Bad experience on LATAM - should I let Qantas know?

[thevas]

I'm sitting in the gate lounge before a flight from LPB to SCL (La Paz to Santiago) on LATAM as QF silver, and it's been a very poor experience so far. At check-in I was refused the priority lane, and after passing security I noticed that my boarding pass listed a different seat to what I selected online (back of the plane in 29C instead of 8L, so I'll miss out on some spectacular views over the Andes on what should be a very clear day, something I've been looking forward to). I've asked the gate staff if they can move me but they refused.

I know I don't rank all that highly in the FF food chain, and the problems are very first-world, but is there any point in contacting Qantas to complain? One of the reasons I chose to fly LATAM/oneworld (not necessarily the cheapest option either) was to recieve benefits like seat selection and priority check-in, and at the moment I feel like I've been getting the same service as a LCC. If it is worth contacting them, what would be the best channel to use?

 

[dajop]

I wouldn't waste my time. Qantas would not care if you reported those problems travelling on Qantas, travelling on LATAM they will care even less, if such a thing is possible. Either complain to LATAM or chalk out down to one of those experiences in life where things never work as well away from home. On the seat selection, QF would probably just point out "seat selection is not guaranteed".

 

[mannej]

Why exactly would you contact QF for a LATAM issue?

 

[thevas]

Sounds like it'd be wishful thinking that anything could be done and I'll just have to live with it - I don't have too much experience with their customer service so I wasn't sure how helpful they could be when it comes to partner airlines. Thanks for the responses.

 

[samh004]

While it is an alliance, all the airlines differ on how well they look after their partners members... and sometimes even their own members. For this reason, you need to be very proactive if you want to come away with exactly what you are entitled to.

With regard to the seat selection, the best thing you could have done here was to phone the airline to organise seats, so you know whatever you have chosen was properly selected in their systems. You should also have checked your BP at the check-in desk. I note in the below link the "access to preferred or pre-reserved seating" comes with the modifier "(where offered)".

As for the priority lane, are you referring to check-in or security? I ask as it reads like you wanted priority security, but this is not a benefit of Ruby members. Priority Business check-in is a benefit though.

Ruby privileges

 

[thevas]

As for the priority lane, are you referring to check-in or security? I ask as it reads like you wanted priority security, but this is not a benefit of Ruby members. Priority Business check-in is a benefit though.

This was for check-in, the signs even listed sapphire and emerald only which was very strange since at other airports in South America priority check in included ruby.

 

[cmon0005]

Send a Facebook message to Oneworld, I have found them responsive in the past and have contacts in all the OW airlines.
Priority check-in is a benefit for ruby so you should have received it.

 

[juddles]

I'm sitting in the gate lounge before a flight from LPB to SCL (La Paz to Santiago) on LATAM as QF silver, and it's been a very poor experience so far. At check-in I was refused the priority lane, and after passing security I noticed that my boarding pass listed a different seat to what I selected online (back of the plane in 29C instead of 8L, so I'll miss out on some spectacular views over the Andes on what should be a very clear day, something I've been looking forward to). I've asked the gate staff if they can move me but they refused.

I know I don't rank all that highly in the FF food chain, and the problems are very first-world, but is there any point in contacting Qantas to complain? One of the reasons I chose to fly LATAM/oneworld (not necessarily the cheapest option either) was to recieve benefits like seat selection and priority check-in, and at the moment I feel like I've been getting the same service as a LCC. If it is worth contacting them, what would be the best channel to use?

Hey there Thevas, I have a keen interest in all things QF/LATAM, so wanted to ask a bit more info from you as the OP:

1.- Who did you buy your ticket through? (ie direct from QF or LATAM, or via third party)
2.- There are no QF codeshares between LPB and SCL - but just to be sure, was it a LA flight number?
3.- How exactly had you done your seat selection? Was it allowed during the booking process, or did you do it online via the LATAM site, or did you phone?

I have experienced many many issues with LATAM and QF on seat selections not sticking, and am still trying to work out the system.

 

[Pushka]

Hey there Thevas, I have a keen interest in all things QF/LATAM, so wanted to ask a bit more info from you as the OP:

1.- Who did you buy your ticket through? (ie direct from QF or LATAM, or via third party)
2.- There are no QF codeshares between LPB and SCL - but just to be sure, was it a LA flight number?
3.- How exactly had you done your seat selection? Was it allowed during the booking process, or did you do it online via the LATAM site, or did you phone?

I have experienced many many issues with LATAM and QF on seat selections not sticking, and am still trying to work out the system.

Emirates can have similar issues with seats not sticking. Usually if done through the EK website they do but not if done through Qantas. But Qantas also mess around with seat selections on Qantas flights too.

