Qantas cancels Perth-Singapore service

15 replies

LawrenceD

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 29 Apr 2013

Total posts 20

QF PER - SIN cancelled service

Well not a question here but rather spme feedback. I was on a flight from Perth to Singapore which has had the route cut by Qantas. My offer of replacement was a Jetstar Asia flight, no seat request, no baggage and best of all to replace a full service airline service - a $10 Singapore dollar voucher for meals and drinks aboard. Usually i wouls just ask for a refund but seeing as it is Singapore GP weekend and availability is now tight on alternative cheaper fares i am stuffed. Best part is my mate decided to book Jetstar at the same time as me and got his ticket $300 cheaper than me. Now we could be sitting next to each other. Just cost me $300 for my Qantas loyalty. Well as I am a platinum member, and i and my workmates fly a fair bit, i have another alternative. Virgin can have my business from now on. All up there would be over 100 domestic flights a year that i book...that must count for something. Not in Qantas eyes...no wonder the airline is heading down the gurgler. A simple offer of sorry we cancelled the route as it was not economic. Please accept an alternative seat and we will refund you $300 for the difference in fare. Please accept a complimentary meal and let us know where you would like to sit. Okay not perfect but better than what has transpired. After all, if you walk into a BMW showroom and buy a nice beemer and then when you pick itmupmthey say, sorry we ran out them so here is your commodore instead. Same price of course. Sorry to you all for reading my rant, but someone at qantas needs to head Customer Service 101. First world problem I know but i feel better about letting it all out!

hutch

Member since 07 Oct 2012

Total posts 771

Whilst you may feel better having your rant, you are telling the wrong people. Why not ring them back and get them to re-route you on Malaysian. Would be slightly longer, but more pleasureable. Or head over to AFF and make this comment and see whether Qantas (who monitor that website) will fix it for you.

Anyway, See Qantas commercial policy:

For customers holding a Qantas (081) issued ticket:
 
Passengers may, without fee:
 
Reroute/Rebook

  • Travel to/from Perth via Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne gateway on alternative Qantas service with 'QF' flight number operated by Qantas.
  • Travel to alternate Qantas codeshare service with 'QF' flight number operated by Jetstar Asia between Perth and Singapore.
  • Travel to alternate Jetstar Asia  '3K' flight number operated by Jetstar Asia or Jetstar flight with 'JQ' flight number operated by Jetstar between Perth and Singapore v.v.
  • Travel to/from Perth on Malaysia Airlines with ‘MH’ flight number operated by oneworld partner Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur or Cathay Pacific service with ’CX’ flight number operated by oneworld partner Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong.

KG

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 10 May 2011

Total posts 249

So let me get this right, QF offered Lawrence the most direct option (and probably the cheapest option for QF)? They should have given him the options as listed in your response and asked him "which one would you prefer?". As indeed he booked a full servioce airline to get service.

hutch

Member since 07 Oct 2012

Total posts 771

110% right they should of... but they didn't. He can either just complain here and still fly jetstar, or complain here and somewhere else and maybe get a better outcome.

521303

Member since 03 Jan 2012

Total posts 62

I'm also in Perth.  And in business myself.  It seems to me that Qantas is in the mess it's in because they don't have the Emotional Intelligence to work out what their customers may feel, and act accordingly.  They've simply lost the ability to provide a "service" in a competitive service industry.  I'm not talking about the flight crews, etc - who are pretty good in my book.  I'm talking about the management of Qantas under Joyce.  I'm also a Platinum FF with QF, and thier customer service to high net value travelers like us is very poor.  So I disagree with Hutch. In business, it is not up to paying customers to go scrambling around to fix a problem created by a business.  If the "service" you paid for is not available, it is up to the business providing the service to keep the customer happy.  This is where Qantas fails and fails and fails.  Because they're basically a pseudo-Government department management team with a Government Department philosphy ("National Carrier"), they simply don't care about the concerns of paying customers.  With the boom in WA, if Qantas had any entrepreurial spirit at all, it would have already made millions out of this market - at every level - from mine charter fights to outgoing international flights to exotic destinations.  But they missed the boat and are now in the drink.  You can't even go on holiday to Bali with Qantas from Perth - even Virgin offer that route.  What went wrong? 

