Qantas FF Unfairness.
Discuss Qantas FF Unfairness, on the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program forum of FrequentFlyer.com.au, the home of frequent flyers.
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Sorry I have to bitch on my first post but I feel ripped.
Like most of you, we have saved our FF points up to use on a nice holiday away. The destination we chose is Hawaii.
I started looking for available award flights today and found a flight that departs Sydney on the 14th August and returns 28th August. Unfortunately it is a Jetstar flight both ways. So that means we will miss out on meals etc. What caught my surprise was the surcharges and fees for the return flight. $355.14.
I decided then to check the Jetstar website and see what taxes they charge for the return cash ticket. $145.
Wow! So firstly I get thrown on an airline that I don't like (miss out on meals, blankets, in-flight entertainment), and then to really rub salt into the wound Qantas charge me an extra $200 in fees/per adult.
How is this fair???
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If this is true, it sounds like Qantas are possibly guilty of misleading advertising if they advertise that you simply pay the taxes + surcharges when booking award flights.
if you could be bothered, complaining to the ACCC and Fair Trading may have a very small chance of getting Qantas to play a little fairer.
Sorry I have to bitch on my first post but I feel ripped.
Like most of you, we have saved our FF points up to use on a nice holiday away. The destination we chose is Hawaii.
I started looking for available award flights today and found a flight that departs Sydney on the 14th August and returns 28th August. Unfortunately it is a Jetstar flight both ways. So that means we will miss out on meals etc. What caught my surprise was the surcharges and fees for the return flight. $355.14.
I decided then to check the Jetstar website and see what taxes they charge for the return cash ticket. $145.
Wow! So firstly I get thrown on an airline that I don't like (miss out on meals, blankets, in-flight entertainment), and then to really rub salt into the wound Qantas charge me an extra $200 in fees/per adult.
Simple explanation (as dubious as the approach is) is that Qantas and Jetstar are different airlines and charge different surcharges. You will find that rife throughout the airline industry, particularly when codeshares come it play, the surcharge will depend on the airline marketing the flight. QF is essentially codesharing on the JQ flight, so are entitled to charge what they want.
Indeed QF itself charge different surcharges depending on where you originate, so someone travelling SYD-LHR-SYD will pay different surcharges to someone travelling on the same flight numbers from LHR-SYD-LHR (usually those travelling ex-AUS pay more, as we love QF that much more than travellers in other countries).
The most extreme case of what you are referring to is when JQ have sales on, I have seen flights available on JQ for $5 in total (no surcharges). On those same flights and the same day you could if you were a raving lunatic, or where gullible and didn't know any better spend 8,000 pts + approx $40 in surcharges.
So, because Qantas and Jetstar are different airlines, they can charge whatever taxes and surcharges they like on services they sell. As you're on a Qantas-coded flight, you're charged Qantas surcharges, regardless of the fact Jetstar are operating it.
If it's any consolation, JQi (in my limited experience with them) aren't that bad.
And as you are booked on a QF-coded flight, you should (I'm not sure whether FF bookings are included anymore) be entitled to complimentary meals and unlimited non alcoholic beverages, a blanket and a headset in economy.
...And as you are booked on a QF-coded flight, you should (I'm not sure whether FF bookings are included anymore) be entitled to complimentary meals and unlimited non alcoholic beverages, a blanket and a headset in economy.
Non StarClass FF redemption on JQi gives the seat - nothing else!
From the research I have done, and the conversation I have had with Qantas employees, I have now made up my mind that it is better to use my points towards a destination that Jetstar does not fly to.
I can list the reasons if anyone is bothered to read them.
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Member of: SQG, QF nothing, HH Gold, PC Royal Ambassador, MRS
Posts: 73
Re: Qantas FF Unfairness
QF is not the only one who rips off on additional charges. I redeemed points for my wife and 2.5 year old daughter to Ukraine with SQ. The additional charges were almost 1200 AUD ex SIN!
From the research I have done, and the conversation I have had with Qantas employees, I have now made up my mind that it is better to use my points towards a destination that Jetstar does not fly to.
And you are likely to get better redemption value if avoiding JQ flights anyway!
Since my first post I have used FF points to travel to Fiji and Cairns. I believe I have got better value from using the points for the flights compared with what I would've got by redeeming them for shopping vouchers.
I think the biggest thing for me was avoiding Jetstar flights.
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