Qantas overbooking

[Hvr]

If rules were introduced where airlines had to refund passengers plus pay them $2k compensation I’m fairly certain overbooking and downgrading would magically disappear overnight

And the fees to change flights would probably increase dramatically. I'd posit that the number of people moved to different seats/flights are very low compared to the number of people who fly everyday.

In this instance the pax doesn't appear to be overly concerned.

 

[aikman]

Surely to hell the last booked - known to be overbooked, unless Qantas doesn't actually keep count - should be the first off

But the last booked likely paid multiples more than the first booked. Oh the dilemma.

 

[NM]

Note that the term "overbooked" often does not relate to the airline selling more tickets than they had planned seats. While that can and does happen (commonly in the USA), the term "overbooked" is also used when there is a change of aircraft type which results in less seats being available for the flight than tickets that were sold when it was expected that aircraft type would operate the flight. It can also happen when another flight is cancelled and all of a sudden there is a large number of passengers to be moved to other flights resulting in some on a "standby list" or "waitlist". Reservations staff would call these situations "oversold".

So its quite possible (dare I say probable??) that the "oversold" situation was not predictable and is a result of trying to accommodate an aircraft type change or another cancelled flight to get as many people to the destination as they can. So calling passengers to see if anyone has flexibility in their travel plans provides a better outcome than bumping people as they turn up to check-in for the flight.

The real challenge is how to select the unfortunate bumpee if they cannot find enough people to alter their plans?? Status, fare paid, booking date, reverse alphabetic order of middle name?? Either way, fair, adequate and immediate compensation needs to accompany any bumping required under those circumstances.

 

[AIRwin]

The real challenge is how to select the unfortunate bumpee if they cannot find enough people to alter their plans?? Status, fare paid, booking date, reverse alphabetic order of middle name?? Either way, fair, adequate and immediate compensation needs to accompany any bumping required under those circumstances.

"United" with you on this...

 

[RooFlyer]

Tech crew flights are booked months in advance, and patterns will be rejigged to move away from commercially full flights. They happen in groups of 1 to 4 too, not huge ones. Whilst it is conceivable that passengers would be offloaded to move pilots, the vast majority of pilots paxing on any given day aren’t necessarily in a ‘must fly‘ situation, so they do not affect this situation. They’ll fly at another time. About the only blokes who’d almost always have to fly would be standby call outs, and they’re almost always singletons.

Thanks. I was having a sly and gratuitous nod towards this recent (and very lively! thread). A glass of red is a recommended accompaniment. :

Qantas double booking: staff member took precedence

On board QF431 (the 0930 hours SYD - MEL, B738 VH-VYJ) on Thursday 9 June 2022, there was a double booking between a passenger and a QF staff member. The flight was close to full. So what was the solution? The passenger was seated in 3A, but was then moved right down the back to seat 30C in...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[jonboixxx]

Flight was BNE-CNS QF708, this morning. It was definitely a full flight and there was flight tech in 1AC and 1F. (QF masks and they obviously were, in any case). Possibly also QF family of 2adults+2kids in 2DF and 3C. Anyhow didn't get bumped from J or the flight and as some have suggested, we checked in online at the first opportunity and were at BNE nice and early. There was also a crew-check onboard plus a female tech in the jump.
Mind you Cairns is busy this weekend with the Ironman Cairns Asia Pacific Championship.
It was definitely a weird flight. CSM was operating solo and hence didn't even bring the cart out, bringing out meals individually.

When Qantas rang about a possible bump, I didn't ask about compensation as I didn't want to give an impression that we were at all interested in an alternate flight/day as we're only in Port Douglas until Monday. Interestingly, our return flight on 13th June (QF719) is on A330. When I look to book in 12 months time, the CNS-BNE flights are showing as QantasLink QF1713 and Alliance QF1965 so I'll probably revert to VA if that doesn't change (despite the lack of VA lounge in CNS).

 

[Anna]

check-in is all online now

Except when you try to check in and you get the message 'you must check in at the airport'.

 

[JohnK]

If rules were introduced where airlines had to refund passengers plus pay them $2k compensation I’m fairly certain overbooking and downgrading would magically disappear overnight

From memory a couple of times before Covid I was offered a small amount of money to move flights but when I went to change the offer was withdrawn as I'd assume enough people had accepted.

I agree with your proposal. Penalise airlines for overbooking and they'll stop overbooking very quickly

 

[kangapoodle]

That sucks.
It is well and truly time that the government can introduce laws and regulations so that consumers get adequate compensation. Being bumped off a flight should come with a decent compensation as should down grading

Agree, also some people may have to fly business class due to blood clots...so could be a serious health issue if they downgraded to economy...

 

[CaptJCool]

And this announced today

https://www.qantas.com/agencyconnect/au/en/agency-news/agency-news-september-22/customers-affected-by-aircraft-change-between-sydney-melbourne-and-los-angeles.html

When there’s a downgrade from an A380 to 787 between Sydney/Melbourne and Los Angeles resulting in the removal of First Class. Flight numbers are QF11/12 and QF93/94.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Thank goodness I've got QF Gold status and hence are immune from bumping. After all, QF is not gonna bump their most loyal customers from a flight. It'll be those folks with no status holding a $99 fare they bought on Webjet back when Reagan was President!

-RooFlyer88

 

[JohnK]

Thank goodness I've got QF Gold status and hence are immune from bumping. After all, QF is not gonna bump their most loyal customers from a flight. It'll be those folks with no status holding a $99 fare they bought on Webjet back when Reagan was President!

-RooFlyer88

I don't think Gold status is going to save you. There have been quite a few reports on AFF of downgrades and offloads.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I don't think Gold status is going to save you. There have been quite a few reports on AFF of downgrades and offloads.

Looks like I'll need to upgrade to God status at QF. Maybe become an MP or Senator? Remember to mark your ballot for KangarooFlyer88 at the next general election!

-RooFlyer88

 

[TomVexille]

Looks like I'll need to upgrade to God status at QF. Maybe become an MP or Senator? Remember to mark your ballot for KangarooFlyer88 at the next general election!

-RooFlyer88

Remember to renounce any other citizenships then

 

[MrJetset]

Thank goodness I've got QF Gold status and hence are immune from bumping. After all, QF is not gonna bump their most loyal customers from a flight. It'll be those folks with no status holding a $99 fare they bought on Webjet back when Reagan was President!

-RooFlyer88

Downgrades occur according to fare class and status. A WP on U class will be downgraded ahead of non status pax on a full fare J class.