Qantas Loyalty; [QP@EK] lounge rules change [after booking] - Tough luck

[BD1959]

A sample size of one is hardly a valid size to suggest that the on-going delays were a myth.

Delays expected as Qantas engineers strike - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I am sure if you trawl through the threads during the 2011 period, a number of members on here were affected by the delays and a number shifted flights to VA to minimize their exposure to the delays.

That'd be the strike that didn't happen.

QF cancelled flights and moved stuff around because of the threat but the Union called it off at the last minute (again). Seems that the union may have implemented the threat of delays but QF actually caused them in mitigation!

(fetches popcorn, takes seat...)

BD

 

[mannej]

As a customer is it my problem if he cannot get on with his employees? He chose to punish his customers because of his own failings. Customer is number one, so this was a total failure of management.

And that is not in question.

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
Can we get the discussion back to the topic at hand, please?
[/mod hat]

 

[por930]

[mod hat]
Can we get the discussion back to the topic at hand, please?
[/mod hat]

Thanks JT, bashing old history gets us no where..lets move on...

Recently I did some bookings through Qantas on Emirates metal(to get the QF/EK booking code)..It was a bit confusing looking at all the doom and gloom on a few of these threads, and this thread in particular. So a few Twitter and Facebook PM's and all resolved. It seems as we will be on EK metal, their booking reference number is the master as their aircraft. When I used the QF booking, I noticed seating was not firm. Also, no chauffeur service, and lounge access 'should' be ok. When I logged into the EK site, chauffeur service was waiting to be booked, seating as arranged and lounge access clear. EK people said as their metal, use their booking code. EK sent me a PM setting down what lounges we had access to in each port.

Looking back over some of the threads, it seems that a lot of confusion arises between:
Qantas Club membership
Frequent Flyer Status
Qantas Policies
Other Airlines programs

Usually at any one time, there are several policy shifts on the go and it seems very difficult to get your head around the current set of rules when you book. This is made further frustrating by one or more of the above again changing the rules after you book, as in the case of this thread. I realise only too well(being an contract manager) that T and C's are there for "your protection", but in many cases they allow management teams to simply say, did you read our T and C's....

For what it will cost Qantas, I hope they come through, though they did not handle their chauffeur close down too well.

 

[maninblack]

Thanks JT, bashing old history gets us no where..lets move on....

Goes to the mentality of a management that thinks it's okay to take away passenger benefits at any time that were originally part of the deal.

 

[por930]

Goes to the mentality of a management that thinks it's okay to take away passenger benefits at any time that were originally part of the deal.

Have to agree Maninblack. Seems Qantas offered inducements to get the people engaged in their product, then maybe this item becomes more popular than they envisaged, and the cost becomes a problem compared with increased revenue. Seems more of a marketing stuff up as you would think they would do the sums. Interesting EK are happy to still carry out the chauffeur service, including with their A380 product with many many J and F pax.

Using FlightRadar24, I recently applied a filter to only show Qantas and later Emirates. The difference was quite glaring. Emirates were all over the world in great numbers 24/7. Qantas were in great numbers "in Australia", between say 6 am and 10 pm, but outside the country, very few a/craft could be found. Maybe it is because as a population, our market is small and our proximity to the global market is far away, we are not big players on the world stage, so, aircraft numbers have been reduced over the years. As a population, we are twice the size of the UAE. If proximity is an issue, maybe we need a base some where to run global operations? Ummm, Air NZ seem to do ok, and they are further away than us??

I think Qantas have lost their way as an Australian company. Their ethics leave a lot to be desired. Sure, the market is tough. What ever happened to a fair go, which we are proud of as an Australian nation. You would think the cost of letting pax into lounges was not a great cost compared to aircraft operations. With low pax numbers, aircraft operations suffer, and accordingly, lounge rules get reduced to save a few pennies according to the latest management flavour.

 

[roomer]

Not sure I understand Qantas' customer handling system......Surely it would be easier and cheaper to organise access to the lounge for the one or two people who contact them saying "I booked prior to the changes" rather than spending staff time fighting them! A quick check would show the booking was made prior to the changes and then just demonstrate and build good will and let them in. It is a problem that has a short life surely! (Well I suppose a year, but how many people are actually going to be in this situation?)

Had a courtesy email from Red Roo first thing this morning saying sorry for the delay, thanking me for my patience and that they are still following up on this .

