Didn't expect this to be my breaking point, but it finally came!

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF @fatdude ( brother ). Isn’t it a shame we have to go to such great lengths with our airline that used to be so reliable.

 

[ioz]

...

It’s a commercial choice and it reflects the culture at Mascot.

So sad, yet clearly -- SO blatantly true this has become "standard operating procedure".

 

[fatdude]

Welcome to AFF @fatdude ( brother ). Isn’t it a shame we have to go to such great lengths with our airline that used to be so reliable.

Thanks mate. And yes it's ridiculous how low they have sunk to.

I had been a loyal Qantas customer and very close to my life-time silver but at this point I don't care about pursuing it anymore - at least in next few years.

Happy to fly REX domestically and bunch of other superior airlines internationally which all currently have better hardware and software than Qantas.

 

[CaptJCool]

Thanks mate. And yes it's ridiculous how low they have sunk to.

I had been a loyal Qantas customer and very close to my life-time silver but at this point I don't care about pursuing it anymore - at least in next few years.

Happy to fly REX domestically and bunch of other superior airlines internationally which all currently have better hardware and software than Qantas.

i feel your pain

I'm next to Life Time Gold, but not feeling the love from Qantas

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

\start cathartic rant

I can safely say I've never started a whinge thread, but there's a first time for everything.

Recently on one of many SYD-LAX-SYD return trips in J, I was impacted by a schedule change when QF consolidated its SYD-LAX schedule, resulting in my being moved to the earlier (and under the new schedule, only) flight back to SYD. The earlier time wasn't workable for me. I offered to re-route LAX-MEL-SYD on the same day as the MEL flight left LAX at the original time, but was told that wasn't possible. Instead, I was given the option to fly LAX-SYD the next day and advised by QF customer support to submit hotel and expenses for reimbursement.

Relying on that advice, I accepted the change to the next day but my eventual hotel claim (I hadn't even bothered to submit taxi or meals as I was at my destination anyway and would have had to get back to the airport anyway, so I didn't think it reasonable to ask Qantas to cop that) was denied.

This form letter denial resulted in several back and forth messages, with me referencing the exact date, time and person I spoke with who advised me I was eligible for reimbursement and advising me how to submit that expense.

Long story short: Qantas conceded in writing that their agent had given me "confusing" (read: inaccurate at best, false and misleading at worst) information that they acknowledged "may" have resulted in a "discrepancy" (read: misrepresentation) regarding their policy, but steadfastly refused the claim --- including again even after a polite, unemotional but firm restatement and reminder of their obligations under the Australian Consumer Law and a warning I'd consider both an ACCC complaint and NCAT action if they refused to compensate me for what they admitted was their own mistake.

Yesterday QF again denied the claim. I've already submitted the ACCC complaint, and am genuinely considering a NCAT claim simply on principle. If I don't, who will?

It's simply astounding to me that Qantas continues to operate this way. I'm a mere SG, but maintaining that status still costs several thousand per year, and I just find it wild that Qantas would dig in like this over a measly $200 hotel claim when they've admitted their own mistake. The difference in service standard hits even harder as this final denial also comes just a week after Delta sent me a personalised, substantive apology and dumped 15,000 miles into my account after I completed an automatic survey in which my only negative feedback was that the premium economy meal and service from cabin crew on a LAX-SYD sector felt a bit lacklustre in comparison to competitors.

I've put up with a lot from QF over the years and am one of those weirdos who wants to love them even when I hate them, and stuck in there the last few years through and post-Covid despite all the issues they've had and promises they've made to do better. But at this point, after this one, I suppose I finally hit my breaking point. My membership year starts again in June, and for the first time, I won't just not be trying to maintain status, I'm actively booking away from Qantas on principle --- and they fly virtually nowhere that someone else can't take me.

