Qantas Seat Selection Rants/Issue

truongster on 31/01/2015 - 06:59

I'm returning home from Los Angeles to Sydney and my flight has been changed from an A380-800 to a 747-400.
The issue is I have booked seats including the extra leg space seats for an accompanying passenger. The seat reservations were made for an A380-800 and since the flight has been changed the seats do not match with the 747-400. I have called up Qantas and they said all they can allow is for me to select the seats on the 747-400. This change was made several days before the flight. They will not allow change of flights without a additional fee ranging from 100-1500 AUD.

To further add damage, this was the same situation on the flight to Los Angeles from Sydney. I have booked 2 seats (additional $50 AUD total) and the flight got changed to an 747. Issue on take off and delayed for 4-6 hours. We booked window seats and ended up in the middle section at the back of the plane. No notification of any kind was given to us to notify that the plane had been changed (which would allow us to quickly select new seats).

On my previous trip to Los Angeles this was also the case on the return leg from Los to Sydney. No notification, no refund.

Qantas charges a slightly higher fee for the A380 flights from Sydney to Los Angeles (approximately 50-100 extra from the 747. I've flown this trip 3 times in the past 3 years and out of those 3 trips 2 have had the issue I have discussed.

Terms and conditions from Qantas

  1. Seat selection is non-refundable unless:
    (a) Qantas changes your seat for operational, safety or security reasons (even after boarding the aircraft), and we are >unable to seat you in a suitable alternative.
    (b) there is a flight disruption causing you to be moved to another flight and Qantas is unable to seat you in a suitable >alternative on your new flight
    (c) Qantas moves you to a flight not operated by Qantas

I think I fall under category of 9a. If not do you think I have a valid right to seek a refund on the seat selection once I get back to Sydney?

Travel

Related Stores

Qantas
Qantas

Comments

  • Geewhizz on 31/01/2015 - 08:14
    +7

    So in effect, you've paid extra to obtain an extra-legroom seat, and you're no longer getting it, and unable to switch to one that does have it? I'd say you're more than within your rights to seek a refund.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/01/2015 - 12:13
    -1

    why are you bothering to ask OzBargain, why not call QANTAS who can actually give you an honest real answer?

    • ozkiwi75 on 31/01/2015 - 12:38
      +3

      I think he just wants to ensure he has interpreted their t&c correctly before he calls them up. But also to bring our attention to it as some Ozbargainers may not be aware. No harm in that.

  • MITM on 31/01/2015 - 14:12
    +1

    QANTAS givith and QANTAS takeith away - bait and switch
    Perhaps change your loyalty to Virgin Australia or other.
    66% fail rate.

  • donga100 on 31/01/2015 - 14:48
    +1

    I would strongly suggest seeking a refund for the seat selection before your flight rather than after it. I used to work with the same reservation system Qantas use and it is difficult (impossible?) for their call centre to refund the seating fees after the flight has departed.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/01/2015 - 16:20
    +1

    Go here and request a refund: http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/refund-form/global/…

    You're definitely allowed to get a seat selection refund if Qantas swaps out the plane and you end up in a crappier seat. I had the same issue last year on the SYD-LAX flight - Airbus got swapped to a 747 and I lost my exit row seat. However, they (after completing the form and making a couple of phone calls to 'remind' them to do their jobs) refunded the full $180 I paid for the exit row.

  • truongster on 31/01/2015 - 18:42
    +1

    Alright thanks. Just checked in and the website crashed, I have 2 conflicting seats now. One pair on Manage your booking and the other pair on the checked in seats. It won't allow me to print my boarding passes and it won't allow me to re check in. I'm practically boarding passless.

    I've called them twice at the American contact centre, not happy with their customer service at all.

    Thanks ozkiwi75.

    • ozkiwi75 on 01/02/2015 - 22:29

      The changed seating thing happens all the time and I don't think Qantas cares, because they never bother to notify the affected travellers. At least I was never contacted.

      I used to fly Qantas domestic weekly for work (I had no choice in the airline as it was booked through work). Anyway, I'd say about 1 in every 3 or 4 flights that I took would have last minute changes to the plane that would 'stuff up' my pre-selected seat. Most of the time it would be due to code sharing with a larger international plane.

      And yes, their app sucks. I'm sure its better now, but I last year I recall having to half check-in online on the computer to select my seat, then complete the check-in on the mobile app to get the QR code on my phone (I didn't have a printer). For whatever reason it wouldn't let me do both on the phone.

      I have no complaints about the Qantas friday late afternoon domestic flights though. Free alcohol and snacks, you quickly forget which seat you're in anyway!

  • Orion on 31/01/2015 - 19:24
    +1

    I gave up flying Qantas years ago for this exact reason, they treat their customers like rubbish….dont book with them.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join