A letter to Alan Joyce

[love_the_life]

I’ve gone back and read the letter and subsequent posts. You know one thing I find amazing is that the OP managed to list by name every QF staff member they dealt with. Certainly I wouldn’t have remembered their names if tired, fraught and upset. Heck I can’t even do that in normal circumstances.
Whilst I think taking away an already printed BP was very poor by QF, personally if it was so much of an issue to fly early I would’ve just paid the change fee. YMMV.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Stupid question, but how did you send an email to Mr Joyce, does he have a general PR email, or do you know his EA?

I don't know about publically but Geoff Dixon always used to be listed in the staff email directory. James Strong too.

 

[Danielb56]

Hello everyone

Was hoping to get everyone’s opinion on the letter that I just sent Alan Joyce.
I was so upset about what just happened that I wanted Alan himself to let me know what he personally thinks of the way I was treated this morning at the Qantas Melbourne domestic airport.

Your feedback is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Dear Mr Joyce

First of all, I am sorry to email you with the below. It is with great disappointment that I write to you as a result of what just happened to me at Melbourne airport.

My name is <astrokid: name redacted> and I have been a very loyal customer to Qantas my entire life. Not just a customer, but also an ambassador. I have brought many people on trips with me flying your airline as well as converting many Virgin flyers over to Qantas over the years. Given my profound loyalty, my expectation is that when the tables turn and life circumstances impact my life to a point where Qantas could possibly accommodate me if possible, then I would be appreciative and further encourage me to carry on being the ambassador to Qantas that I have become to be.

I have chosen to email you personally as I would very much like to get your personal opinion on what has happened to me this morning. I would like to know if this is the way you would like the airline that you have worked so hard towards in turning around to address and treat loyal passengers like myself.

I was booked on a Melbourne to Sydney flight at 9am booking reference xx_xx_. I stayed at my friend’s house for the weekend as her partner had to be away, because she has severe epilepsy she cannot be left alone. At approximately 1am this morning she had a seizure that I could not control. I had to call an ambulance and ended up at the hospital all night till about 5am when her mother arrived at hospital after her night shift if work.

I was forced to go straight to the airport with a hope that I would be put on an earlier flight even though I had purchased a red edeal. I thought that perhaps due to compassionate reasons that the airline that I have always been loyal towards could perhaps bend a rule for me and allow me to alleviate the currently congested Melbourne lounge due to the renovations as a result of the confronting situation that I had to deal with overnight.

When I arrived at the airport I approached the service desk to ask if there any spare seats on an earlier flight, relayed my story and was told that I had to pay about $200 to be moved to an earlier flight. It’s actually annoying for a loyal Platinum flyer to hear this because as you may know, Virgin Platinum flyers have this as a scheduled benefit where they are able to fly earlier should they arrive at the airport before their scheduled flight, if there is a spare seat on an earlier flight then they are welcome to it. Even more annoying that I have had many friends and colleagues leave Qantas and move to Virgin as a result of their Platinum benefits being superior to Qantas’. I had no interest in paying a change fee that cost more than my actual flight. This option was given to me by <Staff1: name redacted> at the ticket desk at Melbourne domestic.

I then thought to try my luck at the lounge as I thought they could be more flexible with flight changes especially during busy lounge periods. Especially when Melbourne is experiencing renovations at the moment to the point on not allowing certain member guests in to the qantas club. I dealt with Fiona at the Business Lounge. <Staff1: name redacted> has already placed remarks on my booking so of course, <Staff2: name redacted> was not going to do anything for me after <Staff1: name redacted> displayed no compassion or leniency towards my situation.

I proceeded to check In at the counter, where I was served by <Staff3: name redacted> . I am not always served with a smile or by Qantas staff that are happy to be doing the work that they are employed to do but in this instance, <Staff3: name redacted> greeted me with a huge smile and even asked noticed how exhausted I looked. I proceeded to tell her why and told her about my night. <Staff3: name redacted> decided to change me to an earlier flight, the 6.15am as per the attached boarding pass. Not only was she accomodating, polite and professional. She also clearly acknowledged my continue loyalty as a Platinum flyer and my unexpected personal circumstances of what happened with my friend that I was caring for overnight. For the record, I know her name as I got her to write it down for me so that I could give Qantas positive feedback on her level of customer service.

