NO CREDITED Qantas Frequent flyer points

[Tiger]

Hi,
I am after advice, suggestions, especially potential legal advice regarding the following matter. I am an Australian living in Canada and try to get home every 2 years or so. My last trip with my family was Feb/March 07, where I booked a flight from Honolulu to Melbourne with Qantas via the Qantas website. I booked 4 tickets which came to almost $5000 US each...not a great deal by any standards)

This may sound odd to those living in Australia, but I had never heard of Jetstar until we boarded the plane in honolulu and were horrified with the lower standard. I was travelling with young children and found out initally we were not entitled to blankets and pillows. But because I had booked a QF flight number I was entitled to a blanket but no pillows (petty I know but I was sooo surprised). We were initially told to pay for our meals, then after double checking found out we didn't.

Anyway my real beef is that I was not credited with any Qantas frequent flyer points. I contacted Qantas FF via email to find out that because I had booked a QF flight (via the Qantas website) but operated by Jetstar, that I was not elligible. They said I should have read the Elligible table before I booked and I would have been aware of this....DO THEY REALLY EXPECT EVERYONE TO READ THIS!

I really really really truly expected to be ellible for points since I booked a Qantas flight on a qantas website which I didn't even realize was going to be operated by Jetstar (although it was detailed on the ticket). Is there sufficient ambiguity to take this further from a legal stand point.

I am so disullisioned with the lack of service I have received from Qantas that I am ashamed to be an Australian and will not fly with them again.

Any advice out there, heartbroken and mad ex-pat.
thanks

 

[NM]

If you booked the QF flight number, then you are entitled to Qantas FF points. Similarly, if you booked a JetFlex fare on the JQ flight number then you are also entitled to QF FF points.

I recommend you do not use information gained from a public forum such as this to be construed as legal advice. That should only come from suitably qualified sources, and I know that does not include me or most of the people who post on forms such as this.

And yes, they do expect people to read the terms and conditions of the program. After all, you agreed to those terms and conditions when you joined the program.

 

[d15.in.oz]

...I booked a flight from Honolulu to Melbourne with Qantas via the Qantas website. I booked 4 tickets which came to almost $5000 US each...

I would be horrified as well, especially as Star Class USA-AUS return is only around US$2000 each! So, US$5000 each, for Jetstar Economy, just seems unreal.

Although I note, that right now, today, the "Qantas website" is happy to sell you a restircted Economy 'Red Tail' return on the Jetstar codeshares in October (HNL-MEL) for US$2218, and the same dates via the "Jetstar website", will get you an offer of US$1967 for full fare Star Class!

Buyer beware, and obviously pissed off when/if they find out!

 

[serfty]

If you booked the QF flight number, then you are entitled to Qantas FF points. Similarly, if you booked a JetFlex fare on the JQ flight number then you are also entitled to QF FF points. ...

Since February this year flying in WHY on Qantas Codeshare Flight numbers for Jetstar 'metal' only earn QFF points and SC's if booked in the following classes: Y B H K W

(I found out the hard way, QF in V class HNL to MEL, cost me 11000 QFF points and 35 SC's :-| .)

More here: Airline Earning Table

 

[serfty]

... I booked 4 tickets which came to almost $5000 US each...not a great deal by any standards ...

How did you do that? The most I can get quoted HNL-SYD return is just over US$2700.

 

[d15.in.oz]

Qantas Codeshare Flight numbers for Jetstar 'metal' only earn QFF points and SC's if booked in the following classes: Y B H K W

I also note, that when clicking on “meal” (from the Qantas website booking engine), for some of the codeshare services - available for purchase - is listed... so looks like some QF codeshare customers are getting treated more and more like ordinary Jet Saver customers, with the execption being the price they are charged!

 

[NM]

Since February this year flying in WHY on Qantas Codeshare Flight numbers for Jetstar 'metal' only earn QFF points and SC's if booked in the following classes: Y B H K W

You are, of course, correct. I was assuming the OPs flights in Feb/March were before that change, but obviously not.

 

[dajop]

Since February this year flying in WHY on Qantas Codeshare Flight numbers for Jetstar 'metal' only earn QFF points and SC's if booked in the following classes: Y B H K W

(I found out the hard way, QF in V class HNL to MEL, cost me 11000 QFF points and 35 SC's :-| .)

More here: Airline Earning Table

I am not a lawyer and what I state below in no way can be construed as legal advice.

Despite your, and Tiger's experience, I would have thought there is sufficient ambiguity in the Airline Earning Table to mount a case to claim credits.

I point to the following:

'Eligible Flight' has the meaning given in clause 9.3.1;

9.3.1 Subject to clauses 9.3.2 and 9.4, Points for air travel may be earned only for paid travel on regular scheduled flights where a Qantas flight number (or the flight number of any oneworldTM Alliance Airline or Airline Partner not excluded under clause 9.4) is entered on the itinerary ("Eligible Flight").
9.3.2 For the purposes of earning Points, Status Credits and the Minimum Points Guarantee, Eligible Flights exclude a flight on a Qantas aircraft, where another airline's flight number is entered on the ticket, unless that flight has been specified by Qantas as an Eligible Flight.
...
9.4 Points Are Not Earned on All Flights
9.4.1 Points are not earned for travel on:
(a) flights or booking classes that are excluded, as specified in the Airline Earning Table;

So I take it that eligible flights include flights where a Qantas flight number is entered on the itinerary, and that the booking class is not excluded on the AIrline Earning Table.

If you look at the Airline Earning Table there is no exclusion of Qantas flight numbers in V class on services operated by Jetstar. The table recognises Qantas flights booked in GLMNOQRSV classes as "Discount Economy" earning classes. It does make the distinction for "YBHKW (Qantas marketed operated by Jetstar)" as being "Economy" earning flights (I read this as distinguishing them from the regular BHK international flights which are normally "Discount Economy"). It does not exclude GLMNOQRSV on Qantas marketed operated by Jetstar as it should if the intent is to not allow earning on such flights.

I would pursue!!

 

[Mal]

Also, keep in mind that if your booking was before the rules change and you expected the points to be earnt per the conditions in place at the time of booking then you may have a stronger case.

 

[JohnK]

Tricky situation and it is covered in the terms & conditions under Status Credits.

* You can only earn Status credits when flying on eligible Qantas, oneworld alliance airlines (American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malév Hungarian Airlines and Royal Jordanian), Air Pacific, Jetstar or QantasLink services. Status credits can be earned on flights operated by Jetstar Airways where a Qantas flight number is entered on your ticket when booked in Y, B, H, K or W class, or on a Jetflex fare.

 

[serfty]

Also, keep in mind that if your booking was before the rules change and you expected the points to be earnt per the conditions in place at the time of booking then you may have a stronger case.

Went through this, I booked 28th Feb, was advised in correspondence the rules changed 1st Feb and this was published in varying ways, including on the web site. I can't disprove this.

Not stressing about it, but it is extremely unlikely you will ever find me travelling down the back on JetStar again.

 

[Tiger]

Thanks for all the feedback and advice...I didn't know the ellibility table changed in February. My flight was in February but I booked back in November of 2006....so I think that I do have a pretty good case. Feel much better just knowing other people think there was an injustice.

Will keep you posted if any GOOD comes of my pursuits
TIGGGGEEEERRRR