Qantas not responding - what can I do?

[BW0919]

Hi all,

I am new here and unfortunately it's for a frustrating reason.

What has happened to me is that I was in communication with Qantas about a 'reimbursement' they offered, which is really a compensation. However I have not heard back from Qantas since 15 January 2023, after I replied to their email and requested a higher amount, with calculations to support my claim.

This is despite multiple email, facebook messenger and phone call follow ups. So here I am, I might hear from them next Monday or never, which is extremely frustrating.

I am thinking to escalate this issue to fair trading, since the Airline Customer Advocate (ACA) told me it's not within their remit. Should I escalate this to the one in my state or in NSW (where I assumed where Qantas is registered)?

Any other suggestions as to what I can/should do?

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF @BW0919 .

Unfortunately this is Qantas today. On any day we see posts like this. I think the best advice is just to persevere. I realise that's not really satisfactory. Try a consumer advocate rote, but keep trying too.

 

[BW0919]

Welcome to AFF @BW0919 .

Unfortunately this is Qantas today. On any day we see posts like this. I think the best advice is just to persevere. I realise that's not really satisfactory. Try a consumer advocate rote, but keep trying too.

Thank you!

 

[Mwenenzi]

BW0919 Welcome to AFF

I am new here and unfortunately it's for a frustrating reason.

What has happened to me is that I was in communication with Qantas about a 'reimbursement' they offered, which is really a compensation. However I have not heard back from Qantas since 15 January 2023, after I replied to their email and requested a higher amount, with calculations to support my claim.

There is a difference between reimbursement and compensation.
Airlines will never pay for consequential costs. That's what travel insurance is for.

Keep trying.
What are the details, if you are willing to disclose?

 

[BW0919]

BW0919 Welcome to AFF


There is a difference between reimbursement and compensation.
Airlines will never pay for consequential costs. That's what travel insurance is for.

Keep trying.
What are the details, if you are willing to disclose?

It's interesting you said that, maybe that's why they changed the term when they responded to my request initially.

Oh well nothing new. They did not issue my reward seat tickets, as part of the systematic failures I guess. After I suddenly saw that my international flights (with a partner airline) disappeared from my booking they told me the best they could do was to cancel my entire booking and offered a refund.

I then bought my own tickets with money, and asked them for a 'compensation' of the entire amount I paid. They came back after a few months and said nah but they would 'reimburse' the difference between what I paid and the value of the original reward seat tickets.

I didn't like the fact they could just (seemingly randomly to me as a customer) pick a number and said that was the value of the original tickets, and I also wanted them to cover my costs of driving to Sydney and parking since the original booking was from Canberra but the new tickets were from Sydney.

So I went back and proposed a different amount, higher than what they offered but less than my original ask.

Then I have heard nothing, since 15 January 2023.

What really annoys me is that they had done their review and decided to offer me something, surely it was already determined they did something wrong. Plus when they asked me for evidence of my new tickets they responded very quickly so I am sure my case is being worked on. In my view it should not take this long to determine if they agree with my calculations or not. I gave them reasons for the numbers I used.

Also, I expect to receive at least a holding response especially since I have followed up a couple of times. But nope, even after they said they would send me one through a customer care representative. This was last Monday.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Was a QR Qatar flight involved? Or another partner

I then bought my own tickets with money, and asked them for a 'compensation' of the entire amount I paid. They came back after a few months and said nah but they would 'reimburse' the difference between what I paid and the value of the original reward seat tickets.
I didn't like the fact they could just (seemingly randomly to me as a customer) pick a number and said that was the value of the original tickets, and I also wanted them to cover my costs of driving to Sydney and parking since the original booking was from Canberra but the new tickets were from Sydney.

Better offer than I read for others with QF ticketing errors. Do you have QF status?

My view is they will not cover the CBR-SYD costs. Never ever.

 

[BW0919]

Was a QR Qatar flight involved? Or another partner

Better offer than I read for others with QF ticketing errors. Do you have QF status?

My view is they will not cover the CBR-SYD costs. Never ever.

No just red.

