Disappointing WP experience at First Counter/Lounge regarding baggage limits

[medhead]

I don't understand your point.

wouldn't the minimum standards apply to the entire journey and in this case wasn't that Qantas?

The point is Qantas can and does have different rules for QFF platinum than the oneworld rules for emerald. The OP was quoting OW rules, which in some situations may not apply to a QFF member on a qantas flight.

However, in this case the passenger was within both sets of allowance.

 

[djfuzz]

Not to go too far OT, but had a very similar scenario crop up recently at JFK on an all-QF PE ticket, where we were denied a second carry-on bag despite the rules clearly providing for it. Check in agent would not budge, despite being referred to the ticket itself. Sometimes I am at a complete loss.

 

[kpro]

Sorry for the confusion, yes I understand on QF the benefits are slightly different.

QF SYD - HKG 50kg in Economy for WP
CX HKG - TPE 20kg + 20kg/1 piece in Economy for OWE

Either this, or the MSC rule should have allowed her two bags, both being under 20kg to be checked in all the way from SYD to TPE for no additional charge.

 

[madrooster]

Sorry for the confusion, yes I understand on QF the benefits are slightly different.

QF SYD - HKG 50kg in Economy for WP
CX HKG - TPE 20kg + 20kg/1 piece in Economy for OWE

Either this, or the MSC rule should have allowed her two bags, both being under 20kg to be checked in all the way from SYD to TPE for no additional charge.

The CX policy doesn't come into play here due to being one PNR and being a connecting flight in transit at HKG. The CX policy would apply however if a stopover was had in HKG.

 

[kpro]

The CX policy doesn't come into play here due to being one PNR and being a connecting flight in transit at HKG. The CX policy would apply however if a stopover was had in HKG.

Okay but then the QF baggage policy would have applied, and the two bags still should have been checked with no additional charge..

 

[Robert K]

I fly the same route and never had a problem with 2 bags. Bad eggs ruins it. Your mom's too nice. I would've made a fuss!

 

[Red Roo]

My mum who has been WP for over 10 years recently booked a flight to Taiwan on the Qantas website. The routing was SYD to HKG on QF and then HKG to TPE on CX. This was all on the one ticket, in Y class.

As a WP/OWE recent changes to benefits entitle her to an additional 20kg/1 piece baggage on all oneworld airlines (Emerald privileges - oneworld). Upon trying to check in her 2 bags (both <20kg), the First counter told her that there was no such benefit and that she had to pay an extra $100 for the bag to be checked in all the way to TPE. After some discussion, the additional bag was tagged to HKG only. She then brought the issue up with the attendant at the First Lounge, and even showed the website above. They told her that the information on the website was irrelavant and that there was no additional baggage allowance on CX. She was then told to pick up her additional bag in HKG, clear immigration and re-check it in with CX directly!! She did this, and the CX counter in HKG readily recognised the additional baggage limit she is rightfully allowed.

I find this quite unacceptable for Qantas to not be up to date with the list of oneworld benefits, trying to charge $100 for additional baggage, ignoring the information on the oneworld website, and telling her to pick up her bags and re-check them in. With a 2hr connection window, she is lucky she didn't miss her connection. My mum will raise a formal complaint when she returns, however I feel Qantas' treatment of a long time WP member is unacceptable and shows their continuing decline in good customer service.

Sorry to hear of your Mum's recent disappointing experience. Please provide the details via this form so our Customer Care team can respond to her directly.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Sorry to hear of your Mum's recent disappointing experience. Please provide the details via this form so our Customer Care team can respond to her directly.

RedRoo, sure the OP can complain, however we have an expectation when using your F check in and F hosts that we are getting your most competent and experienced staff. Reality seems to be different.

People at this level don't waste time making complaints, they move their F/loyalty business to other carriers.

 

[Red Roo]

RedRoo, sure the OP can complain, however we have an expectation when using your F check in and F hosts that we are getting your most competent and experienced staff. Reality seems to be different.

People at this level don't waste time making complaints, they move their F/loyalty business to other carriers.

Our First Hosts are a dedicated, hand-picked team who are expected to offer a seamless service to our premium and most frequent travellers. If this has not been your experience, we'd appreciate an opportunity to address it with the individuals concerned by using examples. Feedback is never taken for granted in our endeavour to maintain consistency.

 

[vitagen]

I think the first check-in staff are different from the actual first host(s) located in the lounge? I could be wrong.

from my experience, I was in the Sydney Flounge on Saturday and the first host provided exceptional service.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

I think the first check-in staff are different from the actual first host(s) located in the lounge? I could be wrong.

from my experience, I was in the Sydney Flounge on Saturday and the first host provided exceptional service.

I have had extremely good service also in the main, however last time I was travelling in F as WP across two separate bookings in March (both QF operated and ticketed), it took me 35 minutes to check in while they tried to work it, out after a first host had done a number of strange things to my booking the day before.

This hardly made for a seamless travel experience, and resulted in a rushed spa appointment and little time to enjoy the lounge.

The onboard staff made up for the shortcomings on the ground, but that's hardly the point.

