It's called Oneworld Alliance... but is it actually one?

Today Qantas announced an aircraft change on QF35 MELSIN during a period when I'm traveling. I'm very lucky to be booked in First, but they've changed the aircraft to a B787 (with no First cabin). Alan Joyce was quoted by ET saying "passengers booked in First will be reaccommodated onto QF1 (via SYD) or Emirates (QF codeshare)". However to my surprise when I logged in I found I was downgraded to Business, with new seat assignment. No notification in my booking, no call, no email. Just a downgrade which I happened to notice by reading the article in ET, and then logging into my QF account. I'm also Qantas Platinum - clearly that doesn't mean much these days?

So I call Qantas and speak to a very helpful person. She advises I am free to select the QF1 option if I wish. I take it. But then... She tells me I need to call BA since they issued the ticket. So even though Qantas made the 'disruption' they can't (or won't) reissue the ticket, even though they hold seats on the new flights. I waited 35 mins to get through to BA by phone. They then had me on hold for a further 15 mins while they looked into whether they could reissue or not. A very apologetic BA person eventually reissued my flights.

This is just a sham! How can one airline within the same alliance, make a disruption and/or schedule change, and not resissue the ticket themselves AFTER checking with the customer first about preferences? Even if they don't reissue themselves, surely they have channels to the other partner airline to instruct a resissue. Why should I as the customer do the running around for their changes? Not to mention I'm a premium customer and traveling in their highest cabin class. I know it is the rules, apparently. But is that ok? I think not.

Interesting article skoffman, and timing for mine. ie Only last week I had a similar very bad OneWorld experience, and am only now prompted to post on the back of yours, else wondered if I might only just be ranting! Whilst my experience wasn't the same in terms of aircraft and class changes, I suspect I have had a similarly bad experience on account of which OneWorld airline issued the ticket (Qantas), and then having to follow-up myself to get the best service outcome (also being Platinum didn't seem to matter!)

My wife and I are currently travelling on a OneWorld Classic Flight Reward (booked last year when they were still going for 280,000 points). Amongst a packed itinerary involving QR, IB, BA, AA & QF I received an email from BA (whilst we are currently travelling in Italy) advising our upcoming flights (later in the itinerary) from ATH to DUB via LHR had changed. I understand flights schedules can (and do) change, but on this occasion BA had shifted an 0800 departure to 0240 (Yuk!), and then instead of a 3 hour LHR connection left us with an 8.5 hour connection. Whilst I don't mind a good lounge 8.5 hours is a bit of a stretch!

And so I rang BA, whom advised that although much "frendlier" schedule options were available I would have to go through Qantas, as Qantas had issued the ticket (similar to your QF/BA experience).

And so I rang Qantas, only to be advised that Classic Reward seats were not available on one of those "friendlier" flights, although Qantas would email a request to BA via the OneWorld desk. Qantas said I should expect a response within 24 hours.

2 days later and nothing heard (still a couple of weeks out from those flights), but to my surprise I noticed (not advised by Qantas) that 2x earlier Iberia flights on our itinerary had been cancelled! And so another long, expensive call to Qantas. Still no update on the BA flight request changes, but they would send another request to the OneWorld desk to find out what had happened to the IB flights.

Waiting, waiting .......... days later nothing from Qantas on either front, so eventually I made another lengthy call; this time the Service Consultant contacted Iberia whilst I waited on hold, and got the Iberia bookings reinstated. Still no update on the requested friendlier BA flights, which notably had been added by Qantas to our booking but not ticketed (which was significant).

Another day or so later and I noticed (not informed by Qantas or Iberia) that again the Iberia flights had been cancelled. Another lengthy call to Qantas, this time the Service Consultant told me exactly why Iberia kept cancelling. Reason being that because the booking now contained flights not on the original ticket (ie those friendlier flight requests pending approval from BA, which by that stage had taken 4-5 days and still weren't approved such that Qantas could re-issue the ticket) then Iberia systems picked-up the variation and automatically cancelled their sectors. To your point - nice OneWorld service hey?

Perhaps the saddest part of all this is that it was only resolved (ie re-ticketed with all flights) after I complained formally.

