Qantas double booking: staff member took precedence

[Melburnian1]

I do not blame the Qantas front line staff for all the carp thats going on at the moment - its management, management, management. But becasue its management it doesn't mean we customers don't call it out (in general). I'm surprised there isn't some staff revolt going on that the front liners have to bear the brunt of passenger 'discontent' (to put it mildy) due to mismanagement. I wouldnt imagine jobs would be in jeapordy with the staff shortages and union doing the fronting? There is one way to stop "this cough again" and thats for the airline management to have some simple respect for the paying (premium paying!!) passengers and fix the bloody shambles thats been going on for months now.

I can't speak re other nations, but in Oz it seems a common management technique when they decide to 'cut costs' is to do that at the coalface, and perhaps lower to middle ranking managers, but the higher ups - often no cuts. This is not a specific reference to aviation.

QF reduced upper management salaries etc. for a while during COVID_19, as did some other listed companies (information re private companies is scarce), but this wasn't permanent.

 

[Vic]

That's the point I was making with the example I gave.

Literally the next line was:
"There's a number of scenarios in play, I'm not sure if conclusions can be drawn"

Indeed, just bringing some balance to the examples, as most/all of the examples given in thread seem to be about those who might/have be labelled as "disgruntled".

 

[ChrisMars]

I was wondering how this thread that just started mid day already has 40 posts this evening.

This usually only happens on DSC or enhancement announcements.

Oh well, let me get my popcorns and some wine.

 

[HSB44]

Sorry - I think I missed the point of this story - why did the crew member need to be seated in 3A? Is it just an employee perk? There are not many companies these days that pay for their employees to fly J for one hour flights.

 

[MooTime]

Sorry - I think I missed the point of this story - why did the crew member need to be seated in 3A? Is it just an employee perk? There are not many companies these days that pay for their employees to fly J for one hour flights.

This no ordinary company.... It's the Gov grabbing cash 40% foreign owned mob run by a Sydney elitist that blames everybody else for all & sundry issues.

And I thought Harney Norman were crooks!

 

[straitman]

A good example of how this can blow out of proportion and people not appreciate the situation or understand the situation.
A friend of mine was flying CBR-SYD some years ago. His flight and the subsequent one were cancelled. They didn’t have any seats available for the next few flights so he had to get really pushy and insist on getting a seat.
His excuse: If he didn’t get to SYD then QF?? To LAX couldn’t go as he was the Captain.
Most people would just see someone (staff member) pushing in and getting someone bumped.

 

[RooFlyer]

A good example of how this can blow out of proportion and people not appreciate the situation or understand the situation.
A friend of mine was flying CBR-SYD some years ago. His flight and the subsequent one were cancelled. They didn’t have any seats available for the next few flights so he had to get really pushy and insist on getting a seat.
His excuse: If he didn’t get to SYD then QF?? To LAX couldn’t go as he was the Captain.
Most people would just see someone (staff member) pushing in and getting someone bumped.

Sure, that scenario is possible in this situation and has been aluded to already. But the other scenarios painted here are equally possible on what was observed and reported. And as I've said, all too believable with today's Qantas. So FWIW I disagree that the thread or reaction is out of proportion, especially considering the initial 'reaction'

 

[straitman]

[mod hat] Play nice people. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but there is no need for swearing or putting others down.
Let’s present facts as facts and opinions as opinions.[/mod hat]

 

[bam71]

“To me is sounds like it was a staff traveller passenger who got kicked out of their seat especially if they didn't make a fuss about it.”

Totally agree with this one… as someone who can access QF Staff travel, and an EX QF employee, if the original 3A member didn’t make a fuss and just moved quickly, I reckon they were a leisure traveler on QF Staff ticket. Duty travel totally trumps leisure travel. The guidelines are clear, if you are asked to move, you do so quickly and without fuss.

 

[UP4014]

No, not connected to me in any way shape or form.

I can't tell you if it was 'random' but one other staff member said to a third QFd employee 'we arranged for (person X who was the affected party) to move/be moved...' leading to the conclusion it was some hurriedly put together, last minute arrangement at the gate.

Sorry, back to the beginning.

Did you hear this for yourself or second hand as you weren't on the aircraft? Your wording appears careful (which isn't a problem) in putting out a side of the story without any first hand info, only hearsay.

What we have is an unknown person asked to move seats, reported back by an unknown person to yourself. Is that correct?

Thanks

 

[TheRealTMA]

From a small low key start, this thread is brilliant and hilarious. Thanks to all the actors and posters. It has eveything as an example to students of Social Media. Should be a compulsory on a university study course.

Well done to all.

 

[straitman]

Sure, that scenario is possible in this situation and has been aluded to already. But the other scenarios painted here are equally possible on what was observed and reported. And as I've said, all too believable with today's Qantas. So FWIW I disagree that the thread or reaction is out of proportion, especially considering the initial 'reaction'

Please reread my post and please don’t misrepresent what I said.

 

[RooFlyer]

Please reread my post and please don’t misrepresent what I said.

Ah, I see what you mean, sorry. Not intentional. Although I thought the 'like'of my post indicated some form of approval.

 

[jb747]

The passenger was seated in 3A, but was then moved right down the back to seat 30C in whY, a seat that does not recline.

