmmmm when you got sent your itinerary, did it say FF# xx_xx_ RUB? There has been several reports where the AA system just doesn't get the right data about a QFF member. The last 3 AA bookings I've made had my FF number prefixed with SPH instead of EMD. I had to call Qantas and have the FF team manually update my status with AA. It is annoying, but it's one of those things that happen, I guess

 

[jastel]

Did some flying on AA last year and was bronze so got charged $25 for bag all the time. I always paid cash because my Aussie CC wouldnt work on their site at time of booking, it took them ages to get change from other desks etc , the lines got longer etc. I said dont charge me if you wont take US$ then and once or twice they didnt.
Am Silver now so it was worth reading this post. And I will take my card on next trip.

 

[anat0l]

Most people have covered the ground here, but just to confirm, Point Hunter, did you (and your partner) have your QF Silver card with you?

Always carry the relevant membership cards with you. It is quite conceivable that a check-in agent (or hotel receptionist) will not accept a login page, web page or app screen on a mobile device as a proof of status. The physical membership card is near irrefutable. This was particularly important when using lounges with BA (and it still sporadically happens that BA will not accept anything except the physical card, viz. no card = no lounge access).

If you had the physical card and it matches your name on the reservation, there is really no reason why the agents at the airport could not process you correctly as a Ruby.

The fact that you could log in to Qantas and see your status, and I assume you were a Silver before you started on your trip, should have easily meant you were in the clear. I'm not sure if we got the full picture, but I felt that the check-in agent was playing a huge dodge card by telling you it's Qantas's fault (once again, especially if you had a physical card handy).

Your grievance is with AA; you must take it up with them. Call QF if you will, but you'll find that they won't do anything about it, particularly as the grievance you have is an AA-specific issue (i.e. AA allowing baggage for oneworld members); it is not (primarily) a oneworld-specific issue. QF would only be able to help you if, for some reason, you were not a QF Silver for any given reason.

Good luck - hope to hear back if you get any response from AA.

 

[QF029]

Perhaps even compensation for the loss of service, inconvenience and embarrassment.

I've never understood these kind of emotive reactions. Did the check in agent ridicule you for having to pay for one bag?

 

[Pleb Status]

As others have stated, it really is important to know if the OP showed AA the actual, valid QF silver FF card and they then still refused to provide free baggage etc. If you do not show the actual QF card, you cannot demonstrate your OW status beyond doubt.

On one occasion about two years ago in RDU, I had a similar issue where even though AA had my QF FF number in the booking, they would not automatically recognise my OWE status. Flashed the WP card at check in and everything bar priority boarding was sorted out without any further drama (they could not get me out of group 5, but it was not much of an issue in a ER4). All other AA bookings on that trip recognised my OWE status without any problems, so it must be a bug in their system which has not been rectified.

 

[TheInsider]

Please don't bother writing to Qantas, it aint a QF issue if AA has issues you with excess baggage and because AA's system (not QF's) didn't show your QF status.

 

[NM]

Very important question. Did your partner have her silver card on her?

If she was bronze when the booking was made AA could have easily fixed the issue by removing FFN from the booking and adding it in again. Nothing to do with QF, for the check in agent it might have been the easy way to get you to pay and out of the queue, as suggested above contacting AA is the best option.

Even having the card or knowing the status is correct in the QF computer may not mean it translates to AA's computer. as an example of the other way around, about 2 weeks after I attained AA EXP status, the QF and JL systems both still saw me as Sapphire. Even removing and re-entering my AAdvantage number into the reservation still shows as Sapphire on QF and JL systems. The availability of status information is not real-time between these systems. There is no way that either QF or JL could get their systems to recognise my Emeraldness, even when told over the phone by their oneWorld Helpdesk that I was indeed Emerald. They both accepted that I was Emerald, but could not get their system to acknowledge it. The only way to get access to the FLounge was for them to call ahead to let the lounge know.

So I suspect the same thing happened here, but in reverse. Even if the card was presented and the number removed and reentered, it would likely still be a case of "computer says no". In my case the agents were happy to call their OneWorld Helpdesk and inquire as to the correct status. Showing a print-out or a web page was not going to convince them. And two weeks later when checking in at NRT, the JL check-in agent walked with me to AA's check-in desks and had them check my status - EXP, but could not get their system to acknowledge it, so again they called the F Lounge to let them know they had verified my status and I was indeed entitled to access.

So it can take a long time for status changes to reflect through the various computer systems.

