Qantas customer service - contact details needed [downgraded from PE]

[johny red tips]

Hi all,

i've just joined this site so hope I'm posting in the right forum.
Briefly my we and I (both Q Frequent Flyers) are booked Prem Economy flying from Singapore to Sydney. and Qantas have changed the plane to the Airbus which doesn't have Prem Economy. We have been downgraded into economy. I discovered this accidentally via my Travel Agent. Qantas haven't advised me of the change, let alone given me options to upgrade / change flights. I want to complain, but don't have an email address. Does anyone have an email address for someone senior enough to take any notice. If no email address then a name and title would be good. There are a few options on the website, but none of them appear to be the obvious one to write to.

Hope someone can help

Cheers

 

[opusman]

If you book through a travel agent then all contact is with them, not with Qantas, so this is to be expected.
You should be able to obtain a refund or a rebooking onto another flight, but again these are questions for your travel agent.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Welcome to the forum

Your flight is "owned" by the travel agent until you depart and all correspondence is via them. The TA would have been aware of these changes. Its on the QF-TA web site. Why use a TA for such a simple flight?

You need to sack your TA

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....yer-program/qantas-contact-details-54901.html

 

[mannej]

As others have mentioned, QF are following their procedures when notifying the TA instead of you.

It wasn't by accident and the response you will receive will suggest the same.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Let's start the betting....

My money is on flight center...

 

[Quickstatus]

Dont blame QF. You bought ticket via TA - your TA should have told you cos QF told them. I totally agree with The above remarks.

I book directly with QF. I have had many changes like yours. As i booked with QF, they email me giving me a chance to get a full refund or go with their change.

As i said via other posts, TA service levels are really not up to par with QF customer centre service levels

 

[serfty]

You are entitled to compensation at the very least:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....i-have-been-downgraded-58690.html#post1009589

 

[Quickstatus]

You will be entitled to either a full refund or a rebooking of flights without cost in the same class on another date on Qantas, or a refund of the difference between PE and Y

 

[moa999]

And given I believe all SIN flights have been moved to A330s, I don't think the OP will be able to find an alternate date in PE.

 

[dajop]

And given I believe all SIN flights have been moved to A330s, I don't think the OP will be able to find an alternate date in PE.

But with a refund may be able to rebook on BA in PE instead.

 

[Awesom Andy]

There should be a few options available, and your travel agent (and not Qantas) should have informed you of such. Generally speaking, the below should be available. They have been mentioned above but I'll add my 2 cents.

1. If you still want to fly on the same flight, Qantas will pay a compensation amount. It's worth finding out what this amount is as, depending on fare paid, booking classes, and current availability, it can become a good bargain that cannot be obtained for your travelling dates. Note that any compensation will be paid to the travel agent, and then the travel agent will reimburse you. This process can take weeks.

2. Depending on the travelling date, there may happen to be a 747 scheduled for QF52 to Brisbane. From there, you can connect to QF8, which also has premium economy. Assuming seats are available for the said flights (and that QF52 is indeed a 747 on that day), this should be an option as well.

3. There has been an offer of a paid upgrade to business class. Although noting that the seats used on the A330 are the old sloppy version "flat bed", with an entertainment screen smaller than what is offered on Singapore Airlines economy class, I don't think this has been a popular choice, not on this forum anyway.

4. A full refund can be taken, although similar to point 1, the money will be refunded via the travel agent, which can take weeks. You will also need to make a purchase on another available fare to travel on another airline of your choice, so you will be out of pocket for weeks, for what can be a rather substantial amount of money. If you choose this option, BA premium economy (world traveller plus) is of a similar standard, on a much newer plane.

 

[johny red tips]

Thanks for all the replies. to clarify a couple of points though:-

Why using a TA?: -Because I have a relatiionship with this particular TA going back years and he's good. This flight is 1 part of a larger holiday
I understand that Q will only deal with the TA rather than the passenger if booked through a TA .
My issue is that Q have arbitrarilly downgraded us, and yes, we can pay more to upgrade to business class, but I would have thought that long term FF's would have deserved the courtesy of being contacted direct as well as via the TA, and given the option of a definite upgrade to business using FF points. It's just another example of their recent woeful attitude to their customers.

Here endeth the rant

 

[mannej]

How is it woeful when they are only able to contact your TA as part of their procedures?

 

[Quickstatus]

Thanks for all the replies. to clarify a couple of points though:-

Why using a TA?: -Because I have a relatiionship with this particular TA going back years and he's good. This flight is 1 part of a larger holiday
I understand that Q will only deal with the TA rather than the passenger if booked through a TA .
My issue is that Q have arbitrarilly downgraded us, and yes, we can pay more to upgrade to business class, but I would have thought that long term FF's would have deserved the courtesy of being contacted direct as well as via the TA, and given the option of a definite upgrade to business using FF points. It's just another example of their recent woeful attitude to their customers.

Here endeth the rant

Most agree that if you have a good TA stick with them, just understand there are downsides too.

Q did not arbitrarily downgrade you. They changed the aircraft used on that route after you bought the ticket. That was not an arbitrary decison. Even if you are a high level FF, the transactional relationship is between Qf and your TA and then between TA and you. I'm unable see why you should be entitled to a definite upgrade with points. There is no such entitlement in the T&C of your ticket, or in the frequent flyer program.

Good news is that the AFF forum members will give you tips as above re rebooking a suitable flight.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Thanks for all the replies. to clarify a couple of points though:-

Why using a TA?: -Because I have a relatiionship with this particular TA going back years and he's good. This flight is 1 part of a larger holiday

I agree with Quickstatus. You need to understand there are downsides.
For example: I've been booked on paid First class on & Platinum One at the same time and Qantas still insisted things needed to go through the TA - even though it seemed simple enough to do right there and then.

Yeah sure Qantas should put a note in your FF account, but your TA failed to advise you. Keeping in mind it's in your TA financial interests to not tell you... (until it's too late and they come to 'save the day' by getting you that last seat on Singapore airlines because 'Qantas screwed up').

Buyer beware.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Rarely do I use an agent. Even good ones have bad days. In my direct dealings with Qantas virgin cathay American etc they all have been very efficient with changes with ample notification times given the circumstances.

Given the enthusiasm on this site I wouldn't be surprised if members knew of changes before the airlines!!!