QANTAS Treatment of Frequent Flyer Bookings

[UP4014]

No excuse, however many airlines have poor customer service.

I am interested in how you know it was an out and out lie that resulted in a changed aircraft. Brisbane does have a maintenance facility which could and I'm sure does change aircraft as required. Who was the more important passenger?

Matt

 

[Matt_01]

I think all parties in the Qantas FF program should be aware of the way Qantas treat their Frequent Flyers and I shall make it my business to let anyone I can know how we are treated
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WE PAID FOR OUR SEATS TOO!!!!!

Whilst I sympathise with your situation and understand your frustration you do you consider to be a FF given your comment ‘aware of the way Qantas treat their Frequent Flyers’. Is it a points hoarder on the trip of a life time, someone who flys once or twice a month, some who flys 130+ flights per year or any combination in between. Rewards or revenue I totally agree that we all pay for the flights in some way or another. There may have been a P1 or a WP that was a late inclusion on your flight and I would be pretty confident they would have taken priority even if they were travelling on rewards.

 

[roddo12]

I had a similarly poor experience. Flew per-sin business last year on a j redemption and as soon as i sat down they came to take my food order... And said only pumpkin soup was available and not any real meals.
Wtf! I'm sure the hostesses knew i had a redemption flight and treated me like i wasn't supposed to be there. I'm sure people in economy ate better than i did on that flight. It's still hard for me to talk about...

 

[Matt_01]

I had a similarly poor experience. Flew per-sin business last year on a j redemption and as soon as i sat down they came to take my food order... And said only pumpkin soup was available and not any real meals.
Wtf! I'm sure the hostesses knew i had a redemption flight and treated me like i wasn't supposed to be there. I'm sure people in economy ate better than i did on that flight. It's still hard for me to talk about...

I do not think that the cabin crew know if you are on redemption flights, they do know what QF status you have. In my experience they ensure the pecking order is followed from top to bottom when taking food orders. I have seen crew moving from one row to another in what seems to be a random manner taking food orders and would suggest it is based on PAX status.

 

[travelnutjohn]

I had a similarly poor experience. Flew per-sin business last year on a j redemption and as soon as i sat down they came to take my food order... And said only pumpkin soup was available and not any real meals.
Wtf! I'm sure the hostesses knew i had a redemption flight and treated me like i wasn't supposed to be there. I'm sure people in economy ate better than i did on that flight. It's still hard for me to talk about...

are you saying that everyone else in J got normal business class food, and only you got pumpkin soup??

 

[roddo12]

are you saying that everyone else in J got normal business class food, and only you got pumpkin soup??

That's correct. The lady came and asked what I'd like to eat; I went through the list and each choice of red or white meat was unavailable until she finally said all that they have is pumpkin soup. Everyone else had normal food and all i got was a "big bowl of pumpkin soup". Very disappointed

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Whilst I sympathise with your situation and understand your frustration you do you consider to be a FF given your comment ‘aware of the way Qantas treat their Frequent Flyers’. Is it a points hoarder on the trip of a life time, someone who flys once or twice a month, some who flys 130+ flights per year or any combination in between. Rewards or revenue I totally agree that we all pay for the flights in some way or another. There may have been a P1 or a WP that was a late inclusion on your flight and I would be pretty confident they would have taken priority even if they were travelling on rewards.

I don't think anyone has issues with P1s or platinums (etc) being given additional benefits and privileges. But the whole notion that P1s and platinums have a right to take things off other passengers is getting a bit insidious. What's next, P1s get first crack at the emergency slide and first place in the life raft?

The OP had checked-in in Perth and already flown 5 hours to BNE. By that stage it's too late to make other arrangements. The OP certainly had a contract at that stage and I'm not sure the basis within the contract of carriage that allowed the OP's wife to be downgraded... 'commercial reasons' aren't in the CoC, only 'operational'.

 

[Matt_01]

I don't think anyone has issues with P1s or platinums (etc) being given additional benefits and privileges. But the whole notion that P1s and platinums have a right to take things off other passengers is getting a bit insidious. What's next, P1s get first crack at the emergency slide and first place in the life raft?

The OP had checked-in in Perth and already flown 5 hours to BNE. By that stage it's too late to make other arrangements. The OP certainly had a contract at that stage and I'm not sure the basis within the contract of carriage that allowed the OP's wife to be downgraded... 'commercial reasons' aren't in the CoC, only 'operational'.

I did not think I was making any inference to P1’s or WP having a “right to take things off” other passengers. I would be confident in suggesting that if a P1/WP has be re routed, made last minute changes or asked for a flight to be changed either at check in or the lounge the individual making this request would have no knowledge of impacts to other PAX.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Given the other fibs alleged to have been told by QF to OP, goodness knows who the mystery pax was. Could have been a minister on a mission, flight crew deadheading for op. reasons, or anything. I remember a friend, mr Nameshavebeenchanged, being involuntarily downgraded on QF for the latter reason. At least they were honest about why that time.

cheers skip

 

[Tassieoptom]

That's correct. The lady came and asked what I'd like to eat; I went through the list and each choice of red or white meat was unavailable until she finally said all that they have is pumpkin soup. Everyone else had normal food and all i got was a "big bowl of pumpkin soup". Very disappointed

And yet Alan Joyce tops the highest paid Aussie Executive this year.

