Booked 4 pax in Business SYD-HNL May 23rd via my Alaska Miles.
Once given Qantas booking ref #, went onto QF website and selected seats, 5B,D,E,F. This was important as was travelling with 2 young children and having them in a set of 3 with my wife is best to keep them settled. I obviously lucked out on 5B, but it was also noted that the standard 'high status' seats were blocked out. So I was pretty chuffed with the seat selection, noting that these seats were almost certainly mine pending any 'operational' reasons.
So we go to check in, and we're given 8AB, JK. This was horrendous for us as we were split with a group of 3 inbetween. When I asked the check in agent why, I was almost laughed away, saying 'we gave it to a customer who actually paid', and that our Alaska miles redemption was basically treated as the lowest of the low, and we should be grateful that we got a seat.
This really left a bitter taste in my mouth and wondering if anyone else has been clever enough to use a flexible points currency like Alaska to get a cheap redemption without fuel taxes and then been basically denied their rights because of it.
Yeah, a lot of thin skinned snowflakes lurking in these forums. A lot of downvotes are undeserved. Anyway, sorry about the crappy treatment by QF. I have used United Miles, Avianca Lifemiles and Krisflyer to redeem J / F seats with ANA and SQ, and i have always been treated well, and not like a 2nd class free loader. QF can be a shocker at times when it comes to customer service.
I sympathise with the original poster. I had a similar experience years ago, but with Qantas points. And now, I only ever use points for upgrades. Cash is always king.
If that is exactly what the check in agent said I would hope you escalated the issue to a manager then and there and you've only come here to relay your experience.
This is poor if the check in agent used those words, however, I am aware that a business, this is all businesses, will give preference to paying customers.
This is poor if the check in agent used those words, however, I am aware that a business, this is all businesses, will give preference to paying customers.
The golden goose for Qantas is their frequent flyer program. Seats may not generate revenue by a passenger paying Qantas direct cash, but the seats provided as reward seats, generate revenue for Qantas by encouraging the sale of more points to business partners to market to their customers. Those partners only buy those because there is demand by their customers. Qantas should look after each customer and make them feel like they are an important customer. Doing this and having this culture, hopefully generates you more business. Notably, Qantas International contributes less profit than QFF.
I do however get your point in some situations. When something goes wrong, like when a large plane is replaced by a smaller plane, I'd expect Qantas to prioritise the recover of service to higher valued clients. From the sounds of the OPs post, that wasn't the issue here.
Not sure why the staff would have said that, but on the QF website seat map it mentions row 5 as being an exit row (with the middle section also considered an exit row as it is used as a crossover), so technically passengers in these seats need to satisfy normal exit Row requirements (even if not directly involved in opening of exit) ... so perhaps this is why the move and the ground staff didn’t know why?
Kids can't sit in exit rows (if indeed it was an exit row). You are also not allowed to sit in exit rows with children who need assistance. Sounds like the agent could have handled this a lot better if this was the case?
Singapore airlines upgraded me once - I definitely knew I wasn't a paying customer, literally went around me so had last meal order (so half the options were gone), last to get food, last to get drinks, even though I was in the middle of the cabin. Not great, but can't complain too much either.
Conversely I've had a huge number of redemptions in first and business on EY, CX, JL and never had any issues. Depends on staff rather than company sometimes?
Kids can't sit in exit rows (if indeed it was an exit row). You are also not allowed to sit in exit rows with children who need assistance. Sounds like the agent could have handled this a lot better if this was the case?
Singapore airlines upgraded me once - I definitely knew I wasn't a paying customer, literally went around me so had last meal order (so half the options were gone), last to get food, last to get drinks, even though I was in the middle of the cabin. Not great, but can't complain too much either.
Conversely I've had a huge number of redemptions in first and business on EY, CX, JL and never had any issues. Depends on staff rather than company sometimes?
upon reflection, this is probably the real reason they moved us. The check in agent did ring the gate agent and asked to move us and this is where the sentiment was parlayed that we werent worthy of being moved.
Yeah, a lot of thin skinned snowflakes lurking in these forums. A lot of downvotes are undeserved. Anyway, sorry about the crappy treatment by QF. I have used United Miles, Avianca Lifemiles and Krisflyer to redeem J / F seats with ANA and SQ, and i have always been treated well, and not like a 2nd class free loader. QF can be a shocker at times when it comes to customer service.
