The definitive thread on Qantas IT gripes

[ShelleyB]

It's a minor issue that I am sure will ultimately get sorted, but am going round and round in circles trying to claim missing points and status credit from flights on Qatar MEL-DOH-BER (and return). The MEL-DOH (and return legs) credited automatically just fine but the DOH-BER (and back again) legs did not credit. Tried the online system, but rejected. Unsurprising really as the online system won't let me select BER as a destination or starting point, only the old airport in Berlin - Tegel (TXL) which is now closed (and has been for a few years). I have explained this to Qantas on the phone and via their socials, and also to the Frequent Flyer email. But they keep telling me I am entering the flights wrong and to go back and try again. I have now sent screenshots to the frequent flyer email, so hopefully someone will actually try to sort their system out, which presumably just needs the new airport to be added. I am also not sure why they can't just help out and process manually when I have provided e-ticket and boarding passes.

As promised am providing an update now this issue has finally been resolved. After finally getting Qantas to admit that BER was un-selectable as a destination the frequent-flyer staff monitoring the email submitted the application for me manually. THEN that application was unsuccessful due to "airfare or booking class not eligible". Since one leg was L and the other Y, they are eligible and this is very clear when looking at Qantas's own online information. So a few more follow up emails including screenshots of their own website and points and SCs were finally credited today. What a saga, none of which would have occurred if their online claim system worked properly in the first place.

 

[CorporateFlyerMEL]

Connected domestic to Emirates (booked as QF flight). The QF generated boarding pass for the EK flight had no FF status on it - just said 'QF FF'. Return flight on Emirates, the Emirates boarding pass has printed 'QF Platinum' - so QF does not print the status of its own frequent flyer, but EK does as a partner airline....

 

[ShelleyB]

Another issue that ultimately wasn't a problem for me but could have been. CI award flights for next year have been consistently released at 360 days at 11am AEST. I was looking for a specific flight in J so logged on right at 11.00am when I knew they would be released for the specific day I wanted and used multi-city to check availability. Flights there but only Y and PE showing as available (and yes all classes definitely ticked to show). Oh well I think, PE will do as when looking for 3 award seats in school holidays can't be too picky, so click through from the calendar view to the flight selection page and lo and behold there are business seats. So good for me - I got my business seats, which were definitely business all the way, not mixed class - but if I hadn't clicked through I would not know.

Has anyone else had this?

The lesson may be to always click through on your preferred date in case it's not displaying correctly.

 

[tdimdad]

Looks like QF IT has decided to "simplify" the booking engine UI on their website. The familiar "tabs" to change cabins have been replaced by a small dropdown. The behaviour is still the same: it changes the travel class for both directions (out & return) at the same time.



Edit: typo.

 

[encryptededdy]

Looks like QF IT has decided to "simplify" the booking engine UI on their website. The familiar "tabs" to change cabins have been replaced by a small dropdown. The behaviour is still the same: it changes the travel class for for directions (out & return) at the same time.

One day they'll support booking mixed class fares without having to book the lower fare then use the weird upgrade screen on the next step... but not today.

 

[JohnM]

Here's a weird one.

I have a booking PER-SYD in January for PJM and myself. Booked way back in February.

Originally an A330 but at some point has been downgauged to a B738.

Originally I selected 2E,F.

Now we are quadruple seated; 3A,C on the B738 flight but the original A330 seating is still showing as well:





And when I go to 'select seats' to check exactly what is going on I get this:





So, all I get is the 'window' or 'aisle' option.

OK, I've dropped from WP to LTG recently, but seat selection not available at all? C'mon!

Not only that, PJM is placed in the window seat, which she doesn't really like and I'm on the aisle which I don't really like - but I can't change it.

Now, in fairness, it may have only just happened and I stumbled upon the change by chance very soon after it happened and it's yet to sort out - but seriously, what is going on?

 

[RichardMEL]

@JohnM, this is a common feature which I've seen before unfortunately - because thre's no 2E on the 737, and possibly 2F was taken - perhaps from someone who was originally somewhere in row 1 or 2 on the 330 - then you got pushed back. And since you fell to LTG (as you identified) row 3 was probably all that was left (and possibly even if you were still WP when it happened, reallocating the seats assigned in J to the 737 probably filled up rows 1 and 2 as is, so you got 3. I'd assume 3DF are also filled, so you now have no real option to change.

it's a bummer for that sector of course to lose the 330, but at least you can just swap seats on board and both get what you want which is easy enough to do. I suppose you could look to see if there's a more appealing flight and see about changing (depending on availability and/or fees of course).

 

[JohnM]

@JohnM, this is a common feature which I've seen before unfortunately - because thre's no 2E on the 737, and possibly 2F was taken - perhaps from someone who was originally somewhere in row 1 or 2 on the 330 - then you got pushed back. And since you fell to LTG (as you identified) row 3 was probably all that was left (and possibly even if you were still WP when it happened, reallocating the seats assigned in J to the 737 probably filled up rows 1 and 2 as is, so you got 3. I'd assume 3DF are also filled, so you now have no real option to change.

it's a bummer for that sector of course to lose the 330, but at least you can just swap seats on board and both get what you want which is easy enough to do. I suppose you could look to see if there's a more appealing flight and see about changing (depending on availability and/or fees of course).

