[ricco]

Here's s story that is still in progress as I write.
November last year my wife and I bought 2 tickets Sydney Osaka return on FF points leaving April 5 2007 - coming back April 15. All is Ok, we have the elctronic tickets and we're set to travel Qantas.
Feb 12 this year, Qantas deletes the Cairns - Osaka flight on April 5 but does not tell us. By chance I checked the website and our details on the website and we are no longer going to Osaka but Cairns - Tokyo, arriving late in the evening.
This is totally unsuitable for us since we are locked into hotel accomodation and tourist stuff - all paid for!

I rejected the Cairns-Tokyo flight and Qantas came back with an offer to put us on the Jetstar flight - Sydney-Osaka direct on the same day.
For us, it is critical we get to Osaka on the 5th so I took the offer and the web booking was changed. But, when it came to booking my wife, suddenly all the FF seats on the Jetstar flight disappeared and so the end of the day, I was going to Osaka and my wife was headed to Tokyo.

This morning, all has changed and my wife is on the same flight as me. But, we did pay for a economy class ticket on Qantas and the equivalent on Jetstar is Starclass - premium economy as I was told.

I asked Qantas that in view of the obvious downgrading of the ticket to Jetstar, that we be given the closest equivalent to economy Qantas - i.e Starclass.
That was this morning. As I understand it, that set of a flurry of phone calls between Qantas and Jetstar, this afternoon, they came back with a laughable offer - no Starclass upgrade but a refund of 6000 pts and "they would see what else they could do".

I indicated that the offer was a bit of an insult(check how far you can go on 6000 pts!) and that they back to the drawing boards and came up with the right solution - i.e. two seats in Starclass. As I understand it, seat pitch on Qantas economy is 32", Jetstar 30" but Starclass 38". I'm 6'4 and this is a 10 hour flight.

At the time of writing, there were communications flying between Qantas and Jetstar and they would get back to me tomorrow. Really?

At no point between November and yesterday have Qantas told us of the change to the original flight plan. They say they called me on Feb 27 but there is no record, no sms, no message left - nothing! They didn't bother to contact my wife. No explanation for this at all from Qantas. We could have easily turned up at Sydney airport - ready to go to Osaka only to be told we're off to Tokyo.
Why is there such a hassle over this? I know it is all about dollars here. There are Starclass seats available on the flight but, of course, they are not FF seats.

So at the moment, we're booked onto Sydney Osaka with Jetstar and coming back on Qantas.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Watch this space for the next episode.

[danielribo]

Unfortunatley this will become an increasing problem as more QF routes are replaced with JQ. In QF's eyes, their equivilant on JQ is an economy seat plus meals, blanket pack and headphones (but not the portable IFE). If you go to the frequent flyer online bookings and search a reward flight, for example, from SYD-HKT on JQ you'll see it costs the same amount of points as QF SYD-BKK for two sectors of basically the same distance.

Obviously, continue to push for star class, but I wouldn't get your hopes up too high. QF has decided that JQ economy plus a few of the extras prepaid are equal to their product (in some cases like on the 767's this is actually pretty correct).

I too had a similar problem with QF not informing me of a flight change last year. I was booked on QF31 (?) SYD-SIN when it was still a late night departure. It was changed to an afternoon departure and I was never told. Fortunatley I looked it up and found out for myself., but it was still pretty poor form from Qantas.

[d15.in.oz]

What a hassle!

First up, while I agree that Jetstar has shot itself in the knee with its constant advertising that StarClass “is business class for a standard economy price”, the seat pitch down the back is 31” on JQi (30” on JQ) so your talking a 3% difference to QF (but every bit counts, I know).

(Given QFF award redemption rates are the same for JQi/QF economy & JQi/QF business class/star class where they fly to the same destinations, I think you will face a hard sell getting into the front cabin, but keep the pressure on!)

As a fall back, may I suggest that you find an alternate routing that suits YOU! Perhaps check the schedules to KIX via HKG connecting with CX, and via NRT connecting with JL, if it is important that you fly with more than a 31” seat pitch. If there is a connection that suits, advise QFF that you want those flights instead (on the their full service airline alliance partners).

As a last resort, you could always ask for QFF to confirm you into exit row seating on the JQi direct service.

Good luck!

[NM]

Originally Posted by ricco

This morning, all has changed and my wife is on the same flight as me. But, we did pay for a economy class ticket on Qantas and the equivalent on Jetstar is Starclass - premium economy as I was told.

You have been told wrong then. The equivalent of a QF Economy FF award on JetStar is for travel in the main cabin but with the meal, headphones, and blanket provided free.

