Free flight for those disrupted.

[Pushka]

Re: QF Fight Back - Price War & Double Points

So there was a domestic leg before a Jetconnect leg as Jetconnect weren't canceled from what I could tell? Just out of interest how many of the TT flights are run by QF mainline?
Skywest (XR) fly into KGI, but that is not daily, this is also DJ's codeshare partner I believe.

Yep, Adelaide - Sydney (and vice versa on return). Skywest dont fly to Kalgoorlie on the days we needed them - we checked before we warily booked with Qantas.

 

[missafternoondelight]

There are always winners & losers.......I'd take two extra days in HK any day of the week. Did they put you up in good digs?

Was kinda funny, Amaroo. I had texted my boss to ask for a couple more days away, but he had said no, as he was going on holidays himself and needed me there. Four hours later, I found out about the strike. Called Qantas, and they booked me on the very flight I wanted to change to! They didn't offer to book accommodation, but said we could have $350 a day each for expenses, so my friend and I booked at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, and lived like princesses! It was Halloween, so we got to enjoy all the festivities at the park, too. And had a great time trying to spend the allowance.. we ate buffet breakfast, an 8 course Chinese degustation, and traditional high tea one day, and still couldn't spend the $100 AUD each! Brilliant!

Free flights on top of this is the icing on the cake! Acknowledging that it was a completely different story for many people, if anything, this has only increased my brand loyalty. Thanks, Red Roo!

 

[medhead]

Would MEL/GOVE be a route? If so, how would the overnight in DRW work - would the following days flights still count as the original booking, or would only the MEL/DRW count?

I.e. (don't quote the days) - Tue MEL/DRW, Wed DRW/GOVE/DRW Thur DRW/MEL?

Point to point flights only. So no to SYD-Gove.


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

 

[Blackadder]

Would be nice to give all QF frequent flyers a points bonus at least, esp those who chose to defer booking flights till the mess was sorted out.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi Cynicor,

We have not forgotten about those impacted that had international tickets and you will be hearing from us soon.

In regards to your claims, these are all being worked through now and I am sure you will hear back soon. If you have not heard within the week, PM me with your details and I will follow up for you.

Cheers,
Red Roo

(my bolding)

Thanks Red Roo... I hope this is a sign of your enhanced involvement on this forum and will not be limited to this one issue (lounge access at Heathrow is another).

I have for some time noted that committed company reps take a proactive interest in forums such as these and work to resolve issues rather than just restate a press release or provide clarification of a press release.

 

[gibbo8]

Well I have been thinking of a short holiday destination for next year and so MEL-CNS or MEL-BME sounds good. A great offer from QF, although I would fly them domestically anyway even without the incentive because they are simply the best airline in Australia. Thank you QF it is appreciated! A couple of thoughts for the QFF bonus could be points upgrades on all international fares (rather than just higher cost Y tickets) as this would really be of value for my usual travel pattern, or else a double status credits bonus (might even make WP1 if was for an extended period).

 

[equus]

I wonder if this is just one flight per passenger, or whether it will work out as one per cancelled flight (might be pushing it I know). I had two flights cancelled, on separate PNRs, (one on Saturday evening, one on Sunday evening), so it will be interesting to see if I get one "free flight" (assuming however they get allocated ignores multiple bookings) or two, as there is no connection between the two bookings.

 

[VHOEJ]

I can't understand why people think QF should be doing even more - gave people refunds, paid for accomodation and costs, helped paying for flights on alternative flights........and now free flights. I know the refunds will take time because of the sheer number and having to verify the claims but honestly, what else could they do? There will be many who won't fly the airline because of the lack of notice for the grounding, but most people were only delayed for about 2 days. I can understand the people who needed to be places for funerals, sick people etc but the rest of them were on holidays or work - being delayed for that long wasn't the end of the world. It is amazing how many people never think that things could go wrong - if the airline was grounded because of weather, would people be as upset?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I can't understand why people think QF should be doing even more - gave people refunds, paid for accomodation and costs, helped paying for flights on alternative flights........and now free flights. I know the refunds will take time because of the sheer number and having to verify the claims but honestly, what else could they do? There will be many who won't fly the airline because of the lack of notice for the grounding, but most people were only delayed for about 2 days. I can understand the people who needed to be places for funerals, sick people etc but the rest of them were on holidays or work - being delayed for that long wasn't the end of the world. It is amazing how many people never think that things could go wrong - if the airline was grounded because of weather, would people be as upset?