Hmmmm ............. See the similarities with your experience? Doesn't say much for the "One" in OneWorld ;-)

Skoffman I also had a paid first class ticket booked on QF35 booked as an Emirates ticket. Heard about change here and rang Qantas 24 hours later. They confirmed change but said any change to QF 1 would have to be made by Emirates. Emirates had no idea what to do and suggested I apply for a partial refund after the journey. It was amazing that the downgrade was not an issue for either airline. After a very long discussion got flight changed but need to have an 8 hour layover in Sydney as Emirates does not codeshare on later flights from Adelaide so could not get on a later Qantas flight. I guess it's not an alliance issue but a code share issue. When it works it's great, when things go off the rails it gets trickier.

Good news is 8 hours in first lounge in Sydney. It's for a holiday so bring it on!

It's funny. The Chinese travel and aviation forums think of Qantas as a oneworld member who's actually a SkyTeam member.

So Qantas downgauged the aircraft and booked you the next best option, MEL-SIN in Business (bearing in mind they now need to accommodate First and Business pax into one smaller Business cabin on the 787). You're entitled to remain in First and go via Sydney but due to BA and not Qantas issuing the ticket, BA have to make the change. They do and you're now still flying First, via Sydney.

While it seems like it's a minor inconvenience having to call Qantas and then BA, I don't see what the issue is. You were disrupted but reaccomodated how you wanted to be.

I was to fly SYD-LAX on QF17 in first class and I woke up the morning on the flight to see that the incoming flight was delayed 24 hours due to tech issues. I proactively called Qantas who offered me a business class alternative on AA or to fly out the following morning. I insisted on EK F and they said their policy was no non-QF if there is QF alternatives (even though they were offering AA). I stuck to my guns and insisted EK which they eventually agreed. Not sure if it helps but I am QF Platinum. Funny thing is they rebooked us on a revenue ticket so we got the EK miles and made silver in 1 trip.

Wow. Only 1 call and a 35 + 15 minute wait for BA to solve a problem. Would've taken several calls and hours of hold time for QF to do the same.

So, firstly. You're booked on an Syd - LAX, but when that's not available, you want to get an Emirates via Dubai? A much longer way around.

Why not just go first via Melbourne to LAX?

With ticketing issues it's pretty much the wild west as many have pointed out. The OW comes into only pretty much with lounge access and boarding plus luggage limits. I'm a regular on QF to London and DFW so AA beyond that. Ocassionaly Cathay. Now Plat status is recognised on board only by QF and especially CX where even in Y there is a superb level of service. OW Emerald on BA or AA sitting at the back.. Ppfft forget it. First world problems I guess

I very much enjoyed spending 30+ hours in EK F.

In my experience, CodeShare flights become a big issue, particularly when there are delays not associated to the airline, as neither party want to take the responsibility. Call Operating carrier, they say they didn't issue the ticket, and call airline issuing ticket, they say call operating carrier as it's their delay... and around in circles it goes.
Usually it's easier once you've checked in as the operating carrier takes responsibility, but before a flight... things are always messy.

If BA has issued the original ticket, only BA can make changes to flights/dates/etc. That's just the way the travel industry works. In reality, you wasted your time contacting Qantas, as they didn't have the power to make those sorts of changes to the ticket, even if they are the airline that modifies the booked service. Lesson learned for next time.

Last year I had booked my J flights from MEL-PER-LHR-BCN and return. On the return leg, some of the flight times were changed and so I chatted to someone online to get more favourable flights (ie. more than 1 hr for transit in LHR). Was advised it could not be done due to the BA flights from LHR to BCN. Called up Qantas as well and was told that I would have to pay more to change my flights on BA (as apparently there weren't any available spots in the fare class I had booked on the other flights and I was not able to change fare classes for a single leg of the booking). It wasn't just a little bit of cash though, it was over a thousand bucks! Called a few weeks later for the same reason, and had all of my conflicting flights changed without any hassles and without any fees! Really seemed like a case of getting the right call service agent who actually knew what they were doing. I don't know if made any difference, but when I had called back the second time I had just made Gold FF.

Basically, this appear to have worked the way it should. Unless the ticket is under "airport control" or something, you call the ticketing airline or travel agent for changes, not the operating carrier.

You are also correct, they should contact you. However, this often takes time and you did all this on the same day as the announcement. Personally, I think proactivity often yields better results in any case.