I am a lifetime Gold QFF and generally enjoy my expereicne with Qantas. But I have to tell you after this last few days, I am wondering. Back in April booked a QF code share on EK to Amsterdam, flying economy. I locked in bulkhead seats all the way on all 4 legs of the return trip and then was surprised to find a few weeks back that the Qantas website told me I had not selected any seats. Perhaps ill advisedly, I jumped on and selected some alternative seats to at least ensure that I had a seat and then rang Qantas later to see if they could get my bulk head seats reinstated.
I would characterize the 5 subsequent interactions I have had with Qantas as being one big shoulder shrug - complaints about how busy they are and don't have time to make outbound calls to Emirates, offers to call Emirates (when I asked to be escalated to a team leader - from whom I have never had a return phone call), complaints that their arrangement with Emirates is arms length and that I should call emirates directly. I was wondering why I had gone to the trouble and additional expense of booking a QF codeshare when all I was given were instructions to call Emirates - who of course are not really that interested in my sapphire FF status.
so here are my learnings:
- the QF/EK partnership is no different from any other that Qantas have - despite the fact that they present like you are flying qantas - dont be fooled
- buying tickets on the QF website counts for nothing - Qantas premium will not represent your interests to Emirates
- the interoperability fo the QF website and the Emirates one is poor and changes you make on one are not always reflected on the other (despite the fact that they are presented that they are)
- as soon as you book on QF, get your Emirates booking number (which you dont automatically recieve from Emirates) and go and check your details on Emirates website (you need to call them to get the booking number as Qantas don't share your email address with Emirates)
I would characterize the 5 subsequent interactions I have had with Qantas as being one big shoulder shrug - complaints about how busy they are and don't have time to make outbound calls to Emirates, offers to call Emirates (when I asked to be escalated to a team leader - from whom I have never had a return phone call), complaints that their arrangement with Emirates is arms length and that I should call emirates directly. I was wondering why I had gone to the trouble and additional expense of booking a QF codeshare when all I was given were instructions to call Emirates - who of course are not really that interested in my sapphire FF status.
so here are my learnings:
- the QF/EK partnership is no different from any other that Qantas have - despite the fact that they present like you are flying qantas - dont be fooled
- buying tickets on the QF website counts for nothing - Qantas premium will not represent your interests to Emirates
- the interoperability fo the QF website and the Emirates one is poor and changes you make on one are not always reflected on the other (despite the fact that they are presented that they are)
- as soon as you book on QF, get your Emirates booking number (which you dont automatically recieve from Emirates) and go and check your details on Emirates website (you need to call them to get the booking number as Qantas don't share your email address with Emirates)