It actually doesn't worry us to be downgauged. We dislike the fixed panel between the paired seats on the A330's.

Strangely, maybe, we actually like to talk to each other as we travel...

I was really drawing attention to the bizarre showing us in four seats and stating that I can't operate on seat selection to flip us between 3A and 3C.

No drama about row 3, as I'll likely get us into row 1 at T-80... - but no biggie if that is not possible.

 

[MELso]

I too have encountered seat selection weirdness caused by upgauging and downgauging between A330s to B738s.

But my IT whinge for the day concerns the cancellation of classic rewards. I cancelled one on 1 November. Got the taxes back in a couple of days, but no sign of the points. Rang today and after 20 minutes on hold, got through to someone who spoke to support and got the points credited back, less the 6000 point classic reward cancellation fee. Sorted! Hooray! Right! Right?

Wrong!

A few minutes later, I noticed my points balance had dropped a further 6000 points, and noticed there was a 'Points Plus Pay' cancellation fee also charged. Now, what I'd love to know is why there are no business rules or the like to prevent the low level staff from doing this sort of stuff?

A call back (with another 25 minutes on hold) and it's been escalated to support, apparently, although I've also sent an email. But it shouldn't be this hard!

Sigh...

 

[tdimdad]

Another annoying "simplification" of the website is removing the aircraft type info from the booking options list. It's a factor in choosing a specific flight for both comfort and environmental reasons. A few more steps and QF is really starting to only display their 'bundle of rights' instead of transport options.

 

[RichardMEL]

Your "bundle of rights" do not include a specific aircraft type or seat

ergo.. it's a feature, not a bug

 

[RooFlyer]

Another annoying "simplification" of the website is removing the aircraft type info from the booking options list. It's a factor in choosing a specific flight for both comfort and environmental reasons. A few more steps and QF is really starting to only display their 'bundle of rights' instead of transport options.

Flights from Tas are either a 737 or a 717 and you can tell which is which by the flight number - three digits for the 737 and 4 for the 717. I wonder how they will contrive to hide that distinction?

 

[tdimdad]

Your "bundle of rights" do not include a specific aircraft type or seat

ergo.. it's a feature, not a bug

But I have a Bundle of Expectations (TM) - which, though, often is proven unfounded but that's my personal problem.

 

[encryptededdy]

Another annoying "simplification" of the website is removing the aircraft type info from the booking options list. It's a factor in choosing a specific flight for both comfort and environmental reasons. A few more steps and QF is really starting to only display their 'bundle of rights' instead of transport options.

Where do you get this UI by the way? I'm still seeing the old UI with the little icons for each aircraft type.


Also just noticed the icons claim 79cm seat pitch for A330 (ok), and 94cm pitch for 737 (definitely not). I think it's 94cm for 737 J, but I'm looking at Y fares here.

Flights from Tas are either a 737 or a 717 and you can tell which is which by the flight number - three digits for the 737 and 4 for the 717. I wonder how they will contrive to hide that distinction?

IMO it's more likely that the designer that did the "new" design decided that they thought these icons weren't important to customers as opposed to a specific effort to remove aircraft type.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Does anyone else have issues with searching flights on Chrome? My browser just gets stuck on the below with 3 rotating dots.

Not an issue if I go incognito, and generally clearing cookies will sort the issue but this is about the 3rd time its happened (and quickest since clearing everything).

 

[Ade]

Will just leave this here

 

[MelbFlyer]

And when I go to 'select seats' to check exactly what is going on I get this:



View attachment 353089

So, all I get is the 'window' or 'aisle' option.

I also had this issue prior to my now completed OWA - I selected seats for my SIN > MEL flight (5E and 5F on an A330-200), but then closer to the date it disappeared and I only had Aisle or Window as options.

In the end that flight got cancelled 12hrs prior to departure and I got a replacement flight the day after on a 787 instead (ironically I was glad that it was a 787 as it's basically the same, but a lot newer)

Still odd though.

 

[RichardMEL]

Not totally going to say this is an IT issue, but sure looks odd



Now, on the surface it looks like how can a sale fare be more than the "normal" fare for the rest of the year? Well, I'm not sure. I did take a deeper dive on this one. Now that weekend in question is QLD King's Birthday (well I think they call it "Monarch Birthday" now) weekend, so makes sense to perhaps have some higher pricing then, but the thing is the I fare (discount J) is still valid for this period at the $877 mark, but QF is limiting availability to D during this period.

So are they trying to suggest that after this "sale" period they will only offer C and J inventory? seems unlikely imo and I have the feeling it will actually revert to $877 (but they may still keep the inventory held back for months).

It certainly seems as a bit of a stretch, and of course looks like a bug.

so you decide.. glitch or... feature?!

 

[drron]

Well the IT department is having fun with Mrsdrron's BA flights.
In her upcoming booking BA F SYD - SIN it says will earn 5000 points and 60SCs.
But flying back from SYD in F she will earn 6000 points and 95 SCs.

Boy something has really gone wrong with the relationship with BA.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Does anyone know if there is some strange dynamic pricing for partners or is this some kind of IT issue? I've seen a similar issue with CI flights as well.