What to do with our QFF points? Donate them to charity? Jetstar nevermore!

[ctrunfree]

There is no option when using QANTAS FF points for Bangkok - it's Jetstar or nothing.

Flew from Canberra to Melbourne on a QF flight then on Jetstar to Bangkok, with bags checked through. Surly check-in at Canberra was the last time we saw our bags for 3 days. Arrived in Bangkok and were directed by Jetstar ground crew to Bangkok Airport Baggage Services who took a report. Used the report code to monitor on World Tracker, but the record was never updated.

Established through our own research that there was no possibility that the bags would arrive for more than 48 hours as there were no further QF or Jetstar flights to Bangkok until then. Tried to get some replacement underwear - much frustration with sizes due to tiny Thai sizes. Emails to QANTAS and Jetstar NEVER returned - the auto response from QANTAS promised that an 'Executive' would be available on a given number to respond if we did not receive a timely response. When called, they washed their hands of us and said to call Jetstar. The auto response to our email to Jetstar has just arrived, almost 4 days later and it says that we will need to wait up to 15 days for a response.

Given that our phone charger was in a checked bag and our battery was failing fast, and the Jetstar waiting time for answering their bl**dy phones seems to be over 30 minutes, and our hotel charges 150 baht a minute to Oz ($5), we emailed a relative in Oz who finally got through to Jetstar for us. To give due credit, a very nice chap called us at our hotel, took lots of details and said he would call us 'immediately' he had some info for us. However, he never called back.

We got a Thai speaking hotel person to phone Bangkok Airport Baggage Services - they said that our bags were 'not in their system'. By then we were losing hope that we would ever be reunited with our stuff - nicely packed for a 6 week Thai vacation.

Finally, very late in the evening of the third day we had a call to say that the bags would be delivered to us after they cleared customs, and they arrived at 2AM the next day.

SO - whether or not the bags had been left behind in Canberra or Melbourne - SOMEBODY in the QANTAS/Jetstar system knew where they were, probably from early on the day of our departure. How come it was impossible for us to receive ANY information? If we had known that they were on their way to us - even 2 days later - it would not have been so stressful. As it was we were trying to make contingency plans, including desperate ones like getting the rellies at home to mail us some undies that fit.

 

[awilcockson]

Jetstar - A Qantas company (until the brown stuff hits the fan, then you are on your own!)

 

[anat0l]

You could've booked a flight to Sydney and then QF1 Sydney to Bangkok (not Jetstar, this is a Qantas 747-400). BA also operates a service to Bangkok from Sydney that you can also use your QFF points on. Of course, this doesn't help if you have Sydney-o-phobia, but it's an alternative to flying to Melbourne and being forced to fly Jetstar.

I didn't know that QFF points could be donated to charity. But, whatever floats your boat.

I wonder who handles QF baggage (i.e. baggage from flights operated by QF) at BKK. Hope it's not the same mob (although my guess is probably yes), 'cos you'd probably then be up against the same kind of incompetency anyway (although since QF operated the flight, there's no need to chase JQ after being frivolously palmed off the JQ).

Ditto comments for BA (and that'd suck a bit more because you'd have to call BA, and they wouldn't care much for any oneworld status you'd have, if any).

Lost baggage is never fun. It's not an immediate reason to write off a carrier, but then again it just may be if it's that bad. I've rarely read of a good story of someone being in a place which is not their home country, and being reconnected with their lost baggage without too many qualms (I'm not saying it doesn't happen; it's just rare), let alone having to put up with language problems and WorldTracer being pretty bad at letting you keep a tab on things. And let's not get into the stories of people whose bags have been lost permanently.

You must've had a ticket which had both Canberra-Melbourne and Melbourne-Bangkok flights on the same ticket. Then, your bags got tagged all the way to Bangkok. For most trips with Jetstar on the itinerary, this isn't the case. Usually you would have to claim your bags at Melbourne domestic, then go the Jetstar check-in at Melbourne international and re-check your bag to Bangkok. Perhaps that's where all the stuff up started.

