Qantas Business Class customers bumped to economy in Tokyo

[Pushka]

I think they rely on people’s time commitment to arrive at a certain time because they know the compensation is so pathetically low that it’s like a profit centre for the airline when people pay the J fare. And I suspect the training is such that the customer is almost coerced into flying Y unless the customer knows the rules. And it’s for these reasons that overbooking will continue to happen.

 

[SOPOOR]

I think they rely on people’s time commitment to arrive at a certain time because they know the compensation is so pathetically low that it’s like a profit centre for the airline when people pay the J fare. And I suspect the training is such that the customer is almost coerced into flying Y unless the customer knows the rules. And it’s for these reasons that overbooking will continue to happen.

I always thought they overbook because of noshows and cancellations, and by overbooking, they can increase their revenue as they are selling the same seat twice,

however I would have thouhgt it common sense that if their gamble doesnt pay off and everyone turns up, they will have to upgrade the affected customer or someone else for free, in which case the loss is minimal

 

[dajop]

however I would have thouhgt it common sense that if their gamble doesnt pay off and everyone turns up, they will have to upgrade the affected customer or someone else for free, in which case the loss is minimal

This is exactly what they do, and nobody has a beef with this (except when the forward cabin is full). The problem comes when it's the other way around and the higher cabin is overbooked (or affected by IRROPS) and the affected customer is downgraded "for free"

 

[SOPOOR]

This is exactly what they do, and nobody has a beef with this (except when the forward cabin is full). The problem comes when it's the other way around and the affected customer is downgraded "for free"

Obviously they have a different mindset to me.

Im in the service industry and when you inconvenience a customer, you give them something better, not take away something!!!

Customer service 101
Basic common sense 101

Well it is to me and my industry

 

[Pushka]

Emirates from Adelaide overbook on Y then upgrade lucky travellers.
Of course overbooking is to accommodate no shows but given the cancellation penalty clauses do they really need to overbook?

 

[Deborah66]

My experience is similar - not with being bumped, but with poor compensation - my daughter, who was a Platinum Flyer at the time, but a young 20 something year old, was flying in her 'usual' seat in Business SYD-LAX when she realised her Entertainment system was down. She was offered a move to Economy and $200 to compensate as they said the business cabins were full. She elected to remain in her Business seat and slept. We are Qantas fans and gave them the benefit of the doubt, however, this changed in our eyes, when she was returning - same seat, and the problem was there again!!! No compensation this time - again they claimed they could only move her to Economy. As both these flights had been paid at Full Fare, we were a bit unhappy and wonder if her young age had something to do with the inadequate response.

 

[mannej]

My experience is similar - not with being bumped, but with poor compensation - my daughter, who was a Platinum Flyer at the time, but a young 20 something year old, was flying in her 'usual' seat in Business SYD-LAX when she realised her Entertainment system was down. She was offered a move to Economy and $200 to compensate as they said the business cabins were full. She elected to remain in her Business seat and slept. We are Qantas fans and gave them the benefit of the doubt, however, this changed in our eyes, when she was returning - same seat, and the problem was there again!!! No compensation this time - again they claimed they could only move her to Economy. As both these flights had been paid at Full Fare, we were a bit unhappy and wonder if her young age had something to do with the inadequate response.

Same aircraft?

 

[gadabout]

Qantas treats its premium-class passengers in such a cavalier fashion (I will not add my own misadventures to those already listed) that I stopped using them for international flights some years ago. Fortunately I have alternatives which have turned out to be better.

 

[Deborah66]

Same aircraft?

She was not on the ball enough to take note - but what are the odds?? She used to do this run many times - I lived in SF and she was at Uni in Sydney so she was pretty familiar with the run and thought it was the same plane.

