Qantas not responding to complaint - what next?

[clifford]

Frankly, I don't believe that the crew failed to manually recline the seats. As Judge Judy says: "If it doesn't sound true, it probably isn't."

FWIW I had a very similar problem in J on an 8-hour Emirates 380 flight last year. No power, no video, no recline, no nothing. No-one tried to manually recline the seat (if indeed it was possible) and the general level of concern from the crew was minimal. I did make a formal complaint to EK, and received a measly few thousand FF points. Very hard to get anything out of Dubai in my experience. Does this sound untrue also? But this is a digression...

 

[showstopper]

Frankly, I don't believe that the crew failed to manually recline the seats. As Judge Judy says: "If it doesn't sound true, it probably isn't."

The OP nor being the pax also adds an element of hearsay. My take is if the pax insists this us what happened then she is probably lying to you.

Interesting hypothesis there champ...it's always good to get some input from the daytime TV watching demographic.

 

[RooFlyer]

Interesting hypothesis there champ...it's always good to get some input from the daytime TV watching demographic.

Like VERY much. I had to Google 'Judge Judy' - good grief! :shock: I think 'Days of our Lives' would be a better authority, but that's just me.

 

[MrJetset]

Interesting hypothesis there champ...it's always good to get some input from the daytime TV watching demographic.

Your criticism may have had some weight, or considered amusing, if it wasn't 2015 in the age of Foxtel iQ and PVRs. If you haven't got the memo scheduled TV is dead...

The fact remains that the CSM would have made a report which would have resulted in automatic compensation. We've even received vouchers from JQ when our seats had no power to HNL in *Class (aka Business). Again, the crew would have manually reclined the seats. It is standard operating procedure.

Sorry, the story does not add up and many on AFF and FT report that in such situations that compensation is automatic.

This explains the response you received and why QF deems no compensation is necessary.

But by all means escalate the issue and amuse us with what (if any) further response QF has because at this point they seem to have spoken volumes in their responses already.

 

[Danger]

The ACCC doesn't resolve individual complaints. You could try your state based fair trading body or the Airline Customer Advocate.

The ACCC is about as useful as the proverbial on a bull. The organisation is a waste of taxpayers' money.

I appreciate all the suggestions - they will be pursued.

Qantas has provided a further email today (again very generic in nature), that basically says the matter is closed from their end.

I'll be sure to keep you all updated on the progress of this matter.

Very odd. Someone isn't doing their job.

If this is all 100% correct a credit card chargeback does seem appropriate. How utterly appalling . . .

There is no way a chargeback would be approved. The pax flew as ticketed. If the pax was downgraded they would receive the relevant compensation.

I'm with JohnK. I absolutely believe a chargeback is appropriate here. Correct me if I'm wrong but SYD-BKK is always operated by an aircraft with, at a minimum, Skybeds Mk 1. It's not a roulette like a domestic sector. And we're not talking one or two minor deficiencies. A significant part of the cost of a J ticket wasn't delivered upon.

Chargeback all the way for me.

 

[RooFlyer]

Your criticism may have had some weight, or considered amusing, if it wasn't 2015 in the age of Foxtel iQ and PVRs. If you haven't got the memo scheduled TV is dead...

The fact remains that the CSM would have made a report which would have resulted in automatic compensation. We've even received vouchers from JQ when our seats had no power to HNL in *Class (aka Business). Again, the crew would have manually reclined the seats. It is standard operating procedure.

Sorry, the story does not add up and many on AFF and FT report that in such situations that compensation is automatic.

This explains the response you received and why QF deems no compensation is necessary.

But by all means escalate the issue and amuse us with what (if any) further response QF has because at this point they seem to have spoken volumes in their responses already.

I think your negative comments here (eg suggestion of pax 'lying') are un-necessary. Don't you think there is just a little room for the possibility of something going astray in the Qantas processes? Does everything on Qantas happen automatically, exactly as it should?

Is it indeed a "fact" that the CSM "would have made a report..." ? Any chance at all that he/she may have overlooked doing it?

Does everything on Qantas flight go exactly as standard operating procedure? Any possibility that this time they overlooked something?


Your criticism/amusement is based on the assumption of Qantas operational perfection but if that was the case then the seat etc would have operated perfectly in the first place. Perhaps the whole story is made up, because Qantas engineers would have maintained the plane according to manufacturer's specifications.