Australia's highest-paid CEO takes home 275 times the full-time average wage

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has topped the list of Australia's highest-paid chief executives, taking home more than 275 times the full-time average wage.

www.abc.net.au

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I did not think I was making any inference to P1’s or WP having a “right to take things off” other passengers. I would be confident in suggesting that if a P1/WP has be re routed, made last minute changes or asked for a flight to be changed either at check in or the lounge the individual making this request would have no knowledge of impacts to other PAX.

Whether it’s the P1, or the airline without the P1s knowledge, either way... the notion of taking something away, and others actually supporting that notion of ‘priority’ is concerning.

As an aside... IIRC there are reports by some P1s who claim they always get their preferred seat (1A), so they must know that they have kicked someone out, at least some of the time.

 

[travelnutjohn]

That's correct. The lady came and asked what I'd like to eat; I went through the list and each choice of red or white meat was unavailable until she finally said all that they have is pumpkin soup. Everyone else had normal food and all i got was a "big bowl of pumpkin soup". Very disappointed

if that is true, thats horrible

 

[Max Samuels]

I do not think that the cabin crew know if you are on redemption flights, they do know what QF status you have. In my experience they ensure the pecking order is followed from top to bottom when taking food orders. I have seen crew moving from one row to another in what seems to be a random manner taking food orders and would suggest it is based on PAX status.

The PAX manifest does not show Fare class - only FF status (incl staff travel).

 

[Max Samuels]

That

That's correct. The lady came and asked what I'd like to eat; I went through the list and each choice of red or white meat was unavailable until she finally said all that they have is pumpkin soup. Everyone else had normal food and all i got was a "big bowl of pumpkin soup". Very disappointed

That is SHOCKING. How full was the flight? I know that they ask the WPs etc what they want FIRST if they are going to run out of something.

The other night I was VA in J - only 8 seats as you know. There were only 4 pax - 2 in row 1, 2 in row 2.
When they got to me with dinner (I was the 3rd person served), only 1 option was left.... so they had obviously loaded 4 meals, 2 of each, and the first 2 people took the same meal. That's why I only ever sit in 1A.....

 

[Max Samuels]

Could have been a minister on a mission...

If I ever found out I had been bumped for a Minister, I'd take a pic, and send to the Daily Telegraph..... the headline would be "poor aussie battler bumped from dream flight so minister lunch-a-lot can fly first class on the tax payer's dollar to see mistress for weekend romp in the philipines".... or something

 

[Lynda2475]

until she finally said all that they have is pumpkin soup

I would have asked if she could have sourced a PE or Y meal that had some protein. There really is no excuse for them not loading sufficient main meals for each cabin, in fact there should always be a few spares. I wonder if they sent a J meal back to PE or Y for a P1?

Curious as to if you can pre-order your J meal like you can in Y ? I often do this because it means I will get something I know I will eat and you get served first.

 

[Matt_01]

Curious as to if you can pre-order your J meal like you can in Y ? I often do this because it means I will get something I know I will eat and you get served first.

You can on most flights.

 

[Matt_01]

Whether it’s the P1, or the airline without the P1s knowledge, either way... the notion of taking something away, and others actually supporting that notion of ‘priority’ is concerning.

As an aside... IIRC there are reports by some P1s who claim they always get their preferred seat (1A), so they must know that they have kicked someone out, at least some of the time.

In response to your first point I do not think there is a general notion of taking something away from another PAX or supporting it but surely this is why carriers promote benefits of status.

To your second point, it depends when we choose seats, P1’s have access to all seat from the time of booking with the exception of bassinet seat. If I need to book a flight within T-80 I can only select from what seating is available. If flowing forward and there has been several occasions when this has not been possible as the aircraft was full and when I have you only get to pick from what seating is available.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

In response to your first point I do not think there is a general notion of taking something away from another PAX or supporting it but surely this is why carriers promote benefits of status.

To your second point, it depends when we choose seats, P1’s have access to all seat from the time of booking with the exception of bassinet seat. If I need to book a flight within T-80 I can only select from what seating is available. If flowing forward and there has been several occasions when this has not been possible as the aircraft was full and when I have you only get to pick from what seating is available.

In the OP’s case they had checked-in in Perth, flown transcon, and then made their way to the lounge before being told they were downgraded. In that sense, a ‘more important’ person took their seat off them, allegedly That’s taking something off someone who already has it, and quite different from giving a benefit... such as lounge access etc.

As far as i can see, the airline had no lawful reason to deny the OP boarding. There is nothing in the terms and conditions that seem to permit taking a boarding pass off a passenger to give it to someone else, unless for a specified reason, of which this wasn’t the case.

I’m sure it was here on AFF that one of our members stated they always got seat 1A, even if they booked close in, or on the day of departure. They were fully aware that being able to get this seat every time would obviously mean that sometimes someone else sitting there would have to be moved.

 

[roddo12]

That
That is SHOCKING. How full was the flight? I know that they ask the WPs etc what they want FIRST if they are going to run out of something.

The other night I was VA in J - only 8 seats as you know. There were only 4 pax - 2 in row 1, 2 in row 2.
When they got to me with dinner (I was the 3rd person served), only 1 option was left.... so they had obviously loaded 4 meals, 2 of each, and the first 2 people took the same meal. That's why I only ever sit in 1A.....

Flight was full (business cabin was full on an a330). I considered asking for an economy meal but was pretty shocked at what I was offered so I made myself small for the whole flight. In addition to the 50k points for the seat they slugged me $400 in taxes/surcharges. Even without pumpkin soup not great value



I have no reason to lie about my experience.