Points upgrade granted, then rescinded at the gate

[mannej]

seems that qantas cant get much right in customer relations recently,

ironic how every situation like this ends up with the customer being out of pocket financially and convenience wise, without fail

where common sense does not seem to have any presence

So tell me how was the OP out of pocket financially in this situation?

 

[SOPOOR]

So tell me how was the OP out of pocket financially in this situation?

oops, should have said financially OR convenience wise

I was referring to the refunding the differnece between business class and highest economy price difference for downgraded customers

 

[Villa1958]

I had a similar situation to pugwombat. Received a text advising that upgrade Syd to Auckland was granted and when I went to check in, a supervisor approached me to advise there was a mistake. Because I had arrived early, they advised they could upgrade us to an earlier flight, which we did not mind, but had to check in immediately. They rushed us through customs and we boarded almost immediately.
If you a close to becoming Platinum, it was a poor way to treat you.

 

[leadman]

A little bit different but goes on the comment "that LAX only has the authority to upgrade", a few years ago when they had the good D class tickets to the States with the 6 free legs, there was a number of times when i changed my itinerary, (which is frequent), that I would call QF in MEL and they could see free seats in business but they were listed as J. MEL told me numerous times it was up to LAX to release and i knew that they flew back unreleased or used for upgrades at the gate (who knows!).

Many times i didn't mind as LAX is not a bad place to relax after a hectic technical trip for a day or two and i was working for a company then so you had the prefect, supportable excuse (read reason) of staying away another day.

 

[BAM1748]

That is pretty coughpy treatment, overbooking perhaps, JFK and LAX offering upgrades at the same time?

 

[agentgerko]

Really sick of the offhanded way airlines treat customers these days. It's almost impossible to even get a phone number for assistance that's not just a foreign callcentre. Remember when every airline had a downtown office, in Sydney mostly scattered around Wynyard? We need an Airline Ombudsman, with real teeth, who is able to process complaints against all airlines and not just Aussie airlines as with the Airline Advocate. I reckon within six months they'd make the Telecommunications Ombudsman and the Financial Services Ombudsman look like small fry in terms of complaints received.

 

[downloadingdata]

Out of curiosity, how much did you pay for the econ flex? Would have though purchasing W outright would have been better value and better chance for upgrade.

 

[leadman]

Really sick of the offhanded way airlines treat customers these days. It's almost impossible to even get a phone number for assistance that's not just a foreign callcentre. Remember when every airline had a downtown office, in Sydney mostly scattered around Wynyard? We need an Airline Ombudsman, with real teeth, who is able to process complaints against all airlines and not just Aussie airlines as with the Airline Advocate. I reckon within six months they'd make the Telecommunications Ombudsman and the Financial Services Ombudsman look like small fry in terms of complaints received.

Now that is not a bad suggestion. Billions of $$$$ are spent each year, although the only problem i could see is I could imagine they would get hit with a lot of petty issues; i wanted a window, but i got an aisle, etc,. But has some merit.

 

[Tassieoptom]

I have been upgraded twice in my life without a request from myself. Ist time was final leg home from first OS trip and working in India, it was early 1990's, Qantas Hong Kong to Brisbane, and from Economy to Business. Was arranged after being paged to come to the desk. Not bad for a 21 year old Uni student in his final year. Second time was yesterday Virgin MEL-HBA and last leg of a multi leg run. Now i am platinum and do use business sporadically, but never on MEL-HBA, seems an over indulgence for such a short flight. This was discovered at boarding when my BP ran red, a quick search and a very surprised staffer said oh, you have been upgraded to business class, it must be because we have a full flight...It was full service and the only empty seats I could see were 3 in Business.

 

[Michael Greenwood]

Liam's experience and the lack of an official apology is a systemic example of the smarmy arrogance shown by too many Qantas staff. We expect it, that alone speaks to the effect of such a large minority who might be the love children of Aeroflot and the Gestapo. On general principles I choose an alternative whenever possible. Harsh? I hope so.

 

[eastwest101]

So tell me how was the OP out of pocket financially in this situation?

If the OP paid a seat selection fee then got upgraded and then downgraded back to Y and their originally selected seat had been taken then they would be out of pocket. There have been many threads where people have had trouble getting seat selection fees refunded when moved for various "operational"/change of aircraft etc reasons.

 

[juddles]

Liam's experience and the lack of an official apology is a systemic example of the smarmy arrogance shown by too many Qantas staff. We expect it, that alone speaks to the effect of such a large minority who might be the love children of Aeroflot and the Gestapo. On general principles I choose an alternative whenever possible. Harsh? I hope so.

