Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Captain Halliday]

Would appreciate advice from the brains trust on reaching an acceptable resolution to this scenario please.

As outlined here, I had a fully ticketed Oneworld Classic Flight Award for 3 pax.

Hoping to remove a 36 hour stopover in TYO, I requested seat release on QF metal ex. LHR or CDG for flights back to Australia. Both were declined. However the agent made an error by adding an "auto cancel" to the booking.

About a week later the whole trip disappeared.

QF requested the other Oneworld airlines reinstate the seats. Two agreed, but BA declined on YVRxLHR-MUC.

I have deliberately tried to be constructive with QF on this one and have proposed some solutions via the escalations email.

First, I found alternative routing with award inventory YVRxLHR-VIE. This would mean cutting our time in Vancouver from 4 days to 2. It would also mean serval changes (additional time and cost) to our plans in Germany and Austria. I put this option to QF as being acceptable if we could get a later return from Europe on QF via LHR or CDG.

QF said no seats were available for release, despite available inventory in I class. In any case I was suggesting QF convert revenue seats because it was a QF stuff up.

I also proposed QF purchase J revenue seats from BA on the original YVRxLHR-MUC to reinstate our original itinerary. I had no response on this.

Instead, QF has made a second attempt to have BA reinstate the original seats. It's now been a week since that request to BA and I've heard nothing further.

Any suggestions for how to progress this with QF so that the whole trip is not lost?

An update on this scenario.

Tomorrow will be six weeks since I discovered a QF agent had accidentally cancelled our entire Oneworld Classic Flight Award and still no acceptable resolution from QF.

They say BA has twice refused to make our original flights available.

QF has refused to acknowledged two separate emails requesting QF purchase 3xJ seats for the relevant BA flights and reinstate our original routing.

The have also refused my proposed solution which was a later return from Europe (requiring seats on QF metal). This would allow us to make changes to our on-ground plans in Europe and at least make going into VIE more achievable for us logistically.

I should also have noted in my earlier post that the involuntary re-route to VIE requires us to travel on Christmas day (original booking was 27th). I'm really not thrilled about this and would prefer Christmas day to be family time, not airport chaos.

The latest QF response effectively asks me to tally up the cost of changing the accommodation and they'll "...look at recovery options".

The reward ticketing escalations staff member I'm dealing with is either unwilling, or lacks the authority to resolve this case.

A couple of questions:
1. I'm yet to go down the formal complaint path, or write to a senior executive. Before I do one or both of these, any suggestions on how else to approach this with Qantas?

2. If I go through the exercise of tallying actual cost of the change including cancelled accomm, onward trains etc... what sort of compensation in either dollars or points do others consider reasonable for both sacrificing Christmas day, and the overall stuff-up and hassle QF has caused?

 

[Mr_Tee]

An update on this scenario.

Tomorrow will be six weeks since I discovered a QF agent had accidentally cancelled our entire Oneworld Classic Flight Award and still no acceptable resolution from QF.

They say BA has twice refused to make our original flights available.

QF has refused to acknowledged two separate emails requesting QF purchase 3xJ seats for the relevant BA flights and reinstate our original routing.

The have also refused my proposed solution which was a later return from Europe (requiring seats on QF metal). This would allow us to make changes to our on-ground plans in Europe and at least make going into VIE more achievable for us logistically.

I should also have noted in my earlier post that the involuntary re-route to VIE requires us to travel on Christmas day (original booking was 27th). I'm really not thrilled about this and would prefer Christmas day to be family time, not airport chaos.

The latest QF response effectively asks me to tally up the cost of changing the accommodation and they'll "...look at recovery options".

The reward ticketing escalations staff member I'm dealing with is either unwilling, or lacks the authority to resolve this case.

A couple of questions:
1. I'm yet to go down the formal complaint path, or write to a senior executive. Before I do one or both of these, any suggestions on how else to approach this with Qantas?

2. If I go through the exercise of tallying actual cost of the change including cancelled accomm, onward trains etc... what sort of compensation in either dollars or points do others consider reasonable for both sacrificing Christmas day, and the overall stuff-up and hassle QF has caused?

