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

[Pushka]

If

That's terrible.

I'd say the upgrade system somehow caused a double issue of those boarding passes. It sort of makes sense, removing you from the seats was to reduce the embarassment once QF determined someone else had BPs with the same seat numbers and were likely revenue passengers so suddenly they became priority.

If that's what happened, surely modern flight res systems don't do this? That's one hell of a screw up... I'd be milking this for points.

I’d been tracking the J seats on expert flyer subscription and they were available until the time we received the upgrade text.

 

[Pushka]

That was my initial thought. Whatever happened it is completely unacceptable. The "exec" got you outside so the rest of J did not see what an cough he was about to be. I would have stayed in my seat and made him explain there and then ... easy to say in hindsight of-course.

I am amazed by your calm countenance.

Yes that’s exactly what he did plus if we reacted badly we were already off the plane so easy for security.

I did say, as we were removing our items from overhead that Qantas has a way of screwing their customers while MrP said words to the effect of - well, now we all know where Qantas has their priorities and it isn’t for the customer. The J cabin would have heard.

 

[DC3]

They may be P1?

Yes, they sound important

 

[33kft]

I’d been tracking the J seats on expert flyer subscription and they were available until the time we received the upgrade text.

That assumes that expert flyer didn't get a feed from the same faulty system but yes it is just a guess

 

[Pushka]

Yes, they sound important

More important than us clearly.

 

[Flyfrequently]

They weren’t late into the airport just for boarding.

Do you think at some point just prior to boarding they finally looked at their BP - or when CSM pointed them to the back of the Bus they had their hissy fit?

Anyhoo, still very poor form on behalf of Q Exec.

Enjoy Bali @Pushka 🏖

 

[DC3]

The issue.

While seated in business class in row 1 we were asked to leave the plane to speak to a Qantas Exec ….

Ah. Lured out of your seats ….

 

[Princess Fiona]

This is pretty ordinary from QF and I’d submit an email asking for a please explain.
They will likely fall back on operational requirements blah blah blah but anyway you view this it’s not a good look.

I hope @Pushka you and Mr P have better luck on the rest of your trip.

 

[DC3]

.. MrP said words to the effect of - well, now we all know where Qantas has their priorities and it isn’t for the customer. The J cabin would have heard

For all that the J pax knew. you were probably seen as a pair of self-upgraders and were muttered about accordingly

 

[Pushka]

For all that the J pax knew. you were probably seen as a pair of self-upgraders and were muttered about accordingly

It’s quite possible that many were as our upgrade only came last night as it’s connected to an International flight so delayed to 2 days prior. Upgrades normally happen instantly on domestic if available. Maybe even U fares were onboard where little money is involved. We did pay a fare. Also there was no mention by anyone that we were upgraded by points.

 

[Pushka]

Do you think at some point just prior to boarding they finally looked at their BP - or when CSM pointed them to the back of the Bus they had their hissy fit?

Anyhoo, still very poor form on behalf of Q Exec.

Enjoy Bali @Pushka 🏖

Well the thing that confounds me is why they were so late to board. Maybe as you say they were arguing upstairs but if the system wouldn’t allocate them Business originally then what hold did they have to boot someone out?

 

[RooFlyer]

Its the 20 min gap between when boarding was notionally completed, "waiting on 2 pax" and when the request to "come outside" was made that intrigues me.

OPs and the other 2 were in the QP (no J lounge in ADL). OP and everyone else there were called, and boarded. The other two didn't. If they didn't board in time, esp say +10 mins, they should have been offloaded. But of course the delay was not because they were late, it was so other things could happen. A call made? New BPs for the OPs here and a plan to get them off the plane, given their marching orders and to clear the way for the other two, who then appeared. All nicely choreographed.

And all for a 60 min flight ADL-MEL. I mean, who was worth undertaking the skulduggery for, on such a short flight?

 

[Flyfrequently]

... what hold did they have to boot someone out?

That is the million dollar question @Pushka !

 

[eminere]

Where are our Qantas apologists when you need them?

Crickets I'm sure. Otherwise making the loudest noise defending the indefensible.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Crickets I'm sure. Otherwise making the loudest noise defending the indefensible.

Actually no. I’d be the first to out myself as someone who preferentially books and flies QF and I did reply, and certainly not defending it.

 

[eminere]

Actually no. I’d be the first to out myself as someone who preferentially books and flies QF and I did reply, and certainly not defending it.

Then you're obviously not amongst the people my comment was referring to.

 

[Gold Member]

I'm afraid @Pushka that by the end of this thread, it will be pointed out that this was actually your fault and besides, Virgin is worse.

Are you referring to our resident Qantas PR rep that provides a balanced and factual opinion?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not a great situation.

As someone pointed out upthread it sounds like a glitch where upgrade requests were granted but not actually available. And unfortunately the upgrade seats were trumped by J fare paying passengers.

The ‘exec’ could simply have been the station manager? We don’t know what happened in the 20 minute wait. Could have been those pax arrived at the gate, their BPs flashed ‘red’. The dual seat occupancy was uncovered, and they had to wait until it was sorted out. Which would have involved a manager maybe coming to decide who to let stay, and who had to move.

Dunno why a middle seat. That sucks.

 

[madrooster]

Yup. Summarized beautifully. All of it. The CSM advised first and afterwards he was an Exec.

Possibly an ACEM aka airport customer experience manager, or a CSS aka customer service supervisor. They're the ones who sit at the old CityFlyer desk near gate 23.

We have so many questions. How could this happen.

The two invaders had checked in and had boarding passes at the same time as we did. Were we already overbooked?

They were 30 minutes late to board. They sure weren’t pilots - too young. Why did we get bumped for them? When were we bumped?

Your scenario sounds like tech crew (could be either mainline or QantasLink, but most likely QantasLink if they were quite young) trumped you as they were on duty travel. Tech crew on duty travel are booked directly into J, even if the cabin is already full. This creates an oversell situation which is usually rectified with downgrading commercial pax and that almost always will be someone in U class as they are the lowest commercial value pax in J.

And they just freakin bumped us to Y and me a bloody middle seat. And they are not pilots as we heard them talking in the club.

Tech crew on duty travel are allowed into the lounges.

 

[33kft]

Tech crew on duty travel are booked directly into J, even if the cabin is already full. This creates an oversell situation which is usually rectified with downgrading commercial pax and that almost always will be someone in U class as they are the lowest commercial value pax in J.

Is any consideration given to loading in subsequent flights? Seems like a very disruptive process, but I am guessing this is enshrined in an enterprise agreement and this is just how it is handled operationally? I'm surprised it doesn't cause more consternation

Seems like if they were in the airport earlier it couldn't have been too last minute of an arrangement