smckay
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2010
- Posts
- 662
2 July was the first time I had been on a flight that was delayed and missed the connecing flight so the experience was new.
The East Coast low off NSW delayed the incoming flight ex-Sydney by 3 hours, so QF156 AKL-MEL was predicted to arrive late into MEL -15 minutes after my MEL-HBA flight left. I thank the Qantas app for giving me that level of technical advice.
Knowing that I wasn't going home that day I settled in tpo see how the QF machine dealt with this issue.
On the plane departing, chat was given that QF would monitor connecting flight delays and we'd be given an update closer to landing by the CSM. Most excellent.
Bah baaah. No such advice was given. On landing I switched off flight mode and started getting texts and emails on my delay and new flights. Prepared, I asked the cabin crew where the ground crew where I could expect to see the ground crew to assist. Top of the ramp they said.
And so it was that a lady was there with a boarding pass and a voucher for the Ibis Styles Melbourne airport for a room and a $60 meal allowance for the night, and I was on the 0815 flight the next day. So far so good. Except the 'transfer' to the hotel was turn right out of the door and walk 400 metres to the hotel. Quicker than an Uber for sure.
At the hotel I still had to provide my credit card for any incidentals and was also told that my meal voucher only included food and neither the bar nor the mini bar could be used to buy a calming tonic. Thanks QF, I could have done with a calming night cap.
The room was a regular room, the mini bar was empty of booze and everything else was regular.
Breakfast was $40 - not worth it at all - so I have contributed to QF cost savings by 20 bucks.
Apart from the hassle of another night away, the process was done well, it all was in place before I arrived and the hotel was well aware of the booking type and made it easy. No self check in sir, it won't find your reservation.
All up it was a relatively painless experience for a domestic flight.
The East Coast low off NSW delayed the incoming flight ex-Sydney by 3 hours, so QF156 AKL-MEL was predicted to arrive late into MEL -15 minutes after my MEL-HBA flight left. I thank the Qantas app for giving me that level of technical advice.
Knowing that I wasn't going home that day I settled in tpo see how the QF machine dealt with this issue.
On the plane departing, chat was given that QF would monitor connecting flight delays and we'd be given an update closer to landing by the CSM. Most excellent.
Bah baaah. No such advice was given. On landing I switched off flight mode and started getting texts and emails on my delay and new flights. Prepared, I asked the cabin crew where the ground crew where I could expect to see the ground crew to assist. Top of the ramp they said.
And so it was that a lady was there with a boarding pass and a voucher for the Ibis Styles Melbourne airport for a room and a $60 meal allowance for the night, and I was on the 0815 flight the next day. So far so good. Except the 'transfer' to the hotel was turn right out of the door and walk 400 metres to the hotel. Quicker than an Uber for sure.
At the hotel I still had to provide my credit card for any incidentals and was also told that my meal voucher only included food and neither the bar nor the mini bar could be used to buy a calming tonic. Thanks QF, I could have done with a calming night cap.
The room was a regular room, the mini bar was empty of booze and everything else was regular.
Breakfast was $40 - not worth it at all - so I have contributed to QF cost savings by 20 bucks.
Apart from the hassle of another night away, the process was done well, it all was in place before I arrived and the hotel was well aware of the booking type and made it easy. No self check in sir, it won't find your reservation.
All up it was a relatively painless experience for a domestic flight.
