Bumped from QF12 onto Hawaiian airlines without notification

[Cathqld]

Last week we received the notification that QF12 LAX-SYD was delayed until the following day 1000 departure. We received this notification via text and email.

I understand there are airbus issues and the delay was due to inbound flight delay?

Logged into FF manage trip and saw we confirmed on QF12 10am depart the following day. Tried calling to get SYD-BNE flight rescheduled (to ensure we made out out of SYD same day), over 3 hours on phone to different agents however as usual customer service agents could not assist.

By chance prior to departure happened to check manage booking again, and now noticed we 'cancelled' from QF12 altogether and moved instead to Hawaiian LAX-HNL-SYD-BNE, which was departing instead LAX 0830. Obviously much longer flight, and extremely ticked we received no notification.

Qantas are saying they did notify (but this was only the delay notify, not the rebooking), and originally said we were changed because the change to QF12 meant that we would miss our original SYD-BNE connection.

Makes no sense as with their rebooking to HA in either case of HA or QF we would have had to be changed to the same SYD-BNE flight.

So I'm assuming we bumped for some reason.
Is there any recourse I have to call them out of the non-notification? Things I should ask for, reporting bodies etc?

 

[offshore171]

Good that they were able to get you on an alternative, but not so good that you wouldn't have known unless you kept checking your booking on the App.

Can I ask if you were using a travel sim or roaming with your regular AU number?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Last week we received the notification that QF12 LAX-SYD was delayed until the following day 1000 departure. We received this notification via text and email. I understand there are airbus issues and the delay was due to inbound flight delay? Logged into FF manage trip and saw we confirmed on QF12 10am depart the following day. Tried calling to get SYD-BNE flight rescheduled (to ensure we made out out of SYD same day), over 3 hours on phone to different agents however as usual customer service agents could not assist.
By chance prior to departure happened to check manage booking again, and now noticed we 'cancelled' from QF12 altogether and moved instead to Hawaiian LAX-HNL-SYD-BNE, which was departing instead LAX 0830. Obviously much longer flight, and extremely ticked we received no notification.
Qantas are saying they did notify (but this was only the delay notify, not the rebooking), and originally said we were changed because the change to QF12 meant that we would miss our original SYD-BNE connection. Makes no sense as with their rebooking to HA in either case of HA or QF we would have had to be changed to the same SYD-BNE flight. So I'm assuming we bumped for some reason.
Is there any recourse I have to call them out of the non-notification? Things I should ask for, reporting bodies etc?

Sorry to hear about that.

For future reference, there is no need to call about your connecting domestic flight at the end of an inbound international. Qantas would have automatically booked you to the next available flight based on your new arrival time, saving you a good 3 hours on the phone.

Other than that, there is no one you can really complain to about the lack of notification. If you hadn’t checked your booking and missed the new flights, you would likely have ended up back on the QF12 at its revised (delayed) departure time.

Hopefully you should have been provided with hotel and meals for the delay? You should also receive the qantas points for your trip as if you were flying Qantas. If you haven’t, you can write and ask for an ‘original routing credit’.

 

[Cathqld]

Good that they were able to get you on an alternative, but not so good that you wouldn't have known unless you kept checking your booking on the App.

Can I ask if you were using a travel sim or roaming with your regular AU number?

Roaming with our regular AU number

 

[Cathqld]

Sorry to hear about that.

For future reference, there is no need to call about your connecting domestic flight at the end of an inbound international. Qantas would have automatically booked you to the next available flight based on your new arrival time, saving you a good 3 hours on the phone.

Other than that, there is no one you can really complain to about the lack of notification. If you hadn’t checked your booking and missed the new flights, you would likely have ended up back on the QF12 at its revised (delayed) departure time.

Hopefully you should have been provided with hotel and meals for the delay? You should also receive the qantas points for your trip as if you were flying Qantas. If you haven’t, you can write and ask for an ‘original routing credit’.

That's also a no for the hotel and meals. Had to book hotel ourselves and know we can apply to get some of this refunded through the qantas website (although if anyone knows where you can book a LA hotel in a convenient location on the night of stay for $200 AUD/night so no out of pocket costs incurred....that's a miracle) Also a no with regards the points and SC for original route, nor was this info volunteered from qantas call centre. This is in the works, I have emailed asking for this to be processed. They have said 'they will send the request to the relavent department.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That's also a no for the hotel and meals. Had to book hotel ourselves and know we can apply to get some of this refunded through the qantas website (although if anyone knows where you can book a LA hotel in a convenient location on the night of stay for $200 AUD/night so no out of pocket costs incurred....that's a miracle) Also a no with regards the points and SC for original route, nor was this info volunteered from qantas call centre. This is in the works, I have emailed asking for this to be processed. They have said 'they will send the request to the relavent department.

Just put in a claim for the full cost of the hotel and meals. I know the website says $200, but I’m not sure when that was last updated! (It would still be fine for some places in Asia, but perhaps not the USA!)

It’s normal for the request to be sent to the relevant department. It can take a while but the points will 100% come through.

The call centre isn't really trained on the nuances of points and how to claim points, so no surprises they didn’t mention that.

 

[offshore171]

Roaming with our regular AU number

And confirming that was the contact number against the booking?

 

[moa999]

Book directly or through travel agent? The latter can change communication flows.

