Beware: QFF Award on Qatar Business flight Downgraded at check-in

[nhearne]

My friend booked a Qatar business seat from Perth to Rome 11 months in advance using Qantas FF points. When she got to the airport to check in last Saturday they told her she was demoted to economy because the flight was full and she was the lowest paying customer. Is this common with Qantas and Qatar? Has this happened to any one else and was there any compensation from Qantas?

 

[Anna]

When I got downgraded on a QF J reward flight last century, I got a bottle of wine and a shadow in economy. But I had to fight to get half the points back for the sector - they only wanted to give me 25% of the points back.

 

[nhearne]

Thanks Anna. Pretty bad customer service all round. My friend was pretty devastated and not prepared for 12 hours in economy.

 

[SYD]

Thanks Anna. Pretty bad customer service all round. My friend was pretty devastated and not prepared for 12 hours in economy.

Yes, that would piss me off big time. There would have been other award seats but if they were status PAX, there’d be a pecking order. Something to consider over in the “Do I need status flying J” thread….

 

[djkelly69]

Obviously doesn't help OP's friend, but just so others can know - what are you actually entitled to do in this situation (aside from accepting the Y seat)?

Are you able to say, request they put you on a later flight in J? (Might not work on this particular route, but say a busier route like SYD-LAX or similar).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Highlights the need for consumer protection laws in australia for aviation. In Europe/UK this would have generated a 75% refund of the fare.

 

[Lynda2475]

Foreign airlines tend to oversell flights. One way to reduce the chances of being bumped is to ensure you check in online as soon as OLCI opens i.e 24 hours before. Waiting to check in at airport makes you look like you may not show, and so often your seat could be given to staff etc or people who checkedin earlier..

Qantas app is misleading because it tells you to check in at airport because it is a partner flight, whereas you should check in via the partner airlines website online.

 

[AIRwin]

In Europe/UK this would have generated a 75% refund of the fare.

Does it cover flights to Europe in this instance?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Does it cover flights to Europe in this instance?

No it does not

 

[jase05]

No way would I have accepted that. I’d be strongly arguing to put on another flight or get full refund

 

[Princess Fiona]

My friend booked a Qatar business seat from Perth to Rome 11 months in advance using Qantas FF points. When she got to the airport to check in last Saturday they told her she was demoted to economy because the flight was full and she was the lowest paying customer. Is this common with Qantas and Qatar? Has this happened to any one else and was there any compensation from Qantas?

As QR is the operating carrier they are responsible for the downgrade. Any compo would be due from QR but good luck with that.
As it’s a QF Award QF should refund the points difference between Business and Economy and the difference in taxes.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Does it cover flights to Europe in this instance?

No, but it’s why we should have an Aussie equivalent. (If the flight was on BA it would have been covered though.)

 

[DAC1]

Obviously doesn't help OP's friend, but just so others can know - what are you actually entitled to do in this situation (aside from accepting the Y seat)?

Are you able to say, request they put you on a later flight in J? (Might not work on this particular route, but say a busier route like SYD-LAX or similar).

Yes and I have done this before. Had a QF award in J on SYD-LAX. I was downgraded to PE at check-in. When I said that was not acceptable and that I was happy with alternatives, I got rebooked on DL in J.

 

[Andy72]

Most of the problems on here seem to be with one partner airline. My recent F reward to London with Emirates from BKK had a problem with the ticketing, that neither Qantas nor Emirates seemed to be able to fix. Emirates boarded us without a ticket in their system and I think the ticket was fixed up on route. Not sure Qatar would have come to the party. And the flight was amazing, my first time in F

 

[AIRwin]

And the flight was amazing, my first time in F

Shower?

 

[Mattg]

Foreign Airlines tend to oversell flights.

Fixed that for you

 

[Andy72]

777 for first leg, 380 for second so yes. Good food/ service was amazing.
Ticket for flight arrive 5 min ago !

 

[Lynda2475]

Fixed that for you

Perhaps but Ive never been bumped off an Australian Carrier (Qantas/Ansett/VA) flight. Whereas its extremely common in the USA (although at least they usually call for volunteers and proactively offer compensation) vs BA who tried to bump me unsuccessfully and I found a pilot and his son in my reserved seat (and the other J passenger they tried to bump seats). tried to say was oversold, when the truth was there were staff who needed to be repositioned and unwilling to fly Y.

Either way checking in asap generally helps, they usually bump people who have yet to be issued a boarding pass.

 

[MrJetset]

My friend booked a Qatar business seat from Perth to Rome 11 months in advance using Qantas FF points. When she got to the airport to check in last Saturday they told her she was demoted to economy because the flight was full and she was the lowest paying customer. Is this common with Qantas and Qatar? Has this happened to any one else and was there any compensation from Qantas?

QF's downgrade procedure is the same, i.e. lowest status and lowest fare class.

She should have asked to be reaccommodated the next day, if possible.

 

[RichardMEL]

Just be sure that the blame goes to where it is deserved - QR - in this instance.

I would definitely submit a claim to QF for points return for the service not delivered documenting (and BP copies etc) the downgrade. QF may argue they're not responsible for the downgrade (true) and the ticket was issued in good faith that it would be honoured it's worth a shot imo. If QR finds some sort of compensation for the downgrade then perhaps I wouldn't bother though. I guess it depends.