Qantas and paid exit row seats that keep getting removed from booking

[Rapunzel]

Hi All

I new to this forum but have been reading posts for the last year. Just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to deal with exit row seat issues. I booked and paid for exit row seats for my husband and I when I booked our flight to HNL last year. We have made no changes to the booking since this time yet Qantas has had an aircraft change and also time changes. Every time this happens we get kicked out of our exit row seats and get told they can't do anything about it. This has happened again today due to a time change on the SYD-HNL flight. Unlike previous times where I have eventually been able to resolve the issue I have been told there is nothing that can be done as they have now sold the seats to others and they can't refund us because they have 'lost' the details in the change despite the fact that I can provide the receipt for the exit row booking. Is there anyone I can speak to at Qantas to resolve this issue? It seems ridiculous that within 45 minutes of getting a notification that our flight times have changed suddenly our seating has disappeared.

Very disappointed with Qantas and question whether I should even continue to bother with my loyalty with this brand it seems to be constantly getting worse.

 

[blackcat20]

Our seats didnt change at all with the time change. Can you call again and ask to speak to a manager?

 

[Rapunzel]

I was surprised that mine did. I did speak to the "manager" on the phone. I asked if there was someone higher and told that there was no one else that I could speak to, hence my post

 

[lathiat]

Reality is probably they can't get you the exit seat any more - it's sold - total fail but what can you do.

However not being able to give a refund is a total joke. I would call again and escalate again.

 

[eminere]

Worse come to worst initiate a chargeback through your credit card company.

 

[eastwest101]

Worse come to worst initiate a chargeback through your credit card company.

Something to consider but its the "nuclear option" of consumer complaints, if the OP understanding of the situation is correct then Qantas are refusing to refund a fee for a service that is paid for but Qantas is unable to provide. Thats illegal and refusing to refund is also illegal. I would think that eventually consumer law will mean that the OP would eventually win that battle, but sounds like it will be an expensive PITA to get that win, either through Qantas changing their attitude or through some sort of intervention by the relevant state based consumer affairs authority. You would want to have another confirmed booking on different airline and hope that prices for flights on the days you want to travel have not risen and are available before you pushed the button on chargeback through your credit card company.

Maybe before going the nuclear option there is merit in one last try of the hang up and call again method in the hope that the OP gets a QF staff member whom can sort this out? Will be interested to hear back from the OP to find out how this is resolved.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Qantas will provide a refund for the seats, but they say they will only do so after the departure of the flight. Whether this is legally correct is one issue, and it's an option for the OP to escalate it if they really want. However - if the OP is willing to wait there is no doubt the money will come eventually. Might be the path of least resistance. Seat Selection Conditions | Qantas

 

[JohnK]

Very poor and simply not good enough.

Op-up to business would be acceptable for the inconvenience caused. Over the top? Not at all. Qantas might think about this stupid glitch and stop inconveniencing valuable customers.

 

[mviy]

Op-up to business would be acceptable for the inconvenience caused.

To get results like that one would probably need stronger regulation and free seats in business not taken by upgrades.

 

[travelislife]

Just contact consumer affairs. They are usually very helpful in situations where payment has been made but product not delivered.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Qantas will provide a refund for the seats, but they say they will only do so after the departure of the flight. Whether this is legally correct is one issue, and it's an option for the OP to escalate it if they really want. However - if the OP is willing to wait there is no doubt the money will come eventually. Might be the path of least resistance. Seat Selection Conditions | Qantas

Given they have told the OP that they have no record of the payment, I wouldn't be so sure. I would be putting an irate comment on their Facebook page and contacting consumer affairs.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Given they have told the OP that they have no record of the payment, I wouldn't be so sure.

The OP has receipt and proof of payment. That will be enough.

 

[Flying mermaid]

The OP has receipt and proof of payment. That will be enough.

yes definitely enough. However it is the belief that the payment will just come without further chasing that I doubt. You might be right and it will just flow, but given they have already been told there is no record, I think it won't without some proactive hassling. When Ms FM missed her flight from Syd-akl because of tech problems with the plane from cbr-Syd and she ended up flying Y to AKL instead of J, she was told there would be a refund and it never turned up and I couldn't be bothered chasing, so I am afraid I am a bit doubtful if refunds that just happen.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

yes definitely enough. However it is the belief that the payment will just come without further chasing that I doubt. You might be right and it will just flow, but given they have already been told there is no record, I think it won't without some proactive hassling. When Ms FM missed her flight from Syd-akl because of tech problems with the plane from cbr-Syd and she ended up flying Y to AKL instead of J, she was told there would be a refund and it never turned up and I couldn't be bothered chasing, so I am afraid I am a bit doubtful if refunds that just happen.

As per the link, the OP needs to submit a request for a refund after the flight has taken place (the link opens a form for that purpose).