I proceeded to the lounge feeling valued and appreciated by Qantas.

10 minutes later, the Business Lounge lounge supervisor made an announcement over the PA for me to go to the service desk. He had been instructed by <Staff5: name redacted> that my boarding pass be taken away from me unless I were to pay the change fee. Alan, this has become the most embaraaaig and awkward situation that I have ever experienced on any level of customer service. I was so upset and aggravated that I actually asked <Staff4: name redacted> to tell Paul Thomas that if this boarding pass is taken away from me after being given to me due to compassionate reasons that he would be seriously compromising my future as well as all of my current reservations with Qantas. <Staff5: name redacted> did not care. He proceeded to instruct that my check in bag be removed from the 6.15am and he had my boarding pass cancelled.

Today Qantas has made me feel very little. Today Qantas made me feel very sad. I do not feel valued and feel very embarrassed that I had to make a 2nd phone call to my driver In Sydney to let him know that even though Qantas granted me an earlier flight, it was taken back from me.

To think that this has happened to me of all people. After all that I have done for Qantas as an ambassador for you guys breaks my heart. This is why I have emailed you personally. I would like to hear from you and find out what your peraonal take is on this situation and what you think could be done to overcome my disappointment and broken heart that I currently have right now. I say broken heart because Qantas to me is like family.

My entire life I have flown with Qantas. I am almost at 20000 status credits and should I carry on flying with Qantas with current reservations, I will become Platinum 1 yet again at the beginning of June. So as you can imagine, for me to experience this level of service is unfathomable to me. I sincerely to hope to hear from you as I seriously cannot believe that I am even having to write to you about such a humiliating experience with your company.

Best regards

<astrokid: name redacted>

I will be interested to see if you get any response from Alan Joyce....keep us posted. Is the email just to the adim at Qantas?

As for your situation I empathize totally. In this day and age there is enough technology for them to be able to see your history as a loyal Qantas flyer. When you add that to the mix of your situation which you explained to them, it does not require brain surgery to make exceptions to the rule. Unfortunately with big business and government depts for that matter, it is hard for staff to often think outside of the box. They are guided by the rules which I understand applies for most situations. But in a day and age where real customer service has been lost, people don't have that "trained' perception within them. Remember growing up when it was "the customer is always right" principle with businesses. That does not exist anymore and staff are not trained that way so the only way to think is by the rule book only. No more empathy....you are just a number.

Anyway hope you do get through to Alan Joyce and he does reply satisfactorily...

 

[Flyp]

Hello everyone

Was hoping to get everyone’s opinion on the letter that I just sent Alan Joyce.
I was so upset about what just happened that I wanted Alan himself to let me know what he personally thinks of the way I was treated this morning at the Qantas Melbourne domestic airport.

Your feedback is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Dear Mr Joyce

First of all, I am sorry to email you with the below. It is with great disappointment that I write to you as a result of what just happened to me at Melbourne airport.

My name is <astrokid: name redacted> and I have been a very loyal customer to Qantas my entire life. Not just a customer, but also an ambassador. I have brought many people on trips with me flying your airline as well as converting many Virgin flyers over to Qantas over the years. Given my profound loyalty, my expectation is that when the tables turn and life circumstances impact my life to a point where Qantas could possibly accommodate me if possible, then I would be appreciative and further encourage me to carry on being the ambassador to Qantas that I have become to be.

I have chosen to email you personally as I would very much like to get your personal opinion on what has happened to me this morning. I would like to know if this is the way you would like the airline that you have worked so hard towards in turning around to address and treat loyal passengers like myself.

I was booked on a Melbourne to Sydney flight at 9am booking reference xx_xx_. I stayed at my friend’s house for the weekend as her partner had to be away, because she has severe epilepsy she cannot be left alone. At approximately 1am this morning she had a seizure that I could not control. I had to call an ambulance and ended up at the hospital all night till about 5am when her mother arrived at hospital after her night shift if work.