Michael, two things, first up, what is a "large minority" in this case? And second, what do you mean you "choose an alternative"?

 

[mannej]

If the OP paid a seat selection fee then got upgraded and then downgraded back to Y and their originally selected seat had been taken then they would be out of pocket. There have been many threads where people have had trouble getting seat selection fees refunded when moved for various "operational"/change of aircraft etc reasons.

That is probably the only case where one may be out of pocket, however I don't recall there to be many threads discussing the difficulty in getting seat selection fees back. Maybe the odd one or two, but not many.

 

[BAM1748]

Liam's experience and the lack of an official apology is a systemic example of the smarmy arrogance shown by too many Qantas staff. We expect it, that alone speaks to the effect of such a large minority who might be the love children of Aeroflot and the Gestapo. On general principles I choose an alternative whenever possible. Harsh? I hope so.

You think Qantas is the only airline guilty of average treatment of passengers?

 

[Danielb56]

That sucks. And then to lose your pre selected seats. I’m sure someone here will chime in with answers to your questions.

I cannot give you an answer as I don't think anyone knows what the answer is...even Qantas. Probably some higher paying customer from LAX got priority and pushed everyone back. I don't believe anything Qantas tells me...I get better service from their partners - Emirates, Cathay etc than I do Qantas....and I'm a Gold member with them....

 

[ajw373]

seems that qantas cant get much right in customer relations recently,

ironic how every situation like this ends up with the customer being out of pocket financially and convenience wise, without fail

where common sense does not seem to have any presence

So what would have been the common sense thing here? The way I see it regardless of what did or didn’t go on someone would have had their nose out of joint.

 

[Henchy]

Wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. I am curious as to how/why this occurs.

I’d put in for a points upgrade (flex economy to business) on QF12 JFK-SYD on Wednesday. Checking in at JFK, no sight of upgrade. At the gate, the light flashes red and they give me a premium economy boarding pass for the LAX-SYD leg. Not ideal, but better than nothing.

Go to board in LAX, light flashes red, I’m thinking maybe they found a business seat. Instead, they say there was an error with the upgrade, and I’ve been re-allocated an economy seat. Of course, now that people are already getting on the plane, all that’s left is a middle seat. Not happy about that. Eventually they found me a bulkhead middle seat, so better, but would have rather the aisle non-bulkhead I chose weeks ago.

Not so friendly gate guy said only LAX has the authority to give an upgrade, so I should never have got one in the first place. Was very unfriendly and unhelpful about trying to find me a decent seat.

Any ideas how this would have happened? At no stage were the points taken from my account, but that has happened to me mid-journey before, so I am not sure that’s an indicator of much at all.

Wouldn't it have been any interesting exercise to have wandered around the plane and asked the occupier of your PE seat and the previous seat you had selected in economy and ask them just when they had got the seat and why, especially the PE person.

 

[CaptJCool]

This bunkum from the gate staff..... if an upgrade is approved a week before, do the gate staff pull that stunt?

The only way to maximise the guarantee of any class is to pay for it. Or the business pay...

When I was going to overseas work related conferences I received a professional allowance so I could expense the cost against the allowance. There is no ruling to cap the class or cost of the airfare so getting back 39% of a PE fare and later a J class (claimed only half seeing I took a holiday at the same time) was a beautiful thing.

 

[lwcarden]

Typical QANTAS - recently had to organise a flight for my husband interstate from hospital to hospital. Organised a carer and Flying Doctor's Ambulance to Tullamarine. Checked with both QANTAS and Virgin! QANTAS were hopeless - even though I told them the hospitals had organised the transfer, they would do nothing for me until they had medical certificates etc. Virgin were fantastic and bent over backwards to ensure that we were more than looked after and offered every assistance we could need!!

You can no longer count on QANTAS!!!!

 

[BAM1748]

Typical QANTAS - recently had to organise a flight for my husband interstate from hospital to hospital. Organised a carer and Flying Doctor's Ambulance to Tullamarine. Checked with both QANTAS and Virgin! QANTAS were hopeless - even though I told them the hospitals had organised the transfer, they would do nothing for me until they had medical certificates etc. Virgin were fantastic and bent over backwards to ensure that we were more than looked after and offered every assistance we could need!!

You can no longer count on QANTAS!!!!

That's where it's subjective, you can't count on them but I can.