Have I been joyced by Qantas ?

[turtlemichael]

Around 10.00pm last night I got a call from Qantas concerning our flight CNS-MEL in a couple of days. The operator told me that due to a plane change my business class award seats were no longer available and my options were to travel economy on the same flight or to move to a later flight in business. I opted for the later though it would be inconvenient. eg filling in 7 hours, returning the car to the airport then getting a taxi back to town with effectively nowhere to go rather than sit at the airport. I was profusely thanked for my loyalty etc The call was from Cape Town. The flight was changed on my Qantas App but the confirming email never arrived. Today I notice that the original flight is still on the same 737 and is accepting in business class bookings at just over $2200 each. The penny didn't drop last night (it was late and I was in a busy restaurant) that there effectively was no plane that they could use with less business class capacity than a 737. My status is LTG. Is there any other explanation than I was lied to in order to free up our seats for a better deal for Qantas to sell our seats rather than use them for an award?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think you’re right. It sounds like the plane was oversold - and still is - but used the excuse of a change in aircraft.

They probably are still selling seats for $2200, and if someone books those, another pax on a lower fare will be downgraded to economy.

 

[justinbrett]

Around 10.00pm last night I got a call from Qantas concerning our flight CNS-MEL in a couple of days. The operator told me that due to a plane change my business class award seats were no longer available and my options were to travel economy on the same flight or to move to a later flight in business. I opted for the later though it would be inconvenient. eg filling in 7 hours, returning the car to the airport then getting a taxi back to town with effectively nowhere to go rather than sit at the airport. I was profusely thanked for my loyalty etc The call was from Cape Town. The flight was changed on my Qantas App but the confirming email never arrived. Today I notice that the original flight is still on the same 737 and is accepting in business class bookings at just over $2200 each. The penny didn't drop last night (it was late and I was in a busy restaurant) that there effectively was no plane that they could use with less business class capacity than a 737. My status is LTG. Is there any other explanation than I was lied to in order to free up our seats for a better deal for Qantas to sell our seats rather than use them for an award?

What date?

If it was Saturday or Sunday AM, there is 1x J seat selling for each flight, so they were probably only oversold by 1 seat, then when they moved you they had 1 free.

It it was Monday AM, there are no J seats.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What date?

If it was Saturday or Sunday AM, there is 1x J seat selling for each flight, so they were probably only oversold by 1 seat, then when they moved you they had 1 free.

It it was Monday AM, there are no J seats.

Perhaps the solution here would have been to keep one pax confirmed in business and the other offered a downgrade or alternative flight? That would have provided the maximum flexibility to the passenger.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Yup, you were probably had. Happened to a buddy of mine on a HBA-SYD J award a few months back.

No change to aircraft/schedule, was bumped off it 4 weeks out. Booked 6 months prior to travel.

 

[RooFlyer]

Didn't we hear of something like this a while back? A call saying there was some sort of problem with a customer's Award flight and helpfully offering to move the customer to another flight? But the original flight ran as scheduled? I'll see if I can find it.

Is there any other explanation than I was lied to in order to free up our seats for a better deal for Qantas to sell our seats rather than use them for an award?

That sounds eminently plausible and believable with today's Qantas. So yes, you've likely been joyced (although I bet someone will do their darndest to prove otherwise )

 

[DC3]

… That sounds eminently plausible …

And no elegant sufficiency onboard as a result.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Was there 2 passengers and not just 1 so oversold by 1 and 2 moved flights to have 1 available so Qantas could get more money.

 

[rcn]

Similar experience, SYD - BNE flight was rescheduled to an hour later, paid Business, although I fare class. Not a big deal but that meant more waiting time. Suspicious as fares were still on sale online. Rang up the call centre, was told the flight was cancelled. Went to the airport, lo and behold, the "cancelled" flight was running.

 

[rcn]

I note the wording on the sms Qantas sent, "We are sorry we had to cancel your flight QFxx_...", which implies your booking/seat being cancelled on that flight, as opposes to the flight being cancelled.

 

[andye]

Didn't we hear of something like this a while back? A call saying there was some sort of problem with a customer's Award flight and helpfully offering to move the customer to another flight? But the original flight ran as scheduled? I'll see if I can find it....

I remember a post about a QR customer who was offered to change to A380 but missing Suites as a result. He declined, still got Suites but they moved his seat allocation to the back if J cabin

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I note the wording on the sms Qantas sent, "We are sorry we had to cancel your flight QFxx_...", which implies your booking/seat being cancelled on that flight, as opposes to the flight being cancelled.

