Avoid this costly mistake! How a Qantas booking glitch cost one angry customer $1500
- Replies 15
In the ever-changing world of technology, online booking for flights has become a blessing. It's instant, hassle-free and done from the comfort of our homes. No need to visit a travel agent or spend time on lengthy phone calls. However, it's not always roses and rainbows, as one irate Aussie, Jocelyn Kellam, found out recently.
Navigating the virtual aisles of the Qantas website, Jocelyn, a 60-year-old deacon from the Anglican Church, had no inkling of the roller-coaster ride she was in for.
Originally, she thought she had found a great deal on a return flight from Sydney to London costing $3,491. Little did she know, this seemingly straightforward transaction would morph into a beast of a mistake that would leave her a whopping $1,500 extra out of pocket.
'I tried to book online for about a week and it always showed me a fare for $3,491,' she explained. Unfortunately, persistent technical errors thwarted all her attempts to confirm the booking online. Frustrating error messages met her at every turn.
Not one to shy away from a challenge and desperate to meet a friend, Jocelyn tackled the issue head-on by ringing Qantas' customer service hotline.
But just when she thought her troubles were over and she could confirm her booking over the phone, she was faced with an unexpected blow: the fare was now listed at a striking $5,034. Do the maths, and it equates to a hefty $1,543 differential.
'Whenever I went to check out, it wouldn't let me. I received an error message every time,' she shared, reflecting upon her ordeal. 'So finally I rang up the frequent flyer desk and asked for a consultant who confirmed the same seat was still available, but not at the website price.'
The consultant’s explanation? Booking over the phone always costs more–not exactly what you'd expect to hear after seeing the airline's price match guarantee quoted on its website!
'I just wanted them to match their website,' Jocelyn said, echoing the thoughts of many who have suffered the infuriating consequence of technical glitches combined with poor customer service.
Undeterred, she composed several emails to Qantas expressing her disapproval and requesting that they made things right, only to be met with a disparaging silence.
Fortunately, Jocelyn’s tenacious spirit paid dividends. Qantas eventually acknowledged their predicament, conceding that they had, indeed, overcharged her. Yahoo News reported a Qantas spokesperson assuring Ms Kellam will be contacted to process a refund of the excess fare she had paid. In addition, she would receive 100,000 frequent flyer points as an apology for the troubles she had to endure.
Our valiant Jocelyn's story should be a startling reminder that digital conveniences are not always as convenient as they seem.
Jocelyn wanted to make sure other people didn’t encounter such an ordeal. 'If they're prepared to do that to me, what are they doing to other people,' she said, raising an important point about the need for diligence when dealing with online bookings.
If this story sounds familiar, that’s because it is. The same thing happened to a 61-year-old Aussie mum last March—and it left her stranded and short by $17,000.
Technological advances don’t always equate to seamless transactions, as depicted in Jocelyn’s unfortunate experience. Whether you’re doing online shopping or purchasing air tickets, always maintain a healthy level of scepticism and vigilance. Double-check all the information before you click 'confirm'. Follow up persistently in the face of an error, and most importantly, know your rights as a consumer.
The ACCC states that if ‘more than one price is displayed for an item, the business must charge the lowest price, or stop selling the item until the price is corrected.’ You can read more about it on the ACCC’s website.
Here at the Seniors Discount Club, we wish you safe travels and bother-free bookings!
Have you heard of or experienced any similar travel woes? How did it turn out? Tell us below!
Navigating the virtual aisles of the Qantas website, Jocelyn, a 60-year-old deacon from the Anglican Church, had no inkling of the roller-coaster ride she was in for.
Originally, she thought she had found a great deal on a return flight from Sydney to London costing $3,491. Little did she know, this seemingly straightforward transaction would morph into a beast of a mistake that would leave her a whopping $1,500 extra out of pocket.
'I tried to book online for about a week and it always showed me a fare for $3,491,' she explained. Unfortunately, persistent technical errors thwarted all her attempts to confirm the booking online. Frustrating error messages met her at every turn.
Qantas tried to charge an irate customer nearly $1500 more for a ticket after she was unable to book it online due to the website's technical issues. Source: Supplied / Yahoo News
Not one to shy away from a challenge and desperate to meet a friend, Jocelyn tackled the issue head-on by ringing Qantas' customer service hotline.
But just when she thought her troubles were over and she could confirm her booking over the phone, she was faced with an unexpected blow: the fare was now listed at a striking $5,034. Do the maths, and it equates to a hefty $1,543 differential.
'Whenever I went to check out, it wouldn't let me. I received an error message every time,' she shared, reflecting upon her ordeal. 'So finally I rang up the frequent flyer desk and asked for a consultant who confirmed the same seat was still available, but not at the website price.'
The consultant’s explanation? Booking over the phone always costs more–not exactly what you'd expect to hear after seeing the airline's price match guarantee quoted on its website!
'I just wanted them to match their website,' Jocelyn said, echoing the thoughts of many who have suffered the infuriating consequence of technical glitches combined with poor customer service.
Undeterred, she composed several emails to Qantas expressing her disapproval and requesting that they made things right, only to be met with a disparaging silence.
Fortunately, Jocelyn’s tenacious spirit paid dividends. Qantas eventually acknowledged their predicament, conceding that they had, indeed, overcharged her. Yahoo News reported a Qantas spokesperson assuring Ms Kellam will be contacted to process a refund of the excess fare she had paid. In addition, she would receive 100,000 frequent flyer points as an apology for the troubles she had to endure.
Jocelyn wanted to make sure other people didn’t encounter such an ordeal. 'If they're prepared to do that to me, what are they doing to other people,' she said, raising an important point about the need for diligence when dealing with online bookings.
If this story sounds familiar, that’s because it is. The same thing happened to a 61-year-old Aussie mum last March—and it left her stranded and short by $17,000.
Technological advances don’t always equate to seamless transactions, as depicted in Jocelyn’s unfortunate experience. Whether you’re doing online shopping or purchasing air tickets, always maintain a healthy level of scepticism and vigilance. Double-check all the information before you click 'confirm'. Follow up persistently in the face of an error, and most importantly, know your rights as a consumer.
The ACCC states that if ‘more than one price is displayed for an item, the business must charge the lowest price, or stop selling the item until the price is corrected.’ You can read more about it on the ACCC’s website.
Here at the Seniors Discount Club, we wish you safe travels and bother-free bookings!
Have you heard of or experienced any similar travel woes? How did it turn out? Tell us below!
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