USA ESTA issue with mobile browser?

[waltervp]

I fronted up to the Perth Qantas check-in counter at 6am with my 79 y/o mother. I was flying to USA, mum to Canberra, we were flying together from Perth to Sydney,where I was to escort her to the Canberra flight. I was denied boarding as my ESTA confirmation number was not valid. I had applied on the iPad a few days earlier without an apparent problem. Immediately got on the the iPad at the airport and checked my application. It said it had not been paid! On the iPad it had not asked me to pay and told me I was good to go! I tried to click the Pay Now button and it took me to the ESTA home screen...

Qantas was unwilling to help, just told me others had trouble with ESTA on mobile platforms, best use a real computer. . With all my luggage I went through security to the Qantas Club lounge and logged onto a 'real computer'. It allowed me to pay and I was good to go, but had missed the flight. I had to call the Flight Centre to re-book me on the next flight. Qantas charged me a $232.51 ticket re-issue fee to get on the next flight....

Mum needed assistance, which I had specifically told Qantas staff when they let her on the plane without me. Someone escorted her to the gate in Perth, but noone helped her from there on. Not happy Jan! Let this be a warning for people who use mobile platforms! :-|

 

[markis10]

Some good lessons there but I feel your being a bit unkind to Qantas, while you did not expect your mum to be traveling alone, as I understand it, passengers requiring assistance do need to be flagged to QF well in advance, and I also think they did you a favor in rebooking you at what is a cheap rate for a trans con flight. I think QF did the best they could to assist you given they had no part to play in the issues involved, although arguably they could have helped your mum more.

 

[waltervp]

but I feel your being a bit unkind to Qantas

Yes, you are right, and it was a highly discounted fare. I think the point is I don't mind a Ticket Change Penalty, but calling it a Ticket Reissue fee is just wrong when no tickets are involved these days, and Flight Centre made the changes in the computer.

On my return flight from Washington I missed my flight and American airlines just booked me on the next one without telling me to contact my agent or without charging me extra. Qantas has been in my bad books for years now, but I am still mostly fairly loyal as I understand they are doing it tough and need our help. I use them out of patriotism more than anything, plus I feel like I am home as soon as I get on the plane.

The other grudge I had this trip was that they repeatedly put me right in the back seats these days, whereas in the past I could rely on them finding me a nice seat up front. Guess I better make sure I do the on line check-in in future. Then I also still feel sour about flying with my entire family last year when 6 out of 7 of us were upgraded to business class from London to Bangkok, where I was the one who remained in economy class with the highest frequent flyer level by far. This was particularly sad as I had been promised that my ticket was linked to my mother's and was specifically guaranteed that 'whatever happened to her ticket would happen to mine'. I could go on.... But anyways, I'll remain loyal till they fold.

 

[markis10]

There are tickets involved, they are just etickets, but still tickets never less, Jetstar is on of the few ticketless airlines around, if you key in the booking into checkmytrip you can see the ticket number.