In relation to your question 1, I have no experience with a situation like this but I would have thought that after 6 weeks it is well due for serious escalation.

In relation to your question 2, surely if you have outlaid hard cash for accommodation, trains etc you would want hard cash as compensation rather than some points amount? I'd never accept points as compensation for something like this. The compensation needs to include any additional costs that you would incur when re-booking these other activities etc. You should not be out of pocket at any point in the process.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

In relation to your question 1, I have no experience with a situation like this but I would have thought that after 6 weeks it is well due for serious escalation.

In relation to your question 2, surely if you have outlaid hard cash for accommodation, trains etc you would want hard cash as compensation rather than some points amount? I'd never accept points as compensation for something like this. The compensation needs to include any additional costs that you would incur when re-booking these other activities etc. You should not be out of pocket at any point in the process.

I think the question was that in addition to the actual costs, how much should be requested for the stress and disruption… ie ‘compensation’.

I think that’s a different issue.

I’d focus on actual costs first, then ask for compensation. I fear the latter may fail.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I think the question was that in addition to the actual costs, how much should be requested for the stress and disruption… ie ‘compensation’.

I think that’s a different issue.

I’d focus on actual costs first, then ask for compensation. I fear the latter may fail.

Correct.

I expect not to be out of pockets I will be very firm on that.

But Q2 is really… for the hassle, having to make a multitude of changes, more than six weeks of uncertainty about the trip, cutting short our time in Canada, having to travel Christmas Day rather than spend quality time with family, what might be a reasonable level of compensation to propose.

 

[elanshin]

Correct.

I expect not to be out of pockets I will be very firm on that.

But Q2 is really… for the hassle, having to make a multitude of changes, more than six weeks of uncertainty about the trip, cutting short our time in Canada, having to travel Christmas Day rather than spend quality time with family, what might be a reasonable level of compensation to propose.

Have you tried calling and asking directly for supervisors just out of curiosity? I know you have someone on the rewards escalation team, but this sounds very much like someone that's authority stuck as well.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Have you tried calling and asking directly for supervisors just out of curiosity? I know you have someone on the rewards escalation team, but this sounds very much like someone that's authority stuck as well.

No. I assumed it would be supervisors handling the award ticket escalations.

Might be worth a shot.

Good thought. Thanks.

 

[05flyer]

Correct.

I expect not to be out of pockets I will be very firm on that.

But Q2 is really… for the hassle, having to make a multitude of changes, more than six weeks of uncertainty about the trip, cutting short our time in Canada, having to travel Christmas Day rather than spend quality time with family, what might be a reasonable level of compensation to propose.

AFFers (myself included) have received 10,000 points as compensation for far less hassle and inconvenience in the past, so would treat that as an absolute baseline.

But from what you've been through with customer support, that amount probably doesn't come even close to what's actually reasonable here.

FWIW, I think you'll have an easier time getting points-based compensation rather than monetary compensation. But if you are after monetary comp, it'd be important to reiterate that this situation has arisen entirely due to their agent's error, and that your travel insurance (I assume?) doesn't cover that.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Correct.

I expect not to be out of pockets I will be very firm on that.

But Q2 is really… for the hassle, having to make a multitude of changes, more than six weeks of uncertainty about the trip, cutting short our time in Canada, having to travel Christmas Day rather than spend quality time with family, what might be a reasonable level of compensation to propose.

i would focus on the actual out of pocket first. The loss of enjoyment comes later. If you tie the two together you may delay both.

Some have also had success using social media channels to get a resolution.

There’s the call centre, then the award escalations email address, and also the messenger or facebook or whichever it is.

There should be no issue for QF to create award seats on their own aircraft for you to help fix the problem. Getting BA to release the seats again is out of QF’s control, but they have offered to recompense those?

I guess the final step is to file a case with NCAT/VCAT or equivalent in your state. You could pick the flights you want to fix the reticket, avoiding travel on christmas day for example. But there’s always a chamce you may not be successful at the tribunal.