because by the same token, when the passenger wants to change the name on the ticket, or change the date, or simply decide not to fly, or wants to move to an earlier flight... qantas doesn't see it as a case of 'oh well, we have seats free on the earlier flight... go ahead and change'... they charge an arm and a leg to do it, and heavily penalize you if you try and break the contract of carriage. they even charge a whopping 5000 points or $50 for you to make an award booking on line because they don't load all the destinations, or partner flights that are available. they don't even (in most cases) have the discretion to waive that fee when the passenger has no other choice.

qantas on the other had blatantly breaks their end of the bargain by stopping flying all together, and you get your actual costs reimbursed (and so they should be under contract law) and then offers a 'free' seat. the seat is not actually costing them $$$, it would have been going empty anyway.

don't get me wrong... it's a very nice gesture from qantas... but if they were really serious they could have refunded everyones fares rather than give a free ticket. I'm talking about actually refunding the original fare.... so in effect you got double the refund.

if this had happened under EU compensation laws we would have got a lot more than what is being offered here...

 

[GoldenWinger]

This is just fantastic!!!

Free flights in Economy and a "sorry" email.

It will be just like it never happened - all is forgiven and forgotten.

It's perfect!!

 

[Mwenenzi]

I can't understand why people think QF should be doing even more
...
if the airline was grounded because of weather, would people be as upset?

If the airline was grounded because of union strikes, would people be as upset?
If the airline was grounded because of union strikes, would people expect the union to pay up?

 

[TonyHancock]

..if the airline was grounded because of weather, would people be as upset?

I think this situation was significantly different. Qantas was grounded by one man, if we are to believe Mr Joyce's testimony at the senate hearing. This wasn't a natural disaster, this was the CEO of the airline making a decision that he knew would disrupt an awful lot of innocent customers.

What about the travelers whose weekend was wrecked because they were worrying about getting home, or where they could stay if the grounding lasted longer than it eventually did? (Don't worry about a response QF it was rhetorical.)

 

[straitman]

This is just fantastic!!!

Free flights in Economy and a "sorry" email.

It will be just like it never happened - all is forgiven and forgotten.

It's perfect!!

Sarcasm doesn't suit you :!:

 

[dfcatch]

don't get me wrong... it's a very nice gesture from qantas... but if they were really serious they could have refunded everyones fares rather than give a free ticket. I'm talking about actually refunding the original fare.... so in effect you got double the refund.

Well if you hadn't departed from home - and ended up not going, then you did get a refund, and now you're getting a free flight - net result = free flight.

QF as you say are rightly obligated to compensate you / provide alternate transport if they break their end of the bargain - but I see this as them going above and beyond - which is clearly the right thing to do.

I'm no fanbois, but regardless of your views on the actual dispute, QF have done the right thing here.

It's all well and good to whinge and moan at them all the time (which they often deserve), but let's give credit where it's due, when they get something right (or at least in the right direction).

YMMV

 

[dfcatch]

If the airline was grounded because of union strikes, would people be as upset?
If the airline was grounded because of union strikes, would people expect the union to pay up?

Yes I would expect they should.

But I wouldn't actually expect them to.

I never expect disruptive unions to do the right thing by the public.

They offered me nothing when they disrupted me - best they offered me was gratuitous advice to not fly Qantas!

In fact - if the unions did ground the airline - it would be QF that would have to cough up the compensation - not the union.....

So TonyHancock - to your point - it's irrelevent who grounds the airline - they are left holding the can and have to compensate regardless of who is at fault.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well if you hadn't departed from home - and ended up not going, then you did get a refund, and now you're getting a free flight - net result = free flight.

