Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and can help offer any advice to get my issues fixed. Here is the story:
I had confirmed and ticketed business class reward seats on Qatar airways from brisbane to Doha, Doha to London (Heathrow). A week after booking them Qantas released some J reward seats on Qantas to London that I could see online. I called up to enquire about the availability and if changing would be possible. After eventually getting through (4hrs on hold) the staff member looked into it and said that there were no J seats available. I was then disconnected and not called back (even after specifically requesting to be called back if disconnected as I’d heard the stories, and provided my mobile number). Anyways I told myself oh well, will just stay with what we have and got on with life.
A week later I was in my Qantas account and noticed that without my approvalchanges to my booking had occurred. It had been changed to a Qantas flight from brisbane to Sydney, Sydney to London. And changed from business to economy. No notice given, no email, no updated eticket. And with no refund of the lower points or taxes into my account.
Called and have had multiple people over several weeks trying to fix it and admitting that it shouldn’t have happened. Countless hours on hold each time and each time with a promise of a callback (which never occurred).
The flights I was originally on briefly appeared in my account as “under request”. They’ve now disappeared, and after getting through again, been advised the request for the flights has come back as denied with no explanation. I’m guessing because Qatar no longer has those seats available.
I have spent countless hours on the phone on hold, countless hours talking about it to call staff, all for a Qantas mistake! And now don’t have the flights and seats that I booked and paid for.
I almost don’t care which flights I’m now on, as long as it’s in J and I’m charged the correct points and taxes for what they put me on. The problem is that there is no J reward seats on any airlines around the date we are looking, 20 Oct 2022. So all the call agents just say there is nothing they can do.
Finally got escalated to a lady who is apparently some kind of manager today. She was understanding and could see the mistake that Qantas had made (which reading between the lines sounds like the first lady didn’t know what she was doing and changed my flights when she was looking at availability and then hung up on me when the error had been made). She has submitted a higher level request for the original flights to be reinstated or for reward seats on a Qantas flight to be created for me. Apparently she will call me back within 24hrs with an answer… I’m not holding my breath.
Has anyone had this happen to them and been able to resolve it positively? Any tips if I don’t get a positive response in 24hrs?
We saved these points for ages to go visit my wife’s dad in England with our newborn. Haven’t seen him in years because of covid and he is too unwell to travel. Wanted to get there in as relative comfort as possible for our first time travelling internationally with a baby. The amount of time wasted and stress over this has been horrendous. Qantas really has gone downhill.
From your post, it really seems like a clear error on Qantas’ path. I would say there is a slim to none chance that you will get to fly Qatar business class because Qantas has no control over their award space. I think the most reasonable accommodation to be made is for Qantas to release some award seats on their own flights to London. They do this for Platinum and especially Platinum One status members so that is definitely a possibility if the flight isn’t sold out.
Well no call back occurred as expected. Called again and spent 2hrs on hold to get though again. Finally got through and asked to speak to the manager I’d spoken to previously. Had her actual name. Agent spoke to her, she didn’t take my call herself, agent come back and advised that she said she would call in the next couple of days when there is an answer from Qatar. But that the option to create us seats on a Qantas flight had been rejected. Beyond furious.
Will let you know. So far things aren’t improving. No flights in my account now. Not even the economy ones they changed me to. No refund of points or taxes though.
Ok everyone new update. Qantas supervisor I’ve been dealing with called back. As expected Qatar have denied the request as those seats are now gone and they are under no requirement to create new ones. The supervisor advised after that denial she put in a request again to create 2 reward seats on QF but that has been denied. She attempted to ask if premium economy would be suitable as she has found 2 reward seats in it.
At this point I could barely contain my frustration and anger. As calmly as I could I expressed that was not a suitable replacement, I had confirmed and ticketed business seats and Qantas screwed up and they are now gone. We saved for several years to have enough points to do this trip in business and it is not ok what we have been put through. Advised I’ve spent upwards of 15hrs on hold and 6hrs speaking to agents across the various calls to fix this.
She said she would keep her ear to the ground and see if she could find anything else. Which I advised wasn’t acceptable. There are flights to London from Sydney, Perth and Melbourne on QF on the day we are due to travel. With business seats still available on all of them. All that needs to be done is 2 seats created for us, however that occurs. We should not be being punished because of a Qantas call centre stuff up.
She’s now asked for another 24hrs to see what she can come up with.
Honestly guys I’m at my wits end. I feel so drained from trying to fix this Qantas screw up. Whilst trying to look after a 2 week old baby and wife who is recovering from surgery.
EVERYONE, we officially have J seats in Brisbane to Perth, Perth to London!! Received a call from a lovely lady called Deana (not sure of spelling, and she was Australian). Not sure her exact role. But she had been put on to my case from someone else (she didn’t say how or by who) and wanted to apologise for everything I’d been through. She could see very easily that it was a call centre mistake and that centre will be receiving some feedback. She has created 2 seats for us and the baby, reimbursed the extra points and taxes. It’s finally over… I can’t believe it…. My guess is my emails to Olivia worth or Stephanie Tully perhaps finally got read? But regardless, it’s officially sorted. Beaming face with smiling eyes thank you for the support, suggestions and kind words along the way.
Great news that your flights have been fixed. I’m experiencing the same thing with hours of my time on hold to Qantas and 4 promises of call backs that never came. Firstly they change flights on my booking and added flights where the connections did not work - we would have travel back in time to make them work !! I spent hours sorting that out. Then Qantas cancelled our first 2 legs, advised us they would give us an alternative within 72 hours. We never heard back, the flights were just removed from my booking - I have had no email correspondence with them only my husband was emailed that they removed flights. Then a random flight - MEL to HKG was added to my booking 3 days after my original booking dates - we would definitely miss our connection out of HKG. All in all it has been so stressful. As our booking is rewards, in Business, in October Im so worried that the seats aren’t going to be available. Its so stressful, Id love to be able to talk to Deana and get this sorted. Its so frustrating that all of this extra stress is because Qantas has changed my flights yet no one from Qantas seems able to fix it. Once again great you got yours sorted… fingers crossed ill be able to sort ours out as well !!
thank you for the support, suggestions and kind words along the way.