I was forced to go straight to the airport with a hope that I would be put on an earlier flight even though I had purchased a red edeal. I thought that perhaps due to compassionate reasons that the airline that I have always been loyal towards could perhaps bend a rule for me and allow me to alleviate the currently congested Melbourne lounge due to the renovations as a result of the confronting situation that I had to deal with overnight.

When I arrived at the airport I approached the service desk to ask if there any spare seats on an earlier flight, relayed my story and was told that I had to pay about $200 to be moved to an earlier flight. It’s actually annoying for a loyal Platinum flyer to hear this because as you may know, Virgin Platinum flyers have this as a scheduled benefit where they are able to fly earlier should they arrive at the airport before their scheduled flight, if there is a spare seat on an earlier flight then they are welcome to it. Even more annoying that I have had many friends and colleagues leave Qantas and move to Virgin as a result of their Platinum benefits being superior to Qantas’. I had no interest in paying a change fee that cost more than my actual flight. This option was given to me by <Staff1: name redacted> at the ticket desk at Melbourne domestic.

I then thought to try my luck at the lounge as I thought they could be more flexible with flight changes especially during busy lounge periods. Especially when Melbourne is experiencing renovations at the moment to the point on not allowing certain member guests in to the qantas club. I dealt with Fiona at the Business Lounge. <Staff1: name redacted> has already placed remarks on my booking so of course, <Staff2: name redacted> was not going to do anything for me after <Staff1: name redacted> displayed no compassion or leniency towards my situation.

I proceeded to check In at the counter, where I was served by <Staff3: name redacted> . I am not always served with a smile or by Qantas staff that are happy to be doing the work that they are employed to do but in this instance, <Staff3: name redacted> greeted me with a huge smile and even asked noticed how exhausted I looked. I proceeded to tell her why and told her about my night. <Staff3: name redacted> decided to change me to an earlier flight, the 6.15am as per the attached boarding pass. Not only was she accomodating, polite and professional. She also clearly acknowledged my continue loyalty as a Platinum flyer and my unexpected personal circumstances of what happened with my friend that I was caring for overnight. For the record, I know her name as I got her to write it down for me so that I could give Qantas positive feedback on her level of customer service.

I proceeded to the lounge feeling valued and appreciated by Qantas.

10 minutes later, the Business Lounge lounge supervisor made an announcement over the PA for me to go to the service desk. He had been instructed by <Staff5: name redacted> that my boarding pass be taken away from me unless I were to pay the change fee. Alan, this has become the most embaraaaig and awkward situation that I have ever experienced on any level of customer service. I was so upset and aggravated that I actually asked <Staff4: name redacted> to tell Paul Thomas that if this boarding pass is taken away from me after being given to me due to compassionate reasons that he would be seriously compromising my future as well as all of my current reservations with Qantas. <Staff5: name redacted> did not care. He proceeded to instruct that my check in bag be removed from the 6.15am and he had my boarding pass cancelled.

Today Qantas has made me feel very little. Today Qantas made me feel very sad. I do not feel valued and feel very embarrassed that I had to make a 2nd phone call to my driver In Sydney to let him know that even though Qantas granted me an earlier flight, it was taken back from me.

To think that this has happened to me of all people. After all that I have done for Qantas as an ambassador for you guys breaks my heart. This is why I have emailed you personally. I would like to hear from you and find out what your peraonal take is on this situation and what you think could be done to overcome my disappointment and broken heart that I currently have right now. I say broken heart because Qantas to me is like family.

My entire life I have flown with Qantas. I am almost at 20000 status credits and should I carry on flying with Qantas with current reservations, I will become Platinum 1 yet again at the beginning of June. So as you can imagine, for me to experience this level of service is unfathomable to me. I sincerely to hope to hear from you as I seriously cannot believe that I am even having to write to you about such a humiliating experience with your company.

