Qantas kept me Hostage and now won't reimburse me for out of pocket expenses!

[RichardMEL]

Well the OP could have provided explanation as to why they deleted their post. It certainly doesn't look too good from the above comments.

Frankly on two different bookings, on two even not remotely affiliated airlines, I'd allow way more than 3 hours (and that's not even allowing for the time to transit dom->int at syd which adds prob 20-30 mins anyway). It seems very poor planning or perhaps inexperienced planning. We've probably all been there from time to time.

Sounds like UA saved their bacon really by rebooking without penalty (great job there UA - not something you often hear said ) and OK they had to pay for a night in SYD well.. as others have said chalk it up to life experience because Stuff Happens in life and move on.

the headline is sure one for clickbiat though. kudos. I was waiting for the "... you won't believe what happened next!" line but was disappointed.

And QF's only obligation was to get pax to SYD, and sounds like they did a pretty good job given the circumstances.. so... uh yeah.

I did something similar to myself about 4 years ago actually to be perfectly candid. I knew it was a risk when I booked it, but I judged it worthwhile. Basically I booked QF MEL-LAX and then UA LAX-DEN with a 4.5 hour buffer at LAX. QF was a reward seat in F. Anyway the 380 went Tech (Nancy Bird.. you all know how it goes lol) in MEL - something about the rear galley fridges) and we were delayed nearly four hours. So basically we were landing at LAX as my UA flight was boarding. UA, under the "flat tyre" rule (and no questions asked either I might add) put me on the next flight with no cost. Not up front, but geez they got me on a packed 777 so I was very happy with that to only arrive about 3h later than planned. Not once did I even think that QF owed me anything for this. It was totally on me and the chance I took. I don't normally but for reasons it worked out that way. All was good in the end though but it was not one to blame QF for at all. even though it was mechanical and not weather it's irrelevant what caused the delay.

(to note that if this was a single ticket itin QF would proably be able to pull the weather card to not pay for accom, but they may have been able to rebook to other services later that day (like the night flight ex SYD) but that's moot given it wasn't a same ticket itin).

definitely one for the experience book and not to make a song and dance about without much of a leg to stand on whichever way one looks at it.

imo.

 

[Daver6]

Member joinded AFF in 2010.

Cliff notes:

Separate bookings BNE-SYD on QF then SYD to USA on United. 3 hour transit in SYD.

Date Sunday 27th February - severe weather that day in South East QLD.

Missed connection, UA rebooked at no charge.

Had to pay one nights accom in SYD - wanted to know chances of Qantas reimbursing cost.

Will leave thread open for a time, but ultimately will be locked.

Would travel insurance cover this kind of thing? Ie, the night's accommodation etc?

Secondary question, if UA has just said bad luck, you were a no show, would travel insurance cover a replacement fare to the US?

 

[Cddc]

The 'hostage' part of the story is that while op was waiting on the tarmac in BNE realised they were going to miss the Flight to the US and wanted to be offloaded to stay at friends house. QF said it was too late to offload and they couldn't anyway as no ground crew could work with lightening. Once in Sydney op wanted QF to pay for accommodation or fly them back to BNE so they could stay at friends house and then fly them back to Sydney the following day. An unreasonable requests as they were reward tickets on separate itineraries and competing airlines.

Also wanted a letter for their travel insurance but QF said this wasn't necessary as insurance has access to all their flight data.

 

[ketsuzei]

Plus if your only travel insurance is credit card travel insurance that isn't in effect because you didn't use the credit card, then, well, you just don't have travel insurance.

 

[DC3]

I guess some are bigger risk-takers when connecting.

Horses for courses.

 

[DC3]

The OP seems to have left the building, following deletion.

 

[jakeseven7]

I grabbed my popcorn based on the headline alone. Figured I’d be settling in for a decent rant but alas consigned to history now.

Well Qantas stole my neighbours dog and threw it off the plane onto a UFO that appeared mid flight and I really think they should compensate me for that too.

Thread close imminent….

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Would travel insurance cover this kind of thing? Ie, the night's accommodation etc?

Secondary question, if UA has just said bad luck, you were a no show, would travel insurance cover a replacement fare to the US?

Depends on the policy. Some cover missed connections on separate tickets, some don't. And for those that do there might be some conditions, for example one policy covered missed connections provided you were scheduled to arrive into the connecting airport no later than when check-in opens for the connecting flight. (So if check-in opened 4 hours prior, you needed to be scheduled to arrive four hours prior.)

 

[MARTINE]

I guess some are bigger risk-takers when connecting.

Horses for courses.

I would never leave such a small window
….however on an international route (admittedly one PNR) despite deliberately wanting the six hour connection time they cancelled that flight put me on the ‘European minumum’ of 90 mins - first flight left one hour late and - only because I was in business did I run like mad and make second flight whilst most others (and my luggage) did not.

 

[RichardMEL]

Plus if your only travel insurance is credit card travel insurance that isn't in effect because you didn't use the credit card, then, well, you just don't have travel insurance.

You'd have to prove that the points used were accrued on that CC I guess. ie if BNE-SYD cost 16k points (or whatever it is) and one had earned 25k on the card in the last year it could well be an argument there.. though it would of course depend on the CC's T&C's with their insurance provider. I definitely agree it's a grey area and of course if one had TI with a QF branded card, and the claim was involving UA flights paid for with UA miles, well going to be out of luck there UNLESS miles were bought with the issuing CC.

Definitely a very good point.

As for "being held hostage" - absolutely ridiculous. You're at an airport with storms, lighting etc. it is standard policy to clear the field ins such situations (as discussed earlier). Most people know this, and even if they don't seems the OP was given the accurate reasons why and common sense would suggest well.. you know that makes sense.

From everything read here, and the fact the OP deleted post, then seems to have taken their bat and ball and gone home says to me a fair bit of entitlement there and they just didn't like it when nobody seems to be supporting their thinking on what QF owes them.

Well it happens. Hope they learn something rather than hold an unreasonable grudge

 

[DC3]

… seems to have taken their bat and ball and gone home says to me a fair bit of entitlement there and they just didn't like it when nobody seems to be supporting their thinking on what QF owes them …

I noticed that the OP has been peeping, today, but has not re-entered the building as yet.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I think we should all cut @bneslsc a bit of slack here.
Fairly stressful situation, trying to get back home. Stuck on a flight in a storm after arriving at the airport hours in advance and asking to be put on an earlier flight as fearful about the weather and missing a connection on a separate ticket.

Is QF liable for the hotel bill ?
No not at all. But there’s no harm in asking the question on a Frequent Flyer Forum.
We all get a bit worked up at times when things don’t go well.
IIRC one of my first posts here was a bit dramatic and I got roundly roasted but here I am.

The question has been asked and resoundingly answered.
Closing it off now.