QF636 SAGA!! How do I ensure this gets looked at?

[nlagalle]

Ahh Ben, once again one sided unbalanced article. No wonder Qantas won't speak to him.. His use of the word journalist in his is rather loose.

 

[Mal]

*Waves to the PlaneTalking readers who were referred here by Ben*

Hope you understand what many people think of his 'journalism' skills

 

[ozbeachbabe]

The funny thing is that even the 4 reader comments almost sound balanced compared to the usual ill informed hysteria that ensues a la airline FB pages.

 

[Fruitcake]

Ahh Ben, once again one sided unbalanced article. No wonder Qantas won't speak to him..

About 40 minutes ago, Mr Sandilands updated his article with QF's response.

This was an unfortunate sequence of events which meant that passengers on one of our flights to Brisbane were significantly delayed. The flight was diverted to Coolangatta Airport as Air Traffic Control at Brisbane Airport put the aircraft in a very long holding pattern. After landing in Coolangatta, passengers were then transported to Brisbane via arranged busses and taxis. We also offered hotel accommodation for those not wanting to travel to Brisbane that night. We have apologised to the impacted customers and provided compensation.

For what it's worth, there are at three people in my office that I know who read Plane Speaking and none who read AFF.

 

[roncritch]

About 40 minutes ago, Mr Sandilands updated his article with QF's response.


Hmmm strange Qantas replied to the fruitcake and Red Roo hasn't updated this page.

 

[nlagalle]

About 40 minutes ago, Mr Sandilands updated his article with QF's response.



For what it's worth, there are at three people in my office that I know who read Plane Speaking and none who read AFF.

Reading a blog is different to viewing a forum site. (I wouldn't call what Ben writes as "news")

 

[BD1959]

Hmmm strange Qantas replied to the fruitcake and Red Roo hasn't updated this page.

Even stranger that QF told Mr Sandilands that:

passengers were then transported to Brisbane via arranged busses and taxis.

when we know from the OP that the issue was that QF did NOT arrange taxis.

Regards,

BD

 

[nlagalle]

Even stranger that QF told Mr Sandilands that:



when we know from the OP that the issue was that QF did NOT arrange taxis.

Regards,

BD

we know that the OP was on a bus - we don't know that all pax were put on buses (as mentioned there it said some stayed on the Coast that night).

 

[BD1959]

we know that the OP was on a bus - we don't know that all pax were put on buses (as mentioned there it said some stayed on the Coast that night).

But the OP's issue wasn't that some (potential) pax arrived safe'n'sound at their GC accommodation, it was that QF bussed the Brisbane passengers to a deserted BNE DOM Terminal and left them there, despite having promised that they'd arranged taxis to then take them to their BNE accommodation.

The QF spokesperson is quoted as saying that they arranged Buses and Taxis for the Brisbane passengers, this is not the experience of at least one coachload abandoned at BNE.

On this evidence QF clearly does not understand the issue it created. Perhaps a clarifying response from Red Roo would help.

Regards,

BD

 

[nlagalle]

But the OP's issue wasn't that some (potential) pax arrived safe'n'sound at their GC accommodation, it was that QF bussed the Brisbane passengers to a deserted BNE DOM Terminal and left them there, despite having promised that they'd arranged taxis to then take them to their BNE accommodation.

The QF spokesperson is quoted as saying that they arranged Buses and Taxis for the Brisbane passengers, this is not the experience of at least one coachload abandoned at BNE.

On this evidence QF clearly does not understand the issue it created. Perhaps a clarifying response from Red Roo would help.

Regards,

BD

If you read what was said it was said that buses and taxis were arranged at OOL. That may very well be correct - they didn't acknowledge that there were no taxis waiting at BNE. Either that or it wasn't included in what was put online.

 

[BD1959]

If you read what was said it was said that buses and taxis were arranged at OOL. That may very well be correct - they didn't acknowledge that there were no taxis waiting at BNE. Either that or it wasn't included in what was put online.

Actually, I have read what it says. The piece states:

This was an unfortunate sequence of events which meant that passengers on one of our flights to Brisbane were significantly delayed. The flight was diverted to Coolangatta Airport as Air Traffic Control at Brisbane Airport put the aircraft in a very long holding pattern. After landing in Coolangatta, passengers were then transported to Brisbane via arranged busses and taxis. We also offered hotel accommodation for those not wanting to travel to Brisbane that night. We have apologised to the impacted customers and provided compensation.

