Qantas cancelled flight through their ticketing error: what to do...

[hemipatel]

Hello All,

Long time lurker, but first post.

QFF Gold: I booked (online) my family of 4, a return trip Denpasar to Tokyo in January 2023. Website said it could only be booked by points. Which I did. The flight was with Malaysia airlines via KL. My points were deducted and fees debited from my credit card.

I got an email confirmation and the booking showed up on the Qantas website and the app.

Today, no upcoming flights were shown on the website or the app! I rang qantas and was told that the flight was cancelled due to a ticketing delay. The phone attendant initially tried to blame me for "not paying" on time. But when I explained that both points and fees had been deducted immediately at time of booking. She took a deeper look and confirmed.

She said that the cancellation was due to being short staffed in the Indonesian office, and they did not "confirm" my flights within the allotted time frame.

She advised me that I would need to ring the "Indonesian qantas office directly" and that she was unable to help further.

I asked to speak to a Supervisor, who advised the same initially. There was no apology or empathy, but after a degree of intransigence on my part the supervisor agreed to enquire herself on Monday and provide me with an update.
I off course have subsequently booked a whole lot of accomodation and connecting flights (Darwin to Bali), ski passes etc.

Im glad I've found out now, rather than at the checkin Desk at Denpasar, thinking we have a flight to Japan. There has been NO communication from qantas.


I was wondering what my next steps should be?

 

[encryptededdy]

Are the award flights still available? I presume not.

This advice from @levelnine from another thread is probably the best advice here.

In terms of the practical steps that you can take at this stage, there appears to be only one that I've seen that has actually helped people.

That is to write emails to members of the Qantas Executive Team, particularly Markus Svensson, the Chief Customer Officer. You can probably find his email online, but they typically follow the format [email protected]

Calmly and carefully explain the issue, the problems you've encountered in getting an outcome from Qantas customer service representatives, and ask to be contacted by someone at Qantas who will be able to assist.

If you're lucky, someone from the Hobart call centre will contact you, offering to place you on a Qantas flight to/from London.

Qantas can try to request the flights be reinstated by Malaysia Airlines.

If they decline and you don't need to be in Bali, then the best outcome Qantas can provide is likely opening up space on their own DRW-xBNE-HND flights for you, so you could ask for that.

 

[RooFlyer]

@hemipatel welcome to posting on AFF. Advice by encriptededdy is good.

Unfortunately what's happened to you has happened to very many others and the previous experience is that the offshore call centres will provide misleading information - either because they are untrained or just want to get you off the phone. Keep phoning and try to get the Hobart or Auckland call centres (tell by accents). Other call centres (Sth Africa, Fiji) may do more harm than good (believe it or not); if you hear those accents, hang up and call again. Don't be afraid to do it multiple times. Be insistent to get a replacement flight. Qantas CAN open up 'revenue' seats for you, per encryptededdy .

 

[Angela05]

@hemipatel welcome to posting on AFF. Advice by encriptededdy is good.

Unfortunately what's happened to you has happened to very many others and the previous experience is that the offshore call centres will provide misleading information - either because they are untrained or just want to get you off the phone. Keep phoning and try to get the Hobart or Auckland call centres (tell by accents). Other call centres (Sth Africa, Fiji) may do more harm than good (believe it or not); if you hear those accents, hang up and call again. Don't be afraid to do it multiple times. Be insistent to get a replacement flight. Qantas CAN open up 'revenue' seats for you, per encryptededdy .

Hello All,

Long time lurker, but first post.

QFF Gold: I booked (online) my family of 4, a return trip Denpasar to Tokyo in January 2023. Website said it could only be booked by points. Which I did. The flight was with Malaysia airlines via KL. My points were deducted and fees debited from my credit card.

I got an email confirmation and the booking showed up on the Qantas website and the app.

Today, no upcoming flights were shown on the website or the app! I rang qantas and was told that the flight was cancelled due to a ticketing delay. The phone attendant initially tried to blame me for "not paying" on time. But when I explained that both points and fees had been deducted immediately at time of booking. She took a deeper look and confirmed.

