Qantas Kiosk Users Be Aware, You could End Up in Jail

[rsjsyd]

On the 29th of December 2006 as I was attempting to check in for a Qantas Flight on a full fare ticket for work and I was using one of their Kiosk's I couldn't make it work so I went to the baggage counter and ask to check in manually. They refused and I was told I had to use the Kiosk and they worked for every one else so it must be me and I needed to learn how to use a computer sooner or later(They didn't know I am a computer consultant). I went back and attempted to use another kiosk. No Luck and the Qantas staff still wouldn't help. On the third Kiosk when taping the screen the glass broke, I suspect a defect in the glass however now the Qantas staff were all over me. The glass on the Qantas Kiosk's is plane light weight thin window glass and not shatter proof as it should be. They called the police and filed a malicious damage complaint. I was contacted by the Mascott Police about a month later and ask me to come to the station for an interview to explain my side. When I got to the station at the time they suggested which was about 7:30 PM on Friday instead of an interview I was immediately arrested and charged with malicious damage and was told that they were going to take my passport so I couldn't leave the country. I can assure every one that it will be a long time before I even consider flying Qantas again and as I stated it was a business ticket not a cheap fare. Every one should be aware of this and fly Qantas at Sydney at your own risk knowing you could wind up in Jail. And for the record I am 54 years old and have never seen the inside of an Australian police station before much less a jail cell.
Please forward this to any and all. Thanks

 

[one9]

Whilst I am not going to comment exactly on the event, one lesson that this teaches is to remain calm at all times. If you are angry and cause a confrontation, then if something accidental and unlikely does happen, then it is a lot likely to be viewed as deliberate. And IF the events happened as you described, I think you would have more to be angry at in the NSW justice system than at Qantas.

 

[rsjsyd]

Maybe but it was Qantas that started it. It was Qantas that refused to assist when I repeatedly ask for help. It was Qantas that decided that assisting customers was not a part of being a service organization. It was Qantas that used what in my opinion was substandard materials and then when they failed accused the customer of wrong doings. It was Qantas that committed to transporting me from point A to point B and then when their equipment didn't work properly refused to assist putting me in a position of possibly loosing my job for failure to arrive at a critical point. This was the reason for the full fare rather than a discounted ticket. Having said that I am not happy with the way the NSW Police handled it and neither is my Lawyer.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

If you want some privacy, or even just avoid being spammed by bots you should edit out your email address in your post. As long as you have set up your profile to accept emails or private messages then anyone who wants to contact you privately can still do so.

 

[Evan]

I have to admit you would have to wander if there was a fault with the screen as well, usually this touch screen's glass is really not easy at all to break !
Why didn't you just check in at the check in counter (not baggage counter), or Qantast Club if you had membership ?

Evan

 

[rsjsyd]

I would have thought the glass would have been toughened glass however as I found out when it broke, it is plane thin window glass like you would see in the windows of a 50 year old house. Not quite what I expected in a Kiosk that gets tapped on all day.
I have no membership to the Qantas club as I don't fly that much any more. The Qantas domestic terminal in Sydney has no check in counter any more. Just check in kiosks and a baggage check in counter. I will probably still fly Qantas international so long as they have check in counters in the international terminal how ever I won't be flying Qantas Domestic any time in the near future.

 

[Evan]

Really, no check in at all ? I know there is in Melbourne because my girlfriend used it mid Jan 07, lots of people using it as well and long wait. Oh well the way of the future i guess, the thing i hate about no human is that there is no easy way to get for example blocked seats or special requests.

I hope it all gets sorted out anyway.

As for NSW police, i used to live there and having only delt with them once when i was the victim of a crime i think they have to be so slack its amazing ! i had to hound them to actually close my case so i could atleast get an insurance payment.

E

 

[JohnK]

I have had various issues using the checkin kiosks in the past and have always been assisted by either the checkin staff or the customer service desk.

Each time I have had an issue the checkin kiosk has printed a boarding pass informing me to see someone at the customer service desk or checkin counter.

 

[d15.in.oz]

I have had various issues using the checkin kiosks in the past and have always been assisted by either the checkin staff or the customer service desk.

I have only once been directed by the machine to an actual human, and likewise found someone who was responsive and able to do what was required... P.S. this was the first time I noticed the desk (T3 SYD) way back behind the check-ins to the left of security!

Why didn't you just check in at the check in counter (not baggage counter)...

I have noticed, there are [few, but increasing] times when Qantas doesn't have human beings in the check in counters to the left of Qantas Club/Business check in at T3 SYD!

 

[Mal]

An interesting story. One that I would hope isn't repeated frequently.

From your side of things, Qantas and NSW police seem to have overstepped the mark considerably. I don't know the other side, so not going to comment further.

One thing to keep in mind (and also you're lawyer's mind if you have retained one) is the affect an arrest has on your life. Regardless of whether you are cleared or not, this could have implications for job applications, overseas travel, and entry to certain countries without visas.

I would be consulting with my lawyer in this instance regarding what can be purged and any financial effects this has on you. Perhaps you would benefit from going to A Current Affair or Today Tonight or a similar news bureau and getting your story told.

Either way, I hope things clear themselves for you. And I'll remember to treat those Kiosks with kid gloves when using them!

 

[thadocta]

I don't believe a word of it.

They would NOT ask you to come into the station if they were contemplating an immediate arrest, they would go out and get you, standard procedure. If the POI (Person Of Interest) doesn't know they are a POI, the less chance they will make themselves unavailable.