I think i mentioned this elsewhere but the terminology used is carefully chosen to imply they had no choice… ie we *had* to cancel your flight. If they phrased it ‘we cancelled your flight’ it changes the emphasis.

No doubt some will be fooled by the subtle difference.

 

[harvyk]

<snip> (although I bet someone will do their darndest to prove otherwise )

No, I'm pretty sure even the QF Fanboi's have accepted that QF really isn't doing its finest work right now.

 

[justinbrett]

No, I'm pretty sure even the QF Fanboi's have accepted that QF really isn't doing its finest work right now.

Most airlines aren't.

Booked Virgin....ended up on Qantas

After 6 recent domestic flights with Qantas, of which only 2 allowed me to fly in the class I had paid for and vaguely on time, I though I would try the competition for the first time today. Booked a J class fare BNE-SYD, just outside school holidays and peak times. Was looking forward to...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Vic]

No, I'm pretty sure even the QF Fanboi's have accepted that QF really isn't doing its finest work right now.

There's two posts in thread that suggest otherwise...

Post automatically merged: Aug 5, 2022

Most airlines aren't.

Booked Virgin....ended up on Qantas

After 6 recent domestic flights with Qantas, of which only 2 allowed me to fly in the class I had paid for and vaguely on time, I though I would try the competition for the first time today. Booked a J class fare BNE-SYD, just outside school holidays and peak times. Was looking forward to...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

How are those July cancellation stats... Is Qantas still double Virgin?

Still we're talking about Qantas here, not virgin

 

[Quickstatus]

Most airlines aren't.

Some are doing it better.
However if we are saying that one airline is the better airline, then there should be evidence that it is performing at a higher level than the others.
The suggestion is that people are not necessarily observing the differential.

 

[turtlemichael]

What date?

If it was Saturday or Sunday AM, there is 1x J seat selling for each flight, so they were probably only oversold by 1 seat, then when they moved you they had 1 free.

It it was Monday AM, there are no J seats.

I was trying to be a bit indefinite for privacy reasons but I guess there is no real need. The flight is Sunday. I see now that Qantas is no longer selling J seats for this flight.

But why does that matter? When I booked it was most likely not oversold. Does it mean that if I book award seats I am at risk of being shunted, and lied to, if Qantas decides it can make more money by selling the seat for second time at a higher price? Are they overselling wherever they can and let those who paid the least suffer the consequences?

 

[justinbrett]

I was trying to be a bit indefinite for privacy reasons but I guess there is no real need. The flight is Sunday. I see now that Qantas is no longer selling J seats for this flight.

But why does that matter? When I booked it was most likely not oversold. Does it mean that if I book award seats I am at risk of being shunted, and lied to, if Qantas decides it can make more money by selling the seat for second time at a higher price? Are they overselling wherever they can and let those who paid the least suffer the consequences?

It had one seat when I checked earlier. I don't know why QF oversold it, thinking maybe they need to deadhead 2 crew to MEL? But that would explain why they rebooked you and were still selling a single seat. I think it's complete conjecture that QF is cancelling bookings for the direct intent to resell those seats at profit. People here might argue otherwise, some don't like reality. However I think it is true that if someone has to be offloaded, points bookings are easy targets as the worst case for them (full refund) doesn't cost them cash.

 

[Quickstatus]

Are they overselling wherever they can and let those who paid the least suffer the consequences?

It has always been the case that airlines have oversold seats and then dealt with the consequences afterwards. The passengers with the stickiest booking have always tended to be the ones who paid the most for the ticket/ have significant frequent flyer status, or some other notation on their ticket.

Award tickets IMO have always been the lowest fare bucket of any cabin. There might be lower - staff tickets for example (not tickets for staff reposition or similar).

The power is all on the airline’s side because the airline can cancel, rebook, reschedule any ticket at any time. It is a bad look, and devalues customer loyalty and also their FF account

Remember loyalty is only one way. The airline does not demonstrate any loyalty to its customers. Your FF is just the coughulative account of YOUR loyalty to the airline. And note that other than the enumerated benefits of the FF tier status and the terms and conditions of the ticket, the passenger has no other rights.

So the question then is: Why endear oneself to an airline?.

 

[turtlemichael]

So the question then is: Why endear oneself to an airline?.

After many years of WP, I have lowered my expectations. I have a good number of points to go but when they have gone it will be BFOTD, expecting nothing from the airline even when I've paid for it. But being lied to I do not like.