 

[anat0l]

Even having the card or knowing the status is correct in the QF computer may not mean it translates to AA's computer. as an example of the other way around, about 2 weeks after I attained AA EXP status, the QF and JL systems both still saw me as Sapphire. Even removing and re-entering my AAdvantage number into the reservation still shows as Sapphire on QF and JL systems. The availability of status information is not real-time between these systems. There is no way that either QF or JL could get their systems to recognise my Emeraldness, even when told over the phone by their oneWorld Helpdesk that I was indeed Emerald. They both accepted that I was Emerald, but could not get their system to acknowledge it. The only way to get access to the FLounge was for them to call ahead to let the lounge know.

So I suspect the same thing happened here, but in reverse. Even if the card was presented and the number removed and reentered, it would likely still be a case of "computer says no". In my case the agents were happy to call their OneWorld Helpdesk and inquire as to the correct status. Showing a print-out or a web page was not going to convince them. And two weeks later when checking in at NRT, the JL check-in agent walked with me to AA's check-in desks and had them check my status - EXP, but could not get their system to acknowledge it, so again they called the F Lounge to let them know they had verified my status and I was indeed entitled to access.

So it can take a long time for status changes to reflect through the various computer systems.

All said and done, however, having a physical card that shows your status improves chances of facilitating a positive outcome. After all, physical cards are still relatively difficult to forge.

At a minimum, having the card available may have helped the OP to overcome the difficulties with status entitlement, especially with respect to baggage allowance on AA (as per AA, not oneworld, policy). The only real benefit of having Ruby on the system is for manifest purposes, FQTV and FQTS, the latter two which could be resolved later. Unless this does mean that AA's system will not allow the check-in agent to register free baggage unless it passes a system of checks, one of them being that the OP is a ow Ruby (i.e. enter a code for a reason, e.g. "OWR" and the evidence is then cross-checked against pulling up the OP's record). Then, I'd agree, that would present a prickly problem (because the agent may not be able to force or fool the system into not charging the OP even if it stupidly thinks the OP is not a Ruby). That said, what would be the best thing for AA to do? Certainly it's not a QF problem, so the AAgent was wrong on that accord (and I'm not sure whether that's even acceptable if we cut some slack that the AAgent may have been making a hasty remark / decision).

 

[zachary.august]

Never had an issue with AA recognising my status in fact they are usually pretty good at it. I don't see why you need compensation though and I mean all of this effort for a $25 refund? Furthermore, people really need to stop blaming all of their troubles on QF. It isn't their issue it is AA's. So if I were you, leave it at that a polite email and if you get that all important QP voucher than great if you don't perhaps move on?

 

[haggiscat]

Never had an issue with AA recognising my status in fact they are usually pretty good at it. I don't see why you need compensation though and I mean all of this effort for a $25 refund? Furthermore, people really need to stop blaming all of their troubles on QF. It isn't their issue it is AA's. So if I were you, leave it at that a polite email and if you get that all important QP voucher than great if you don't perhaps move on?

I have had great drama with AA recognising QANTAS status - they are gits.

 

[MelUser]

Was the frequent flyer card presented at checkin?

Also I suspect when ticket booked there was no status. Aa grabs status from qf at time of ticketing and it is not updated.

I have a plat relative travelling who was qf gold at time of ticketing with aa and for this reservation aa will treat her as a qf gold. She isn't fussed as travelling in same reservation as a qf platinum.

This is just way aa's system works do please stop asking for compensation or whatever.

"enjoy" if that is possible the economy class flights on aa. It certainly will help you appreciate qf domestic reconomy here!

 

[dfcatch]

In fairness to the OP, it wasn't just the baggage charge, but that they and their partner were seated separately as a result.

While some of us might see that as a blessing (ouch!), for some this alone is a bigger inconvenience than 5 hr customs lines.

OP - ensure you travel with the card as everyone has said, and write to AA on their website as well as QF (which you have done).

AA are pretty good at resolving these matters post-facto.

 

[wingspan]

Also I suspect when ticket booked there was no status. Aa grabs status from qf at time of ticketing and it is not updated.

I don't think it's this straightforward, as AA has gotten my status wrong on at least 3 occasions (despite having that status at time of booking).

 

[serfty]

There was mention of a seat reassignment - I'm wondering if this was from a 'premium' type seat available for those with oneworld status.

 

[dfcatch]

There was mention of a seat reassignment - I'm wondering if this was from a 'premium' type seat available for those with oneworld status.

Yes, and if that's the case - then i would be pretty cheesed off if it happened to me.

I'm prepared to give the OP the benefit of the doubt at this point.