hutch

Member since 07 Oct 2012

Total posts 771

521303, I just told him to ring Qantas and armed him with the knowledge to fix his issue. No, he shouldn't have to! But if he doesn't get in touch with the right people the problem can't be fixed, cant it? Yes, I could have written back - 'yes, qantas are horrible and shouldn't have done this and should do better', but guess what, the OP would still be on 3K at the end of the comment.

reno

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 20 Sep 2013

Total posts 317

Very much agree with all points raised.

wilsoni Banned

wilsoni Banned

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 28 Sep 2011

Total posts 302

Malaysian? Yeh right....

TheRealBabushka

Member since 21 Apr 2012

Total posts 2,058

Thank you Lawrence for sharing.  It really is a slap in the face to be put on Jetstar. 

am

Member since 15 Apr 2011

Total posts 216

The situation sucks, but it doesn't sound like you tried too hard to find a better outcome. I agree that Qantas could have, and should have, done a better job to try and accommodate you, but often it's as simple as asking what the options are or for a refund of the fare difference between the QF flight and the JQ one. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm fairly confident that consumer law would prevent QF from selling you a full-service package and then failing to provide bags, meals etc. 

Call the platinum hotline and ask at they can do for you rather than wasting your time telling us about it.

521303

Member since 03 Jan 2012

Total posts 62

I think the point being made by the original "rant", is that a Qantas passenger - especially a Platinum FF - really shouldn't have to make a song and dance and go cap in hand to Qantas to fix this issue.  Now you're correct - one way for any customer to solve  any problem is to get proactive and complain to the business (by telephoning Qantas in this case).  But another way is for the customer to simply take their business elsewhere.  I think that the real point being made here is that many customers in Perth - and elsewhere in Australia - are now at the point of voting with their feet and abandoning Qantas in favour of other airlines that: A) Actually fly out of Perth or to destination they would choose to go; and B) Offer a better service than Qantas.  Not everyone wants to engage the joys of a low-cost carrier like Jetstar, or the national airline of some third-World country - and I don't mean that in a racist way! 

 

hutch

Member since 07 Oct 2012

Total posts 771

He can by all means take his future business elsewhere. No issues with that at all and that is what we as consumers can do. But no one is telling the OP to stick with QANTAS for life, they are trying to help him with his current issue - he may be able to get on 3K and get free baggage, or may get the  fare difference refunded, or fly MH/CX... then after his SIN trip he can teach QANTAS for treating him poorly by going to Virgin Domestic. But what does he gain by not fixing his Singapore issue and just taking his business elsewhere?

Chris_PER

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 19 Feb 2014

Total posts 90

Basically the equivalent of paying for Singapore Airlines and then being bumped off onto Scoot.

We're pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to Singapore from Perth.  Is the Business product on the regional SQ better than what QF offers?

abudhabi1

Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus

Member since 15 Jan 2013

Total posts 104

It's the same product as what we Adelaide folk get for Business Class on Singapore Airlines and though I haven't yet experienced it.I would say yes.I am assuming Perth also uses the A330'S.

LawrenceD

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 29 Apr 2013

Total posts 20

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice. I know I was having a rant, but that was after I had taken steps to resolve the issue. I had called Qantas and asked for a partial refund, a meal etc. I was advised after 10 minutes of being on hold that they would not be offering anything further. I have also written to Customer Care area and am not hopeful of a resolution there either.

As it stands I have done all I can, and my best course of action is to enjoy the Jetstar Asia experience and vote with my feet for future travel requirements.  Have a great weekend everyone.

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