Tee hee, looks like the snowflakes held sway; title changed. :-)
josephjohn8484
josephjohn8484
Member since 17 Jan 2013
Total posts 61
Hi All,
So we go to check in, and we're given 8AB, JK. This was horrendous for us as we were split with a group of 3 inbetween. When I asked the check in agent why, I was almost laughed away, saying 'we gave it to a customer who actually paid', and that our Alaska miles redemption was basically treated as the lowest of the low, and we should be grateful that we got a seat.
koji
koji
Cathay Pacific - The Marco Polo Club
Member since 11 Jun 2018
Total posts 58
Don’t understand those downvotes.(perhaps because of the title?)
desafinado74
desafinado74
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
Member since 02 Dec 2016
Total posts 12
Yeah, a lot of thin skinned snowflakes lurking in these forums. A lot of downvotes are undeserved. Anyway, sorry about the crappy treatment by QF. I have used United Miles, Avianca Lifemiles and Krisflyer to redeem J / F seats with ANA and SQ, and i have always been treated well, and not like a 2nd class free loader. QF can be a shocker at times when it comes to customer service.
dddale
dddale
Member since 06 Dec 2018
Total posts 25
I sympathise with the original poster. I had a similar experience years ago, but with Qantas points. And now, I only ever use points for upgrades. Cash is always king.
anonymous
anonymous
Member since 24 Dec 2013
Total posts 159
Qantas may be famous for its safety record but certainly not for customer service.
djtech
djtech
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 Sep 2018
Total posts 375
I'm surprised they discriminated against points redemptions on partners.
getluv
getluv
Member since 11 Feb 2015
Total posts 2
If that is exactly what the check in agent said I would hope you escalated the issue to a manager then and there and you've only come here to relay your experience.
Red Cee
Red Cee
Member since 15 Feb 2018
Total posts 151
This is poor if the check in agent used those words, however, I am aware that a business, this is all businesses, will give preference to paying customers.
hutch
hutch
Member since 07 Oct 2012
Total posts 772
The golden goose for Qantas is their frequent flyer program. Seats may not generate revenue by a passenger paying Qantas direct cash, but the seats provided as reward seats, generate revenue for Qantas by encouraging the sale of more points to business partners to market to their customers. Those partners only buy those because there is demand by their customers. Qantas should look after each customer and make them feel like they are an important customer. Doing this and having this culture, hopefully generates you more business. Notably, Qantas International contributes less profit than QFF.
I do however get your point in some situations. When something goes wrong, like when a large plane is replaced by a smaller plane, I'd expect Qantas to prioritise the recover of service to higher valued clients. From the sounds of the OPs post, that wasn't the issue here.
viewfromthetop
viewfromthetop
Member since 17 Jun 2015
Total posts 7
Not sure why the staff would have said that, but on the QF website seat map it mentions row 5 as being an exit row (with the middle section also considered an exit row as it is used as a crossover), so technically passengers in these seats need to satisfy normal exit Row requirements (even if not directly involved in opening of exit) ... so perhaps this is why the move and the ground staff didn’t know why?
fatty
fatty
Member since 24 Feb 2015
Total posts 62
Kids can't sit in exit rows (if indeed it was an exit row). You are also not allowed to sit in exit rows with children who need assistance. Sounds like the agent could have handled this a lot better if this was the case?
josephjohn8484
josephjohn8484
Member since 17 Jan 2013
Total posts 61
upon reflection, this is probably the real reason they moved us. The check in agent did ring the gate agent and asked to move us and this is where the sentiment was parlayed that we werent worthy of being moved.
brettepi
brettepi
Member since 10 Jul 2017
Total posts 86
i doubt the person behind the counter laughed and said that your points were the lowest of the low. dont exaggerate.
JackMiles
JackMiles
Member since 29 Feb 2016
Total posts 20
Tee hee, looks like the snowflakes held sway; title changed. :-)
lach64
lach64
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 05 Oct 2018
Total posts 11
I flew on QF3 a couple of weeks ago and I had the best service I have ever had on Qantas