Difficulties accessing Qantas Club with e-passes - Rude Staff

[Deleted member 59596]

Hi all,

I've been a reader for some time but not posted before, but I wanted to bring to light a pretty abysmal experience I had recently at the Qantas Club in Sydney recently.
NOTE: I already sent this info to Qantas Customer Service - they didn't even see fit to respond in the last 3 weeks.
I've changed names in this story.

TLDR: Qantas wouldn't let me into Qantas Club because their system was broken. I asked for a manager. Another staff member had a go at me. Manager called me a rude, aggressive, theatening misogynist.


Now, I don't fly Qantas often.
But on this occasion I was coming back from a work trip with my partner and a friend and had some lounge passes to use before they expired - probably my last chance.
I attempted to link them with my flight in advance but their system was down. I thought I would be able to get help at the lounge counter.

Boy, was I wrong.

The receptionist said they knew the system was down, but she couldn't help and I should call customer service. I did. Customer service couldn't access my details but said the receptionist was right in front of me and should be able to verify my details.
The receptionist said she wasn't able to make that call and I asked if the manager could make the decision - she called for the manager (I'll call him "Paul") to come out.

Next, her female colleage came out and had a go at me, telling me I'd already been told I couldn't come in and that was the end of it and I needed to leave.

I was confused - This wasn't Paul? I looked at her name badge. Sarah. Nope, not Paul.
I asked who she was and what role she had (maybe the duty manager?) but it came out a bit wrong, as though I was putting her down. I tried to apologise and say I wasn't meaning to be rude when she told me that I was, in fact, a very rude person.

At this point, I said I'd better wait for the manager. She disappeared out back.

Paul came out next, and I thought my problems were over. We introduced outselves, and shook hands.
Then he said, "I've just been told you've been aggressive and rude to my staff, and you threatened to report them."

Now, I'm about as assertive as they come. And I really wanted to use those passes before they went to waste. But aggressive and rude? I don't think so.
I challenged that and said I was speaking to them the same way I was speaking to him. My partner even came to my defence at this point - it was insulting.

Then he said something I've never been accused of before in my life:
"You're talking differently to me because we are talking one-on-one as men."

I've never been accused of being sexist or a misogynist before. It took a moment for me to process what he'd actually said to me. Meanwhile, my partner had a gutful and told him he was acting unacceptably. Things were getting way out of hand.

Then Paul suddenly changed his tune. "I'll let you in. Be nice to us, we are nice to you, everything is fine."
I looked back at Paul, confused. Then at my partner, and then at my friend, who Paul had just realised was filming the conversation on his phone.

Paul let us in. But I felt disgusted at being called those things, and like I was scum in a place I wasn't welcome in. In the time we had left (now barely 40 minutes until departure) I barely ate or drank, so I guess my passes were kind of wasted anyway.

Has anyone else ever been made by Qantas to feel like you aren't worth their time, or blatantly accused you of acting in an unacceptable way?
OR tell me if I should have walked away at the counter and saved myself the trouble.

 

[Deleted member 59596]

Quick update - Qantas have now emailed me saying how disappointed they are to hear this (no apology though).

The email was a template and they got my flight date wrong, the airport wrong, the lounge wrong and the issue wrong.

Pretty poor handling so far!

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to posting on AFF. Sorry to hear of the experience. Sounds like a misunderstanding which went past shaped.

The email response sounds typical, from what's been reported on AFF previously.

I'd email back, noting no response to your initial email, but leave it at that.

 

[RichardMEL]

Well, since your friend was filming this (did they ask permission of the staff?) perhaps you can send that up the tree to QF.

I guess in these days of "metoo" and the like there is a lot of sensitivity around some interactions.
Also remember that the manager (Paul) has the word of his staff - who he knows and trusts one would assume - vs someone he does not know. It may well be that Sarah, or whoever it was did feel threatened.. it's not really for you to say that she may not have as everyone reacts differently to "assertive behaviour" and naturally the manager will go with what his staff are telling hiim - at least initially.. and it seems how this is how he came into the scene - beind defensive of his staff. He obviously changed his tune (for whatever reasons) and le tyou in.

