im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so long

[Cultusking]

After flying back and forth from USA/Canada 3-5times a year with various airlines I think this last trip with Qantas is my last. I remember flying with Canada airlines 10 years ago, the planes were old and dirty, service was bad...... Now I see exactly the same thing with Qantas. I have been a frequent flyer with Qantas for over 10 years however it has never been of any help, my meals are still screwed up (unless I remind everyone at least once) and the in-flexability is terrible. Now I dont wonder why i fly air china via Taipei to Canada most of the time now, clean planes, great food, great service and $50 to change my flight anytime I like...plus their fares are great.
I cut up my Q rewards card in front of the ticketing booth yesterday and after this flight thats it. I never like to complain because I "hope" it was just a 1 off......but alas it has just been too many times.....if you book through a travel agent Qantas dont want to know you, book with Qantas and they say "you got a good fare so we will gouge you to change it" too bad so sad......

 

[straitman]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

After flying back and forth from USA/Canada 3-5times a year with various airlines I think this last trip with Qantas is my last. I remember flying with Canada airlines 10 years ago, the planes were old and dirty, service was bad...... Now I see exactly the same thing with Qantas. I have been a frequent flyer with Qantas for over 10 years however it has never been of any help, my meals are still screwed up (unless I remind everyone at least once) and the in-flexability is terrible. Now I dont wonder why i fly air china via Taipei to Canada most of the time now, clean planes, great food, great service and $50 to change my flight anytime I like...plus their fares are great.
I cut up my Q rewards card in front of the ticketing booth yesterday and after this flight thats it. I never like to complain because I "hope" it was just a 1 off......but alas it has just been too many times.....if you book through a travel agent Qantas dont want to know you, book with Qantas and they say "you got a good fare so we will gouge you to change it" too bad so sad......

Cultusking,

Welcome to AFF.

Without saying too much on your personal issues with Qantas I will express two comments.

1. I would always fly Qantas over Air China due safety concerns. Air China is on the must not fly list of several major corporations that I am aware of. One being the one I just retired from and that has a very large Aviation Services department.
2. Qantas like many airlines is way behind with fleet replacement plans after having been let down badly by both the major manufacturing companies. (Airbus & Boeing)

Can you be more specific about your issues and 'old and dirty' aircraft. What flights? What aircraft types and what fare class were you flying? This halps people make more informed comments with regard to your complaints.

 

[yohy?!]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

Cultusking,

Welcome to AFF.

Without saying too much on your personal issues with Qantas I will express two comments.

1. I would always fly Qantas over Air China due safety concerns. Air China is on the must not fly list of several major corporations that I am aware of. One being the one I just retired from and that has a very large Aviation Services department.
2. Qantas like many airlines is way behind with fleet replacement plans after having been let down badly by both the major manufacturing companies. (Airbus & Boeing)

Can you be more specific about your issues and 'old and dirty' aircraft. What flights? What aircraft types and what fare class were you flying? This halps people make more informed comments with regard to your complaints.

Are referring to China Airlines rather than CA? If not can you elaborate on what safety concerns you or your company has? Thanks!

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

The main problem if travelling to USA from east coast of Australia, there are not a lot of options for carriers to USA without taking indirect routings. if going business class, UA is a nice option for non stop to USA with horizontal flat beds ; only drawback is that the meal offerings are actually worse than Qantas's . After that there is DL or V Australia but not much else to continental USA

Going to USA otherwise will involve longer travel by several hours

Dave

 

[pauly7]

I cut up my Q rewards card in front of the ticketing booth yesterday and after this flight thats it.

if you book through a travel agent Qantas dont want to know you, book with Qantas and they say "you got a good fare so we will gouge you to change it" too bad so sad......

Lol... I would have paid to see such drama

Q rewards? Is that a new tier above WP? Or a new program completely!?!

And for the last point on TA's
V direct - Rubbish.

Sorry you had a bad flight.... Enjoy the alternatives... United *cough*, V or Delta....

 

[garee]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

[
I cut up my Q rewards card in front of the ticketing booth yesterday and after this flight thats it. I never like to complain because I "hope" it was just a 1 off......but alas it has just been too many times.....if you book through a travel agent Qantas dont want to know you, book with Qantas and they say "you got a good fare so we will gouge you to change it" too bad so sad......[/QUOTE]

What were you doing with scissors just prior to flying and what did you do with them?

 

[markis10]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

Could it be another one post wonder, given the mistakes with the post as far as terms go despite being a member for 10+ years and complaints of old aircraft on the very routes that have the newest aircraft in operation (both 747ER and A380), I wonder!

 

[munitalP]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

I wish the mods would delete these types of threads if the OP does not respond within a given time to questions posted.

If not for the great online and real friends I have within this community, the barrage of this typical bullsh!t from someone who has had a bad hair day would drive me away forever. Q Rewards card please! For someone who travels as much as the OP - 10 years+ with QF and other airlines, it says to me he/she has not learned a thing about travel. The comments regarding a TA making the bookings - rubbish as well - 90% of all of my flights are booked through a TA and Qantas treat me no different than if I book over the web direct with QF.

