Qantas Business Class customers bumped to economy in Tokyo

[Janet Riddell]

Qantas is now behaving like Jetstar. We were just bumped down to economy for overnite flight from Tokyo to Melbourne. Ticket paid and booked 7 months earlier, discounted but still not cheap!
As only Bronze status we got bumped.
Will definitely never fly Qantas business again!

 

[cambriamarsh]

Qantas is now behaving like Jetstar. We were just bumped down to economy for overnite flight from Tokyo to Melbourne. Ticket paid and booked 7 months earlier, discounted but still not cheap!
As only Bronze status we got bumped.
Will definitely never fly Qantas business again!

Commiserations. Given any options? Given any reason?

 

[Pushka]

I trust they’ve offered compensation - which doesn’t make that overnight downgrade any better of course.

 

[samh004]

I'm fairly lucky I don't have a lot of commitments in my life, but would like to think that even if I did, if an airline ever tried to downgrade me I'd just stand my ground and ask for a hotel and a ticket the next day instead. I realise for some this isn't possible.

 

[jase05]

I'm fairly lucky I don't have a lot of commitments in my life, but would like to think that even if I did, if an airline ever tried to downgrade me I'd just stand my ground and ask for a hotel and a ticket the next day instead. I realise for some this isn't possible.

Yep, same. No way on Earth would I accept a downgrade for a flight that length

 

[Borisdog]

Yep , me neither.

But if ya gotta go, ya gotta go.

Argue later, but it’s never in your favour then.

 

[Forg]

Yep, same. No way on Earth would I accept a downgrade for a flight that length

As Borisdog said, sometimes you just need to be there on time.
The better half had that a couple of years ago, I met her at Sydney airport for breakfast with a fresh suitcase, she was coming back from Seoul and had 5hrs in Sydney before heading to Canada for a meeting which was on the day of her arrival. Birdstrike had caused Air Canada to send a smaller ‘plane than the one for which they’d fully booked J, and as a mere Silver on Star Alliance she had no hope of retaining a J seat - but she couldn’t afford to be late, and there weren’t even any alternate-airline flight that would’ve made it on time.
They did block off a row of 4 seats for her, and the flight crew did guard those seats. But as not-the-person-paying, she wasn’t the one who was reimbursed for the difference between Business & Economy ...

 

[jase05]

As Borisdog said, sometimes you just need to be there on time.
The better half had that a couple of years ago, I met her at Sydney airport for breakfast with a fresh suitcase, she was coming back from Seoul and had 5hrs in Sydney before heading to Canada for a meeting which was on the day of her arrival. Birdstrike had caused Air Canada to send a smaller ‘plane than the one for which they’d fully booked J, and as a mere Silver on Star Alliance she had no hope of retaining a J seat - but she couldn’t afford to be late, and there weren’t even any alternate-airline flight that would’ve made it on time.
They did block off a row of 4 seats for her, and the flight crew did guard those seats. But as not-the-person-paying, she wasn’t the one who was reimbursed for the difference between Business & Economy ...

Guess I’m lucky in that sense that all my international travel is for leisure and I can easily arrange extra time off work if required.
I would be able to cope with a whole row blocked off as a last resort but otherwise I’d be happy to stay until a suitable flight was found

 

[DC3]

Qantas is now behaving like Jetstar. We were just bumped down to economy for overnite flight from Tokyo to Melbourne ...

Not good. Miserable. Thank you for posting.

Is there more information available? Was there a change of aircraft type? Other options offered for flying (e.g., another flight/route, following day)? Compensation offered?

And welcome to AFF.

Edit: Content

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Qantas is now behaving like Jetstar. We were just bumped down to economy for overnite flight from Tokyo to Melbourne. Ticket paid and booked 7 months earlier, discounted but still not cheap!
As only Bronze status we got bumped.
Will definitely never fly Qantas business again!

Well - be prepared for a fight for compensation on this one. QF's compensation for a downgrade may only be a couple of hundred dollars... because they price your 'downgraded' economy ticket as a full, last-minute, walk-up fare

If their offer is a miserable one, you should seek advice on how to get compensation that is much fairer (ie, the true difference betwen your business class ticket and a discount economy ticket).

 

[opusman]

Is there more information available?

Suspect YAOOF* and OP will not be back...

* Yet Another One Off Whinge

 

[DC3]

Suspect YAOOF* and OP will not be back...

* Yet Another One Off Whinge

Waiting to see if the OP comes back to view her thread. I realise that the OP did not ask for our suggestions or comments but just made a winge.

While I sympathise, I’d like to see more information.

 

[Tropic]

I'd be interested in reason for downgrade too.

Nowdays only way I will fly QF is business...

 

[sjk]

Suspect YAOOF* and OP will not be back...

* Yet Another One Off Whinge

I thought this sort of dig at a first-time poster who doesn’t immediately satisfy the bay for blood had been officially declared LAF*...

* Lame As

 

[Mattg]

The OP is probably still recovering after flying overnight back to Melbourne in economy class! Given them a chance to reply...

 

[DC3]

The OP is probably still recovering after flying overnight back to Melbourne in economy class! Given them a chance to reply...

Yes, fair enough. Watching with interest.

Edit: And downgraded to Y, not even PE, although that would still be a bad experience from J. I would have been going right off.

 

[Pushka]

Anyone who pays for J and gets dumped into Y for an overnight flight is entitled to whinge regardless of compensation.

 

[moa999]

Yes, fair enough. Watching with interest.

Edit: And downgraded to Y, not even PE, although that would still be a bad experience from J. I would have been going right off.

MEL-NRT is operated by 333s or 332s - so no PE option and has been for the past week - so no aircraft change involved.
J seats are either 28 or 27 respectively so type shouldn't make a difference.

 

[DC3]

Anyone who pays for J and gets dumped into Y for an overnight flight is entitled to whinge regardless of compensation.

Agreed. I’d be absolutely bellowing. In my case, I’m not usually time restricted, but some need to get that flight, regardless.

 

[Matt_01]

Qantas is now behaving like Jetstar. We were just bumped down to economy for overnite flight from Tokyo to Melbourne. Ticket paid and booked 7 months earlier, discounted but still not cheap!
As only Bronze status we got bumped.
Will definitely never fly Qantas business again!

I am going against the consensus here as there is not enough detail in OP. There is no indication that the original fare was on QF J, all QF/JQ flights from Japan are overnight and there is no indication that it was a J fare on QF80. Most have just assumed this. In 30+ years of traveling with QF I have never been downgraded past the original booking class. I have been complimentary downgraded from complimentary upgrades or been downgraded from points upgraded but the points have been returned.

The OP stated they would not fly QF J and to my first point there it little detail if they were travelling on a J,D,I or U in the first place. What some consider to be not be cheap may have a very different meaning to others.