The QF staff member (who boarded after the above passenger) got to sit in 3A in J.

Boarding time has nothing to do with it.

The passenger meekly accepted, probably not wanting to make a fuss (saintly behaviour, minimising delays) but what is the chance of this person who was downgraded receiving compensation, plus a refund of the difference between the business class fare paid and the discount economy fare, or similar in points if that was the method of payment?

From what you've written, you have no idea of the circumstances of the passenger who was downgraded. Given that they accepted meekly, I'd be very inclined towards thinking that it was a staff member. I can't see too many who actually paid for the seat being meek about it.

 

[bam71]

I’d be kicking up QUITE the stink!

 

[jlzrbm]

Speaking as ex-QF staff the only way you'd be able to regrade a commercial pax is with manager approval.

You cannot regrade a commercial pax to economy to make room for a staff traveller in business. Not only would it require multiple approval layers of people all doing the wrong thing, it would also result in all of those people looking for new jobs pretty quickly.

 

[RichardMEL]

Well this has been quite the read.

From the first post I figured the displaced pax was either a standby pax, or more likely a standby pax on pass travel/NRSA and they're obliged to move in this situation (hence "meekly accepting" the downgrade).

I note a bit of QF bashing based on assumptions too based on uniformed staff in J. MANY (legacy) airlines' crew contracts specify premium cabin positive space (PS) travel when commuting/deadheading etc. This is part of their contracts and again is not just a QF thing. I have known my share of employees at various carriers over the years, and while various situations are different, and different travel profiles (eg: on company business, deadheading,etc) has different boarding priorities down to NRSA (non Revenue/space available - basically standby for a seat) they're all part of employment agreements.

This whole thread is a great example of assumption from observation without really useful information and one's persona viewpoint will then cloud the judgement made when assessing the observed "facts" as given. Most of us do it of course - we see something, and think "oh it must be..." but sometimes we just don't have all the facts and jump to the wrong conclusions sometimes. It's human nature.

Now, I don't know if it was a standby pax, or staff on pass travel or whatever but this seems the most likely scenario. Either way I wouldn't just assume it was the most negative notion of a commercial pax pushed out of their entitled to J seat for a crew member. I know enough (but hardly all) about the way such things can and do work to not make that assumption just from observation.

Incidently sat next to a uniformed Captain today on QFLink. He was commuting to go fly an international sector out of SYdney. He offered me his lindt ball lol.

 

[milehighclub]

Let's be really clear about this thread. It's the usual suspect QF bashing.

For someone who won't touch QF with a stick, they have an awful lot to say about the airline.

Notwithstanding some of the issues raised by other members, who are 100% correct, this is just another opportunity to bash. There is an almost purposely vague story so that no one can give a factual response or explanation. It has become all assumptions. I suspect any full fare passenger would have shown, even without kicking off, disappointment to the crew (and rightfully so), but they fact they just up'ed and moved is already showing red flags. I've been flying a long long time, and I guarantee, even the most friendly, understanding passenger in the world, would not go "Oh, I've been downgraded, oh well, I'll move, I'd hate to cause a delay". NOT HAPPENING. And certainly not in Australia - we ain't shy to speak up if it doesn't pass the pub test.

Then we have assumptions like QF staff are entitled. I suspect the Pilot, if we go down that path it was a pilot, was probably at the gate waiting to see what was happening and just got a boarding pass (because you can't get past the gate without one). They would have been none the wiser as to what was happening onboard. They might have said oh don't worry, if they actually knew, but as usual, we are lumped into being entitled.

To the OP - we get it, YOU HATE QANTAS. Move along.

 

[clifford]

To the OP - we get it, YOU HATE QANTAS.

And I guess some have the opposite view.

One's personal experience will obviously cloud one's thinking, either way...

 

[straitman]

Let's be really clear about this thread. It's the usual suspect QF bashing.

For someone who won't touch QF with a stick, they have an awful lot to say about the airline.

Notwithstanding some of the issues raised by other members, who are 100% correct, this is just another opportunity to bash. There is an almost purposely vague story so that no one can give a factual response or explanation. It has become all assumptions. I suspect any full fare passenger would have shown, even without kicking off, disappointment to the crew (and rightfully so), but they fact they just up'ed and moved is already showing red flags. I've been flying a long long time, and I guarantee, even the most friendly, understanding passenger in the world, would not go "Oh, I've been downgraded, oh well, I'll move, I'd hate to cause a delay". NOT HAPPENING. And certainly not in Australia - we ain't shy to speak up if it doesn't pass the pub test.

Then we have assumptions like QF staff are entitled. I suspect the Pilot, if we go down that path it was a pilot, was probably at the gate waiting to see what was happening and just got a boarding pass (because you can't get past the gate without one). They would have been none the wiser as to what was happening onboard. They might have said oh don't worry, if they actually knew, but as usual, we are lumped into being entitled.

To the OP - we get it, YOU HATE QANTAS. Move along.

Personally I think that's a big assumption to make from that post and this thread.

There are many here at the moment (myself included) who think that Qantas deserves to be bashed. Does that mean I hate Qantas? No it doesn't. Many currently bash Qantas as a reaction to how poorly they treat their customers. I would (and do) say the same about any service provider who treats their customers and/or staff with sort of contempt displayed by Qantas.