It wouldn't surprise me if they said no. But my issue at the moment is the lack of communication. Are they just not going to talk to me anymore because I didn't accept their initial offer? That's just beyond me...

But anyways, we shall see.

 

[papeto]

You could file a claim with NCAT, which would force the parties into arbitration. Usually there you will have a human to talk to and they can usually make a settlement. However if you want to really pursue a legal claim, it be better to go to the small claim section of the magistrates court.

NCAT is good to get Qantas to adress your issues, but NCAT itself can’t hear anything that involves Federal Jurisdiction ( which all avaition falls under), which a magistrates court can.

 

[BW0919]

You could file a claim with NCAT, which would force the parties into arbitration. Usually there you will have a human to talk to and they can usually make a settlement. However if you want to really pursue a legal claim, it be better to go to the small claim section of the magistrates court.

NCAT is good to get Qantas to adress your issues, but NCAT itself can’t hear anything that involves Federal Jurisdiction ( which all avaition falls under), which a magistrates court can.

Hi thx! What's NCAT?

I am thinking small claims, but I understand it costs to lodge an application. Given all I want is $2,900 I need to think about if I want to spend money on it...

 

[Mwenenzi]

NCAT = NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Or the equivalent for your state - territory.

 

[BW0919]

NCAT = NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Or the equivalent for your state - territory.

Thanks!

 

[exLXCXFF]

I would also suggest that you read @papeto’s thread about “Taking Qantas to NCAT” - it’s very informative (albeit with disappointing outcome). I think that what you are looking for has quite some parallels with that story.

 

[eric2011]

What really annoys me is that they had done their review and decided to offer me something, surely it was already determined they did something wrong. Plus when they asked me for evidence of my new tickets they responded very quickly so I am sure my case is being worked on.

While the case was being worked on they responded quickly etc, perhaps now it has been passed on to the finance department and we all know how long it takes to get anything from them

 

[BW0919]

I would also suggest that you read @papeto’s thread about “Taking Qantas to NCAT” - it’s very informative (albeit with disappointing outcome). I think that what you are looking for has quite some parallels with that story.

Thanks heaps! I had a look at that already and will keep an eye on it.

 

[BW0919]

Hi all again - I thought I would provide an update on the issue. So on 16 February I received an email from Qantas, since 15 January when I went to to ask for a higher 'reimbursement' amount, saying that they agreed to my claim!

I am happy that it doesn't need to be escalated to any higher such as ACA or NCAT, as that would consume too much time and energy. I am also happy that I was brave enough to not accept their initial offer of $16xx, and went back with a claim of $29xx. My claim did include my parking in and driving to Sydney from Canberra and back.

Given how 'smooth' the communication has been since they accepted the claim, I believe they did see all my follow up emails during their one month of silence. Still can't understand why they would treat their customers that way but anyways, I got what I want in the end...

 

[lovestotravel]

Still can't understand why they would treat their customers that way but anyways, I got what I want in the end...

Because people keep flying them

 

[Gladstone Tim]

Hi all again - I thought I would provide an update on the issue. So on 16 February I received an email from Qantas, since 15 January when I went to to ask for a higher 'reimbursement' amount, saying that they agreed to my claim!

I am happy that it doesn't need to be escalated to any higher such as ACA or NCAT, as that would consume too much time and energy. I am also happy that I was brave enough to not accept their initial offer of $16xx, and went back with a claim of $29xx. My claim did include my parking in and driving to Sydney from Canberra and back.

Given how 'smooth' the communication has been since they accepted the claim, I believe they did see all my follow up emails during their one month of silence. Still can't understand why they would treat their customers that way but anyways, I got what I want in the end...

Wow! That is an unexpected result. Well done!

 

[flyingfan]

Hi all again - I thought I would provide an update on the issue. So on 16 February I received an email from Qantas, since 15 January when I went to to ask for a higher 'reimbursement' amount, saying that they agreed to my claim!

Great to hear!
Do report back when the reimbursement hits your account (I've been promised compensation which never arrived)

 

[BW0919]

It did yesterday! Hope you will get yours soon.