Obviously I was ot there and I'm not trying to provide excuses or anything merely provide a possible alternate view and explanation.

Honestly though - you were let in, so is there really a need to continue? IMO

Related note - this is the biggest flaw with this e-invitation system. Since NOTHING is printed on the boarding pass, or even in the app or booking, one has no proof of entitlement. I do not see why they can't simply place a code or printed note on the BP to the effect of "QC SYD PASS" or something. Then it's clear and no problem.

 

[Danger]

Let's see the video. Sounds like good viewing.

 

[opusman]

Related note - this is the biggest flaw with this e-invitation system. Since NOTHING is printed on the boarding pass, or even in the app or booking, one has no proof of entitlement. I do not see why they can't simply place a code or printed note on the BP to the effect of "QC SYD PASS" or something. Then it's clear and no problem.

Or why can't they just scan your FF card and deduct the pass at time of entry? The whole concept of having to pre-assign a pass to a flight is stupid.

 

[Astro]

Let's see the video. Sounds like good viewing.

 

[TomVexille]

Or why can't they just scan your FF card and deduct the pass at time of entry? The whole concept of having to pre-assign a pass to a flight is stupid.

Oh, you mean like how VA do it

I just wish VA let you transfer passes a la QF

 

[Steveinparadise]

There's probably some back-of-house reason for having done away with the previous paper entry tickets, but the pre-assignment system can definitely be a pain.

For example, on a recent transit thru SYD on a domestic-international trip by my partner and I, we had to make a decision as to whether to assign two comp passes or not. If we had assigned them, they would have been wasted as we did not end up having enough time to use the lounge. Alternatively, we could not wait until we got to SYD to allocate them (if time was sufficient) since they must be allocated 24+ hours in advance.

As is often (usually!) the case, an "enhancement" leaves pax worse off.

 

[madrooster]

Related note - this is the biggest flaw with this e-invitation system. Since NOTHING is printed on the boarding pass, or even in the app or booking, one has no proof of entitlement. I do not see why they can't simply place a code or printed note on the BP to the effect of "QC SYD PASS" or something. Then it's clear and no problem.

It is definitely printed on the boarding pass. In the service information section it prints "LPAC" when an e-lounge pass is attached to that flight and it shows up in the PNR face as well.

See the last page of this PDF: https://www.qantas.com/content/dam/...lub/complimentary-invitations-quick-guide.pdf

 

[opusman]

There's probably some back-of-house reason for having done away with the previous paper entry tickets

It was to crack down on them being sold on ebay.

 

[TomVexille]

It was to crack down on them being sold on ebay.

Not to mention a data mining exercise as everyone using a pass must be a QFF member now.

 

[amaroo]

It is definitely printed on the boarding pass. In the service information section it prints "LPAC" when an e-lounge pass is attached to that flight and it shows up in the PNR face as well.

See the last page of this PDF: https://www.qantas.com/content/dam/...lub/complimentary-invitations-quick-guide.pdf

I used two passes on the weekend for my nephew. Passes were transferred correctly with email confirmation, however there was nothing on the BPs to indicate they had a lounge pass. I got him to take a hard copy of the confirmation and he was granted access only after showing the copy he took.

The boarding pass was a print at home job due to on-line checkin.

 

[TomVexille]

I used two passes on the weekend for my nephew. Passes were transferred correctly with email confirmation, however there was nothing on the BPs to indicate they had a lounge pass. I got him to take a hard copy of the confirmation and he was granted access only after showing the copy he took.

The boarding pass was a print at home job due to on-line checkin.

You say they were transferred, but were they linked to the flight?

 

[Flying mermaid]

Hi all,

I've been a reader for some time but not posted before, but I wanted to bring to light a pretty abysmal experience I had recently at the Qantas Club in Sydney recently.
NOTE: I already sent this info to Qantas Customer Service - they didn't even see fit to respond in the last 3 weeks.
I've changed names in this story.

TLDR: Qantas wouldn't let me into Qantas Club because their system was broken. I asked for a manager. Another staff member had a go at me. Manager called me a rude, aggressive, theatening misogynist.