The OP's issue reflects a lack of training which aligns with my experience.

 

[Homer]

Sorry to hear of your Mum's recent disappointing experience. Please provide the details via this form so our Customer Care team can respond to her directly.

Red Roo you're a valuable member of the AFF community and we all appreciate your contributions. So I hope you aren't offended by my comment here. But, seriously, if one of my highest-valued customers took the trouble to lodge what appears to be a pretty valid complaint, in detail, on an online forum, including posting copies of supporting documentation (boarding passes in this case), and did so calmly and reasonably and without asking for the CEO's home number, etc, then I wouldn't push them back to an online form which many on this forum criticise for the lack of specific responses. Instead, I'd ask the customer to PM me their phone number and then I'd get somebody to call them. Just my 10 cents.

 

[Red Roo]

Red Roo you're a valuable member of the AFF community and we all appreciate your contributions. So I hope you aren't offended by my comment here. But, seriously, if one of my highest-valued customers took the trouble to lodge what appears to be a pretty valid complaint, in detail, on an online forum, including posting copies of supporting documentation (boarding passes in this case), and did so calmly and reasonably and without asking for the CEO's home number, etc, then I wouldn't push them back to an online form which many on this forum criticise for the lack of specific responses. Instead, I'd ask the customer to PM me their phone number and then I'd get somebody to call them. Just my 10 cents.

No offence taken. 10 cents accepted.

The OP suggested that his/her Mum would be making a formal complaint upon her return. My offer of the form was to assist with this process as it is directed to our dedicated Customer Care team. Of course I can assist via a private message, however in this case, the OP is not the passenger. Due to privacy reasons, we would like to discuss this directly with "Mum". Hope this helps clarify my intention on this occasion.

 

[Homer]

No offence taken. 10 cents accepted.

The OP suggested that his/her Mum would be making a formal complaint upon her return. My offer of the form was to assist with this process as it is directed to our dedicated Customer Care team. Of course I can assist via a private message, however in this case, the OP is not the passenger. Due to privacy reasons, we would like to discuss this directly with "Mum". Hope this helps clarify my intention on this occasion.

Yes that mostly makes sense, though I'm old enough to remember when companies didn't have that handy "privacy" chestnut to justify this or that and it didn't seem to cause any problems back then .

 

[Danger]

Thanks for your ongoing engagement, Red Roo.

 

[kpro]

No offence taken. 10 cents accepted.

The OP suggested that his/her Mum would be making a formal complaint upon her return. My offer of the form was to assist with this process as it is directed to our dedicated Customer Care team. Of course I can assist via a private message, however in this case, the OP is not the passenger. Due to privacy reasons, we would like to discuss this directly with "Mum". Hope this helps clarify my intention on this occasion.

Complaint should be submitted now - the form you provided earlier apparently doesn't come back with any success message after pressing submit? How can we tell that the form was actually submitted properly?

Further details from mum state that First Lounge attendant told her "they are Qantas and they give additional bag to Qantas and they are not allowed to do so for other airlines". Which seems totally wrong based on information here. Anyway, will let everyone know how it does.

 

[Shelf]

Yes that mostly makes sense, though I'm old enough to remember when companies didn't have that handy "privacy" chestnut to justify this or that and it didn't seem to cause any problems back then .

IIRC the Privacy Act has some hefty financial penalties for breaches. I guess being cautious will save grief

 

[medhead]

Yes that mostly makes sense, though I'm old enough to remember when companies didn't have that handy "privacy" chestnut to justify this or that and it didn't seem to cause any problems back then .

What? Before there was privacy legislation? I'm sick if people calling legislative requirements a chestnut. Or are you suggesting that qantas can just pick and choose which laws they follow?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What? Before there was privacy legislation? I'm sick if people calling legislative requirements a chestnut. Or are you suggesting that qantas can just pick and choose which laws they follow?

there are two separate issues here:

the complaint itself... may be subject to privacy requirements unless consent is given.

and the strategic issue... from a PR perspective and a passenger perception/experience angle.

the latter is not subject to privacy issues. a company is free to deal with anecdotal evidence as it sees fit, without touching on the specifics. it could say it is disappointed by the perception (admits no liability by doing this because it is dealing with the perception) and it could for example say whatever steps have been taken at a high level to try and ensure other passengers don't experience the same.

privacy rules are there for a very good reason, but they do not stop initiative.

 

[medhead]

there are two separate issues here:

the complaint itself... may be subject to privacy requirements unless consent is given.

and the strategic issue... from a PR perspective and a passenger perception/experience angle.

the latter is not subject to privacy issues. a company is free to deal with anecdotal evidence as it sees fit, without touching on the specifics. it could say it is disappointed by the perception (admits no liability by doing this because it is dealing with the perception) and it could for example say whatever steps have been taken at a high level to try and ensure other passengers don't experience the same.

privacy rules are there for a very good reason, but they do not stop initiative.

I took Red Roo to be talking about provision of specific, complaint related assistance. Why? because of the suggestion of referring it to the customer care team and mentioning details of the specific event. In which case privacy is an issue and the comment I object to is invalid, IMO. Hence I objected to the comment.