Buy business class get First

[henleybeach]

hi everyone
been a reader for a long time and love all the tips ive got from all of you over the last 2 years, I finally decided to post as I must of missed this tip!

A couple weeks ago, I booked a business class flex fare on my mobile phone from the Qantas mobile webpage. I was booking for work and they told me to make sure it was flexible as I might need to go, No worries I said. They let me pay for it on my CC and was going to reimburse me.
I go online and book my ADL - Dallas business class flex fare. I was on my mobile phone booking page so I didn't bother selecting seats , I thought I would do it later on. I just paid and the itinerary was sent to my email.
Fast forward a couple weeks and work said there was no need to go dallas so I jumped online to my bookings and click on my booking to cancel, to my surprise when I opened I noticed I was booked in First class even tho I never booked it. I clicked on it and said I was booked into First saver. I cancelled the ticket. Refund comes through today and Im $300 short , I go online and check the T&Cs of a first saver and it says a $300 cancellation fare applies, Im bemused as I never bought a first class fare. I ring up Qantas today and explain that I Bought a business flex fare and the whole story. puts me on hold for 15 min and comes back and explains to me I was correct that I had bought a business flex fare but Qantas automatically put me on a first saver because it was a better deal and was cheaper because it was on sale! I explained to her it wasn't a better deal because now I have to pay $300. The only way its a better deal if its a first flex! I said well how can I book the business flex fare if it will automatically put me into a first saver because its cheaper and on sale, she said I guess you have to ring up. Im out of pocket of $300 because I ticked the T&Cs at the payment page and work will only refund me what I got back from Qantas.
is it me or do people think that's deceiving ? Im only a bronze Qantas and platinum virgin, Ive learned my lesson , ill stick with the virgin website as I know I wont get put into First!
Go easy, My first time!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Welcome to AFF.
We don't bite
First of all did you get an email itinerary from QF with your booking on it and if so what does that say?
The booking conditions are usually on it somewhere including the penalties for cancelling.

 

[Hvr]

Firstly welcome to AFF henleybeach, what an interesting situation.

I'll be following this with interest to see how it ends up. Have you asked for the issue to be escalated stating that you specifically purchased the flex fare knowing there was a possibility that it might have to be changed due to exigent circumstances as have eventuated.

Good luck and please post how it is resolved. Oh and stay as well and enjoy AFF, looks like you've got a lot to contribute,

 

[Mark3000]

Wow. I agree with you that is unfair

I just can't understand why they don't want to help you. Here we have someone willing to pay for business and Qantas is willing to burn them and make them potentially switch to virgin. What terrible customer service!
Maybe Red Roo can help

 

[JohnK]

Welcome to AFF henleybeach.

Interesting situation.

Is Qantas able to change the booking class? Did you get a warning the fare type was changing. Are you able to reproduce the booking?

 

[henleybeach]

thanks for the quick replies and welcomes.
when I booked it there was no message to say that my booking had been changed to first saver , tho I did book it on my mobile via the Qantas mobile webpage which is more condensed then PC version. When I received the email itinerary after I booked it I just saved it in my Inbox and never opened it, I guess If I had opened and check the Itinerary and I would've noticed straight away that I was booked in First. But I never did until 2 weeks later when I went to cancel it, so that's my fault. Maybe if I noticed that day they may have refunded me?? I Just cant get over Qantas deciding what ticket I want. As I said to the lady on the phone , I booked a business flex so I had flexibility to cancel for zero cost, now Qantas has decided automatically to change it during the booking process because first saver was cheaper and on sale. I decided to fly a bit with Qantas, because the are our Australian airline, ive got a trip to NZ this weekend with Qantas, I was aiming to get Gold with Qantas so I have some eggs and both velocity and gold.

 

[RooFlyer]

Hi henlybeach and welcome to AFF.

If you have recounted things accurately, then if it was me, I certainly wouldn't let things rest there. Don't be put off by the 'ticked the T&Cs' BS - companies cannot act deceptively or unconscionably nor, for instance, switch conditions of what you sought to book.

Its the act of Qantas changing the booking/fare class without notice that's the issue, not whether you noticed the change or not and don't let anyone try and tell you different.

Marshall your facts and evidence, then call to complain; don't e-mail. Insist on speaking with some-one with authority to act on this (you may not get it). Make notes of all names and what was said by you and by them. Don't be fobbed off. Even if the person you speak to speaks authoritatively, don't take that as gospel. There are many, many examples in this forum of Qantas (and other airlines) telephone people being quite wrong in what they say.

Ask for a complaint reference number.

