First Platinum One Experience

[bossreggie]

Those of you on my FB or Twitter would have seen my tweet about a bad flight experience last week.

There was an equipment change which meant our SYD-MEL flight (767 2-2-2- Config) was changed to a 767 1-2-2 Config.

I always sit in 1B domestically, and obviously there was no such seat when boarding the aircraft. I had been issued a BP with 1B on it when my PA checked us in on line. My PA had checked in a bag so we couldn't just off-load and grab the next flight. (J was full due to some cancellations of earlier flights) The CSM advised me that they could downgrade another J pax so my PA and I could sit together. My PA didn't want to make a fuss so he agreed to sit in Y. (Qantas pro actively refunded the fare 100%)

My PA called me last night to say that he was called from "Platinum 1 Special Services Unit" They apologised for the involuntary downgrade and said they were sending a gift as a token of their apology.

I will let you know what he gets!!

Oh, They wanted the office address rather than our mailing address so I think it's safe to assume it isn't a QF Voucher!!

 

[serfty]

...
There was an equipment change which meant our SYD-MEL flight (767 2-2-2- Config) was changed to a 767 1-2-2 Config.

... (J was full due to some cancellations of earlier flights) ...

There's also 5 less seats with the Dreamtime configuration.

 

[simongr]

Hi bossregie - I now understand your adverse flight experience. Interestingly wouldn't the equipment swap be better for you personally given the dreamtime seat is better than the millennium? I appreciate the impact on your PA and given your nature an adverse impact on the people with you is an impact on you as well.

 

[bossreggie]

Hi bossregie - I now understand your adverse flight experience. Interestingly wouldn't the equipment swap be better for you personally given the dreamtime seat is better than the millennium? I appreciate the impact on your PA and given your nature an adverse impact on the people with you is an impact on you as well.

Hey Simon.

The seat is better and there was a in seat tv screen.

I wanted to sit with my PA though and we were unable to.

He was given J meal/drinks during the flight and a bottle of wine by the CSM on disembarking.

 

[simongr]

Gotcha - I was comparing to the Millennium seat I am used to seeing rather than the new A330. Apologies.

 

[reductionist]

Those of you on my FB or Twitter would have seen my tweet about a bad flight experience last week.

Is your twitter username one that you are willing to share?

Given your recent CL guest experienced I'd understand if you didn't.

 

[dfcatch]

Hey Simon.

The seat is better and there was a in seat tv screen.

I wanted to sit with my PA though and we were unable to.

He was given J meal/drinks during the flight and a bottle of wine by the CSM on disembarking.

Hi Bossreggie,

Glad to hear that they looked after your PA post-event.

Perhaps this is an area that the "special services team" will be able to handle more proactively once they get up to speed. The problem could have maybe been avoided had you been notified of the equipment change, given the option to move flights or force a downgrade on someone else etc.

I'm not sure how I feel about CL's displacing other pax though (no disrespect to yourself however).

Personally - if I was the J pax I would have happily taken the downgrade with the accompanying full fare compensation But this is clearly an expensive solution for QF. They need to keep both the CL and the downgraded pax happy and could have done so in advance without having to sort it out onboard.

Slightly OT - but I've had two experiences with CL displacing other pax.

1/ About 2 months ago I was on SYD-MEL with SWMBO and discovered at checkin that we had been displaced from front of Y so that a CL could have his favourite front window seat.

SYD J lounge desk wasn't prepared to fix it, but the QP desk took my smarter suggestion on board and simply upgraded the CL to J - everyone was happy and it didn't cost QF anything.


2/ About 4 years ago I was on a late Fri night MEL-HBA (last one of the day) and we were delayed onboard at the gate for 45 mins so that a CL could force herself onto the flight, displace a seated pax, have the displaced pax's bags offloaded and the CL's loaded.

I was none too impressed - and I don't care who the CL was in that situation. It's not like they're going to take their business elsewhere.



IMHO - by all means take care of CL pax, but sort it out prior to boarding and preferably prior to flight close.


I'm sure this would have been helpful in your situation too.

 

[bossreggie]

Hi Bossreggie,

Glad to hear that they looked after your PA post-event.

I'm not sure how I feel about CL's displacing other pax though (no disrespect to yourself however).

IMHO - by all means take care of CL pax, but sort it out prior to boarding and preferably prior to flight close.

I'm sure this would have been helpful in your situation too.

I would have preferred to have had this sorted prior to boarding the aircraft. I just want to get to my seat and sit down. I don't like to create any bother at all.

I found the situation a bit embarrassing to be fair.

 

[simongr]

The message at the lunch was that this is the sort of thing the WP1 team will be watching. The phrase was that they will actively be monitoring your flights and sorting problems before they occur.

 

[harvyk]

ust out of interest how much in advance did they know of the change of equipment?

I've personally found that change of equipment usually throws a spanner in the works (I've only had two equip changes which have worked in my favour), and obviously if it's a last minute change and there are now 5 less J seats it's understandable that QF will have trouble sorting things out if it's close to T...

I'd be interested to know what QF are sending as a gift which requires a real address and not a postal address...

 

[bossreggie]

ust out of interest how much in advance did they know of the change of equipment?

I've personally found that change of equipment usually throws a spanner in the works (I've only had two equip changes which have worked in my favour), and obviously if it's a last minute change and there are now 5 less J seats it's understandable that QF will have trouble sorting things out if it's close to T...

I'd be interested to know what QF are sending as a gift which requires a real address and not a postal address...

I will let you know when I find out.

My best guess would be something food/wine related as that is what he likes. (As do I) Oh and as his boss I will be insisting he shares!!

 

[simongr]

Oh and as his boss I will be insisting he shares!!

Well you did pay for the ticket

 

[QF029]

The message at the lunch was that this is the sort of thing the WP1 team will be watching. The phrase was that they will actively be monitoring your flights and sorting problems before they occur.

So is this classed as an early fail if it wasn't resolved prior?

 

[drewbles]

So is this classed as an early fail if it wasn't resolved prior?

Considering it's not officially 'launched' until 7 November, i'd probably class this as a test-run, call it a beta, if you will.

 

[munitalP]

the only time QF (well 3 or 4 times actually) have asked for a mailing address was to send a courier letter that required signing on arrival with QF paper vouchers enclosed. I stopped this happening by giving them my home address instead of my PO Box I had.