 

[Cathqld]

And confirming that was the contact number against the booking?

Yes correct. We received the notification (via text/sms and email) of our original flight delay; however no such notification of the flight route/carrier/time change

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 1:41 PM

Book directly or through travel agent? The latter can change communication flowB All contact details etc were up to date.

 

[Cathqld]

Yes correct. We received the notification (via text/sms and email) of our original flight delay; however no such notification of the flight route/carrier/time change

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 1:41 PM

Just put in a claim for the full cost of the hotel and meals. I know the website says $200, but I’m not sure when that was last updated! (It would still be fine for some places in Asia, but perhaps not the USA!)

It’s normal for the request to be sent to the relevant department. It can take a while but the points will 100% come through.

The call centre isn't really trained on the nuances of points and how to claim points, so no surprises they didn’t mention that.

Good to know they may pay for the full cost, and we should receive our points/SC

 

[Cathqld]

That's also a no for the hotel and meals. Had to book hotel ourselves and know we can apply to get some of this refunded through the qantas website (although if anyone knows where you can book a LA hotel in a convenient location on the night of stay for $200 AUD/night so no out of pocket costs incurred....that's a miracle) Also a no with regards the points and SC for original route, nor was this info volunteered from qantas call centre. This is in the works, I have emailed asking for this to be processed. They have said 'they will send the request to the relavent department.

Update on this - just received email back and Qantas stated 'we are unable to offer this in your case'. Is this usual/correct???

 

[Quickstatus]

Update on this - just received email back and Qantas stated 'we are unable to offer this in your case'. Is this usual/correct???

Unable referring to expenses relating to delay and/or original routing points and SC?

They should offer reimbursement assuming the delay was within QF control, and original routing points and Sc credit

I would contact them again.

I would also write a letter to the ACCC. While the ACC does not assist individual cases, letters from Qantas customers help the ACCC build a picture

Failing that do a small claims.

 

[Cathqld]

Unable referring to expenses relating to delay and/or original routing points and SC?

They should offer reimbursement assuming the delay was within QF control, and original routing points and Sc credit

I would contact them again.

I would also write a letter to the ACCC. While the ACC does not assist individual cases, letters from Qantas customers help the ACCC build a picture

Failing that do a small claims.

Apologies - referring to the claim of original routing points and SC

 

[Quickstatus]

referring to the claim of original routing points and SC

Original routing points and SC have never been an explicit included benefit in the Qantas Terms and conditions
However, the Australian consumer guarantee trumps any Qantas T&C.
It is reasonable to expect that a Qantas ticket including any ancilllary benefit such as the the FF points and SC are given to the passenger because the cost of the FF and SC are priced into the ticket

"You may also have a statutory right to a remedy (including a refund and/or compensation) under the Australian Consumer Law. In Australia, the Australian Consumer Law contains consumer guarantees which provide consumers with a basic, guaranteed level of protection for goods and services that they acquire"

 

[Kerrodt]

Re: Original Routing Credits - you need to be sending the request to the Frequent Flyer email address and not any other email address or calling a call centre.

The email address is: [email protected]

Your email should include the full specifics of your booking, including the PNR, original flight details (attach the original booking confirmation PDF), copy of the notification that you received of involuntary change email/text sent by QF, copy of the details of the flights that you were changed to, and the boarding passes for those changed flights. As well as your FF number.

In your email, you must say that you are requesting “original routing credits for an involuntary flight change initiated by Qantas”. Use those words.

Word the email politely and succinctly and they should process it rather quickly.

One final point, the Frequent Flyer team who get the above email will not be able to respond to any expense reimbursement request, so don’t include that in this email and use the relevant email address for reimbursements etc.

Good luck!

 

[Cathqld]

Re: Original Routing Credits - you need to be sending the request to the Frequent Flyer email address and not any other email address or calling a call centre.

The email address is: [email protected]

Your email should include the full specifics of your booking, including the PNR, original flight details (attach the original booking confirmation PDF), copy of the notification that you received of involuntary change email/text sent by QF, copy of the details of the flights that you were changed to, and the boarding passes for those changed flights. As well as your FF number.

In your email, you must say that you are requesting “original routing credits for an involuntary flight change initiated by Qantas”. Use those words.

Word the email politely and succinctly and they should process it rather quickly.

One final point, the Frequent Flyer team who get the above email will not be able to respond to any expense reimbursement request, so don’t include that in this email and use the relevant email address for reimbursements etc.

Good luck!

Hi, Thank you for your reply. I had since read this in another thread and have already emailed this address - fingers crossed!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi, Thank you for your reply. I had since read this in another thread and have already emailed this address - fingers crossed!

I cannot think of a time when ORC has *not* been granted in a case like this! And we’ve had dozens of them here on AFF. So as long as it gets to the right department you’ll be good

 

[dajop]

It’s a sad fact that AFF provides better customer support advice than (initial points of contact at) Qantas do. But I guess that could be said about many airlines and various other businesses.

 

[Scarlett]

It’s a sad fact that AFF provides better customer support advice than (initial points of contact at) Qantas do. But I guess that could be said about many airlines and various other businesses.

Because we care about the topic.

I’d venture that QF pretends to pay a decent price for their subcontracted staff; so those same staff pretend to care about what they’re doing.
Yay, capitalism.