I also didn't get the memo that scheduled TV is dead . What time should I tune in for the 7:00pm ABC evening news?

 

[paxman]

I wonder what the turn around time is to fix these things? I flew LAX JFK about a week or so ago and the audio in 1A was on the fritz, I mentioned to cabin crew I would be in the same seat on my return. "Oh, so lots of red wine then" was the reply, which makes me think it will still be on fritz again on my return and if it is I am going to want more than a $50 duty free voucher!

 

[mannej]

I wonder what the turn around time is to fix these things? I flew LAX JFK about a week or so ago and the audio in 1A was on the fritz, I mentioned to cabin crew I would be in the same seat on my return. "Oh, so lots of red wine then" was the reply, which makes me think it will still be on fritz again on my return and if it is I am going to want more than a $50 duty free voucher!

That is assuming it will be the same aircraft...

 

[straitman]

Your criticism may have had some weight, or considered amusing, if it wasn't 2015 in the age of Foxtel iQ and PVRs. If you haven't got the memo scheduled TV is dead...

The fact remains that the CSM would have made a report which would have resulted in automatic compensation. We've even received vouchers from JQ when our seats had no power to HNL in *Class (aka Business). Again, the crew would have manually reclined the seats. It is standard operating procedure.

Sorry, the story does not add up and many on AFF and FT report that in such situations that compensation is automatic.

This explains the response you received and why QF deems no compensation is necessary.

But by all means escalate the issue and amuse us with what (if any) further response QF has because at this point they seem to have spoken volumes in their responses already.

I think your negative comments here (eg suggestion of pax 'lying') are un-necessary. Don't you think there is just a little room for the possibility of something going astray in the Qantas processes? Does everything on Qantas happen automatically, exactly as it should?

Is it indeed a "fact" that the CSM "would have made a report..." ? Any chance at all that he/she may have overlooked doing it?

Does everything on Qantas flight go exactly as standard operating procedure? Any possibility that this time they overlooked something?


Your criticism/amusement is based on the assumption of Qantas operational perfection but if that was the case then the seat etc would have operated perfectly in the first place. Perhaps the whole story is made up, because Qantas engineers would have maintained the plane according to manufacturer's specifications.

I also didn't get the memo that scheduled TV is dead . What time should I tune in for the 7:00pm ABC evening news?

I must agree with RooFlyer here. Calling someone a liar on a public forum is a biggie In My Humble Opinion and far from appropriate.

QF and all big companies have a systems approach with these things and all it often needs is for a couple of the safeguards to not line up when they should and bingo what looks like a simple solution falls apart. Read up on the 'Swiss Cheese Model.' It is normally associated with safety however is just as in place here as in a safety discussion.

For example, IF the CSM didn't actually send his/her report in correctly and IF this is being handled by the work experience kid as everyone else is on holidays then the outcome becomes quite believable. There can be a whole bunch of other possible explanations from where I'm sitting and most/all of them don't make Qantas smell of roses.

Personally at this point I would put it all together in a welcome back PM to Red Roo for next week. She is normally pretty good at sorting these things out and despite what a few cynics here say actually cares about fixing things.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Absolutely agree with RooFlyer and straitman. Jock28's comments are absolutely out of line in my opinion.

 

[raysgirl]

I had a complaint for QF back in September regarding baggage. Basically, the same response pattern that you mention. Take it to their Facebook page, and watch the responses come flooding. They will ask you to PM with the reference number, then the phone calls will start.

 

[pauly7]

FWIW I had a very similar problem in J on an 8-hour Emirates 380 flight last year. No power, no video, no recline, no nothing. No-one tried to manually recline the seat (if indeed it was possible) and the general level of concern from the crew was minimal. I did make a formal complaint to EK, and received a measly few thousand FF points. Very hard to get anything out of Dubai in my experience. Does this sound untrue also? But this is a digression...

I had exactly the same problem on a recent CX flight in J.

Full flight but the CSM went through the manifest, found a passenger (CX employee) on staff travel and got him to give up his seat for me. I felt a little bad for him but great service recovery from CX.

 

[Steelite]

I had a complaint for QF back in September regarding baggage. Basically, the same response pattern that you mention. Take it to their Facebook page, and watch the responses come flooding. They will ask you to PM with the reference number, then the phone calls will start.