They don't care, and the irony is, that $200 wasn't material to me --- but the principle is. So, stubborn or not, whether they care or not, I'm out for the foreseeable future, and I've got the (literal) receipts of multiple upcoming trips on other carriers to prove it.

/end cathartic rant

An update is deserved here for those who followed along and provided advice (original post quoted for ease of reference).

I did indeed file an NCAT claim on principle (g-d bless my stubbornness) after first following through with a wise but ultimately futile recommendation to e-mail an executive, which went unanswered.

What would you know? Within a week of the claim being filed I received an e-mail from Qantas agreeing to reimburse me for my piddly $200 hotel claim after all. The e-mail did not reference the claim I'd filed, only that they'd "revisited" my "correspondence" as if spontaneously or by happenstance and apparently had a change of heart despite having previously denied it repeatedly with increasingly snippier iterations of "we're sorry this isn't the outcome you wanted but the matter is closed."

Woop-dee-doo, I "won" after hours of wasted time. Really a treat that it takes not just threats of but actual steps taken to pursue a remedy in court to hold Qantas to account, but I can't say I'm surprised. If this is Qantas doing better by its customers as promised, I'll continue to stick with competitors, and only fly QF where not doing so would be a further inconvenience and punishment to myself.

As an aside, in my heart of hearts, I'm not sure I'll ever not want Qantas to succeed, but it really just blows that Qantas continues to make it this hard to cheer them on.

 

[Pushka]

An update is deserved here for those who followed along and provided advice (original post quoted for ease of reference).

I did indeed file an NCAT claim on principle (g-d bless my stubbornness) after first following through with a wise but ultimately futile recommendation to e-mail an executive, which went unanswered.

What would you know? Within a week of the claim being filed I received an e-mail from Qantas agreeing to reimburse me for my piddly $200 hotel claim after all. The e-mail did not reference the claim I'd filed, only that they'd "revisited" my "correspondence" as if spontaneously or by happenstance and apparently had a change of heart despite having previously denied it repeatedly with increasingly snippier iterations of "we're sorry this isn't the outcome you wanted but the matter is closed."

Woop-dee-doo, I "won" after hours of wasted time. Really a treat that it takes not just threats of but actual steps taken to pursue a remedy in court to hold Qantas to account, but I can't say I'm surprised. If this is Qantas doing better by its customers as promised, I'll continue to stick with competitors, and only fly QF where not doing so would be a further inconvenience and punishment to myself.

As an aside, in my heart of hearts, I'm not sure I'll ever not want Qantas to succeed, but it really just blows that Qantas continues to make it this hard to cheer them on.

Love the way companies ignore the fact they were only goaded into action because of an external force.

 

[ChrisMars]

That s a great outcome. Some (defintly me) would have give up. Could you give us some details on how easy / hard it was to go throught the process of an NCAT claim? It sounds hard, but maybe it's not the case?

 

[TeaKozy]

This exact issue happened to my partner last year Her LAX-MEL flight was delayed by two days, but rather than wait for Qantas to organise accomodation (given the time) she called up and was told to ‘book somewhere reasonable’. Of course they have routinely rejected the $600 claim and have been going back around in circles trying to get someone to acknowledge that the information provided by their call centre was wrong. Looks like a VCAT complaint is in order.

 

[Gold Member]

Well done FlyingKangaroo! Great outcome.

Despite many reassurances from Vanessa and Co stating otherwise, Qantas continue to mistreat and shun their loyal customers just like they have done to you and thousands more. TLDR moral of the story? Take Qantas to NCAT at the first opportunity over any dollar amount or injustice. Give them the slight extra burden of dealing with NCAT and help them feel your pain. I don't believe for one second it will change their customer service or culture in the long term, but it will certainly help your mental health and fatten your wallet in the meantime.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Love the way companies ignore the fact they were only goaded into action because of an external force.

Integrity is doing the right thing when noone is watching. Sadly the world is sorely lacking in enough integrity

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

That s a great outcome. Some (defintly me) would have give up. Could you give us some details on how easy / hard it was to go throught the process of an NCAT claim? It sounds hard, but maybe it's not the case?