The Jetstar A330-200 economy seat and the QF 767-300 economy seats are similar in width, pitch and comfort. QF FF economy awards on JQ services get fed and watered (FeedMe Pack), warmed and comforted (Comfort Pack including blanket and pillow), and entertained (headphones provided for main-screen entertainment system).

The only real difference is that on a QF flight you would have had basically unlimited beverages, while on JQ you will have your choice of beverage with the meal as part of the feedme pack. So additional beverages will need to be purchased. For this, I think you may be able to negotiate with Qantas for a discount in the number of FF points paid or some form of refund or voucher that could be deemed to be of equivalent value.

I do not believe you can argue that JetStar Star Class is an entitlement or equivalent to QF ecomomy class travel.

Now if you have booked a QF business class award and had been moved to JQ StarClass then you have a very valid complaint.

[d15.in.oz]

Originally Posted by NM

The Jetstar A330-200 economy seat and the QF 767-300 economy seats are similar in width, pitch and comfort...

You will face the wrath of serfty for suggesting that JQi’s “leather” is as comfortable as QF’s seat coverings! LOL

[NM]

Originally Posted by d15.in.oz

You will face the wrath of serfty for suggesting that JQi’s “leather” is as comfortable as QF’s seat coverings! LOL

well some prefer the leather seats, others prefer cloth. But JQ StarClass is leather so can't really use an aversion to leather seat covering as a reason to get an upgrade to StarClass.

[ricco]

Thank you to you all who have taken the time to reply to my post. Very much appreciated indeed.

Danielribo, it's good! to know that we are not the only ones Qantas will not talk to when it counts.

D15.in.oz - you suggestions I took on board. I checked the Cathay Pacific websiteand there is a flight going Sydney to Kansai via Hon Kong but the flight is 14.5 hours with seats available - theoretically versus near 10 hours on the Jetstar flight. So, given the prospects for kicking back in Starclass are not good, the choice would be 10 hours in Jetstar main cabin or 14.5 hours in a Cathay Pacific economy seat. The arrival times at Kansai are about an hour's difference.
And yes, I've lost track of the time I've spent in the exit row and that's something that we hope to get.

What would you do folks?

NM - in the quite lengthy discussions I've had with FF staff on the phone - and I have to give them credit for being understanding and aware - the fact that as FF flyer on Jetstar, the cabin goodies come for free has never been mentioned by them.
NM, you say that I can't argue that Starclass is equivalent or entitlement to QF economy class travel. What would you think to be a proper response for Qantas to make in our circumstance?

[Evan]

Booking advance has risks. And you agree when you buy the ticket things can change, and do change

Anyway forget seat pitch differences on the A330's the QF A330 is better than a 767 i believe.
The JQ A330's are the A330-200's from QF mainline, same seating just re-covered. So the best deal out of the choices you would have had is i believe the JQ option.

I happen to find an A330 nice and comfortable, so i would choose direct instead of the via HK flights.

Given your situation i think the best to hope for is the option of JQ economy + Extras and some points.
You may get lucky with starclass but there is no real reason they should provide such a swap.

Evan

[NM]

Originally Posted by ricco

NM - in the quite lengthy discussions I've had with FF staff on the phone - and I have to give them credit for being understanding and aware - the fact that as FF flyer on Jetstar, the cabin goodies come for free has never been mentioned by them.
NM, you say that I can't argue that Starclass is equivalent or entitlement to QF economy class travel. What would you think to be a proper response for Qantas to make in our circumstance?

Ask them to confirm you will be fed, watered, entertained and comforted. I have no idea what JQ charge for additional beverages on-board, but I would be asking for the equivalent of say 2 or 3 additional beverages as a compensation value.

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by NM

The only real difference is that on a QF flight you would have had basically unlimited beverages, while on JQ you will have your choice of beverage with the meal as part of the feedme pack....

Never having flown JQ I would still have to disagree with that statement. There are many differences. Comparing QF economy and JQ economy is like comparing a Bel-Air mansion to a mud hut in Borneo.

Originally Posted by NM

Now if you have booked a QF business class award and had been moved to JQ StarClass then you have a very valid complaint.

According to QF, JQ starclass is the equivalent to QF business class so how can you argue any points on this tiny discrepancy.

Maybe one day I will get to try JQ economy and starclass to be able to compare to QF but at this stage there is no way that I would rate JQ starclass a premium economy product let alone an economy class product. As for JQ economy product, think LCC and then go lower a little more. Some people may think differently. YMMV.