Out of interest, what was the outcome with Qantas? FF points?

 

[hutch]

The ACCC is about as useful as the proverbial on a bull. The organisation is a waste of taxpayers' money.



Very odd. Someone isn't doing their job.





I'm with JohnK. I absolutely believe a chargeback is appropriate here. Correct me if I'm wrong but SYD-BKK is always operated by an aircraft with, at a minimum, Skybeds Mk 1. It's not a roulette like a domestic sector. And we're not talking one or two minor deficiencies. A significant part of the cost of a J ticket wasn't delivered upon.

Chargeback all the way for me.

Its easy to make statements like this, but in my opinion more difficult to substatiate it.

 

[hutch]

There is no way a chargeback would be approved. The pax flew as ticketed. If the pax was downgraded they would receive the relevant compensation.

Frankly, I don't believe that the crew failed to manually recline the seats. As Judge Judy says: "If it doesn't sound true, it probably isn't."

The OP nor being the pax also adds an element of hearsay. My take is if the pax insists this us what happened then she is probably lying to you.

Not sure what is to be gained by lying. Think you've been too harsh.

 

[medhead]

When I flew JQ *class, the seats were pretty much the same a QF domestic J seats. I didn't think those seats used power for the recline, feels more like some kind of hydraulic system. your star class story doesn't make sense. What am I suppose to conclude from that.....?

Your criticism may have had some weight, or considered amusing, if it wasn't 2015 in the age of Foxtel iQ and PVRs. If you haven't got the memo scheduled TV is dead...

The fact remains that the CSM would have made a report which would have resulted in automatic compensation. We've even received vouchers from JQ when our seats had no power to HNL in *Class (aka Business). Again, the crew would have manually reclined the seats. It is standard operating procedure.

Sorry, the story does not add up and many on AFF and FT report that in such situations that compensation is automatic.

This explains the response you received and why QF deems no compensation is necessary.

But by all means escalate the issue and amuse us with what (if any) further response QF has because at this point they seem to have spoken volumes in their responses already.

 

[MrJetset]

When I flew JQ *class, the seats were pretty much the same a QF domestic J seats. I didn't think those seats used power for the recline, feels more like some kind of hydraulic system. your star class story doesn't make sense. What am I suppose to conclude from that.....?

Not the recline, the in seat power did not work on the 787 as seen here

Nice try, though!

 

[N860CR]

So we're comparing an armrest power point "not working" (even though that picture shows the unit is powered) with a lie-flat seat stuck in the upright position?

 

[MrJetset]

So we're comparing an armrest power point "not working" (even though that picture shows the unit is powered) with a lie-flat seat stuck in the upright position?

1) Not my photo
2) When JQ automatically sent us a voucher for $200, yes, it is a relevant example.

Any other questions?

 

[RichardMEL]

Here's what I don't understand.

TH OP posted that an entire row on the aircraft, so in J you're talking 6 seats of skybeds of disrupted pax. Further the later report of another pax in the row very upset and allegedly more vocal and took up more time of the crew with complaints about this. You would assume that said pax would then have contacted QF post flight to complain.

Further to this, you'd hope/assume the CSM would have noted the mx issue and it would have been logged when the a/c reached SYD for repair.

QF knows the flgith#/date and aircraft involved.

Now even if the CSM did not log the customer service issue or MX issue (which I find hard to believe at least one of these was not done) then surely QF Customer Care would have flagged at least 2 complaints about the same issue on the same flight - thus each validating the other to some extent (given both parties unrelated).

So why are they allegedly so dismissive?

The fact that the OP's friend is a OWS I feel is irrelevant. Sure, if they were a QF SG it would be very easy for an agent to throw 5k points (or whatever) as a goodwill gesture and be done, but a customer (status irrelevant) on a paid premium fare encountered an issue with the product that's a bit more serious than they didn't like the food or got cut off from booze. Even a customer on an award ticket should be treated as revenue (because it is, in one form or other) and compensaed.

So either customer care do not have a good database to connect the two(or more) complaints, or even that the flight itself was somehow not flagged in connection with a known mx issue or similar (and we know that they are, because others have reported proactive contact from QF on issues -eg: that time when non IFE equipped 330's were on transcon and people received emails about it) or something's not quite right.

a bit puzzled.

As others have said let's give QF the chance to get back on their feet post Jan 4 and come up with something better.