Beware QF codeshares on LATAM to Santiago

[ozflier]

I booked and paid for J class on the QF Brisbane - Auckland and the QF codeshare AKL -Santiago on Latam.
I'm now in AKL the Latam staff tell me that Qantas never did the booking right and I am travelling economy to SCL.
I mention this as I don't want others to go thru the same hassles that I have.
I checked in BNE and the QF guy at Checkin said i needed to get boarding passes for AKL-SCL at the LATAM transfer area in AKL.
That should have rang some bad bells after all, my QF itinerary said I was in J class and I had a business class seat allocated from AKL-SCL.
There is no LATAM transfer desk here in AKL.
It is the NZ one and I went there 3 times- only to be told the LATAM reps would be there at 1500,1530 and 1600 hrs.No they weren't!
I rang QF and they told me that as far as they were concerned , I had a Business seat AKL-SCL and I had to take it up with LATAM. They weren't prepared to intervene!!
To top it off,I couldn't go to the Qantas lounge because I did not have a onward BP to get in.
Fair enough , a very pleasant lady arrived from LATAM round 1630 and told me that Qantas had never transmitted the fact that I had paid for business class to them so I had to travel in economy.
She noted the poor interaction between QF and LA computer reservation systems.
I offered to be off loaded and be put onto the NZ flight AKL - Buenos Aires which is my ultimate destination .
The rep did not think that QF would allow that .
So ,learn from me and isn't what AFF is all about ?
I pay Qantas good money for reliable and good service -this does seem to apply on QF metal.
However, be careful with QF codeshares on LATAM flights!
And don't expect any help from Qantas.

 

[Silvia]

What fare class does your itinerary says? there wouldn't be much to argue when your ticket has the fare type.
Unfortunately, some times it seems that OW arrangements don't work at their best.

 

[JohnPhelan]

What does your e-ticket say about the class of travel AKL-SCL? If it says "Business", then that's what you were booked in. Had you done advance seat allocation?

I wouldn't be too quick to blame Qantas for this; it's sounding like the issue may be with LATAM. (I could be cynical and suggest that LATAM found themselves overbooked in J and needed to downgrade someone......)

At any rate, you will need to contact Qantas to get a partial refund.

 

[ozflier]

What fare class does your itinerary says? there wouldn't much to argue when your ticket has the fare type.
Unfortunately, some times it seems that OW arrangements don't work at their best.

Not sure fare class - just booked on the QF website and ended up paying $6,893 for BNE -EZE return.
Its not a reward ticket.
My issue is that as the flight is QF 321, they should take some ownership of the problem!
The worrying issue is that QF in BNE probably were aware of the issue and neither informed me of the issue nor seemed to take any action to help out.
Sure I am only QFF Gold and I am on a paid fare , but I would have expected more than zero assistance!

 

[Silvia]

I would have a look at the fare marked on the itinerary as if you paid for J class, what @JohnPhelan was suggesting may be the case.
If you purchased with QF, QF will need to refund you.

 

[ozflier]

My itinerary says "Confirmed Business" .
Seat allocated was 3H.

 

[RooFlyer]

Sounds like pretty typical service when dealing with codeshare. Qantas, as LATAM's agent, takes the money but 'not their problem' thereafter.

If you confirm that your ticket was for business on LATAM codeshare, you should definitely take it up with Qantas, in writing ozflier, and don't give up. Qantas will initially try to brush you off (already done that) and then will try to ignore you. They have form in this, but if you persist you should win through. There's the Airline Consumer Advocate if needs be.

if you still have time, get name of agents at AKL and make accurate summary notes of all discussions.

 

[drron]

After my issues with LATAM not refunding a refundable fare I would go out of my way to avoid LATAM.

 

[BD1959]

... and on the subject of QF not being able to provide the LA BP - this is actually quite a common occurrence so I wouldn't tie myself in knots thinking it may be some huge conspiracy (though indeed it may, if you're at all paranoid ... ).

Regards,

BD

 

[dajop]

Here's the reply you can expect from a complaint to Qantas:

Dear ozflier

We are sorry to hear about your experience, and that the service offered did not meet your expectations. We take your complaints very seriously. As a result, we are pleased to offer you a refund of $120, based on the difference between the fare you paid and that fare you were booked into on your sector from Auckland to Santiago

 

[williamsf1]

I thought that the codeshare agreement was block space. , and the details are normally sent to LA at 72hrs prior to dep

has there been any aircraft change/downgrade?

 

[Austman]

So ,learn from me and isn't what AFF is all about ?

A rotten situation and not your fault!

But I'm not sure what there is to learn? I can't see that you did anything wrong.

I think I would have done a few HUACAs with Qantas until I found an agent willing to actually do something. They, after all, are the booking and ticketing agent. They should be sorting it.

 

[Austman]

QF321 has just departed AKL.

Let's hope the OP eventually got their paid for cabin class!

 

[TheInsider]

I'm sorry, but if it was ticketed and booked as business, then it should be business. There is no way for the ticket to just be 'changed' to economy without manual intervention. I think LATAM have downgraded the OP.

As for the systems, booking codes are booking codes as are fare classes, they don't change randomly after booking without some kind of intervention.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sounds like pretty typical service when dealing with codeshare. Qantas, as LATAM's agent, takes the money but 'not their problem' thereafter.

Interesting point. I don't know if QF is actually Latam's agent in this case? If it is a block code-share QF would potentially be responsible. Even perhaps as a code-share (QF flight number) they would be responsible. If QF was selling Latam, it would be an agent scenario.

 

[RooFlyer]

Interesting point. I don't know if QF is actually Latam's agent in this case? If it is a block code-share QF would potentially be responsible. Even perhaps as a code-share (QF flight number) they would be responsible. If QF was selling Latam, it would be an agent scenario.

If they offered the seat (on any carrier) and took the money, then they are, in plain terms, LATAM's agent. In any event, they are ultimately responsible for the supply of the goods they sold, and if not possible to deliver, then to graciously refund etc.

But we know 'graciously refund' isn't in their lexicon.

 

[juddles]

First up, I agree that a ticket sold by QF, with a QF number, should require QF to sort things out, or make amends.

But I am sure that it was Latam that caused this problem. The Latam lady saying "Qantas never transmitted to us the fact you were in business"???? That is bulldung. I have had Latam try to downgrade me from J on Latam tickets on Latam metal, even as a Latam Black status holder (WP equivalent). I suspect they suffer internal overbooking problems/practices.

Addition: thinking about it, on one occasion they tried to downgrade my entire family from J to Y on paid tickets, when every single member of my family were Latam Black (even the kids!!)

 

[Austman]

But I am sure that it was Latam that caused this problem.

Is there anything that can be done? By a pax in the situation? If there is, that would be something to learn!

 

[juddles]

Is there anything that can be done? By a pax in the situation? If there is, that would be something to learn!

"never back down"

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I'm leaning on the side of LATAM downgrading the OP and trying to cover it up.