Qantas Refund Policy?

[Harpoon]

Interesting policy over there at QF.

Summary:

- Paid for J class international fare. 4 sectors (2 dom, 2 intl)
- Wait listed on one intl sector in J as it was full. Fair enough. Booked in to Y as well.
- Wait list did not come through, flew Y class. Fine.

Problem:

Applied for a refund for the downgrade as wait list did not come through and i had paid for 4 J sectors.

Got the refund today...

Turns out, QF conveniently compare my corporate rate J seat to a fully fledged Y seat, obviously the most expensive one you can get. My refund came in at a grand total of $58 for a 3 hour international sector. That's the apparent difference between y and J. Unbelievable. Apparently my TA said that's just the way it goes when it comes to waitlists...

Here I am thinking that QF would compare my discount J seat against a booked discount corporate rate Y seat that I flew on. Apparently not...

Wow!

 

[Evan]

A trap for new players....
Once caught never again !
Its not very nice but its always been the small difference and they way the apply it. The one reason you never ever apply for a part refund on a fare unless you have no other choice.

E

 

[Travel Guru]

You're lucky you received that, most tickets state that sectors flown in Y when J is full are at nil compensation.

There's no such thing as a corporate Y fare, there are retail Y nett fares, but i'm not surprised by the refund amount.

When dealing with airlines, i'd recommend the expect nothing approach, that way anything is a bonus.

TG

 

[hardya]

Was that information explained to you and/or documented in any link to published terms and conditions covering this? If not threaten QF in taking to Fair Trading Office or Consumer Tribunal.

 

[Platy]

You're lucky...When dealing with airlines, i'd recommend the expect nothing approach, that way anything is a bonus.

TG

You may be right in terms of expectations, but surely that is no excuse for ripping off customers?

In my own case, I once had to refund a J class stand alone sector and they wanted 6 weeks plus to process the refund. After a series of phone calls from polite to outright abusive gradually rising up the food chain of idiots at the rude roo I finaly got my money back in under two weeks. The excuses were pathetic.

Just because airlines frequently push the boundaries and flount the law, it doesn't mean as customers we should accept such treatment.

 

[serfty]

The 6 weeks is an industry standard; albeit a legacy one.

It's supposedly to make some level of penance for those companies that would book and pay for fully refundable tickets over a range several flights on the one day for their staff; thus allowing the staff member to select the one they wanted and cancel the rest. Waiting up to 6 week for a refund would inflict some level of pain on company accounts (especially as it would cross monthly billing cut off times).

 

[Travel Guru]

It can actually be more than 6 weeks where multiple airlines are involved, though i'd expect with 100% e-tkting now, that it should be slightly quicker than 6 weeks to process a refund, though JQ still insist refunds take 6-8 weeks.

As for the query regarding T&C's, i'd be very surprised if it wasn't covered in there, the airlines are smart enough to cover all bases.

TG

 

[Harpoon]

I dunno, maybe it's just bad luck or my inexperience. But since I can get discounted Y and J fares as work has a negotiated rate with QF, I would have though that would be taken in to account on the refund.

Logically, had I not booked J for that leg at all, I would have got a flexi saver or something dirt cheap in K class. But since I booked and paid J, QF assume I'm therefore paying a full wack Y fare on that leg where i missed J? That's a bit rich in my book...

For the record, the refund took about 2 weeks to come through which is decent

 

[NM]

I dunno, maybe it's just bad luck or my inexperience. But since I can get discounted Y and J fares as work has a negotiated rate with QF, I would have though that would be taken in to account on the refund.

Its possible the corporate economy fare is actually booked into B, which is what happens for our corporate economy fares (great for AAdvantage EQP earning).

Logically, had I not booked J for that leg at all, I would have got a flexi saver or something dirt cheap in K class. But since I booked and paid J, QF assume I'm therefore paying a full wack Y fare on that leg where i missed J? That's a bit rich in my book...

Ahh, there is the problem - you are trying to apply logic where logic does not exist! Just be thankful the Y fare was still less than the discounted J fare, or they may have charged you the difference :shock:.

You have to wonder what the airline would do if a J seat did become available. They can give it to you as someone who has paid the J fare but will otherwise be carried in Y, or give it to another person also waitlisted for J but not confirmed for a Y seat (perhaps confirmed in J on a different flight). The sceptic in me suggests there is incentive for the airline to leave you in Y and clear the waitlist of the other passenger .

Note this is not unique to QF.

 

[Harpoon]

Its possible the corporate economy fare is actually booked into B, which is what happens for our corporate economy fares (great for AAdvantage EQP earning).

Most of the time I get K class I think for the flexi savers in economy. Don't think I've ever had B.

Ahh, there is the problem - you are trying to apply logic where logic does not exist! Just be thankful the Y fare was still less than the discounted J fare, or they may have charged you the difference :shock:.

Yeah but it's still not quite right Is a Y fare the ONLY fare with identical terms and conditions to J?

You have to wonder what the airline would do if a J seat did become available. They can give it to you as someone who has paid the J fare but will otherwise be carried in Y, or give it to another person also waitlisted for J but not confirmed for a Y seat (perhaps confirmed in J on a different flight). The sceptic in me suggests there is incentive for the airline to leave you in Y and clear the waitlist of the other passenger .

Note this is not unique to QF.

Yeah interesting to wonder about whether they know I'm going to travel in Y anyway and therefore my waitlist doesnt come through. But I think that's pushing the boundary of skeptisism a little. We should give them SOME creditibility that they don't snoop to those levels.

 

[beardoc]

The 6 weeks is an industry standard; albeit a legacy one.

It's supposedly to make some level of penance for those companies that would book and pay for fully refundable tickets over a range several flights on the one day for their staff; thus allowing the staff member to select the one they wanted and cancel the rest. Waiting up to 6 week for a refund would inflict some level of pain on company accounts (especially as it would cross monthly billing cut off times).

When booking fully flexible fares with QANTAS Domestic, I've never waited more than a couple of days for refunds (although they still say 6-8 weeks!)

 

[Happy Dude]

:idea: The next time you fly the same route, book a Y seat. If there are empty seats in J, give the FA or check-in dude $58 and a copy of your refund note and park yourself in J.

This of course ignores the actual booking class differences but it's their 'logic'. QF clearly doesn't consider the actual differences, so why should you?