Qantas Chauffeur service - General Questions/Advice

[Buzzard]

It is a shame Qantas only do this on QF1/2/9/10

A bit OT but I wonder if I can get EK to come to the party as I fly CX J ADL-HKG connecting with EK F HKG-DXB-MAD later this year.

 

[tallboy]

Qantas live chat help guy tells me I should be eligible and that the link won't appear until 7 days prior to but I'm not sure I've seen a 7 day rule anywhere.

IME this is incorrect. I have a J booking for late March and my link came up immediately after the flights were ticketed, in January.

As far as I recall, this has always been the case. If your flights are ticketed, the link should be active.

tb

 

[kermatu]

The 7 days only applies to Selecting your meal option as far as I'm aware. Not great advice from the chat help system. Probably shouldn't be surprised.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Qantas live chat help guy tells me I should be eligible and that the link won't appear until 7 days prior to travel but I'm not sure I've seen a 7 day rule anywhere.

If so, that's new. It used to appear on MMB pretty much as soon as you booked the ticket.

Ring them and tell them it's not showing for you and they can enter it for you.

 

[Pushka]

Qantas live chat help guy tells me I should be eligible and that the link won't appear until 7 days prior to travel but I'm not sure I've seen a 7 day rule anywhere.

We booked ours months out. Isn't there the option that says 'check if you are eligible for a chauffeur service'? On the MMB page.

 

[vertisol]

We booked ours months out. Isn't there the option that says 'check if you are eligible for a chauffeur service'? On the MMB page.

Belated update on this.

Seems that QBT hadn't ticketed the flight yet so until that happened CD wasn't an option. But now it is.

 

[rogerkambah]

It is a shame Qantas only do this on QF1/2/9/10

A bit OT but I wonder if I can get EK to come to the party as I fly CX J ADL-HKG connecting with EK F HKG-DXB-MAD later this year.

I would think you could as your connecting flight is J. Had a similar situation a couple of years ago where I was informed that if our connecting flight CBR-SYD, for EK SYD-BKK (J), had been booked in J we could have had CD in CBR. However there are only a few CBR-SYD flights with J and unfortunately ours wasn't one of them. We could have had CD though from SYD (Dom) to SYD (Int).

 

[Pushka]

Belated update on this.

Seems that QBT hadn't ticketed the flight yet so until that happened CD wasn't an option. But now it is.

That's interesting. Might be a good check to see that ticketing has occurred. I had a similar issue recently.

 

[Tatou]

Can someone tell me the email address to query Qantas why a chauffeur was not available despite being booked and showing as being booked. Did a return J flight from Wgtn to LHr via Melbourne and Dubai. Got a chauffeur in Wellington and London on out flight and had one booked and confirmed for Wellington to home on return flight. Flight left Melbourne 15 mins late and arrived 15mins late in Wellington. NO sign of a driver. Waited around for 10 mins and then got a cab.

 

[flychrisfly]

Can someone tell me the email address to query Qantas why a chauffeur was not available despite being booked and showing as being booked. Did a return J flight from Wgtn to LHr via Melbourne and Dubai. Got a chauffeur in Wellington and London on out flight and had one booked and confirmed for Wellington to home on return flight. Flight left Melbourne 15 mins late and arrived 15mins late in Wellington. NO sign of a driver. Waited around for 10 mins and then got a cab.

You should've called them then and there. They can often arrange something straight away.
But I don't know the email address- there is an online form somewhere on the website.

 

[Danger]

Can someone tell me the email address to query Qantas why a chauffeur was not available despite being booked and showing as being booked. Did a return J flight from Wgtn to LHr via Melbourne and Dubai. Got a chauffeur in Wellington and London on out flight and had one booked and confirmed for Wellington to home on return flight. Flight left Melbourne 15 mins late and arrived 15mins late in Wellington. NO sign of a driver. Waited around for 10 mins and then got a cab.

Just the generic address: [email protected].

 

[katiebell]

Can someone tell me the email address to query Qantas why a chauffeur was not available despite being booked and showing as being booked. Did a return J flight from Wgtn to LHr via Melbourne and Dubai. Got a chauffeur in Wellington and London on out flight and had one booked and confirmed for Wellington to home on return flight. Flight left Melbourne 15 mins late and arrived 15mins late in Wellington. NO sign of a driver. Waited around for 10 mins and then got a cab.

I was delayed airside last year and the dirver did not wait. He was meant to call the local Qantas ground team to confirm I was no the flight but di not. I missed a call bu could not answer it as this is not permitted airside (and hrte man ahead of me had just been told off for using his phone, accompanied by threats if he did not stop immediately). It look 2 hours to get another car...

