What is Qantas playing at?

[love_the_life]

Big problems can happen just as easily if the operating airline makes a schedule change or cancellation, and a suitable alternative is not available or Qantas fails to re-issue the new ticket on time, meaning the partner airline flights are auto-cancelled. None of this is the fault of the passenger trying to change anything.

Certainly agree but seems a lot of problems have been with pax with reward bookings.

 

[vetrade]

Certainly agree but seems a lot of problems have been with pax with reward bookings.

Isn't that exactly the point Mattg was making? Cancellations etc. often mean that there is no alternate award availability and, instead of finding an alternative for pax, QF just routinely says "we'll give you a refund for that sector/s" - as if that is in any way helpful to the passenger whose trip has been disrupted.

 

[love_the_life]

Isn't that exactly the point Mattg was making? Cancellations etc. often mean that there is no alternate award availability and, instead of finding an alternative for pax, QF just routinely says "we'll give you are refund for that sector/s" - as if that is in any way helpful to the passenger whose trip has been disrupted.

Yes it was, my comments were only that I am only making cash bookings at the moment and am not making changes - I have no control over QF making changes at their end and yes they are messing people around. It just seems that many of the problems are around reward bookings at present. As you say cancelled flights and no award seats available on alternative flights. At least with a revenue booking, not bound by award availability. There have been some posters with award bookings who are wanting to make changes themselves (not QF initiated) and that seems problematic for ticketing. I am taking the safer (I hope) option.

 

[kookaburra75]

Good news, but troubling that nobody could let him know where it was. I've had delayed bags several times, but at least I've always been told where the bag was and roughly how long it would take to be reunited with it.

Unfortunately, Heathrow seems to be the problem when it comes to lost luggage, more than the airline. Over the past several years, when bags have gone missing for members of my teams (traveling on BA and QF), the contracted baggage service has been woeful in trying to locate the bags and return them. One was lost forever. We haven't had that happen at other locations.

 

[Mattg]

Unfortunately, Heathrow seems to be the problem when it comes to lost luggage, more than the airline. Over the past several years, when bags have gone missing for members of my teams (traveling on BA and QF), the contracted baggage service has been woeful in trying to locate the bags and return them. One was lost forever. We haven't had that happen at other locations.

I heard recently that Iberia has stopped using British Airways for ground handling at LHR. Iberia and British Airways are literally owned by the same company, so it's quite telling that Iberia has now opted to pay a third party at Heathrow.

 

[stm1sydney]

I am taking the safer (I hope) option.

The safer option is to use an airline other than Qantas.

 

[aaronm]

We recently had the pleasure of Qantas' new "standby award" policy, I wrote about it here: We can’t guarantee you’ll be able to board

I'm horrified to learn that others are getting the same treatment, it's terrible on both service and operations fronts.

 

[jakeseven7]

I heard recently that Iberia has stopped using British Airways for ground handling at LHR. Iberia and British Airways are literally owned by the same company, so it's quite telling that Iberia has now opted to pay a third party at Heathrow.

Yes, cheaper.

 

[Berlin]

I heard recently that Iberia has stopped using British Airways for ground handling at LHR. Iberia and British Airways are literally owned by the same company, so it's quite telling that Iberia has now opted to pay a third party at Heathrow.

Ha! Heathrow was one of the worst airports in terms of losing and mid-routing luggage decades ago already.

I’ll never forget desperately trying to get hold of my luggage while in New York for the first time in my life: My suitcase had been lost at Heathrow (of course!) and finally reached me about a week later via Dubai (which, coincidentally or not, had been the plane leaving Heathrow from the gate next to mine…). Looked perfectly fine from the outside but when I opened it, it was full of bird feathers

To this day, I have no idea what exactly had happened…

 

[Alectoris]

Unfortunately, Heathrow seems to be the problem when it comes to lost luggage, more than the airline. Over the past several years, when bags have gone missing for members of my teams (traveling on BA and QF), the contracted baggage service has been woeful in trying to locate the bags and return them. One was lost forever. We haven't had that happen at other locations.

Qantas lost my husband’s bag between Hobart and Sydney and said it would meet him in London. Only it didn’t turn up in London for five days!

 

[mrsterryn]

Qantas lost my husband’s bag between Hobart and Sydney and said it would meet him in London. Only it didn’t turn up in London for five days!

When does travel insurance kick in to these situations?

 

[Lynda2475]

It just seems that many of the problems are around reward bookings at present.

The problem is both on reward and revenue fairs. There have been airline initiated changes to 4 of my upcoming trips both paid and award, and etickets have not been reissued for any of them. Prior to May when this happened e-ticket would automatically arrive once changes were accepted. Since May no new tickets, and if you call and ask the incompetent staff in Cape Town just resend you a ticket from April or earlier which does not reflect new flights times/numbers/routing. Its a complete joke.

 

[kookaburra75]

Qantas lost my husband’s bag between Hobart and Sydney and said it would meet him in London. Only it didn’t turn up in London for five days!

I agree, that's not good enough to lose it in transit, and the delay in getting the bag to him. Hopefully that's the one time it happens. Touch wood, it hasn't happened to me yet, but I don't want to challenge the 'travel gods'.

 

[OZDUCK]

Ha! Heathrow was one of the worst airports in terms of losing and mid-routing luggage decades ago already.

I’ll never forget desperately trying to get hold of my luggage while in New York for the first time in my life: My suitcase had been lost at Heathrow (of course!) and finally reached me about a week later via Dubai (which, coincidentally or not, had been the plane leaving Heathrow from the gate next to mine…). Looked perfectly fine from the outside but when I opened it, it was full of bird feathers

To this day, I have no idea what exactly had happened…

Obviously a carrier pigeon was the only way for it to get back into the air.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Next time vote with your feet. There are some clever agents here; PM if you want to know more.

 

[Quickstatus]

Best Fare of Day is a very reasonable alternative.
Remember customer loyalty is only one way.

 

[Sprucegoose]

When does travel insurance kick in to these situations?

You will need to read the policy conditions on the cover you took out I am afraid!!

 

[Happy Dude]

When does travel insurance kick in to these situations?

Depends on the reason for the delay/issue and the inclusions/exclusions in the policy for that delay/issue. The OP hasn't given any info regarding the reason for the cancellation in this case (to make a claim you'd need a statement from the airline) but for eg, some policies don't cover any claims because of a mechanical fault with the carrier.

I doubt any policy would cover reimbursement of fees paid for extra legroom because the airline decided to give it a higher status pax, or any other reason. That's on QF.

 

[mrsterryn]

I doubt any policy would cover reimbursement of fees paid for extra legroom because the airline decided to give it a higher status pax, or any other reason. That's on QF.

I was thinking of the lost luggage more so .

 

[Happy Dude]

I was thinking of the lost luggage more so .

Have you edited your post that I was responding to to be more specific?