Downgraded from Business Class on Qantas due to "tech crew" [pilot] Travel Requirements

[prozac]

The CSM did give us a nice G&T and we were very grateful for that but an announcement would have been great. Guess they don’t want others to know about this and unlike some here I think it will become much more prevalent.

An announcement like "Let's give a big warm welcome to @Pushka and MrPushka. This is their first time in Y"

 

[Pushka]

An announcement like "Let's give a big warm welcome to @Pushka and MrPushka. This is their first time in Y"

Yeah, not the kind of announcement I was thinking of though. More like, "on domestic, Pushka et al were looking forward to one of their first domestic seats in Business but we thought, why not give them a Qantas enhancement and downgrade them"

 

[prozac]

Yeah, not the kind of announcement I was thinking of though. More like, "on domestic, Pushka et al were looking forward to one of their first domestic seats in Business but we thought, why not give them a Qantas enhancement and downgrade them"

The CSM is already just hanging onto his job by the skin of his teeth.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Interesting. The key query I have, and you probably can't address this one directly, but for me the key is separate PNR's - so essentially to the carrier separate passengers with no real link. If they were on the same PNR would they potentially have been split do you think?

Per the comments of @madrooster, if they were together, then no. But if they're separate, then obviously there is no real way for the system to know.

That said...years back my brother and I were travelling together, xx_-LHR-SIN on QF. Separate PNRs but selected seats next to each other. Couldn't print BPs at the outstation...oh dear. Get to LHR, both of us got boarding passes for Premium Economy. Go figure. Unique last name probably helped.

 

[JohnK]

I've had to deal with this but in the VA context. Mother and daughter presented to check in, on separate PNRs. Daughter got bumped due to a downgauge in the old VA A330 days. Mother livid, taking it out on us etc. Totally unfair. I mean, as if we'd have forced her teenage daughter to stay behind for 3 hours while Mum flew. Did she think we were Qantas? Took some work but we got them both on. A few seats were often saved at airport level for such scenarios back then.

I do wonder how much of these stories is a result of the disempowerment of agents at the airport for Qantas and closure of ticketing desks etc.

The solution is simple.

Airlines need to stop playing this game. If they want to continue playing the game then full refund + adequate compensation for any downgrades or offloads.

Anyone here remember when VA offloaded my 2 year old daughter from flight and left me on flight as a VA Gold? Yes we were on separate bookings but as soon as they found out they stuffed up they needed to put my daughter back on flight and offload one of the ones that did not belong on the flight. Status or not status is irrelevant.

The stupid excuse that day was weather delays. If you're going to offload ask for volunteers and make it worthwhile for them.

By the way we both went together next flight but no one had any idea where our luggage was located when we got to Gold Coast. We waited and waited and luggage arrived on the next flight. We then had long trip home to Brisbane.

And we got nothing for the gross inconvenience we were caused.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

An announcement like "Let's give a big warm welcome to @Pushka and MrPushka. This is their first time in Y"

You're the next contestant on the Upgrade is Right. And what's the next flight up for bids today, Johnny?

We've got tickets for 2 up to Melbourne from Adelaide. This flight was originally scheduled to be operated on a 737 but was then swapped to a QantasLink 717 with 2 members of the Chairman's Lounge booking tickets for this flight at the last possible moment.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

At least EK is coming back to ADL, Pushka, so we or the travelling public can avoid MEL/SYD/BNE/PER to go further away, with an option of not flying the roo.

 

[Pushka]

At least EK is coming back to ADL, Pushka, so we or the travelling public can avoid MEL/SYD/BNE/PER to go further away, with an option of not flying the roo.

Yes, am flying EK at Christmas time but have to go through Melbourne. Least I get the F lounge I guess. And I've only been freely upgraded on EK, never downgraded.

 

[Pushka]

Up to four now but the refund sounds better. Once again no choice.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/elderly-couple-separated-on-qantas-flight-as-husband-bumped-from-business-class/news-story/e1620dc3cfde5722ebee8a1f9aa2b33c

Delete. Old news.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Up to four now but the refund sounds better. Once again no choice.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/elderly-couple-separated-on-qantas-flight-as-husband-bumped-from-business-class/news-story/e1620dc3cfde5722ebee8a1f9aa2b33c

Same couple as reported on Monday, including the 75% refund.

 

[DC3]

At least EK is coming back to ADL, Pushka, so we or the travelling public can avoid MEL/SYD/BNE/PER to go further away, with an option of not flying the roo.

Nothing gets past Poochie

 

[kangarooflyer88]

At least EK is coming back to ADL, Pushka, so we or the travelling public can avoid MEL/SYD/BNE/PER to go further away, with an option of not flying the roo.