 

[medhead]

I thought qantas doesn't interline to jetstar. That means you need to collect your bags in MEL and check them in with jetstar. At least that is what I think the qantas announcement says when I land in SYD.

BTW I'm willing to register as a charity

 

[TheInsider]

-To bangkok you have Qantas and BA
-Jetstar (and Qantas) have a local number to call their call centre
-Lost bags go on any carrier that's available, they get a 'rush' tag on them

-When checking in for the CBR flight was your booking all in one or did they add the JQ leg on?
-Baggage clearing customs can be very quick or can take a long time (no fault of an airline)

-For them to give you an exact date of when your bag is available is very hard, especially if they don't know where your bag is.

-You can do QF domestic to JQ international if on different bookings.

 

[JohnK]

There are other options for your points than using them on Jetstar. I still cannot understand how Qantas continues to get away with what they are doing.

You could've booked a flight to Sydney and then QF1 Sydney to Bangkok (not Jetstar, this is a Qantas 747-400). BA also operates a service to Bangkok from Sydney that you can also use your QFF points on. Of course, this doesn't help if you have Sydney-o-phobia, but it's an alternative to flying to Melbourne and being forced to fly Jetstar.

In my limited experience it is very difficult to get award flights on QF1/QF2 in economy for 1 person let alone more people unless booking way ahead. Best choice would be BA direct, BA/CX via SIN or QF/CX, CX/CX via HKG.

You just need to be patient and try a few different combinations and my guess would be that CBR-BKK would be a trigger to show QF/JQ flights only.

 

[Moopere]

There are other options for your points than using them on Jetstar. I still cannot understand how Qantas continues to get away with what they are doing.

Yeah, me neither. I absolutely won't travel JQ, which makes QFFing in Asia pretty fun Can't wait for MH to join OW, suddenly Asia will open up again.

 

[Heleigh]

In May my bags missed QF11 to LAX but I have always packed for such.

In my on board bag 3 nickers, two outfits, bathers, pair of sandles, jacket, power cords (international power connection, phone and camera) in liquid bag deoderant, toothpaste and brush. Allowing me two to three days with out having to worry.

I have packed this way for 20 years and May was the 1st times it has come in handy.

Did have situation with air asia (end of trip in Jan 2011) not putting my baggage on the same flight leaving coughet to BKK (for return trip to Syd on BA), bags follow me home three days later. I didn't mind not having to collect and re check on connecting flights.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

SO - whether or not the bags had been left behind in Canberra or Melbourne - SOMEBODY in the QANTAS/Jetstar system knew where they were, probably from early on the day of our departure. How come it was impossible for us to receive ANY information? If we had known that they were on their way to us - even 2 days later - it would not have been so stressful. As it was we were trying to make contingency plans, including desperate ones like getting the rellies at home to mail us some undies that fit.

This is the same the world over with lost luggage. I've had luggage lost by a dozen carriers, and another dozen airports. Eventually someone notices the bag, does the detective work to figure out where it should go, and it gets sent to you. With several billion bags being sent every year, it's probably a small miracle so few a permanently lost. travel insurance would help you pay for your purchases.

 

[Rebekkap]

I've rarely read of a good story of someone being in a place which is not their home country, and being reconnected with their lost baggage without too many qualms (I'm not saying it doesn't happen; it's just rare), let alone having to put up with language problems and WorldTracer being pretty bad at letting you keep a tab on things. And let's not get into the stories of people whose bags have been lost permanently.

I too have heard lots of the negatives - but then again, I was on a flight a couple of weeks ago where I was lateish getting to the airport, had checked baggage (which I almost never do) and the baggage missed the flight despite my being there just inside the cut-off. Got a text message on landing to see the baggage peeps, bag was on next flight, couriered to me at the address I gave the baggage people - no dramas at all. And pretty sure this is the first time I've told the story - we're all much more prone to vent about the negative experiences!

Was also the first time Qantas has ever not got my luggage there on the same flight I was on.

And don't they normally give you some money to buy the essentials?


I'm also totally willing to take un-wanted FF points off people's hands - I need an extra 40K or so to try the upgrade lottery LAX > MEL in December!

cheers
Rebekka