QF as you say are rightly obligated to compensate you / provide alternate transport if they break their end of the bargain - but I see this as them going above and beyond - which is clearly the right thing to do.

I'm no fanbois, but regardless of your views on the actual dispute, QF have done the right thing here.

It's all well and good to whinge and moan at them all the time (which they often deserve), but let's give credit where it's due, when they get something right (or at least in the right direction).

YMMV

'right direction' is right... if we had an EU law applying the there would have been the refund or the detouring AND meals etc AND compensation for the inconvenience... starting at €125 and going up depending on flight length.

they will already be paying that to their customers stranded in the UK, perhaps we should look to see laws such as that introduced here in order to prevent this sort of thing happening again.

note that the qf offer to revook on other airlines was not there from the outset... that only came a few hours in. before that the standard reroute on qf or refund were the only available offers.

if we had an EU law the passengers would know from the outset whatntheir rights were.

any political party proposing an EU scenario now would gain a massive amount of votes... they should be capitalizing on this while the iron's hot!!

 

[uchiha]

I can't understand why people think QF should be doing even more - gave people refunds, paid for accomodation and costs, helped paying for flights on alternative flights........and now free flights. I know the refunds will take time because of the sheer number and having to verify the claims but honestly, what else could they do? There will be many who won't fly the airline because of the lack of notice for the grounding, but most people were only delayed for about 2 days. I can understand the people who needed to be places for funerals, sick people etc but the rest of them were on holidays or work - being delayed for that long wasn't the end of the world. It is amazing how many people never think that things could go wrong - if the airline was grounded because of weather, would people be as upset?

As a contractor, those two days I was delayed meant I missed two days of income. Are Qantas going to pay for this consequential loss of income? I don't think so.
I would have booked on alternate flights back home, but information coming from Qantas whilst stranded at the gate was close to non existent apart from being told they are trying to accommodate as many passengers as possible on alternative carriers. Next we were told to pass border control and get onto the shuttle for hotel transfer. At this point no information was given about options to purchase a new ticket and submit a claim for refund.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If the airline was grounded because of union strikes, would people be as upset?
If the airline was grounded because of union strikes, would people expect the union to pay up?

would I be as upset? yes.

would I expect the union to pay? no. my contract is not with the union. it is with qantas. I know the terms and conditions contain a get-out clause that says qf may not carry me in some circumstances which are beyond their control. for example weather, or industrial action.

but this was within their control. so I expect to get compensated from them. I cannot enforce that compensation against a third party.

 

[TonyHancock]

So TonyHancock - to your point - it's irrelevent who grounds the airline - they are left holding the can and have to compensate regardless of who is at fault.

Legally perhaps, but QF is a business that needs to continue trading and in order to do so successfully needs customers. There is a significant difference between a natural disaster and a CEO decision made in full knowledge of the consequences.

I have now experienced both. The Icelandic Volcano in 2010 leaving me stranded in the UK for 9 days, and the CEO decision. The former was unavoidable, I received no compensation from QF, and I did not expect to do so. The latter, due to the incompetence of management and unions and a cynical CEO has left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.

QF needs to go way beyond it's legal obligations, if only to try and demonstrate that it "appears" to give a damn about it's customers. This is not black and white this is the "touchy feely" stuff of customer service.

 

[dfcatch]

Legally perhaps, but QF is a business that needs to continue trading and in order to do so successfully needs customers. There is a significant difference between a natural disaster and a CEO decision made in full knowledge of the consequences.

I have now experienced both. The Icelandic Volcano in 2010 leaving me stranded in the UK for 9 days, and the CEO decision. The former was unavoidable, I received no compensation from QF, and I did not expect to do so. The latter, due to the incompetence of management and unions and a cynical CEO has left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.

QF needs to go way beyond it's legal obligations, if only to try and demonstrate that it "appears" to give a damn about it's customers. This is not black and white this is the "touchy feely" stuff of customer service.

I agree 100%