Assuming they still stonewall, put the complaint in writing and send it registered mail to Qantas AND lodge a complaint with your state consumer protection body. Even if its not obvious that they can help, it gets counted and the more complaints with Qantas (or any airline) against it, the better.

All too often they just fob people off and we need to push back. Surely $300 is worth a bit of time?

 

[medhead]

The big point is you ticked the agree to terms and conditions box for a business flex ticket, not a first saver ticket. So if they want to pull out "you ticked the box" the very simple reply is "yes I agreed to business flex".

Second work should reimburse the cost of the boxing according to the emailed itinerary. Out of interest, does that day business flex?

 

[muppet]

Welcome to AFF.
We don't bite
First of all did you get an email itinerary from QF with your booking on it and if so what does that say?
The booking conditions are usually on it somewhere including the penalties for cancelling.

Could you point me to this in the email or PDF itinerary. I have never noticed it Princess Fiona and always thought it rude of them - interested to see where it is after all.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm just wondering... this wasn't part of the QF campaign last year where you were auto upgraded to First on one leg of the journey? That might affect the terms and conditions.

However... if that is not the case, QF cannot just change your fare basis. You are entitled to what you bought originally, including all reasonable terms and conditions belonging to that fare (a passenger cannot be assumed to acknowledge, just by ticking a box, something which would be unexpected or unreasonable).

 

[CaptJCool]

Well it's good to know they refund it all back less cancellation fees. Lol. Had issues with this too cause you can order a mixed fare as both options show up and the headings disappear as you scroll down the flight listing.

 

[JohnK]

When I received the email itinerary after I booked it I just saved it in my Inbox and never opened it, I guess If I had opened and check the Itinerary and I would've noticed straight away that I was booked in First. But I never did until 2 weeks later when I went to cancel it, so that's my fault. Maybe if I noticed that day they may have refunded me??

Qantas like most airlines (?) has a 24 hour policy or at least until midnight that day. Changes are free.

Qantas cannot change a booking class on you without asking you first to confirm it. I would not let this rest and ask for a refund of the cancellation fee.

 

[amaroo]

Strange situation, I'd push to get all my money back!

FWIW I love a pay J fly F deal - BA have them from time to time ... a few years ago I purchased 5 x SYD-LHR-SYD ... spectacular special.

 

[eminere]

FWIW I love a pay J fly F deal - BA have them from time to time ... a few years ago I purchased 5 x SYD-LHR-SYD ... spectacular special.

It's on now til 23 March.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Pity your work mentioned you didn't have to go.
If you are on the lower rungs of the QF status table, that trip would have put you into SG or WP for at least a year!
This would be in extra to the benefits of that class (if you had taken the flight).
Not that I can give a solution, but wow, I could/can only dream, what if it was me! And the trip was a goer.

 

[amaroo]

It's on now til 23 March.

That's only one way ... I like it both ways

2011 the offer was F for all flights

 

[Princess Fiona]

That's only one way ... I like it both ways

2011 the offer was F for all flights

That's excellent I missed that one. Only ever seen BA do buy J return get one way upgrade to F. Never seen buy J return get F return, wish I had.

 

[Red Roo]

thanks for the quick replies and welcomes.
when I booked it there was no message to say that my booking had been changed to first saver , tho I did book it on my mobile via the Qantas mobile webpage which is more condensed then PC version. When I received the email itinerary after I booked it I just saved it in my Inbox and never opened it, I guess If I had opened and check the Itinerary and I would've noticed straight away that I was booked in First. But I never did until 2 weeks later when I went to cancel it, so that's my fault. Maybe if I noticed that day they may have refunded me?? I Just cant get over Qantas deciding what ticket I want. As I said to the lady on the phone , I booked a business flex so I had flexibility to cancel for zero cost, now Qantas has decided automatically to change it during the booking process because first saver was cheaper and on sale. I decided to fly a bit with Qantas, because the are our Australian airline, ive got a trip to NZ this weekend with Qantas, I was aiming to get Gold with Qantas so I have some eggs and both velocity and gold.

This is an unusual situation, and I'd be happy to look in to it for you. Please send me a private message with your booking details as reference.

 

[eminere]

That's excellent I missed that one. Only ever seen BA do buy J return get one way upgrade to F. Never seen buy J return get F return, wish I had.

Me neither, I've only ever seen a one-way upgrade offer. Would jump on it if it was return upgrades.

 

[henleybeach]

Quick update, spoke to a lady at customer care this morning, explained the situation and she said she will look into it and will
Call me back at some stage , if it's not resolved I'll PM you red roo.