Downgraded from Business Class on Qantas due to "tech crew" [pilot] Travel Requirements

[Pushka]

Whoever wrote that email is ‘clearly’ not in possession of how all of this unfolded.

That offer is very underwhelming for what you were put through.

Yes. I think you are right about all the facts. I’ve forwarded an official complaint now not so much at the downgraded bit (although if this becomes accepted practice then it can happen to anyone) but the manner in which it was done by exiting us. I also replied similarly to the person who emailed me.

 

[eminere]

So our tickets are not likewise legal documents? Should more passengers expect to be asked to get off the plane?

They are, but as we know, particular seat allocations are not part of the conditions of carriage.

This is of course not to say that I don't think you've been put through a very unfortunate situation.

 

[Peasant]

Credit where credit is due, I’m shocked that QF wrote to you proactively without you following up. But perhaps that says more about my expectations of Qantas nowadays…

I don’t think the email is sufficient. I’d push them to provide an explanation on why this happened. I’d also be reminding them that 5,000 points is insufficient for the indignity and embarrassment of being taken from the aircraft in the way you were, in full view of other passengers.

I’m going to assume that QF had sound operational reasons for doing what it did - and I support pilots’ right to those seats if that’s indeed what it is - but that doesn’t make up for you being put in the position you were. Surely there’s a learning experience for the airline in that.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks for claryifng as I thought your earlier post inferred that.

I was just responding to post 29. Intended to be humorous.

Yes, @Pushka , my post #29 was the basis of Mr H's

Looking at the email you got from Qantas, I would be seriously unimpressed if any of my people sent an email like that to a client where we had stuffed up - like career ending unimpressed. People by things from people, and every interaction has to be positive and leave a good lasting impression.

While I was pleased QF sent an un-prompted apology e-mail (actually more surprised that they did), and it wasn't just a 'form' one, it really didn't hit the spot did it? As others have said, the sender clearly wasn't in command of what happened - just that a last minute downgrade occurred. And I thought the amount of 'compo' was insulting, under the circumstances (again, possibly not known to the sender/organiser of the amount). 5000 pts? Pfffft.

Right on, @Peasant .

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Credit where credit is due, I’m shocked that QF wrote to you proactively without you following up. But perhaps that says more about my expectations of Qantas nowadays…

It remains to be seen whether QF did this proactively. Just because they reached out before OP got in touch by itself doesn't make it proactive. It could very well be the case that the QF social media team lurks around AFF to find these issues and address them accordingly. No doubt a thread as popular as this (7K views and over 200 replies) has put yet another black eye on the Roo.

-RooFlyer88

 

[Flashback]

I would have made an immediate complaint to the CSM. I did this on a trans-tasman flights once when I was BA Silver and was rewarded with a couple of bottles of Business Class wine as an apology.

I tried this tack on BA last year when my father and I were seated separately in PE. (I was his designated carer for the trip). They did absolutely nothing, just a half-hearted apology.

M

What compensation did you then receive for having to deal with the quality BA J wine ?

Yes, @Pushka , my post #29 was the basis of Mr H's



While I was pleased QF sent an un-prompted apology e-mail (actually more surprised that they did), and it wasn't just a 'form' one, it really didn't hit the spot did it? As others have said, the sender clearly wasn't in command of what happened - just that a last minute downgrade occurred. And I thought the amount of 'compo' was insulting, under the circumstances (again, possibly not known to the sender/organiser of the amount). 5000 pts? Pfffft.

Right on, @Peasant .

Makes you rather glad in Europe to have UK and EU protection re: downgrades.

 

[eminere]

Makes you rather glad in Europe to have UK and EU protection re: downgrades.

It's really a shame we don't have anything even remotely like that here.

 

[Mr H]

Makes you rather glad in Europe to have UK and EU protection re: downgrades.

This situation would not have happened in Europe. They would just have moved the curtain one row back.

 

[DC3]

Proactive or not, still a rather poor effort. Not pleased at all.

 

[Seat0B]

Breaking: Qantas on the heels of Virgin Australia's Middle Seat Lottery introduces their own program: business seat lottery. Will you stay in your business seat by the time the doors close or will some poor sod evict you?