Now, I don't fly Qantas often.
But on this occasion I was coming back from a work trip with my partner and a friend and had some lounge passes to use before they expired - probably my last chance.
I attempted to link them with my flight in advance but their system was down. I thought I would be able to get help at the lounge counter.

Boy, was I wrong.

The receptionist said they knew the system was down, but she couldn't help and I should call customer service. I did. Customer service couldn't access my details but said the receptionist was right in front of me and should be able to verify my details.
The receptionist said she wasn't able to make that call and I asked if the manager could make the decision - she called for the manager (I'll call him "Paul") to come out.

Next, her female colleage came out and had a go at me, telling me I'd already been told I couldn't come in and that was the end of it and I needed to leave.

I was confused - This wasn't Paul? I looked at her name badge. Sarah. Nope, not Paul.
I asked who she was and what role she had (maybe the duty manager?) but it came out a bit wrong, as though I was putting her down. I tried to apologise and say I wasn't meaning to be rude when she told me that I was, in fact, a very rude person.

At this point, I said I'd better wait for the manager. She disappeared out back.

Paul came out next, and I thought my problems were over. We introduced outselves, and shook hands.
Then he said, "I've just been told you've been aggressive and rude to my staff, and you threatened to report them."

Now, I'm about as assertive as they come. And I really wanted to use those passes before they went to waste. But aggressive and rude? I don't think so.
I challenged that and said I was speaking to them the same way I was speaking to him. My partner even came to my defence at this point - it was insulting.

Then he said something I've never been accused of before in my life:
"You're talking differently to me because we are talking one-on-one as men."

I've never been accused of being sexist or a misogynist before. It took a moment for me to process what he'd actually said to me. Meanwhile, my partner had a gutful and told him he was acting unacceptably. Things were getting way out of hand.

Then Paul suddenly changed his tune. "I'll let you in. Be nice to us, we are nice to you, everything is fine."
I looked back at Paul, confused. Then at my partner, and then at my friend, who Paul had just realised was filming the conversation on his phone.

Paul let us in. But I felt disgusted at being called those things, and like I was scum in a place I wasn't welcome in. In the time we had left (now barely 40 minutes until departure) I barely ate or drank, so I guess my passes were kind of wasted anyway.

Has anyone else ever been made by Qantas to feel like you aren't worth their time, or blatantly accused you of acting in an unacceptable way?
OR tell me if I should have walked away at the counter and saved myself the trouble.

I am sorry you had a bad experience and yes Qantas’ response to complaints can often be a cut and paste answer. Generally I find the domestic lounge staff are very pleasant, although you get the occasional grumpy one. Sometimes situations just go pear shaped with everyone misunderstanding each other. Hope you have a better experience if you try to access the lounge again.

 

[amaroo]

You say they were transferred, but were they linked to the flight?

Yep

 

[RichardMEL]

Or why can't they just scan your FF card and deduct the pass at time of entry? The whole concept of having to pre-assign a pass to a flight is stupid.

True but the problem still persists if they have some sort of outage as they had for the OP

 

[RichardMEL]

It is definitely printed on the boarding pass. In the service information section it prints "LPAC" when an e-lounge pass is attached to that flight and it shows up in the PNR face as well.

See the last page of this PDF: https://www.qantas.com/content/dam/...lub/complimentary-invitations-quick-guide.pdf

OK I've never used one so have no experience here but I had been infoemd when I'd gifted passes in the past that nothing was printed Maybe this has changed.

 

[RichardMEL]

Wasn't one of the reasons to do away with the paper passes was because they were being sold on ebay etc so it's an attempt to curtail that black market? With the electronic ones at least there's some measure of tracking.. though since you can transfer to anyone with a QFF account, it doesn't preclude in any way the selling of these things (like points transfers, though those are, in theory, easier for QF to police given the (apparent) family transfer limitations).

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Let's see the video!

As for QF moving to electronic passes there is probably a back-end cost saving on not having to reconcile 1000s of chits. QF probably liked them being sold on eBay. There is even a slide floating around OJ the interweb that shows a correlation between lounge access and flying QF more.