Qantas overbooking

[jonboixxx]

Had a call from Qantas tonight to say that our morning flight tomorrow is 15-16 overbooked and there may be a chance that we are bumped tomorrow. They said they could rebook us on another flight. When would that be? Possibly Saturday.
My suggestion was that given we were some of the first booked on this flight (7/2021) maybe we should be some of the last to be bumped off this flight. She said she would add some notes to the booking. I'm hoping she has some success on the ring-around otherwise it could become interesting tomorrow.

 

[jase05]

That sucks.
It is well and truly time that the government can introduce laws and regulations so that consumers get adequate compensation. Being bumped off a flight should come with a decent compensation as should down grading

 

[aus_flyer]

That sucks.
It is well and truly time that the government can introduce laws and regulations so that consumers get adequate compensation. Being bumped off a flight should come with a decent compensation as should down grading

Yep. EU style!

 

[RooFlyer]

Someone else mentioned similar not long ago, but I can't find it.

Surely to hell the last booked - known to be overbooked, unless Qantas doesn't actually keep count - should be the first off - considering they weren't even 'on' in the first place? Except -

15-16 'overbooked'?? I suspect this isn't "overbooking" but Qantas wanting to accommodate something like a football or rugby team or some other group (dead-heading tech crew ) , so others tough luck. Go the next day.

And, hang on, you can't book on-line if the flight is 'full' can you (genuine Q)? So was this an acceptance of "overbooking" done manually by Qantas? Nothing would surprise with this airline.

Sigh - cue the defence ...

 

[Bundy Bear]

I am hoping you have preselected your seat and checked in for the flight tomorrow.

 

[Oubline]

Had a call from Qantas tonight to say that our morning flight tomorrow is 15-16 overbooked and there may be a chance that we are bumped tomorrow. They said they could rebook us on another flight. When would that be? Possibly Saturday.
My suggestion was that given we were some of the first booked on this flight (7/2021) maybe we should be some of the last to be bumped off this flight. She said she would add some notes to the booking. I'm hoping she has some success on the ring-around otherwise it could become interesting tomorrow.

That’s terrible! Hopefully they will get other volunteers. I think you’ve done the right thing pushing back.

Was there an aircraft change? I think if they absolutely have to bump anyone, Qantas should bend over backwards for that person.. they shouldn’t be waiting until Saturday.

Good luck!

 

[downtheback]

My advice?

Check in online asap.

Get to the Airport 3 hours early and drop bags. Don't want to be the last 15-16 arriving.....

 

[Melburnian1]

Had a call from Qantas tonight to say that our morning flight tomorrow is 15-16 overbooked and there may be a chance that we are bumped tomorrow. They said they could rebook us on another flight. When would that be? Possibly Saturday.
My suggestion was that given we were some of the first booked on this flight (7/2021) maybe we should be some of the last to be bumped off this flight. She said she would add some notes to the booking. I'm hoping she has some success on the ring-around otherwise it could become interesting tomorrow.

What route, or if you are comfortable providing it, flight number is this?

 

[exceladdict]

Had a call from Qantas tonight to say that our morning flight tomorrow is 15-16 overbooked and there may be a chance that we are bumped tomorrow. They said they could rebook us on another flight. When would that be? Possibly Saturday.
My suggestion was that given we were some of the first booked on this flight (7/2021) maybe we should be some of the last to be bumped off this flight. She said she would add some notes to the booking. I'm hoping she has some success on the ring-around otherwise it could become interesting tomorrow.

That sound suspiciously like a threat as opposed to a search for volunteers. I hardly answer the phone these days with the amount of spam calls going around, seems an odd approach...

Hope your trip goes smoothly.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Had a call from Qantas tonight to say that our morning flight tomorrow is 15-16 overbooked and there may be a chance that we are bumped tomorrow. They said they could rebook us on another flight. When would that be? Possibly Saturday.
My suggestion was that given we were some of the first booked on this flight (7/2021) maybe we should be some of the last to be bumped off this flight. She said she would add some notes to the booking. I'm hoping she has some success on the ring-around otherwise it could become interesting tomorrow.

Yeah… I wonder what those ‘notes’ will be? Let’s hope it’s not ‘contacted passenger, explained overbooking. Passenger enquired about alternative flights and was given options’.

