Downgraded without notification - what are my options?

[miniyazz]

I (WP) am currently at the gate in SYD for my flight to ADL which is boarding.

I booked a U reward flight (J) via call centre with seats released about a fortnight ago. I had my email confirmation of J seats and yesterday I had another email also stating J.
Now I open up my boarding pass on the app and see I have been downgraded to Y. I have had no notification of this change.
The gate agents are boarding everyone before looking into it further.

Any advice?

This was booked during DSC and the J SCs (PC) are required to maintain WP.

Thanks


Update: I have been told a pilot has taken my seat. While I understand the logistical reasons, the manner in which this has been handled by Qantas is, as is all too common, unacceptable with no notification whatsoever.

I presume I will now need to take time out of my day contacting Qantas to request some sort of refund (probably nothing as the MEL-SYD leg was in J) and to request ORC.

 

[muppet]

I (WP) am currently at the gate in SYD for my flight to ADL which is boarding.

I booked a U reward flight (J) via call centre with seats released about a fortnight ago. I had my email confirmation of J seats and yesterday I had another email also stating J.
Now I open up my boarding pass on the app and see I have been downgraded to Y. I have had no notification of this change.
The gate agents are boarding everyone before looking into it further.

Any advice?

This was booked during DSC and the J SCs (PC) are required to maintain WP.

Thanks


Update: I have been told a pilot has taken my seat. While I understand the logistical reasons, the manner in which this has been handled by Qantas is, as is all too common, unacceptable with no notification whatsoever.

I presume I will now need to take time out of my day contacting Qantas to request some sort of refund (probably nothing as the MEL-SYD leg was in J) and to request ORC.

The 6:55pm has a single J seat if its a deal breaker. But once you board, can’t see QF assisting much.

Regarding the status credits, you should be okay with seeking Original Routing Credit - but will be a pain to get the DSCs applied.

 

[Seat0B]

At a minimum you can ask for original routing credits for the J flights you booked but were involuntarily downgraded. And that should get you the SC as if you flew J.

But it's really annoying for you now.

 

[chrispy3276]

Yeah I had this happen recently for the exact same reason - you will need to contact QF unfortunately to arrange the refund (which is annoying, surely they'd offer this proactively...)

You'll get a refund of the difference of the points between a Y and J award ticket. I did get J SCs when it happened to me though instead of Y, so keep an eye on that.

 

[miniyazz]

The 6:55pm has a single J seat if its a deal breaker. But once you board, can’t see QF assisting much.

Regarding the status credits, you should be okay with seeking Original Routing Credit - but will be a pain to get the DSCs applied.

I'd rather get home tbh. Have boarded and going to depart shortly

 

[Pushka]

I (WP) am currently at the gate in SYD for my flight to ADL which is boarding.

I booked a U reward flight (J) via call centre with seats released about a fortnight ago. I had my email confirmation of J seats and yesterday I had another email also stating J.
Now I open up my boarding pass on the app and see I have been downgraded to Y. I have had no notification of this change.
The gate agents are boarding everyone before looking into it further.

Any advice?

This was booked during DSC and the J SCs (PC) are required to maintain WP.

Thanks


Update: I have been told a pilot has taken my seat. While I understand the logistical reasons, the manner in which this has been handled by Qantas is, as is all too common, unacceptable with no notification whatsoever.

I presume I will now need to take time out of my day contacting Qantas to request some sort of refund (probably nothing as the MEL-SYD leg was in J) and to request ORC.

Happened to us, there's a long thread. Except we had already taken our seats when we were kicked off the plane and handed tickets back in Y. They will return your points but hopefully something extra but might have to advocate for that.

 

[opusman]

How do you get SCs for a U fare? Have ASAs come back without me noticing?

 

[elanshin]

How do you get SCs for a U fare? Have ASAs come back without me noticing?

Points club gets you SC if you take award flights flown by QF.

 

[RichardMEL]

How do you get SCs for a U fare? Have ASAs come back without me noticing?

Points club.

 

[opusman]

Ah! I am clearly out of touch

 

[miniyazz]

Happened to us, there's a long thread. Except we had already taken our seats when we were kicked off the plane and handed tickets back in Y. They will return your points but hopefully something extra but might have to advocate for that.

I read that! What a disaster..

 

[Pushka]

How do you get SCs for a U fare? Have ASAs come back without me noticing?

Oh I wish. I knew nothing of those at the time.

 

[JohnK]

Sorry to hear. This happens way too often. You'll need to work hard to get refund and SCs and you'll waste your own time.

 

[miniyazz]

Fortunately the SCs credited at the correct rate. Just any sort of compensation between U and X ticket costs to ask for.. hardly worth it

 

[kpc]

Fortunately the SCs credited at the correct rate. Just any sort of compensation between U and X ticket costs to ask for.. hardly worth it

You should get back the points difference bet U and X ticket....and some compensatory points ?10K for inconvenience

 

[RichardMEL]

You should get back the points difference bet U and X ticket....and some compensatory points ?10K for inconvenience

Ah but will they then change the SCs posted to Y which defeats the requirement?

Tough one. If I was points Rrch, I'd let it go and await the DSC on what is pisted given the SC earn goal.

 

[elanshin]

Ah but will they then change the SCs posted to Y which defeats the requirement?

Tough one. If I was points Rrch, I'd let it go and await the DSC on what is pisted given the SC earn goal.

Actually i got both ORC at the correct rate and a points reduction to X fare and bonus 4k offered for dealing with it (And not to mention some call centre error bonus shall we say). This was on a flight cancellation and downgrade to Y in subsequent flight.

So i effectively paid 4k points and got 72 SC+my bonus from the call centre.

I just had to treat the ORC and refund as two separate cases although that caused some of the call centre staff confusion.

 

[Matt_01]

It happens to P1s as well both revenue and rewards. I was only ever interested in the SCs (ORC) and QF would normally recredit the points difference. Chasing compo, additional points etc. was normally a futile waste of effort.

 

[blaz]

I (WP) am currently at the gate in SYD for my flight to ADL which is boarding.

I booked a U reward flight (J) via call centre with seats released about a fortnight ago. I had my email confirmation of J seats and yesterday I had another email also stating J.
Now I open up my boarding pass on the app and see I have been downgraded to Y. I have had no notification of this change.
The gate agents are boarding everyone before looking into it further.

Any advice?

This was booked during DSC and the J SCs (PC) are required to maintain WP.

Thanks


Update: I have been told a pilot has taken my seat. While I understand the logistical reasons, the manner in which this has been handled by Qantas is, as is all too common, unacceptable with no notification whatsoever.

I presume I will now need to take time out of my day contacting Qantas to request some sort of refund (probably nothing as the MEL-SYD leg was in J) and to request ORC.

This is often not a "Qantas" decision, but by someone who knows how the system works and can shift the seats accordingly for a fellow pilot. Something like this happened to us , but while some Qantas staff apologised but said there was nothing they could do, another staff member was able to fix the issue. It's not about who you are, but who you know.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This is often not a "Qantas" decision, but by someone who knows how the system works and can shift the seats accordingly for a fellow pilot. Something like this happened to us , but while some Qantas staff apologised but said there was nothing they could do, another staff member was able to fix the issue. It's not about who you are, but who you know.

It was confirmed I. The other thread that pilots travelling on duty are required/entitled to business class. Unfortunately this sometimes means the displacement of paying pax.

This is not a case of any sort of staff 'favours'.