Flying on the cheapest fares will also create inflexibility and extra charges if you want to change a booking, and I'm willing to bet my left nut that the OP is the type who would be trying to change at T -24 as well - I have experienced little pain with QF in the past changing INT bookings, just the standard booking fee, what is it, $30 or something, but never at less than T -24!

As pointed out also, the routes mentioned, QF fly their most modern fleet - what more can you ask for, does the OP want A330's for the long haul? Air China - you can have them, the last 3 companies I have worked for have Air China as no fly, along with Garuda and a couple of others...

Pft!!

munitalP

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

Now I dont wonder why i fly air china via Taipei to Canada most of the time now, clean planes, great food, great service and $50 to change my flight anytime I like...plus their fares are great.

You seem to have your choice of airlines mixed up - if you're flying via TPE you would be on China Airlines (CI) which is from Taiwan. Air China (CA) is from mainland China & a different airline altogether.

I cut up my Q rewards card in front of the ticketing booth yesterday and after this flight thats it. I never like to complain because I "hope" it was just a 1 off......but alas it has just been too many times.....

So.....you cut up your Woollies Everyday Rewards Card in front of a Qantas ticketing booth? You never like to complain? I find that hard to believe - your very first post with AFF is complaining, about what I'm not sure because you haven't been the slightest bit specific about anything.

What outcome were you hoping to achieve by this post?

if you book through a travel agent Qantas dont want to know you, book with Qantas and they say "you got a good fare so we will gouge you to change it" too bad so sad......

If you book through a travel agent and then ring the airline to change they will refer you back to the travel agent who did your booking. Why didn't you go back to the travel agent to change your booking anyway?

If you want to deal direct with the airline when changing your booking buy the ticket direct from the airline to begin with.

It's a fact of life that often the cheaper the fare, the more restrictive the conditions such as change fees. You need to read the conditions of the fare thoroughly in particular the cost of any change fees before you pay for your ticket. :!:

If the fees are too much then you have the option of either or selecting a higher fare that might have cheaper fees for changing or choose a different airline who has cheaper change fees. You could even get all your 'ducks in a row' and ensure you have the correct dates to begin with so you don't need to change. :idea:

It's worth noting that if you book through a travel agent that they usually have their own service fees should you change a booking on top of what the airline charges. :arrow:

 

[markis10]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

Are referring to China Airlines rather than CA? If not can you elaborate on what safety concerns you or your company has? Thanks!

Air China often use flight crew that cannot speak English and have an interpreter on board that is not an aviation specialist (this has been a factor in some minor overseas incidents as well as in Australia ) while the safety record of China Air speaks volumes, AFAIK both Air China and China Air are mutually inclusive when it comes to many western company no fly lists although if it was ranked the Taiwanese carrier would I suspect be closer to the number 1 position.

 

[mosanator]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

10+ flying QF and all those trips!
Mmmm might be a WP.(with special emphasis in the W for this guy)

Not going to fly with QF anymore?

OK, Bye now.......one less WP I need to struggle against for good seat options !!!!!

Anymore "experienced" travelers got their scissors handy?

 

[drron]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

The main problem if travelling to USA from east coast of Australia, there are not a lot of options for carriers to USA without taking indirect routings. if going business class, UA is a nice option for non stop to USA with horizontal flat beds ; only drawback is that the meal offerings are actually worse than Qantas's . After that there is DL or V Australia but not much else to continental USA

Going to USA otherwise will involve longer travel by several hours

Dave

Unless travelling to the East coast of the USA.I have preferred the BNE-NRT-JFK route rather than BNE-LAX-JFK option.Both are 1 stop,1 change of planes and I prefer NRT to change.2 hours longer to JFK,6 coming back but you arrive into JFK or BNE at the same time so some extra Flounging
Of course this will change in October when JAL leaves BNE.

 

[drewbles]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

10+ flying QF and all those trips!
Mmmm might be a WP.(with special emphasis in the W for this guy)

Not going to fly with QF anymore?

OK, Bye now.......one less WP I need to struggle against for good seat options !!!!!

Anymore "experienced" travelers got their scissors handy?

Based on the fact the OP called it a 'Q Rewards Card' I'd hazard a guess to say he's NB. 3 return trips in discount whY won't even give you silver (90SC's for a return trip from east coast to LAX/SFO, and 110 if MEL/BNE via SYD out).

If he think that's a frequent flyer, he's sadly mistaken.

Welcome to AFF btw, but I seriously doubt you'll ever be back to post. If you do, perhaps hang around, learn and keep an open mind. We're a community of people with travel knowledge that you might find useful to use rather than 'not complaining often'.

 

[mannej]

Just curious what happened yesterday as it never got mentioned in the op.

I have just checked the QF website, and there are only 3 types of fares that'll attract a hefty change fee, those being a sale fare, j sale and a j saver fare, the rest are a $60 change fee.