Secondly, for something as minor as a MalDam, bail is a foregone conclusion, as there is a presumption in favour of bail, unless the senior officer (Sergeant or above) believes that the accused is a flight risk (plus a few other instances), in which case, bail will be refused and the accused is brought before a magistrate at the earliest opportunity.

If the accused is not considered a flight risk, then surrendering a passport is not an issue, and is not normally standard procedure.

Lastly, I do not believe the OP's account that QF staff refused to assist them when QuickCheck did not work. I went through SYD three nights ago, with baggage, and OLCI was not an option, and QuickCheck did not work, and was immediately checked-in by an agent.

In short, I do not buy a word it it.

Dave

[edited by NM at the request of thadocta]

 

[bigjobs]

I don't believe a word of it.

They would NOT ask you to come into the station if they were contemplating an immediate arrest, they would go out and get you, standard procedure. If the POI (Person Of Interest) doesn't know they are a POI, the less chance they will make themselves unavailable.

Secondly, for something as minor as a MalDam, bail is a foregone conclusion, as there is a presumption in favour of bail, unless the senior officer (Sergeant or above) believes that the accused is a flight risk (plus a few other instances), in which case, bail will be refused and the accused is brought before a magistrate at the earliest opportunity.

If the accused is not considered a flight risk, then surrendering a passport is not an issue, and is not normally standard procedure.

Lastly, I do not believe the OP's account that QF staff refused to assist them when QuickCheck did not work. I went through SYD three nights ago, with baggage, and OLCI was not an option, and QuickCheck did not work, and was immediately checked-in by an agent.

In short, I do not buy a word it it.

Dave

i'm with you ... a current affair might though, and i am happy to see that idea mentioned - although surprised it took so long to be suggested.

the words of uncle chopper come to my mind here - Australia, it's time to harden the **** up.

 

[markis10]

In short, I do not buy a word it it.

Dave

Neither do I, the email address is for someone that has their own domain and is located in Christchurch, NZ. That makes it a long walk to the local NSW police station.

 

[rsjsyd]

Dave, I would not have believed it if I hadn't had it happen to me however IT DID. If you contact me personally and give me a way to contact you I will happily give you the arrest record. And for that matter I would appreciate your input as to what should have happened.
If the Kiosks were not working when you went through I suspect that they setup a temporary check in system however I can assure you this did really did happen and you can confirm with me or my solicitor.
I really do hope to hear from you as I really could use some assistance in sorting out what should have happened. Also when you went through Qantas Check In at Sydney was it international as this was domestic and they are very much different in their procedures.
Thanks

 

[kelpie]

No sympathy here either.

If you are stupid enough to "go postal" at an airport these days then you deserve all you get.

 

[rsjsyd]

Who said I went postal? The glass on the kiost broke as it was plane window glass not designed to be tapped on all day. I take offence to the note that I went postal. I did not. And jumping to a conclusion without proof, you too could be a NSW police person. Wake up and look at the facts before jumping to conclusions. As my salicitor says there was no reason for this to be handled this way by first Qantas and then the NSW police. And yes we are taking it to court.

 

[rsjsyd]

and in response to markis10, correction The E-Mail is hosted by a company in Christchurch NZ because I lived there for a while and see no reason to change as it is cheap and people all over the world have my address so why change it. By your way of thinking .com was originally for US based businesses so does that mean that every one that has a hotmail.com address is a business in the US? I don't think so. You are just being silly. As I said if any one wants to see the police arrest number to verify it did happen I will be glad to give it to you. I know it did happen and have proof so if you doubt it I would rather provide it than have you make a fool of your self in an attempt to discredit me by a response like yours

 

[N860CR]

I think a few terms are being thrown around and not correctly interpreted. When one is "arrested" (In NSW anyway) it doesn't necessarily mean the police go to them, apprehend them, cuff them and take them away. One can present themselves to a police station for questioning, be "arrested", questioned and then not charged. This act of "arrest" doesn't imply guilt, it just means a complaint has been made and said person is to be questioned regarding it. After that person has been questioned, they will be released with a form which states the details of their "arrest" and a copy of the interview tape.

Really, an "arrest" is not the big scary major thing everyone thinks it is (I’ve had to deal with an issue recently - no not involving me!). If someone is charged however, then it's a different story.

I think in this case it sounds like the OP has been in the unfortunate situation of meeting a Qantas staff member in a bad mood (the reason for that mood is open for questioning) and a NSW Police member on a bit of a power trip (yes, a lot of them are like that).

 

[Dave Noble]

Who said I went postal? The glass on the kiost broke as it was plane window glass not designed to be tapped on all day. I take offence to the note that I went postal. I did not. And jumping to a conclusion without proof, you too could be a NSW police person. Wake up and look at the facts before jumping to conclusions. As my salicitor says there was no reason for this to be handled this way by first Qantas and then the NSW police. And yes we are taking it to court.

Umm...Actually no facts have been provided in the thread, only an assertion by you that it happened. An assertion is not a fact.

Dave

 

[rsjsyd]

Dave, You have my word and an offer to supply the case number but instead of requesting it you just called me an untruthful person.

I can assure you that this incident did happen I feel sorry for you being so suspicious of all man kind that you assume I am making this up. No wonder the police get by with things like this with people such as your self around. I only hope that no innocent person ever faces a jury as they are sure to be falsely convicted. Time to wake up and smell the roses.