She said that the cancellation was due to being short staffed in the Indonesian office, and they did not "confirm" my flights within the allotted time frame.

She advised me that I would need to ring the "Indonesian qantas office directly" and that she was unable to help further.

I asked to speak to a Supervisor, who advised the same initially. There was no apology or empathy, but after a degree of intransigence on my part the supervisor agreed to enquire herself on Monday and provide me with an update.
I off course have subsequently booked a whole lot of accomodation and connecting flights (Darwin to Bali), ski passes etc.

Im glad I've found out now, rather than at the checkin Desk at Denpasar, thinking we have a flight to Japan. There has been NO communication from qantas.


I was wondering what my next steps should be?

Paid for tickets instead of using points but the same experience. Despite 7 calls to call centre, 14 messages on Twitter, 2 complaints to customer care, and emails to the executive team, Qantas have not resolved the issue. I hope you have a better response from them than I have.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Presumably OP has received an email from Qantas confirming the booking? I would use that to check-in online/at the airport, and if that doesn't work, speak with a station manager to get the check-in processed. If all of that doesn't work, then simply find an airline at the airport that can get you to Japan, book the flights then charge the cost of the flights back to Qantas since you made subsequent bookings (i.e. hotels, etc.) in reliance of Qantas ticketing your flights.

Note: I am not a lawyer, but that's what I would do. I think if enough passengers took Qantas to small claims court for not honouring their commitments in the bookings made by passengers they would change their policies to ensure flights always get ticketed in a timely manner. And look, this ain't the 1960s where we have agents hand writing bookings on sheets of paper and have to send it off by carrier pigeon to the master ticketing office, everything can be done instantly electronically without delay, even for partner flights, even in extraordinary circumstances (that's what the OneWorld desk is for).

-RooFlyer88

 

[jase05]

Presumably OP has received an email from Qantas confirming the booking? I would use that to check-in online/at the airport, and if that doesn't work, speak with a station manager to get the check-in processed. If all of that doesn't work, then simply find an airline at the airport that can get you to Japan, book the flights then charge the cost of the flights back to Qantas since you made subsequent bookings (i.e. hotels, etc.) in reliance of Qantas ticketing your flights.

Personally I don’t think this is great advice especially with a family in tow. There is absolutely no way I’d turn up at the airport and try that, it won’t change a single thing.
The booking has effectively been cancelled so the OP has to decide whether they want to spend hours on the phone and see if any other options are available to them or accept a refund and book something else ASAP. I personally would bite the bullet and look at booking something else as I think there is only a very slim chance of getting a suitable outcome from QF

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Personally I don’t think this is great advice especially with a family in tow. There is absolutely no way I’d turn up at the airport and try that, it won’t change a single thing.
The booking has effectively been cancelled so the OP has to decide whether they want to spend hours on the phone and see if any other options are available to them or accept a refund and book something else ASAP. I personally would bite the bullet and look at booking something else as I think there is only a very slim chance of getting a suitable outcome from QF

They could call up QF and get booked onto another flight at Qantas' expense. If they refuse to rebook then I'd simply book using cash and charge the flights back to Qantas since they didn't fulfill their end of the contract. If Qantas tries refunding the points/taxes & fees it shouldn't matter since that doesn't absolve them of their obligations of the ticket.

Just my 2 cents

-RooFlyer88

 

[encryptededdy]

They could call up QF and get booked onto another flight at Qantas' expense. If they refuse to rebook then I'd simply book using cash and charge the flights back to Qantas since they didn't fulfill their end of the contract. If Qantas tries refunding the points/taxes & fees it shouldn't matter since that doesn't absolve them of their obligations of the ticket.

I don't think this is good general advice. If you're travelling by yourself and are up for a fight afterwards, then perhaps you could try this.

 

[antycbr]

They could call up QF and get booked onto another flight at Qantas' expense. If they refuse to rebook then I'd simply book using cash and charge the flights back to Qantas since they didn't fulfill their end of the contract. If Qantas tries refunding the points/taxes & fees it shouldn't matter since that doesn't absolve them of their obligations of the ticket.

