My recent experience with the Qantas club lounge closures in NZ - am i being picky or is this ok for Qantas to avoid publicising the change and the opportunity for refunds? Should I just accept that I have to return the club card for a refund? should I build a bridge - or am I right to kick up a fuss?
Recently found out that Qantas were to close their domestic business lounges in NZ. Jetstar had taken over the domestic flights in NZ, and I had expected that there would be a transition to jetstar managing the lounges but had expected them to honour the qantas club membership until renewal time or something like that.
After a good review of both the Qantas and Jetstar websites, I found very little detail on the transition. Having called Qantas, have now been told that I can get a refund on the Qantas club membership for the balance of my year, but only on the proviso that I post in my Qantas Club card. Unfortunatly I have not seen this for some time - and in fact have never had to use it for access. Qantas are adamant - no card, no refund. I doubt they can enforce that and am more than happy to take them to the Disputes Tribunal to prove it. When I mentioned this, they advised that this was a directive from their finance dept as a security measure - yea right!
I have travelled for over three years as a memeber of Qantas Club and have never had to present this card? Nor have I had to present my Frequent Flyer card for that matter - its all online. So taking into account that Qantas made no effor to be transparent about the closure of the domestic nz lounges, that they have made no mention of the refund option available, and have stipulated that to get the refund you have to present your qantas club membership card, (which I am sure many other members dont bother to carry), this whole transition stinks of \"keep it quiet and keep the cash\".
Qantas appear to be very happy to qualify Jetstar as part of their group when it suits - and to qualify jetstar as a seperate entity when they cut a service corner. Air New Zealand appear to be upping their game - as long as they keep working to maintain some competitive pricing, and with a much better number of flights, times and domestic lounges I guess my 22 years of qantas preferrence is coming to an end.
The qantas domestic club lounges in nz are now jetstar lounges and whilst they are opening access to anybody - for a door charge, the general facilites at the domestic terminals are so much better now. No longer does one have to join a business club lounge to avoid the carnage of a domestic lounge!
As for the refund, will try for one last search for the qantas club card, otherwise will just prove to their arrogant finance department ( shouldnt this have been a customer service issue?), that they dont get to re-write consumer law.
stay tuned and travel safe this christmas! Please post your feedback!
Reply to this Hi Jo - thanks for the thought, but probably not mainstream enough - happy to have a go on my own anyway. To me it just makes Qantas look like pathetic pernny pinchers. They are big enough to do this right, and they're not. cheers
Reply to this I could tell many stories about Qantas ,like 1.5minutes of survelance video going missing.Just happened to be the part of the video that showed the security officer tipping everything ,out of my tray, onto the x.ray machine conveyor belt.This led to my $400 Serengeti sunglasses being ruined.I immediatly made a complaint and filled in insurance form.When I returned from work 3weeks later I was told as there was no video evidence they would not replace my sunglasses.They expected me to just accept this but I did not and after many e.mails and ph calls ,to very rude Qantas staff, I eventually told them "F--k this I'll see you in court" .Within 3hours I had $400 in my bank but they still wouldn't admit fault.
This is just 1 of MANY stories I could tell you.If I could avoid it I would never fly Qantas again.With my work ect this is not possible and they know this.
Long story short "DON"T GIVE UP"
Reply to this Thank's El, overall have always found the flight crew exceptional - its the administrators who appear to operate on a different level. PS - Not in my nature to ever give up!!! Cheers
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