 

[Mattg]

Had a call from Qantas tonight to say that our morning flight tomorrow is 15-16 overbooked and there may be a chance that we are bumped tomorrow. They said they could rebook us on another flight. When would that be? Possibly Saturday.
My suggestion was that given we were some of the first booked on this flight (7/2021) maybe we should be some of the last to be bumped off this flight. She said she would add some notes to the booking. I'm hoping she has some success on the ring-around otherwise it could become interesting tomorrow.

When they called you, did Qantas offer you any compensation or perhaps an upgrade in exchange for agreeing to go the next day?

 

[jb747]

15-16 'overbooked'?? I suspect this isn't "overbooking" but Qantas wanting to accommodate something like a football or rugby team or some other group (dead-heading tech crew ) , so others tough luck. Go the next day.

Without knowing the flight number, there is little relevance to most comments. 15 is a small percentage of a 380 load, but a large one for Q400. Whilst never a nice way to do things, my understanding is that it was most common in the USA, because of the high number of no shows that they habitually generated. Also happened a lot between Syd-Melbourne, at the end of the week, when businesses would book a number of flights, then no show for most of them, ‘cos they didn’t know when the meeting would finish.

Tech crew flights are booked months in advance, and patterns will be rejigged to move away from commercially full flights. They happen in groups of 1 to 4 too, not huge ones. Whilst it is conceivable that passengers would be offloaded to move pilots, the vast majority of pilots paxing on any given day aren’t necessarily in a ‘must fly‘ situation, so they do not affect this situation. They’ll fly at another time. About the only blokes who’d almost always have to fly would be standby call outs, and they’re almost always singletons.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Without knowing the flight number, there is little relevance to most comments. 15 is a small percentage of a 380 load, but a large one for Q400. Whilst never a nice way to do things, my understanding is that it was most common in the USA, because of the high number of no shows that they habitually generated. Also happened a lot between Syd-Melbourne, at the end of the week, when businesses would book a number of flights, then no show for most of them, ‘cos they didn’t know when the meeting would finish.

Tech crew flights are booked months in advance, and patterns will be rejigged to move away from commercially full flights. They happen in groups of 1 to 4 too, not huge ones. Whilst it is conceivable that passengers would be offloaded to move pilots, the vast majority of pilots paxing on any given day aren’t necessarily in a ‘must fly‘ situation, so they do not affect this situation. They’ll fly at another time. About the only blokes who’d almost always have to fly would be standby call outs, and they’re almost always singletons.

Overbooking has been common in all jurisdictions, not just the USA. But various jurisdictions have introduced consumer protection laws to make the practice less appealing to the airlines.

The argument that people make multiple bookings and some will no show is a legacy from the operations when all fares were fully flexible and fully refundable. That’s not the case anymore. QF saying that even its cheapest fares are fully flexible denies the reality that a $99 change fee and an equal or higher fare when you come to rebook means they aren’t in fact flexible at all, to most people (the financial penalty means a new fare is likely cheaper).

There’s perhaps an argument that those on the lowest, non refundable fares should be protected from overbooking!

 

[jb747]

There’s perhaps an argument that those on the lowest, non refundable fares should be protected from overbooking!

Alan is doing his best to never carry them....

 

[jase05]

If rules were introduced where airlines had to refund passengers plus pay them $2k compensation I’m fairly certain overbooking and downgrading would magically disappear overnight

 

[RealtimeY]

I just got this text:

We're sorry but due to operational reasons we've had to reduce the number of seats available on the aircraft operating your flight QF448 on 10 June, 2022 at 14:00. As a result, we have more passengers than seats available. To confirm a seat on an alternative flight click this link: <snip>.

If you don't change your flight and there are insufficient seats on your original flight you may be required to move to the next available flight on arrival at the airport. T&Cs apply

So at what point do they start offloading passengers at the airport, given that check-in is all online now?

 

[AIRwin]

Wonder if an A330 was originally scheduled to operate QF448?

It's still selling on the QF website:

 

[RealtimeY]

QF450 at 14:30 was meant to run, but they cancelled it and switched everyone to the 14:00 and 15:00 last night. Then this text comes through this morning talking of gift vouchers for switching... but I don't see any on the page when I actually click through.

 

[Guvner]

Then this text comes through this morning talking of gift vouchers for switching... but I don't see any on the page when I actually click through.

probably $5 off at Rockpool.

 

[Alectoris]

I am hoping you have preselected your seat and checked in for the flight tomorrow.

My husband was already checked in for his flight on 7 June when Qantas rerouted him, so I’m not sure it will make much difference.