Just my 2 cents

-RooFlyer88

How exactly do you charge the flight back to Qantas?

 

[Cheatah]

Surely you have a confirmed reservation/contract with Qantas therefore it's not unreasonable for Qantas to pay consequential damages if they haven't delivered their side of the contract due to circumstances within their control?

Otherwise nobody in Australia could ever book a hotel, other flights etc as part of any trip as Qantas could unilaterally cancel with the passenger having no recourse.

In UK, regardless of UK261 , they would be on the hook and it's easily to claim via the small claims court. I take it in Australia it's not so easy else more would do it however it just needs a motivated customer do this, chances are Qantas would eventually settle. With a non disclosure agreement.

 

[Quickstatus]

QF, the Baku good news will not last long.....

 

[antycbr]

Surely you have a confirmed reservation/contract with Qantas therefore it's not unreasonable for Qantas to pay consequential damages if they haven't delivered their side of the contract due to circumstances within their control?

Otherwise nobody in Australia could ever book a hotel, other flights etc as part of any trip as Qantas could unilaterally cancel with the passenger having no recourse.

In UK, regardless of UK261 , they would be on the hook and it's easily to claim via the small claims court. I take it in Australia it's not so easy else more would do it however it just needs a motivated customer do this, chances are Qantas would eventually settle. With a non disclosure agreement.

Qantas have many tricks to avoid you winning, the main one seems to be jurisdictional issues. It’s not cut and dried as @papeto is showing in their case.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

How exactly do you charge the flight back to Qantas?

Take them to small claims court or a fair trading tribunal. I think the facts are pretty cut and dry here. Qantas accepting the booking created a reliance the consumer used to book subsequent travel (i.e. hotels). It might take some time to get justice, but would be surprised if a tribunal or court doesn't find in the traveller's favour. And to reiterate, I think if more consumers didn't accept this ticketing incompetence as given, QF would change their policies regarding it, particularly if courts find in the traveller's favour and award punitive damages on top!

 

[Cheatah]

Qantas have many tricks to avoid you winning, the main one seems to be jurisdictional issues. It’s not cut and dried as @papeto is showing in their case.

Prehaps, but why?

Presumably Papeto is in Australia so would come under standard Australian consumer/contract law?

 

[antycbr]

Prehaps, but why?

Presumably Papeto is in Australia so would come under standard Australian consumer/contract law?

International air travel is arguably a Commonwealth matter so state consumer tribunals are potentially not able to hear the matter.

 

[Cheatah]

International air travel is arguably a Commonwealth matter so state consumer tribunals are potentially not able to hear the matter.

Yes but we are not talking about International Route Allocations or even Montreal Convention regulations here...this is a pure case of selling products/services and you are subject to the consumer protection regulations(or equivalent) in the jurisdiction where you sell . In Australia, this is generally a state matter

 

[antycbr]

Yes but we are not talking about International Route Allocations or even Montreal Convention regulations here...this is a pure case of selling products/services and you are subject to the consumer protection regulations(or equivalent) in the jurisdiction where you sell . In Australia, this is generally a state matter

I’m not arguing a case here, just pointing out some of the problems others have had.

 

[nancypants]

As an aside, I too am Darwin based and pricing up flights to Denpasar- starter fare $700+ each way even into the middle of the year - what am I missing?!

 

[MathNerd]

Any update so far, @hemipatel?

I'd like to believe that QF did the right thing by you and got you and your family fully confirmed and ticketed itineraries from DPS to NRT/HND via whatever means necessary (MH, QF, JL, CX, whatever), but as we know all too well, reality is on a different planet to the dreams/beliefs of us commonfolk (especially when it comes to QF points and partner airlines in particular).

intransigence

Also, that's a nice word, thanks. Going to add it to the vocabulary. You learn something new every day!

 

[Guvner]

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/melbourne-mans-21000-qantas-booking-nightmare/news-story/18639685842eb45128131c66aa5fa4cc

More promises, more failures.