As noted in Flying Mermaids comments above however, you do have to wonder at the staff time involved regarding something where the facts are indisputable, particularly seeing some Emirates airfares out there that are ~ $ 1000 cheaper than what my wife and I paid on the expectation ( no, actually confirmation ) in having access to the Emirates lounge at Dubai. Maybe they intend to exceed my expectation with this anticipated offering of goodwill that I am hoping for ?

 

[woodborer]

It would likely be worse if they said no straight off - but at the end of the day, they are needing to try to provide access to a third party lounge. Emirates are going to want their cut. I would say, given they haven't said no, then there is still someone trying to make it happen....

 

[maninblack]

Qantas are probably trying to scrounge up some guest passes for the OP and Emirates are probably not coming to the party, remember who's boss! I'm backing QF to come through on this one.

 

[roomer]

Qantas are probably trying to scrounge up some guest passes for the OP and Emirates are probably not coming to the party, remember who's boss! I'm backing QF to come through on this one.

... and since its as been nine days since my original post, I can only assume someone from Qantas must be on the way back from Dubai with the guest passes as we speak thus fulfilling the conditions under which I bought our tickets. In other words still waiting to hear...

 

[JessicaTam]

... and since its as been nine days since my original post, I can only assume someone from Qantas must be on the way back from Dubai with the guest passes as we speak thus fulfilling the conditions under which I bought our tickets. In other words still waiting to hear...

Thanks for the update.

 

[por930]

... and since its as been nine days since my original post, I can only assume someone from Qantas must be on the way back from Dubai with the guest passes as we speak thus fulfilling the conditions under which I bought our tickets. In other words still waiting to hear...

Well, you know what 'they' say...Bad news travels fast..so, maybe good news on the way

 

[roomer]

Well, you know what 'they' say...Bad news travels fast..so, maybe good news on the way

... and you may be right por930, I had a call saying that they are seeing what they can do, but they are not making any promises - it was just a call to update me on what was happening. So I will adopt your positive approach por930, thanks for your comment

 

[por930]

... and you may be right por930, I had a call saying that they are seeing what they can do, but they are not making any promises - it was just a call to update me on what was happening. So I will adopt your positive approach por930, thanks for your comment

Nice that they called you to at least stay in touch. I always feel people go to work each day to try and do the right thing by the fellow traveler on the planet.. I am sure these guys are doing this. Of course to keep them on course, when many of us who contribute to this forum are watching and waiting for the outcome.
Ged

 

[por930]

... and you may be right por930, I had a call saying that they are seeing what they can do, but they are not making any promises - it was just a call to update me on what was happening. So I will adopt your positive approach por930, thanks for your comment

Hi Roomer, Did QF ever get back to you, or are they still thinking about it?

 

[roomer]

Thanks for asking por930, once again great minds think alike! I only just last night PM'd Red Roo asking what might be happening given its been 2 weeks since my original post and 4 weeks until we fly out.

Alas I have not had a response to that, nor any calls,other than the one last Wednesday. It would be good to have some news, here's hoping I hear by tonight...

 

[por930]

I guess when the decision has to go to the full board and maybe get the chairman to sign off as well, I can understand why Qantas can't make a people decision in a few weeks or so....

 

[roomer]

I guess when the decision has to go to the full board and maybe get the chairman to sign off as well, I can understand why Qantas can't make a people decision in a few weeks or so....

blimey, if that's the case, it'll probably be approved after I come back

 

[por930]

blimey, if that's the case, it'll probably be approved after I come back

A bit presumptuous LOL. Delegations can be dangerous things, so maybe no one wants to be the first to say, "yes roomer, you have a valid claim, sorry, we made a mistake, here is the pass" etc..

Was thinking if you bought a fridge and the seller said we will send it to you when sales stock comes in..A few weeks later they send you a fridge, but you notice it is different to what you agreed on and paid for. When you mention to them...they say, "yeah well, we don't sell that fridge any more, but this one will do the job".

 

[roomer]

A bit presumptuous LOL. Delegations can be dangerous things, so maybe no one wants to be the first to say, "yes roomer, you have a valid claim, sorry, we made a mistake, here is the pass" etc..

Was thinking if you bought a fridge and the seller said we will send it to you when sales stock comes in..A few weeks later they send you a fridge, but you notice it is different to what you agreed on and paid for. When you mention to them...they say, "yeah well, we don't sell that fridge any more, but this one will do the job".

And that would be probably be fine if the fridge had the ice maker that I specifically had requested , but if it didn't , then I'd be straight off to consumer affairs to ensure I got exactly what was on offer when I handed over my hard earned money...