 

[agentgerko]

The ACCC needs to stop taking little piecemeal jabs at airlines for minor breaches with their websites and so on, and do a complete assessment of the way airlines treat passengers. There should be minimum levels of pitch and width seating, suitable compensation for cancellations and downgrades, improved customer servicing with maximum telephone and email wait times, call centres with trained staff who have authority to do things and who can understand as well as speak English, provision of refunds and not just air credits, giving pax a 24hr period of grace to change or cancel mistakes, etc ,etc. Give them a long hard look like has happened with the banks and see what nasties pop out.

 

[moa999]

thought it was the same plane.

They all look alike. Unless you look at the rego or name.
Sites around where the aircraft can be looked up if you have dates and flight numbers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I dunno why the ACCC even has to do that? The Europeans have had a proper compensation scheme for years. No issues. No fares going out of control or sky high.

We could just copy and paste. And once you start to compensate passengers properly, the incentive to make things right increases. Once you do that, less need to call and get cranky service from the call centre.

 

[Happy Trails]

I dunno why the ACCC even has to do that? The Europeans have had a proper compensation scheme for years. No issues. No fares going out of control or sky high.

We could just copy and paste. And once you start to compensate passengers properly, the incentive to make things right increases. Once you do that, less need to call and get cranky service from the call centre.

Sure, but do the Europeans have a Chairman's Lounge?

 

[Vic]

Yes it's called Dunning-Kruger I believe

Indeed it is. But who is suffering the effect in this case?
The person making a judgement about the OP less than 24 hours after the thread is start; the person who thinks they can determine someone's knowledge by the number of posts; the person who is measuring their appendages based on numbers of posts?

Or someone pointing out the needless insult?

Maybe better to stick to the topic, or not read, if you can only be rude about it...

 

[Curious]

Sure, but do the Europeans have a Chairman's Lounge?

As we dont get what we paid for in these cases could a credit card chargeback be paid via a dispute through the bank?
As a retired couple we are saving very hard for our second business flight to europe, after reading this it wont be on Qantas. Hope Qatar provides paid for product.

 

[cqtiger]

When Qantas bumped us down from first to business on a reward. I cancelled but now it will take 7-14 days to refund the points so I can rebook an alternative and I dont have any extra FF points to do it immediately.
Surely its just a flick of a switch to refund but since I am lowly Bronze they couldnt care less.

 

[burnt]

Maybe we could all use a VPN to book our QF flights and make our booking appear to be coming from a country in Europe, if we were downgraded we should be able to claim compensation under the Euro system?

 

[mannej]

Maybe we could all use a VPN to book our QF flights and make our booking appear to be coming from a country in Europe, if we were downgraded we should be able to claim compensation under the Euro system?

My understanding is that for a non-EU airline flight to be eligible for EU261, the flight must be originating from an EU country.

 

[dajop]

Sure, but do the Europeans have a Chairman's Lounge?

My thoughts exactly. Nothing like some subtle bribery to keep consumer friendly regulations at bay, extra hospitality to make our legislators journeys a little more pleasant.

 

[bmam]

Users with under 50 posts between them lecturing people with thousands of posts who have been members for well over a decade is most amusing.

I'm so pleased you find those who have a legitimate complaint but happen to disagree with your condescending attitude amusing. Like I said earlier, it's posters like you - 5000 plus but of what quality I wonder? - who give this site a bad name. You most likely chase people off this site but please do continue to give us your pearls of wisdom and make it to 10,000 posts. I'm sure they will be fascinating.

I obviously have no idea how far or frequently you've travelled but for all you know I've possibly made more business and first class trips than you've had hot dinners. As have possibly those with 50 or fewer posts. However, I don't feel the need to post on here to justify my existence. 5,600+ posts? So what?

Your attitude early on was that the OP was a whining individual who would probably not return to the thread. Well, she proved you wrong. When I pointed this out, you decided to attack my post and, indirectly, those who had neither the time nor the inclination to spend all day here. It's also interesting that AFF chose to highlight her complaint in an individual article as a discussion starter, but of course she was just a fly-by whiner, no?

Enjoy your flying and do keep us all up to date with any problems you might incur, you'll reach that magic 10,000 before you know it.