Qantas Chauffeur service - General Questions/Advice

[Berlin]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

why would you ONLY TIP IN THE U.S.

Oh gosh oh gosh! :shock: I would only tip in the US because that's the only country I know of where tipping is considered mandatory rather than an optional thing like here in Australia or most of Europe. That was all I was referring to- no need to get into a big lecture about how evil the bad bad Americans are!

 

[DC3]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

why would you ONLY TIP IN THE U.S. ...you're just supplementing a population/country that lives to excess/places no value on money/survives on credit (have you seen the nations debt?)..the U.S. is the 'spoilt child' of the world that expects handouts to maintain its excesses!!! ....tipping/gratuities SHOULD BE DISCRETIONARY..NOT AN EXPECTED SUPPLEMENT!! OFF SOAPBOX NOW!!!

That's very generalised and seems a bit harsh.

A USA Department of Labour fact sheet provides some information on tipped employees, here:

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Fact Sheet

Effectively, a minimum of $7.25 per hour (wage of $2.13 per hour + $5.12 tip credit) is used for the calculations. An extract is here:



Of course, not everyone is subject to the above, and there are variations between the states.

I certainly have no issues about tipping in the service industry when travelling in the US.

 

[Berlin]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

That's very generalised and seems a bit harsh.

I certainly have no issues about tipping in the service industry when travelling in the US.

Me neither and I would agree fully with above statement!

 

[JohnPhelan]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

Just as a quick update: The limousine company just called me to ask whether I would like to be picked up later. Not sure if that's the case in other cities as well but at least here in Sydney they seem to be cluey enough to realise that you don't necessarily want to drive out to the domestic terminal 2:30 hours early.

I for now, had to toss between the chance of more time in the MEL lounge and an extra hour of sleep. Given that my total trip will be very very long, I actually told them to pick me up an hour later which is precisely what I wanted originally

What limo company is QF using?

 

[Ben174]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

What limo company is QF using?

A friend of mine has an account with Hughes Limousines and said the driver told him they had the contract . ( They currently do Emirates, Qantas Pilots - long haul etc) so makes sense. Nice cars, all very clean black statesmens and caprices and the ocassional 7 series BMW. Great drivers too when ive been with my friend in them.

 

[Deleted member]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

I may have unearthed the first BUG in the booking system so far. It would appear that the whole idea of "same day "travel is literal. (international date line causes a few problems coming back the other way). I have had the return booking done manually by QF and am awaiting an email confirmation as I type. As for the question of having an ineligible PAX in the car with you. apparently there is a charge for this person. I suspect that if there are 2 of you + 1 not eligible, then order two cars . you wont know how much the charge is until the limo coy calls you 24 hours prior to your departure , at that point you will be able to make the final decision on cost .We are travelling with 2 ineligible PAX so have elected to stick together and catch the airport express ( about 15 minutes in London apparently)

 

[Berlin]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

What limo company is QF using?

I had to listen to the lady's voicemail again as I hadn't specifically asked, sounded like "Bruno Chauffeur drive" or similar. Brunei or Brunel or something maybe?

 

[Berlin]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

until the limo coy calls you 24 hours prior to your departure

So they ALWAYS call to confirm? I'm just thinking, on my way back, I'll be somewhere in transit or in the UAE and certainly will have my mobile diverted to voicemail and am not keen to unnecessarily call back some limo company only to confirm what I have already booked. Does anyone know whether they just default pick you up as booked if you don't call them back?

 

[JohnPhelan]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

I had to listen to the lady's voicemail again as I hadn't specifically asked, sounded like "Bruno Chauffeur drive" or similar. Brunei or Brunel or something maybe?

It will be Brunel, in that case.

 

[Berlin]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

It will be Brunel, in that case.

Okay, that makes sense. I thought you might have more of a clue than myself- I would not be able to spontaneously name any single limousine service!

 

[Deleted member]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

So they ALWAYS call to confirm? I'm just thinking, on my way back, I'll be somewhere in transit or in the UAE and certainly will have my mobile diverted to voicemail and am not keen to unnecessarily call back some limo company only to confirm what I have already booked. Does anyone know whether they just default pick you up as booked if you don't call them back?

I suspect there may be email or TXT options here as well

 

[Deleted member]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

Still no word on my chauffeur drive from airport to home. .......

 

[jetlagger]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

I certainly have no issues about tipping in the service industry when travelling in the US.

Or anywhere else where good service is rendered.. A little love goes along way..

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

OK. So I have a BNE-MEL-DXB-LHR-DXB-BNE in May, booked as O class. When I look at my booking there's the "customise your journey" button, which when clicked gives me the option for chauffeur drive for the BNE-Mel flight. So I book it. Email confirmation. All OK.

Thing is, I'm booked O class. The usual booking for chauffeur drive is to call the 1300 number. Chauffeur Drive | Qantas I've not seen the ability to chauffeur book on any other flight, or in any of my other bookings for the year so far (May-SIN, Aug-LAX, Sep-BKK). Is it just available because it's the LHR via DXB route? I'm also assuming a bill when I get the pick up seeing as it's not a First or Business booking? (or am I dreaming that it presages a complimentary op-up to J....nah that would be stoopid)

Anyone else on economy or PE can see this option on a Europe via DXB flight?

 

[vitagen]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

I have two flights. Per-Syd-Lhr in F and the chauffeur drive works for pickup and drop off.

I gor another flight Fco-Lhr-Mel-Per in J where the chauffeur drive only works arriving back into Per. Do you know if its just a quirk in the system and if they can manually assign the pickup too?

 

[Origin]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

I have two flights. Per-Syd-Lhr in F and the chauffeur drive works for pickup and drop off.

I gor another flight Fco-Lhr-Mel-Per in J where the chauffeur drive only works arriving back into Per. Do you know if its just a quirk in the system and if they can manually assign the pickup too?

Which pickup?
Chauffeur drive is not available in FCO is it?

 

[vitagen]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

Fco no pickup. Indont understad why as EK has it in FCO. I think I should be eligible as im connecting to a QF aj long haul via DXB

 

[ozmille]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

Fco no pickup. Indont understad why as EK has it in FCO. I think I should be eligible as im connecting to a QF aj long haul via DXB

I reckon that is because you are not doing FCO-DXB but FCO-LHR, I have a flight FRA-DXB-SYD and I can book my Chauffeur Drive

 

[Sale]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

I'm flying HBA-SYD-DXB-FCO in J (in May) - have booked the Dubai Connect for 9 hours in Dubai, the Chauffeur Drive in FCO, but the computer says no when I try to put in chauffeur drive in Hobart. Whatever I do I seem to be able to have two of the three only. I'll give them a ring next week when they settle down a bit and see if someone can sort it for me

 

[vitagen]

Re: QF Chauffeur Drive booking up & running

Bah, I guess for 60k AA miles and avoiding LHR APD I can afford the Italian taxi.