Best regards

<astrokid: name redacted>

Yes, rules are rules; you were on a cheap ticket; yadda yadda yadda... The fact of the matter is that someone went 'above and beyond' and that's where it should have ended. As someone who used to work 'across the road' I find the behaviour of the Business Lounge supervisor absolutely appalling and totally unnecessary. Whether you hear back from Mr Joyce (or probably not) I'd take your platinum status over to Virgin like your mates. Good luck and hope your friend is ok

 

[Princess Fiona]

Yes, rules are rules; you were on a cheap ticket; yadda yadda yadda... The fact of the matter is that someone went 'above and beyond' and that's where it should have ended. As someone who used to work 'across the road' I find the behaviour of the Business Lounge supervisor absolutely appalling and totally unnecessary. Whether you hear back from Mr Joyce (or probably not) I'd take your platinum status over to Virgin like your mates. Good luck and hope your friend is ok

I should hope so since the seizure was nearly 18 months ago

 

[kilavuz]

I did write a letter. I bought a ticket for myself and my daughter to fly to SYD-IST-SYD, three months in advance. This would be my fifth return trip that year to visit my father with leukaemia. About two days before departure, his doctor called me to fly ASAP as these are perhaps his last hours/days. I called QFF to change our tickets to the first available flight, which was 24 hours earlier (22 hour one way trip as it was thru LHR), and explained my situation, very friendly operator offered to change our tickets, (are you sitting down?), for A$6250 each. When I said this were cattle class tickets already paid with wiles, not First or biz, and it's one way change, I was told that IS the cost to change a one-way FF seat in the last 24 hours. Finding this insane, but hoping to see dad, I changed the booking of my ticket, so my daughter could not make to see her grandpa alive. After I hang up Qantas I called my travel agent to re-check this with Qantas, he managed to cut this by 50%. On my return from funeral I wrote a letter to the big boy, I got a clear as mud answer, then when I called his office a staff member, whom I can't name here, told me "this is a profit maximising business, you need that seat and we have one if you pay, that's how capitalist system works", when I asked about understanding and compassion Qantas ads promote, he just laughed and hung up on me.
So, yes you can write a letter, your can be the best letter and has valid reasons/causes but this will take you to nowhere, they're there to make money.

 

[straitman]

I did write a letter. I bought a ticket for myself and my daughter to fly to SYD-IST-SYD, three months in advance. This would be my fifth return trip that year to visit my father with leukaemia. About two days before departure, his doctor called me to fly ASAP as these are perhaps his last hours/days. I called QFF to change our tickets to the first available flight, which was 24 hours earlier (22 hour one way trip as it was thru LHR), and explained my situation, very friendly operator offered to change our tickets, (are you sitting down?), for A$6250 each. When I said this were cattle class tickets already paid with wiles, not First or biz, and it's one way change, I was told that IS the cost to change a one-way FF seat in the last 24 hours. Finding this insane, but hoping to see dad, I changed the booking of my ticket, so my daughter could not make to see her grandpa alive. After I hang up Qantas I called my travel agent to re-check this with Qantas, he managed to cut this by 50%. On my return from funeral I wrote a letter to the big boy, I got a clear as mud answer, then when I called his office a staff member, whom I can't name here, told me "this is a profit maximising business, you need that seat and we have one if you pay, that's how capitalist system works", when I asked about understanding and compassion Qantas ads promote, he just laughed and hung up on me.
So, yes you can write a letter, your can be the best letter and has valid reasons/causes but this will take you to nowhere, they're there to make money.

It sounds like it would have been cheaper to treat the first tickets as throw aways and just rebook new tickets.

People remember these things. The problem we now have in Oz is that both major airlines are treating their customers like dirt.

 

[jakeseven7]

I did write a letter. I bought a ticket for myself and my daughter to fly to SYD-IST-SYD, three months in advance. This would be my fifth return trip that year to visit my father with leukaemia. About two days before departure, his doctor called me to fly ASAP as these are perhaps his last hours/days. I called QFF to change our tickets to the first available flight, which was 24 hours earlier (22 hour one way trip as it was thru LHR), and explained my situation, very friendly operator offered to change our tickets, (are you sitting down?), for A$6250 each. When I said this were cattle class tickets already paid with wiles, not First or biz, and it's one way change, I was told that IS the cost to change a one-way FF seat in the last 24 hours. Finding this insane, but hoping to see dad, I changed the booking of my ticket, so my daughter could not make to see her grandpa alive. After I hang up Qantas I called my travel agent to re-check this with Qantas, he managed to cut this by 50%. On my return from funeral I wrote a letter to the big boy, I got a clear as mud answer, then when I called his office a staff member, whom I can't name here, told me "this is a profit maximising business, you need that seat and we have one if you pay, that's how capitalist system works", when I asked about understanding and compassion Qantas ads promote, he just laughed and hung up on me.
So, yes you can write a letter, your can be the best letter and has valid reasons/causes but this will take you to nowhere, they're there to make money.

