Qantas sells me a non existent flight, is this illegal ?

[ashleyn]

I took advantage of their recent sale and booked PER-PEN via Singapore. return All OK getting there, but on the return, they booked me on QF78 from Singapore to Per. As far as I can tell, QF78 has not operated for at least a year. Predictably, the next day, I got an email advising that QF78 had been cancelled and I was offered a range of really bad options, including one on QF72 with a -10 minute connection !!

I have subsequently cancelled the whole return and rebooked with another airline but the question remains. Was Qantas doing something illegal selling me a product that did not exist and if so should I be compensated ?

 

[AIRwin]

they booked me on QF78

Who were they? What did you book originally?

 

[SYD]

Who were they? What did you book originally?

Emphasis on “they”?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

If I understand you correctly you booked a cash fare with Qantas directly for the route PER to PEN via SIN. The following day, QF cancels one of their segments and their booking engine rebooks you on a flight that results in an illegal itinerary (i.e. arriving in SIN after your connecting flight takes off). Is that correct? If so, then really it is up to Qantas to make it right for no extra fee since they were the ones who cancelled the flight. If that means having to fly you to SYD then onwards to SIN so be it. Frankly these are the situations I live for: cancellations and delays allowing me to force the airline to book the exact flights I wanted at their expense. After all, who would say no to earning double status credits by connecting through another port in business class along the way?

-RooFlyer88

 

[oz_mark]

If it was later in 2023, it may have been in timetable when you booked.

 

[RooFlyer]

I have subsequently cancelled the whole return and rebooked with another airline but the question remains. Was Qantas doing something illegal selling me a product that did not exist and if so should I be compensated ?

To answer your question, no I don’t think it’s illegal; it’s just an every day event on Qantas and you won’t be entitled to compensation.

 

[encryptededdy]

I presume you got a full refund? For better or for worse, that's all the compensation you're entitled to. Alternatively, you could get them go get you to your destination on a valid itinerary at no extra cost to you.

 

[ashleyn]

Who were they? What did you book originally?

I just used the Qantas booking engine and that was the flights it presented to me.

Post automatically merged: Nov 26, 2022

If it was later in 2023, it may have been in timetable when you booked.

That might be the answer, it was for May 2023.

 

[ashleyn]

I presume you got a full refund? For better or for worse, that's all the compensation you're entitled to. Alternatively, you could get them go get you to your destination on a valid itinerary at no extra cost to you.

Yes, they refunded me (well, still waiting)

 

[BAM1748]

Unless you’re out of pocket what are
You being compensated for? This far out a reasonable person test will say there is plenty of time to arrange alternatives and QF themselves offered and alternative.

So alas no this time. Good luck.

 

[RichardMEL]

In summary they sold you a flight that, at the time you booked online, existed. Therefore it was not non existant (per thread title). If the flight was not available for sale at the time you booked it, then you couldn't. simples.
It was then cancelled the next day.

Well that sucks and is really poor timing for you I understand, but this is always a risk with booking flights fairly far out with schedules not set (and even then, sometimes they are and you still get ditched).

Very frustrating but pretty much a normal transaction that became screwed up by a cancel.. which happens to (unfortunately) a lot of people.