 

[Flying mermaid]

As per the link, the OP needs to submit a request for a refund after the flight has taken place (the link opens a form for that purpose).

I have read it now and yes you are right - under the terms and conditions they won't give you the refund until after the plane has departed, so even if they recognised now that they owed the money they wouldn't refund it.

Just amazing how badly passengers are treated by airlines - they can take your seat away from you that you have paid for and you have no right to get the money back for possibly many months! Wish I could have run a business like this! (Well no I don't because I believed in ethical practices!)

 

[juddles]

Very poor and simply not good enough.

Op-up to business would be acceptable for the inconvenience caused. Over the top? Not at all. Qantas might think about this stupid glitch and stop inconveniencing valuable customers.

Completely over-the-top. I think that to describe the pain caused (to both pax and the airline) by a required change of aircraft as a "glitch" is truly trivializing the matter. if it were so simple then it would be fixed. Please name an airline that does not have similar issues?

I understand the frustration of the OP, but to suggest things like a multi-1000 dollar upgrade for such an issue is not just unrealistic, but misleading to the OP

 

[juddles]

....Very disappointed with Qantas and question whether I should even continue to bother with my loyalty with this brand it seems to be constantly getting worse.....

I understand the pain that this issue has caused. But I suspect that overall qantas gives you a better deal than almost any other - try them!

In general I feel that airlines are amazingly reliable given the issues they face. I can't even get an electrician to appear on a given day next week, yet my flight next year will almost certainly be on time.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

...and you have no right to get the money back for possibly many months! Wish I could have run a business like this! (Well no I don't because I believed in ethical practices!)

While QF 'says' it won't refund the money until after departure I don't know whether that meets consumer protection requirements. I'm not sure a company can withhold a refund like that.

Please name an airline that does not have similar issues?

I haven't heard of SQ or UA kicking pax out of paid upgraded seats (such as exit rows or economy plus). Not even heard of it on CX where exits are free for status members.

In general I feel that airlines are amazingly reliable given the issues they face. I can't even get an electrician to appear on a given day next week, yet my flight next year will almost certainly be on time.

You may feel that way but the EU feels differently. The EU sees running an airline as just another business - with all the usual obligations around performance and reliability. Just because you fly planes doesn't mean you get to skip your contractual obligations without penalty. Yes 'stuff happens', but 'stuff happens' in all businesses - why should airlines have special dispensation?

It's true that many airlines get to operate in the 'little responsibility' environment, and Australians have almost no protections for downgrades, cancelled flights or overbooking. But that doesn't mean we should be proud of that, or be criticised for seeking a better system.

 

[greyyy]

I have read it now and yes you are right - under the terms and conditions they won't give you the refund until after the plane has departed, so even if they recognised now that they owed the money they wouldn't refund it.

Just amazing how badly passengers are treated by airlines - they can take your seat away from you that you have paid for and you have no right to get the money back for possibly many months! Wish I could have run a business like this! (Well no I don't because I believed in ethical practices!)

While QF 'says' it won't refund the money until after departure I don't know whether that meets consumer protection requirements. I'm not sure a company can withhold a refund like that.

IMHO as the flight hasn't happened yet, Qantas hasn't not delivered on what OP paid for, so there's no need to issue a refund yet. None of us know what's actually going on at Qantas, so there's still a chance that they can deliver.

Yeah, the seat shuffle around is annoying and if it's not just some random glitch they should know how to handle keeping these paid preferences when the aircraft changes. But I think people should just chill for a bit and then call Qantas out if/when they don't deliver.

 

[Flying mermaid]

IMHO as the flight hasn't happened yet, Qantas hasn't not delivered on what OP paid for, so there's no need to issue a refund yet. None of us know what's actually going on at Qantas, so there's still a chance that they can deliver.

Yeah, the seat shuffle around is annoying and if it's not just some random glitch they should know how to handle keeping these paid preferences when the aircraft changes. But I think people should just chill for a bit and then call Qantas out if/when they don't deliver.

ah yes - I used to be trusting as well - many poor outcomes later and my hackles rise very easily . Just hearing that the OP has been told they have no record of their payment makes me very unchilled..... I understand that seats aren't guaranteed (even when you have paid for first, it can be taken away, as happened to me), but I just think that if that happens they should have to refund your money straight away - why should they be able to hang onto it?

Your point presumably is that further down the track an exit row might become available, i.e. that it hasn't actually been lost. Seems the power is all with the airline - if they can't guarantee an exit row, they should have to offer the option of a refund now, or waiting until after the flight has departed just in case. should be the consumers choice.

When I booked a cruise and they stuffed up my cabin, under Australian consumer law they had to offer me the choice of a full refund, or a cheaper cabin, plus full refund of difference, plus various incentives. Very different outcome to what happens when airlines downgrade in Australia where we have no protection,