Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has another

[jorhodes50]

I have just cancelled my Qantas flight which I booked using my frequent flyer points and I have rebooked the exact same flight on the exact same date and time which will now be paid for by my employer.
I have also paid money to book exit seats on this flight and I am disturbed to find that I have to pay again to rebook them. I know Qantas' policy says fees for exit seat payments are not transferable. However, they are not being transferred, I am on the exact flights, dates and times, only I am now paying for the flight in money, rather than points, which is of course a benefit to Qantas.

Interestingly the person I spoke to when I asked if it was not perhaps immoral to charge the same fee twice for the exact same benefit answered me that “that is business”.

Why to airlines get to behave so unethically legally?

 

[The Rok]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

New booking, new PNR, new ticket.... new charge.. does not matter if it the same flight or not. It sucks for you but nothing you can do really. Sorry mate.

 

[Fantic125]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

As far as Qantas are concerned you voluntarily cancelled your flight, hence you also voluntarily agreed to forfeit the payment for exit row seats (as you recognised from the terms and conditions).
The booking your employer made would have certainly been given a different booking number to the one you cancelled, hence Qantas have no obligation to transfer the exit row payment.

Nothing really illegal or immoral about it. :-|

 

[titfilou]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

May I suggest you complain to your employer!

Tell him you rather use your points!

I would be pretty happy to save my points and just pay a little for exit seat row....

 

[nlagalle]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

I have just cancelled my Qantas flight which I booked using my frequent flyer points and I have rebooked the exact same flight on the exact same date and time which will now be paid for by my employer.
I have also paid money to book exit seats on this flight and I am disturbed to find that I have to pay again to rebook them. I know Qantas' policy says fees for exit seat payments are not transferable. However, they are not being transferred, I am on the exact flights, dates and times, only I am now paying for the flight in money, rather than points, which is of course a benefit to Qantas.

Interestingly the person I spoke to when I asked if it was not perhaps immoral to charge the same fee twice for the exact same benefit answered me that “that is business”.

Why to airlines get to behave so unethically legally?

I can't see the issue here.. you cancelled the ticket and booked a new one.. it's not the same booking by any means..

 

[ozmille]

Can't see the problem. One booking cancelled completely new booking made. Nothing unethical about this.

 

[albatross710]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

Is this similar to voice mail on telephones?

In the old days...when a number was engaged the telco got no revenue as the inbound caller received the engaged tone and then hopefully rang back later earning the telco a call fee.

No, the same call to the 'enaged' phone goes to voice mail "kaching!" the inbound caller pays the call fee and the receiver pays a voicemail deposit fee, kaching, kaching. All the while the recipient is still talking and ringing up a call charge, kaching, kaching, kaching.

Then the recipient retrieves their voice mail, kaching, and calls the original caller back, kaching kaching.

I am sure the number of points burned every month on redemption changes, cancellations and rebookings must be a good earner.

Now, where are those share quotes for Telstra and Qantas....

 

[nlagalle]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

What? Because we didn't agree with you and your plight? You cancelled a flight therefore you lost your exit row seat. That's the way it goes. You read the fine print.. Don't get upset becuasecwe don't side with you..

And we aren't on anyone's payroll!

P.s. We aren't a complaints site either!

 

[albatross710]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

Would it have been possible, I wonder, to negotiate the transfer prior to cancelling the awards booking?

 

[JohnK]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

Interestingly the person I spoke to when I asked if it was not perhaps immoral to charge the same fee twice for the exact same benefit answered me that “that is business”.

Why to airlines get to behave so unethically legally?

I actually agree with you and, regardless of what is written in the terms and conditions, I see no reason other than greed and "that is business" that you have to pay twice.

Off topic but I managed to strike up a win against Vodafone via the telecommunications ombusdsman recently and wish the same sort of service was available to listen and action complaints against airlines. Just as well as there would not be many airlines still in business....

 

[mannej]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

Yes as others have said, you would be transferring your exit row seating from one booking to another. I do not think there is any thing unethical there, as it was your choice to cancel the booking.

Would your boss have reimbursed you the cost of the flights if you had kept the same booking? Who knows, but IMO, no fault lies at QF here.

JohnK, do you think an ombudsmen would award the OP the second exit row charge back? I would hope not. Vodafone is a different situation, and are hopeless compared to what you have to put up with the Red Roo.

 

[samiam]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

It's a bit frustrating trying to make sense of this thread when there seems to be a post missing (ie. the 'reaction' from the OP to the overwhelming disagreement with their original post).

Just sayin...

 

[Moody]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

This situation (replacing a points booking with an identical paid booking) is so unusual that it is not surprising the T&C's don't cover it. In similar sorts of situations with my employer (e.g. - adding a personal leg to a business trip) I get quotes for the original itinerary and then expense that amount and pay the rest myself. Was that not an option in your case?

But in all cases such as this the best approach is to ring Qantas to explain the situation and try to negotiate an outcome. If it doesn't work out then politely thank them for their time and ring again to find someone else. Repeat until you either get a result or give in to the inevitable.

 

[attood]

It's a bit frustrating trying to make sense of this thread when there seems to be a post missing (ie. the 'reaction' from the OP to the overwhelming disagreement with their original post).

Just sayin...

Agreed... 

 

[markis10]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

A post was removed because it was against forum rules, I apologise if it makes it harder to read or follow the conversation.

 

[attood]

Ok no probs. You have certainly been in a posting frenzy this morning. Is your flight delayed?

 

[rechoboam]

This situation (replacing a points booking with an identical paid booking) is so unusual that it is not surprising the T&C's don't cover it. In similar sorts of situations with my employer (e.g. - adding a personal leg to a business trip) I get quotes for the original itinerary and then expense that amount and pay the rest myself. Was that not an option in your case?

But in all cases such as this the best approach is to ring Qantas to explain the situation and try to negotiate an outcome. If it doesn't work out then politely thank them for their time and ring again to find someone else. Repeat until you either get a result or give in to the inevitable.

It's a big company and they can hardly have people sitting around cleaning up every unintended consequence like the problem that arose here.

 

[markis10]

Ok no probs. You have certainly been in a posting frenzy this morning. Is your flight delayed?

Yep, the joys of having an intl aircraft doing a domestic run.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Why is Qantas legally allowed to charge twice for the same service, this has ano

JohnK, do you think an ombudsmen would award the OP the second exit row charge back? I would hope not. Vodafone is a different situation, and are hopeless compared to what you have to put up with the Red Roo.

Maybe not in this situation but there are other situations where the ombudsman would come in handy.

Situations where one is downgraded in class and not compensated appropriately, charging assisted award booking fees where it is not possible to book online etc.