As for the TA comment, most airlines are the same. Even for simple things such as selecting seats I got asked to refer back to my TA

Sorry but you can't have a cheap fare and flexibility in this industry...


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

If he think that's a frequent flyer, he's sadly mistaken.

QF may not class that as much as a frequent flyer but many other programmes would. QF is more a frequent spender programme which is seriusly tilted towards those that purchase expensive tickets ( such as how a 1st class passenger gets 6 times as many points towards status as a discount economy traveller )

3 r/ts a year on UA and that would put someone very likely to be able to be in at the middle tier ( c.f. QF Gold / AA Platinum ) with lounge access et al ( mininum earining would be 45,000 of the 50000 needed )

Dave

 

[extracta]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

I would love to fly QANTAS but everytime I start doing the research on an upcoming flight I find that QANTAS are more expensive, have tighter ticketing restrictions and the frequent flyer program is not as good as others.

For instance on some airlines if you want to upgrade Y to J using points it is not a problem. From what I have read on this forum if you want to do the same with QANTAS you have to go into a lucky dip.

I wouldn't mind paying a bit extra to fly QANTAS but in many cases it is many hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The ability to upgrade on request needs to be there as well.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

One must really be fired up to make their first post at 0222. Did someone break the golden rule of posting when a) angry or b) p!ssed or even c) both of the above.

Still trying to figure out what effect cutting up an EDR card in front of a QF ticketing booth would have on either the booth or on the person in the booth if indeed there was one in it at the time.

What would happen if you cut your QF FF card in front of a Woollies checkout chick?

Don't forget to give your Fly Buys card to CI checkin when you checkin for your flight to TPE (enroute to LAX of course).

Miaow! I'm thirsty can someone get me a saucer of milk

 

[Siegfried]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

I would love to fly QANTAS but everytime I start doing the research on an upcoming flight I find that QANTAS are more expensive, have tighter ticketing restrictions and the frequent flyer program is not as good as others.

For instance on some airlines if you want to upgrade Y to J using points it is not a problem. From what I have read on this forum if you want to do the same with QANTAS you have to go into a lucky dip.

I wouldn't mind paying a bit extra to fly QANTAS but in many cases it is many hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The ability to upgrade on request needs to be there as well.

I think that you will find that the ability to upgrade on request is the same for Qantas as for other airlines - i.e. subject to availability, and in order of priority determined by FF status.

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

I think that you will find that the ability to upgrade on request is the same for Qantas as for other airlines - i.e. subject to availability, and in order of priority determined by FF status.

You think incorrectly. When upgrading on , say , AA, UA, BA or EK ( picking just a few ) , upgrade can be confirmed at time of booking as long as there is availability in the booking class. QF is very much the odd one out with the very poor ( and very expensive in points) upgrade lottery scheme

On AA, for example, if wanting to upgrade LHR-HNL, if there is no availability in the upgrade class ( C for business and A for 1st ) only then does a waitlist come into play at which point fare paid (Y + B trump discount requests) followed by status comes into play.

Not all carriers offer a waitlist, some it is either available or not. If it is not available then just need to keep checking ( or use an expert flyer alert or simialr ) to find when inventory becomes available.

Dave

 

[reflector]

Re: im sorry Qantas but you really have gone downhill... why? I loved Qantas for so l

After flying back and forth from USA/Canada 3-5times a year with various airlines

You know they're connected right? You could probably drive... but that's your decision

I think this last trip with Qantas is my last.

Well yes, by definition... your last is your last...

I remember flying with Canada airlines 10 years ago, the planes were old and dirty, service was bad...... Now I see exactly the same thing with Qantas. I have been a frequent flyer with Qantas for over 10 years however it has never been of any help, my meals are still screwed up (unless I remind everyone at least once) and the in-flexability is terrible.

If the inflexibility (note spelling) is terrible, that means that their flexibility must be great! I have to agree with you Cultusking, I've always found Qantas very flexible also.

Now I dont wonder why i fly air china via Taipei to Canada most of the time now, clean planes, great food, great service and $50 to change my flight anytime I like...plus their fares are great.

Ooh that almost looks like advertising... I wonder...

I cut up my Q rewards card in front of the ticketing booth yesterday and after this flight thats it.

Yesterday? So you made a special trip to the airport the day before your flight to cut up your woolies rewards card? Or was this a ticketing booth somewhere else? (eg. dodgem cars)

I never like to complain because I "hope" it was just a 1 off......but alas it has just been too many times.....

So you expected Qantas to read your mind to be aware of your dissatisfaction? If you have issues and you make no attempt to resolve them with the company, but then expect them to fix the issues you haven't told them about... then you sir, are quite possible insane.

if you book through a travel agent Qantas dont want to know you, book with Qantas and they say "you got a good fare so we will gouge you to change it" too bad so sad......

Pretty sure I've never heard anyone from Qantas say the words marked in quotation marks, but I could easily be wrong on that...

OP I'd be very surprised if you're not a troll, or someone with some sort of vested interest, poorly attempting black PR using social media. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
-Kind Regards, Reflector