The QF spokesperson makes out that everything went well after the passengers left OOL, this is clearly a misunderstanding by the spokesperson, for if this is deliberate spin after all that has gone before then QF have clearly lost the plot with respect to respecting their customers.

There are clearly two issues to which Red Roo could quite quickly provide guidance: this misunderstanding on the part of the spokesperson; clear guidelines to us - passengers/customers/guests - as to what we should do if we ever find ourselves in this situation.

Regards,

BD

 

[JohnPhelan]

when we know from the OP that the issue was that QF did NOT arrange taxis.

No, we know that the taxis did not arrive. We don't know that QF did not order them. (I think it's very likely that the cab dispatcher thought it was a practical joke - 100 cabs to a closed terminal at 2am? yeah, right....!)

 

[BD1959]

No, we know that the taxis did not arrive. We don't know that QF did not order them. (I think it's very likely that the cab dispatcher thought it was a practical joke - 100 cabs to a closed terminal at 2am? yeah, right....!)

I'd have thought there'd be some sort of Industry standard for exceptional circumstances - QF can't be the first at BNE and I suggest wouldn't be the last - whereby the request can be identified or verified as genuine.

Additionally, if the final failure was outside of QF's control, surely QF would highlight this in their response rather than state: we had problems, we made good, we made recompense.

Regards,

BD

 

[nlagalle]

The QF spokesperson makes out that everything went well after the passengers left OOL, this is clearly a misunderstanding by the spokesperson, for if this is deliberate spin after all that has gone before then QF have clearly lost the plot with respect to respecting their customers.

Or we don't have the full statement.

There are clearly two issues to which Red Roo could quite quickly provide guidance: this misunderstanding on the part of the spokesperson; clear guidelines to us - passengers/customers/guests - as to what we should do if we ever find ourselves in this situation.
[/QUOTE]

It's simple, if something looks to have gone wrong, make your own arrangements. There are avenues to claim back afterwards.

 

[BD1959]

It's simple, if something looks to have gone wrong, make your own arrangements. There are avenues to claim back afterwards.

Excellent.

If it's that simple, then let's hear it from Red Roo.

Regards,

BD

 

[grussellt]

It's not always that simple - particularly when your phone battery is flat. I recall a problem in the 1980's when I was on a private plane and we had to put down at Warnervale airport (which the pilot found by looking it up on a directory of NSW). We couldn't take off again without lights and unfortunately we exhausted our supply of coins in a Button A/Button B phonebox before we could arrange a hire-car from Gosford. Nobody believed that we could be there after the storm that had just blown through. Now I prefer to fly QF!

 

[UP4014]

No, we know that the taxis did not arrive. We don't know that QF did not order them. (I think it's very likely that the cab dispatcher thought it was a practical joke - 100 cabs to a closed terminal at 2am? yeah, right....!)

Ah, but don't forget it was QF who was requesting them, not Joe Blow Nobody. And wasn't QF offering to pay, no cab company would let business like go without checking by sending a single cab out.

Otherwise QF could use this excuse for nearly everything, blame the nasty cab company, blame the nasty caterer, blame the nasty airport, blame the nasty engine provider.........the buck does stop with QF on this occasion.

THere is what is called a duty of care.

 

[nlagalle]

Excellent.

If it's that simple, then let's hear it from Red Roo.

Regards,

BD

Why do we need to hear something that is common sense from Red Roo? are we that reliant to be spoon fed and not take somethings into our own hands?

 

[JohnPhelan]

Ah, but don't forget it was QF who was requesting them, not Joe Blow Nobody. And wasn't QF offering to pay, no cab company would let business like go without checking by sending a single cab out.

Even better! "Please send 100 cabs to this closed terminal at 2am, and charge them to the Qantas corporate account" !!!!!

Who wouldn't think that was genuine ?

 

[BD1959]

Why do we need to hear something that is common sense from Red Roo? are we that reliant to be spoon fed and not take somethings into our own hands?

Because, in this example, common sense tells me that the quickest and easiest way to get from OOL to my destination in Brisbane would be for me to hop in a cab at OOL and bill QF the fare. Are QF willing to pay for this or will they reject my claim on the grounds that they'd already told me there was a bus on the way and that they'd already told me that they would provide a cab from BNE to my destination?

Unfortunately "common sense" and "process" don't always see eye-to-eye.

Regards,

BD