Yet another Qantas Business Class Downgrade

[Archphoto]

OLCI should *not* be a deciding factor (nor should the price you paid for the J cabin) - not everyone is going to have access to internet; I certainly didn't when I had a photoshoot in North Korea!!

Last thing on my mind when I was finally bussed out was doing OLCI - all I wanted was to cross the DMZ and feel safe knowing that the soldiers weren't going to take a shot at me, because maybe I looked at them the wrong way.

If I paid 300K for a Porsche GTS, I'm certainly *not* going to accept a 30K Holden because the dealer "ran out". Either refund me the full 300K there on the spot, or organise another one pronto!!

 

[medhead]

Yes that works a real treat and dumps all over Optus' offering at twice the price.

OT: Although, I must admit to being slightly peeved when I discovered it is actually $5.50 per day once the GST is added. I guess the small print is there somewhere but it is not exactly front and centre in the advertising.

Yeah took me a while to work out that gst was being added... a bit misleading indeed

Can they add gst when selling a service used outside Australia? If they can, gst laws require gst inclusive pricing.

 

[OATEK]

My colleague had pre-allocated seats. Not OLCI.

But should it matter if you have pre-allocated a seat or not? Shouldn't you just get what you pay for? Why pay for business when Qantas is just going to downgrade you anyway?

It is a good question. Others will say it happens rarely, but with QF's small global footprint, the impact can be much higher. As posted on a similar thread, an airline with 4 flights a day out of Sydney with connections to Europe is better able to balance their loads than one that has only a single flight. This whole issue is becoming a black-eye for QF.

 

[opusman]

with QF's small global footprint, the impact can be much higher. As posted on a similar thread, an airline with 4 flights a day out of Sydney with connections to Europe is better able to balance their loads than one that has only a single flight. This whole issue is becoming a black-eye for QF.

Very true. Being told "Sorry, we've overbooked, but we have you a guaranteed seat on the next flight in four hours" is a lot better than being told "Sorry, we've overbooked, come back tomorrow".

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Very true. Being told "Sorry, we've overbooked, but we have you a guaranteed seat on the next flight in four hours" is a lot better than being told "Sorry, we've overbooked, come back tomorrow".

there's nothing to stop qantas doing the same... perfectly open for them to accommodate passengers on the competition in the event they overbook/cancel/delay flights.

 

[opusman]

there's nothing to stop qantas doing the same... perfectly open for them to accommodate passengers on the competition in the event they overbook/cancel/delay flights.

Then that would cost them money, which would defeat the purpose of overbooking in the first place

 

[Quickstatus]

Like QFi , QFd, QFf, JQ, QF freight, Maybe they should have QFod as a commercial unit.

Whats QFod

"QF overbooking and downgrading pty ltd". It probably makes money and so should be a separate unit on the QF books.

They could outsource their services on contract to other airlines because of their world class yield management, and are profitable in event of downgrade. of course in the event of having to pay pax to stay overnight these events are extremely rare and would not impose a substantial drain to their downgrade revenue stream.

the world class practices fits in perfectly with QF recent commercial "Feels like home" . QF pax who are unable to be accommodated due to overbooking can begin their "feel like home" feeling in their hotel . Additionally pax who are involuntarily downgraded will of course "feel like home" when they realise they have been screwed by QF - sometimes again.

 

[samh004]

Then that would cost them money, which would defeat the purpose of overbooking in the first place

Would cost them a lot less though, at industry rates.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Would cost them a lot less though, at industry rates.

I would have thought the purpose of overbooking was to ensure they don't lose money. Not make profits by taking two fares and only giving one seat.

hence taking the fare paid and endorsing the ticket to another carrier seems reasonable.

 

[JohnK]

Then that would cost them money, which would defeat the purpose of overbooking in the first place

Overbooking is a sneaky practice. Trying to sell a seat twice by not providing adequate compensation.

If Qantas is unable to accommodate a passenger holding a confirmed ticket on a flight then the least they could do is offer alternate flights with other carriers.

LCCs are the only airlines that wouldn't rebook on alternate carriers.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

My colleague had pre-allocated seats. Not OLCI.

But should it matter if you have pre-allocated a seat or not? Shouldn't you just get what you pay for? Why pay for business when Qantas is just going to downgrade you anyway?

No it shouldn't matter - I was just curious as I'm sure others are too.

Did your colleague get his original seat back or a different one?

I would have thought the purpose of overbooking was to ensure they don't lose money. Not make profits by taking two fares and only giving one seat.

hence taking the fare paid and endorsing the ticket to another carrier seems reasonable.