Technically you are flying the Roo if you are on a QF codeshare. No one can escape the Roo!

 

[prozac]

Technically you are flying the Roo if you are on a QF codeshare. No one can escape the Roo!

View attachment 343569

Heard Vince Sorrenti do a fantastic AJ accent today.
He is on the airwaves spruiking his new show, I'M OFFENDED!

 

[prozac]

Flicking through the AFR I was stunned to read that Chairman Richard Goyder still thinks the board of Qantas are world class executives!
Tell 'em they're dreaming Daryl.

AFR 9 Sep 2023
He says succession planning is a board priority, given Joyce’s statement in 2020 that he would leave the company in late 2023.

“From Alan’s point of view, he’s always been cognisant that a part of his job was to ensure that not only did he have a world-class management team, but he had people within that team who were able to succeed him,” Goyder says.

“He’s been very clear with me and the board that his ambition is for a seamless succession, and that is ideally what is good for the business and shareholders.

“The board will do its duty and look internally and have a look externally, but we’re really confident, and certainly I am, in Alan’s team. There’s very capable executives.

“I think it’s incumbent on boards from day one of the CEO’s tenure to the last day of the CEO’s tenure, to ensure that succession planning is a key item of what we do.

“Part of that is ensuring that internal candidates are getting those opportunities to continue to build their capabilities, so when the timing comes, we’ve got strong choices.”

Richard is so world class he probably won't be there come the AGM.

Qantas CEO could exit on $13.5m high

Alan Joyce could end his 14-year tenure as Qantas CEO with a record payday.

www.afr.com

 

[Capricornus]

Completely agree. And with clearly defined technology, processes and governance, I’d imagine it’s not easy to circumvent.

That said, there was a well documented case a few years ago where the current CEO of Loyalty refused to move from her serviceable F seat to swap with a fare-paying Platinum whose seat was not working, instead berating staff for even making the request of her. Not that this is necessarily the same or similar situation, however.

Can you please point to this case?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

They may be kids in the video but it highlights how confirmation bias doesn't allow some adults to think outside the box when it comes to what a pilot looks like eg can't be young and boisterous in the lounge. If they'd been older and quiet in the lounge it would've been more believable that they were indeed duty tech crew on duty travel who gazumped commercial pax from their J seats and there wouldn't have been the wild conspiracy theories/tin foil hat stuff that ensued.

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[Mr H]

They may be kids in the video but it highlights how confirmation bias doesn't allow some adults to think outside the box when it comes to what a pilot looks like eg can't be young and boisterous in the lounge. If they'd been older and quiet in the lounge it would've been more believable that they were indeed duty tech crew on duty travel who gazumped commercial pax from their J seats and there wouldn't have been the wild conspiracy theories/tin foil hat stuff that ensued.

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That's powerful. By the bye, I used to work in a role where I met cardiac surgeons. They were all male and had big, fat sausage fingers. I was struck at the time that it must be easier to do the job if you had dainty fingers.

 

[quemco]

Heard Vince Sorrenti do a fantastic AJ accent today.
He is on the airwaves spruiking his new show, I'M OFFENDED!

Quite a long time ago but Qantas had separated my wife and and I on a J flight from Sydney to Perth, hosties made no effort to help. Approached said Vince Sorrenti who was in aisle seat next my wife, said Hello Vince - he gave me that big toothy grin until I asked if he wouldn't mind moving to my window seat so my wife and I could sit together. Flat out said no way and got uptight. Nor would the guy next to me. He had a very cold and angry woman next to him for the next 4 hours or so
She was OFFENDED!

 

[RooFlyer]

doesn't allow some adults to think outside the box when it comes to what a pilot looks like eg can't be young and boisterous in the lounge. If they'd been older and quiet in the lounge it would've been more believable that they were indeed duty tech crew on duty travel who gazumped commercial pax from their J seats and there wouldn't have been the wild conspiracy theories/tin foil hat stuff that ensued.

Wow, that’s all pretty condescending isn’t it? There’s only one person who observed the behaviour and suffered the consequences of the pilots in the lounge and that was the OP. You can call it tinfoil hat stuff if you like ( that’s pretty insulting in itself) but the OP was there, you weren’t and I think OP‘s take on things should carry some weight?

And the question remains if they were pilots acting boisterously, is that acceptable behaviour from a pilot on duty? They were on duty while in the lounge, we are told, so should their behaviour be any different in the lounge, than in the coughpit?

I’d love to hear the Qantas chief pilot’s view on this.

 

[MikeG]

All that aside, airlines should rethink their practice of ousting paying pax in order for any of their employees to get a comfy seat. If there's a free seat, then fine, but its mental to be treating their staff like that in the face of pissing off their customers.