I almost gave up on the basis it wasn't worth my time, but I forced my stubbornness to prevail and I knew it'd irk me forever if I didn't do it. I know the idea can seem intimidating, but the NCAT application process is far easier than trying to get a resolution directly with the Qantas Contact Centre and best of all, it forces Qantas to actually pay attention: How to apply.

There's a chance Qantas could let it go to an actual hearing (and even then, you'd just need to show up and make your case), but in the vast vast majority of cases, Qantas will contact you at some point before the actual hearing (might even wait until just the day or two before) to settle the claim in exchange for you withdrawing the case.

TL/DR - you have very little to lose and in many cases it's the only realistic option once you've been stonewalled, so give it a go.

 

[MARTINE]

That s a great outcome. Some (defintly me) would have give up. Could you give us some details on how easy / hard it was to go throught the process of an NCAT claim? It sounds hard, but maybe it's not the case?

Could be a useful option in case of similar issues to see what you did. But first put your feet up and enjoy $200 of your beverage of choice!!

 

[CMA222]

.......
I did indeed file an NCAT claim on principle (g-d bless my stubbornness) after first following through with a wise but ultimately futile recommendation to e-mail an executive, which went unanswered.

Woop-dee-doo, I "won" after hours of wasted time. Really a treat that it takes not just threats of but actual steps taken to pursue a remedy in court to hold Qantas to account, but I can't say I'm surprised. If this is Qantas doing better by its customers as promised, I'll continue to stick with competitors, and only fly QF where not doing so would be a further inconvenience and punishment to myself.

Did you ask QF to reimburse the NCAT application fee ? They should have reimbursed it given you were forced to resort to NCAT to achieve a resolution.

 

[Blinky]

I must say that I have had great success with VCAT, successfully staring down Apple, Harvey Norman, an insurance company and a travel agent. All settled satisfactorily.

But more relevant, how Qantas can threat such a good customer so poorly is inexplicable.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I was thinking of going to VCAT for an airline related complaint (not QF) and the estimated hearing time is 52 weeks!! Kinda makes you wonder whether it’s worth it

 

[Danger]

Congratulations, FlyingKangaroo and well done for persevering.

I took an international airline to a state administrative tribunal over a so-called mistake fare after weeks of being ignored. It got the airline's attention and the resolution I was seeking.

 

[MARTINE]

Congratulations, FlyingKangaroo and well done for persevering.

I took an international airline to a state administrative tribunal over a so-called mistake fare after weeks of being ignored. It got the airline's attention and the resolution I was seeking.

What are the costs involved in going to VCAT for an issue like this?

 

[RichardMEL]

Squeaky wheel and all that.

Great outcome but should never get to this.

Just sad that people have to resort to this kind of activity because the customer "service" can be so poor.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What are the costs involved in going to VCAT for an issue like this?

sliding scale, depending on the outcome you’re looking for. For example if it’s a specific cash amount under $3000 it’s like $70 or something. But it can go into the hundreds of $ if you are looking for something other than cash (like the company to ‘do’ or ‘not do’ something). The range of fees are here: Fees | VCAT

Somethings have really short listing times. Other things like actions for good and services are up to a year!

 

[ChrisMars]

sliding scale, depending on the outcome you’re looking for. For example if it’s a specific cash amount under $3000 it’s like $70 or something. But it can go into the hundreds of $ if you are looking for something other than cash (like the company to ‘do’ or ‘not do’ something). The range of fees are here: Fees | VCAT

Somethings have really short listing times. Other things like actions for good and services are up to a year!

Noob question, do you need to live in Victoria to take Qantas to VCAT? Is it better to use vcat, ncat, acat for claims against Qantas. Almost feel like this whole topic of claims could make an interesting article or affonair podcast. @AFF Editor