Often it's not a case of just airlines endorsing a ticket over to another airline (easier with paper tickets) but buying a new ticket for the pax at full whack.

While some airlines may extend 'industry rates' to other airlines generally speaking an airline would be charged a higher rate than what somebody would pay on Zuji or Kayak etc.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

No it shouldn't matter - I was just curious as I'm sure others are too.

Did your colleague get his original seat back or a different one?



Often it's not a case of just airlines endorsing a ticket over to another airline (easier with paper tickets) but buying a new ticket for the pax at full whack.

While some airlines may extend 'industry rates' to other airlines generally speaking an airline would be charged a higher rate than what somebody would pay on Zuji or Kayak etc.

appreciate there may be issues, but at the end of the day... hardly the concern of the passenger right?

i was thinking along the lines of the multiple endorsement provisions carriers such as AA have with a variety of airlines. allows them to endorse e-tickets. Qantas can establish the same if it wants.

 

[maninblack]

... I doubt contract staff in places like BKK or LAX would be able to make overseas phone calls from their respective countries to Australia and even if they did, who here has international roaming switched on all the time?

They certainly can, if required.
I never switch international roaming off.

 

[OATEK]

They certainly can, if required.
I never switch international roaming off.

Same here, always keep the phone on IR for calls, just turn off the data so that I don't waste money on email etc (they can come through when I hit a WiFi point).

 

[RAM]

We have just arrived in Tokyo. As it turned out, at the very last minute my colleague was returned back to Business.

Way to treat your customers so poorly Qantas!

The thing that really annoys people about this behaviour by an airline is that they spend so much time selling people of the value of Business, then the airline just downgrades you with only compensation being the difference to the full fare premium economy on the day (not the discounted fare on the day that the booking was booked) and no other compensation.

I would have have thought this wasn't a very sustainable business model.

I wonder who the Q employee or board member was? No, I am not cynical just pragmatic. As the passenger and FlyerTom were in the lounge (assuming J lounge) and did not hear another passenger paged (OK another assumption) then that suggests passenger who lost the J seat to thread passenger was in another lounge or Q staff/relative. Or I suppose someone who looked more gullible. Either way sounds more like horror story from Ryan Air in the bad days.

It does seem like all the current policy does is generate complaints and mediation, which eventually results in the right compensation if enough media is generated about it. If everyone came here after such an occurrence they'd probably find it to be easier to change the rules, but as they don't, there's no need

I hope it is the exception that proves the rule as it has not worked here:
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ram/downgraded-from-business-class-63686.html

It may not be a case of somebody else being bumped down but another J pax who was a no-show perhaps? It's quite possible that not all J pax had checked in when your colleague was bumped eg a pax with a higher PCV eg P1, CL etc.

As passenger had pre-allocated, was at the airport then under no circumstance should they be bumped for someone else who has pre-allocated but not arrived.

Overbooking is a sneaky practice. Trying to sell a seat twice by not providing adequate compensation.

If Qantas is unable to accommodate a passenger holding a confirmed ticket on a flight then the least they could do is offer alternate flights with other carriers.

LCCs are the only airlines that wouldn't rebook on alternate carriers.

...and Q of course.

Main problem is in Australia the consumer has far less travel protection than virtually any other OECD country. Donating to the major parties certainly is a very valuable business expense for large companies (whether donations legal or not - see NSW ICAC). Equally providing pollies with Chairmans lounge access works wonders too!

 

[JohnK]

What phone number did the BKK staff contact you on? Did you have a local sim card for Thailand with that phone number in the pnr?

I imagine the vast majority of pax when travelling overseas would only have their Australian mobile number in the booking and I doubt contract staff in places like BKK or LAX would be able to make overseas phone calls from their respective countries to Australia and even if they did, who here has international roaming switched on all the time?

I have roaming enabled and my phone is always switched on so I receive sms but I ignore phone calls.

Seeing your post has reminded me to include my Thai phone number as well in the booking. That is enabled for roaming as well and I leave enough credit to send sms.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Same here, always keep the phone on IR for calls, just turn off the data so that I don't waste money on email etc (they can come through when I hit a WiFi point).

Ditto - very convenient and if you keep data off it doesn't cost much.....

 

[amaroo]

Another that has phones on IR .... it's cheap as chips!

 

[JohnK]

Another that has phones on IR .... it's cheap as chips!

Do some companies charge for roaming? From memory 3 Mobile had some weird policy.