Qantas Pass DSC option issue

[Arthur Drummond]

Qantas TravelPass DSC issue

In 2020 our BC return trip Melb-London was cancelled and we agreed to convert the approx $16k into Qantas Passes. We selected the DSC incentive from the three options presented; in fact, we were due to receive DSCs if the cancelled flight had occurred, so we were pleased with this outcome. We duly received the four passes ($4999 was the maximum amount for a single pass) by email. When the passes arrived, our only “concern” was that there was no mention of DSCs and we had nothing in print from Q to indicate that we had selected this option. However, prior to redeeming the passes to make a booking last year we confirmed that the passes were linked to the DSC option. We booked Q BC return to London, departing on an Emirates codeshare in March and returning on a Q flight in April.
In late April, the standard SCs for the London-Melb leg (320 as we returned via Sydney) appeared in our FF accounts, so we rang Q to ask about the SCs (280) for the Melb-London leg. We were told that because we had flown codeshare these would take longer. However, shortly after the phone call these SCs also appeared. We then waited for the loyalty bonus to appear and, after a week, we rang about this. Shortly afterwards I received the loyalty bonus, so I assumed my wife had as well. While on the phone we asked about the bonus SCs and were told these could take up to 8 weeks to appear.
This morning 320 bonus SCs (for London-Melb) appeared in our accounts, so we rang Q to ask about the bonus SCs for the first leg. That was when we were told that, because we had flown to London on a Q ticket but on an Emirates flight, we did not qualify for the bonus SCs. This was news to us. We scoured the information that Q had sent with the TravelPasses and there was no mention that to receive the bonus SCs it had to be a Q operated flight. The Q rep said that this was listed on info provided with the DSC option, which we had never received. Nor had anyone from Q mentioned this fineprint with the use of the Qantas Pass DSC option in any of the previous conversations. Clearly, if we had known, we would not have chosen the codeshare flight option. Although not speaking to a Q rep in Hobart, the person DID understand our situation; she would raise the issue with FF management, and would get back to us by Monday. We also discovered that my wife had not yet received the loyalty bonus. This was remedied ”on the spot”.
About two hours later the Q rep called back to say that the bonus SCs for the first leg had been credited to our accounts!
We wondered if anyone else in a similar situation had been told that the bonus SCs did not apply. If so, it is worth following up with Q.

 

[patrickw]

Some more information here on other people's experiences with DSC TPs issued in 2020: TravelPass with DSC offer (No Longer Offerred)

I can't speak for the DSC issue on EK or partner airlines, but all of the T&Cs point to Qantas Operated Flights only - hopefully other people can weigh in on if EK operated, but QFxx_X codeshare flights count?

 

[RichardMEL]

This was the original condition on the offer (from an opt in confirmation email I have from a DSC pass):

* This offer is valid when you make a new Eligible Flight booking between 12.01am (AEST) 1 September 2020 and 11.59pm (AEDT) 31 December 2022. An Eligible Flight for the purpose of this promotion means any Qantas operated flight with a QF flight number on your ticket where Status Credits are normally earned.

QF operated is pretty clear so yes, EK codeshares were never going to be eligible for credit.

At least you got an agent who was helpful and they gave you the SC's so that's a great outcome.

If you didn't get the "opt in confirmation" email with the T&C (as I quoted) that's another issue, but it was always my understanding it would only be on QF operated flights - as per DSC promotions since around 2018 IIRC.

 

[Arthur Drummond]

Interesting! We never received any communication from Q at the time of selecting the DSC option, other than the passes. As we did not know that we had “missed” it, we did not request it. Clearly, if we had known about it, we would not have booked codeshare. Actually, I think we became aware of the “three-choice” option from the AFF newsletter, and raised the matter with Q, rather than Q telling us. It was in the very early stages of Covid cancellations when situations were changing frequently. I shared our experience because it shows that Q CAN be understanding, even if the conversation is with someone offshore.

 

[RichardMEL]

I'm not sure why you would not have received the confirmations. They came to me for every pass I received - first an "opt in confirmation" confirming I'd selected DSC, and then the actual TP (now called Qantas Pass) detail email. Further, when the passes were extended in validity til 31 Dec 23, a follow up email for each pass I still had left showed up to confirm this, and that the original T&C still applied (but I did note they did not include them specifically - probably because it was all too hard to figure out to send the appropriate detail I guess - even though I would have thought it would be trivial).

As you say though, having an understanding and helpful agent really worked out well for you, and that's a lot of SC's to have gotten so definitely a very good outcome indeed.

 

[Arthur Drummond]

I'm not sure why you would not have received the confirmations. They came to me for every pass I received - first an "opt in confirmation" confirming I'd selected DSC, and then the actual TP (now called Qantas Pass) detail email. Further, when the passes were extended in validity til 31 Dec 23, a follow up email for each pass I still had left showed up to confirm this, and that the original T&C still applied (but I did note they did not include them specifically - probably because it was all too hard to figure out to send the appropriate detail I guess - even though I would have thought it would be trivial).

As you say though, having an understanding and helpful agent really worked out well for you, and that's a lot of SC's to have gotten so definitely a very good outcome indeed.

Why we did not receive anything is a good question. There were 5 passes issued - four at the same time and one later, and we would have loved to receive an “opt in confirmation“ as we would not have needed to worry about whether or not our choice had been registered. Interesting that when we rang to check because we had no evidence to quote, no Q staff (we spoke to several) referred to the opt-in email either. Clearly, we have reason to be grateful for the helpful Q person today - and we are!