Funny, not funny

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Its a minefield.

So our tickets are not likewise legal documents? Should more passengers expect to be asked to get off the plane?

It's Pandora's box. As the pilot upthread mentioned, in previous, let's call them 'cultures', pilots would be pleased just to get a seat home but the world has changed as have expectations. I suspect the current model of Qantas upgrades with points may be stretched if this becomes the way forward and maybe even potentially, fully paid tickets.

Of course your tickets are legal documents. But at the end of the day we have very few rights as passengers.

Likely most pilots would still be happy to get a seat home. But that will likely apply to those communities on their own undertaking. If you are flying to duty, and you aren’t entitled to business class so you arrive a little more relaxed, that’s probably something which is an intended benefit to safety down the line.

These crew obviously weren’t on standby, which implies travel for duty.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

This situation would not have happened in Europe. They would just have moved the curtain one row back.

The implication you are making here is that there is no difference between European business and economy class aside from whether you are behind or in front of the curtain. Nothing can be further from the truth. For one thing the middle seat is blocked and meals are offered, sometimes substantially better than what you would find in QF J. For instance here was what the J meal on my 50 min flight from DUB to MAN looked like back in 2019:

 

[Pushka]

the sender clearly wasn't in command of what happened - just that a last minute downgrade occurred. And I thought the amount of 'compo' was insulting, under the circumstances (again, possibly not known to the sender/organiser of the amount). 5000 pts? Pfffft.

Right on, @Peasant .

I think I just rectified that!

 

[Princess Fiona]

The implication you are making here is that there is no difference between European business and economy class aside from whether you are behind or in front of the curtain. Nothing can be further from the truth. For one thing the middle seat is blocked and meals are offered, sometimes substantially better than what you would find in QF J. For instance here was what the J meal on my 50 min flight from DUB to MAN looked like back in 2019:
View attachment 340810

No that’s not the implication at all.
We are all aware that J on Europe has a flexible cabin size by moving the divider and blocking out the middle seat. Different meals etc the same as QF and VA do for J class

QF doesn’t have that set up. Cabin restricted to 12 pax on B737

 

[Mr H]

The implication you are making here is that there is no difference between European business and economy class aside from whether you are behind or in front of the curtain.

That was not what I meant - simply that their cabins have the flexibility to cope with changes in numbers. Though from the safety card it looks like your photo was on the Embraer 19 which does not have middle seats to block.

 

[NM]

@Pushka, as this after all is AFF, the real question that needs to be addressed is whether the compensation FF points count towards PC/PC+ qualification .

 

[Princess Fiona]

Just coming back to catch up and read the email from Customer Care.
Whilst it’s good that they proactively contacted you and promptly refunded the points, I think the compensation given is woefully inadequate for this.

Operational requirements always trump pax seating and I totally get that.
But I think that the clumsy way this was done leading to @Pushka and MrP being humiliated in front of other pax and staff means that Customer Care needs to do a lot better here.
The 5K isn’t anywhere near enough for the appalling manner in which it was executed.

Pax get more than that for broken IFE on a short haul!!!
I wouldn’t let QF take up any more of my vacation time. But when you get back, push harder for something that is commensurate with what happened to you onboard.

 

[bPeteb]

It's the Bali Intercontinental at Jimbaran Bay.

I hope you've made that booking for the long stroll to Cuca

 

[JohnK]

I was just thinking before I came back to this thread that the thread I read a little before this -"Qantas doesn't care about priority boarding " should be retitled Qantas doesn't care about customers.

With Qantas you'd think that customers get in the way of Qantas trying to run a business.

 

[Pushka]

So, after further information re the incident, we just received another email apologising for the way the downgrading occurred at the airport. And this interesting comment I've extracted

"The relevant Enterprise Agreement provides that these staff members (Tech Crew, or pilots) travelling on duty travel going to Melbourne are required to travel in Business Class" So likely they weren't pilots.

We will now receive 30,000 points as well as the refund of points.

Post automatically merged: Aug 28, 2023

I hope you've made that booking for the long stroll to Cuca

Cuca looks rather excellent. And we've just booked for Thursday.