 

[thevas]

Having come off the flight there was some redemption for LATAM at least - I tried asking a different attendant at the gate once boarding had commenced and explained the seat selection issue, who generously agreed to give me an economy window seat near the very front of the cabin, waiving the fee that LATAM charges for such front seats. I'm glad that I found that person to ask, since the only thing the previous attendants would tell me is that the flight was fully booked which was definitely not the case sitting on the plane.

Hey there Thevas, I have a keen interest in all things QF/LATAM, so wanted to ask a bit more info from you as the OP:

1.- Who did you buy your ticket through? (ie direct from QF or LATAM, or via third party)
2.- There are no QF codeshares between LPB and SCL - but just to be sure, was it a LA flight number?
3.- How exactly had you done your seat selection? Was it allowed during the booking process, or did you do it online via the LATAM site, or did you phone?

I have experienced many many issues with LATAM and QF on seat selections not sticking, and am still trying to work out the system.

I bought it through Travelgenio (under an LA flight number), and did the seat selection online through LATAM's website, even checking 2 days ago to make sure my selection was in place. I didn't do any form of online check-in either. I'm not too sure what went wrong really. I had some other LATAM bookings not long ago on a larger QF booking and my seat selections for those all came through too.

Send a Facebook message to Oneworld, I have found them responsive in the past and have contacts in all the OW airlines.
Priority check-in is a benefit for ruby so you should have received it.

I didn't think of contacting oneworld directly - thanks!

 

[juddles]

I bought it through Travelgenio (under an LA flight number), and did the seat selection online through LATAM's website....

Understood.

In such case this is not a Qantas issue - really Qantas have nothing to do with it, aside from being the original carrier through which you hold your One World-recognized status.

Unfortunately I think that any millisecond you spend on the issue is wasted - whether that be writing emails or whatever. And LATAM is still a hybrid creature that has the old LAN Chile as the main player, but includes a stack of sub-groups (Lan Peru, Lan Colombia, etc), even if they market themselves as a single airline. As a whole, LATAM is consistently more inconsistent than even QF with some things - especially seat selection.

Excellent you were able to get the window seat - at this time of year snow levels are at a low, but the Andes are still spectacular

 

[RichardMEL]

This was for check-in, the signs even listed sapphire and emerald only which was very strange since at other airports in South America priority check in included ruby.

So the local staff were following the local signage?

It may be a policy decision specific to La Paz, or just wrong by the station there for LA which probably should be pointed out to LA directly IMHO (though I doubt they'd spend a lot of time on it tbh).

There are some times that local stations have differing policies to the main airline or alliance standards that one would expect and there's not much one can do about them if that's a station decision (for whatever reasons). Though contacting oneworld and mentioning it may well get more traction regarding this than LA directly - if hey care that is.

 

[Danger]

I had three flights with LATAM in January. On one, my BP beeped at the gate where the gate agent told me I had a new seat assignment. I'd been moved from a centre aisle seat in the forward J cabin to a outer aisle seat in the rear J cabin. When I enquired as to why the agent told me it was to accommodate a family travelling together. When I boarded the "family" was a young couple who, presumably, had failed to pre-select their seats - unlike me. I made a song and dance and got the gate agent's name, then filed a complaint online with LATAM for being lied to.

On another flight, I was the sole person lined up in the priority boarding lane. When boarding began, the gate agent commenced boarding, he did so by processing passengers in the rear rows. I was standing there like an idiot. After about 45 seconds with no progress, I retreated to the gate lounge and waited for them to page me for boarding once everyone else had boarded. Again, I got the gate agent's name and filed a complaint.

Both complaints were responded to but with fairly generically.

 

[samh004]

I'm glad that I found that person to ask, since the only thing the previous attendants would tell me is that the flight was fully booked which was definitely not the case sitting on the plane.

It could have been to do with weight and balance. I'll admit it is annoying when it happens, but I've ended up on Q400's with 2 other passengers before, sat behind the engines because I literally can't sit any further forward.

When I boarded the "family" was a young couple who, presumably, had failed to pre-select their seats - unlike me.

I was asked to swap my seat onboard from 1A to 2F last year by a man who presumably hadn't selected his seats in time to sit with his female friend. At the time, I just agreed to go with it and ended up cramped in 2F for the rest of the flight, but had good karma on my next few flights. I wouldn't have wanted to say no and then been stuck next to someone annoyed for the whole flight, but hindsight now tells me that the next time this happens I'll suggest the passenger in 2D can move forward to sit with me if the couple want to sit together in row 2.

 

[RichardMEL]

It's one thing to be asked by an agent/FA or even pax nicely to swap - most people will do this within reason unless the offered seat is far worse. It's something else to be summarily moved for anyone that isn't a FAM or similar to accomidate their seating requests.. I would absolutely object to that. Still we all know QF along with most other airlines (such as LA) do this from time to time as annoying as it is.