I guess you could always fly the non-for-profit charity airline alternative

 

[kevviek]

I guess you could always fly the non-for-profit charity airline alternative

Ever shopped with Amazon or read the Harley Davidson case studies? Short term profiteering is what short term bonus seeking CEO’s do, it doesn’t work in the long term, one day someone with a slightly better proposition *will* come along and the customers will flock. That’s the beauty of capitalism.

 

[jakeseven7]

Ever shopped with Amazon or read the Harley Davidson case studies? Short term profiteering is what short term bonus seeking CEO’s do, it doesn’t work in the long term, one day someone with a slightly better proposition *will* come along and the customers will flock. That’s the beauty of capitalism.

Sure have and I was kinda joking
Yes Amazon are famous for making no money as well

 

[kevviek]

Sure have and I was kinda joking
Yes Amazon are famous for making no money as well

They make lots of money, they just don’t give any to shareholders, it gets reinvested into growth

 

[Quickstatus]

QF won't upgrade to fill a cabin if they don't need to necessarily.

My CLPO friend says he can get earlier flights if he is booked onto flex fares. But it’s not guaranteed. He does not book ReD because he often has to change flights.

CLPO? Qantas speak for Chairman’s Lounge Platinum One. Not just P1. These are the passengers whom QF finds most valuable, not just loyal. Remember, the FF tier is a measure of your loyalty to the airline, not the other way round.
CLPO friend gets approx 7000SC a year. Most of that is apparently not DSC.
20000 lifetime SC is a lot of flying but your value to the airline is not necessarily measured this way. Note I deliberately used the word “value” rather that “loyalty”. The metric is unknown of course
On some domestic flights especially the early morning flights, it is not unusual to have half the 737 full of WP and the priority boarding queue longer than economy queue. WP are a dime a dozen. Imagine half of these WP wanting to change if they got a whiff they could do that without payment.

An alternative course is the BFOD route.
Best fare of day. Flyers might find that the overall cost of not chasing the next FF level is cheaper even if they have to pay a change fee to move a flight

 

[kevviek]

That “customer obsessed” company I mentioned tells their front of house staff they must give refunds etc by default, but give them the tools to identify potential abuse of their generosity and the right to refuse if they feel it is appropriate. They key here is that they can see the history and know for sure if someone is doing it regularly rather than a one off. They also use the refund/return data to fix the process or problem for future customers. The interesting thing about all this and the OP is that if a flight is cancelled (often happened on QF in the past couple of years when it’s not full), there is zero refund or apology to the traveller...

 

[jakeseven7]

That “customer obsessed” company I mentioned tells their front of house staff they must give refunds etc by default, but give them the tools to identify potential abuse of their generosity and the right to refuse if they feel it is appropriate. They key here is that they can see the history and know for sure if someone is doing it regularly rather than a one off. They also use the refund/return data to fix the process or problem for future customers. The interesting thing about all this and the OP is that if a flight is cancelled (often happened on QF in the past couple of years when it’s not full), there is zero refund or apology to the traveller...

Which airline does refund willingly and quickly and also apologise? Not being pedantic, but unfortunately the category/market as a whole dictates the standard - and that standard is different to other businesses.

 

[kevviek]

Which airline does refund willingly and quickly and also apologise? Not being pedantic, but unfortunately the category/market as a whole dictates the standard - and that standard is different to other businesses.

It isn’t an airline (at least not yet, who knows how big Amazon will get)

 

[jakeseven7]

It isn’t an airline (at least not yet, who knows how big Amazon will get)

Exactly and they have to do it because returns and refunds are the biggest barriers to a businesslike Amazon.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

According to Wikipedia or one of the others, Amazon already have their own airline, though only a freight carrier now.

 

[Quickstatus]

Amazon already have their own airline

Drones?

 

[prozac]

Drones?

Cargo...