I recently checked that I would not have a problem this time. My TA was told that the driver only waits for one hour. If it takes longer then he is free to go or to negotiate a private transfer with the pax. In other words the chauffeur drive counts for nothing if there are unavoidable delays airside. It might be better if this did not exist and the cost was taken off the airfare. At least there would then be no uncertaintly about whether or not the service will materialise.

 

[pagingjoan]

I was delayed airside last year and the dirver did not wait. He was meant to call the local Qantas ground team to confirm I was no the flight but di not. I missed a call bu could not answer it as this is not permitted airside (and hrte man ahead of me had just been told off for using his phone, accompanied by threats if he did not stop immediately). It look 2 hours to get another car...

I recently checked that I would not have a problem this time. My TA was told that the driver only waits for one hour. If it takes longer then he is free to go or to negotiate a private transfer with the pax. In other words the chauffeur drive counts for nothing if there are unavoidable delays airside. It might be better if this did not exist and the cost was taken off the airfare. At least there would then be no uncertaintly about whether or not the service will materialise.

As I recall, you made that suggestion a year or so ago, katiebell, and I was appalled then - as I am now. The CD service is a valuable benefit for many of us and is greatly appreciated.

I understand that it must have been frustrating and inconvenient the time that it failed for you. But, on the plus side, there have been countless hassle free benefits for so many of us. Long may it continue.

(By the way, I admire your optimism but doubt that the fares would be reduced were the service to be discontinued.)

 

[Pushka]

I've been lucky I guess. It's been seamless for me in Adelaide (multi times); Dubai twice, Bangkok and Singapore.

 

[katiebell]

As I recall, you made that suggestion a year or so ago, katiebell, and I was appalled then - as I am now. The CD service is a valuable benefit for many of us and is greatly appreciated.

I understand that it must have been frustrating and inconvenient the time that it failed for you. But, on the plus side, there have been countless hassle free benefits for so many of us. Long may it continue.

(By the way, I admire your optimism but doubt that the fares would be reduced were the service to be discontinued.)

I'm not suggesting thsgt it should stop if they can do it properly and that is the nub of the argument. It would be better not to have a CD than to have one that is not reliable. I like to arrive knowing that my onward travel is sorted out and not be wondering if I will have to look for alternative arrangements. As long delays in Australian ports are not unusual the CD service needs to take this into account

 

[pagingjoan]

I'm not suggesting thsgt it should stop if they can do it properly and that is the nub of the argument. It would be better not to have a CD than to have one that is not reliable. I like to arrive knowing that my onward travel is sorted out and not be wondering if I will have to look for alternative arrangements. As long delays in Australian ports are not unusual the CD service needs to take this into account

And I am not downplaying your experience, of course - but in my own experience, arrival delays have always been accommodated.

As I think about it, there has been at least one occasion where a connecting flight has been missed, and I asked that the CD service be advised of the new arrival details. That, too, was handled smoothly and with no problems.

 

[Princess Fiona]

And I am not downplaying your experience, of course - but in my own experience, arrival delays have always been accommodated.

As I think about it, there has been at least one occasion where a connecting flight has been missed, and I asked that the CD service be advised of the new arrival details. That, too, was handled smoothly and with no problems.

Same PJ. No issues for me with delays and CD.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I've been lucky I guess. It's been seamless for me in Adelaide (multi times); Dubai twice, Bangkok and Singapore.

Or katiebell has been unlucky. Seems to be a recurring problem for the OP and their experiences with QF.

 

[katiebell]

And I am not downplaying your experience, of course - but in my own experience, arrival delays have always been accommodated.

As I think about it, there has been at least one occasion where a connecting flight has been missed, and I asked that the CD service be advised of the new arrival details. That, too, was handled smoothly and with no problems.

Delayd arrival is not a problem I agree. It is delays after landing that are the problem. The current T&C state that CD will only wait for 1 hour after the actual arrival time and then they are free to go or you can arrange and pay for a private tranzfer with the driver. QF did not manage to explain how this can be done when using phones in the customs halls of many airports is banned (I have seen pax beong told off for ignoring this).

 

[pagingjoan]

Delayd arrival is not a problem I agree. It is delays after landing that are the problem. The current T&C state that CD will only wait for 1 hour after the actual arrival time and then they are free to go or you can arrange and pay for a private tranzfer with the driver. QF did not manage to explain how this can be done when using phones in the customs halls of many airports is banned (I have seen pax beong told off for ignoring this).

Could you provide a link, please?

I know that for CD to the airport, the provision is that the driver is required to wait only 15 minutes after the appointed time and may then advise that he/she will be reallocated. (In my experience, they invariably arrive early - but have no problem in waiting until the scheduled time.)

However, I have not seen anything relating to the time a driver will wait after the booked time for a CD meeting an arriving flight. Even with delays in baggage delivery, I've not experienced a problem in those circumstances at any airport where CD is offered.

Are you reporting that this is a recent change to the T&Cs?