Can I charge Qantas for changing MY flight?

[Pinch]

:
Hey all

Now we all know that if we want to change a booked and confirmed flight we have to pay Qantas right? They would have admin expenses so the concept is fair - except the charges do seem rather high. But I digress.

So I was checking my Qantas account today for a reason unrelated to my upcoming Thailand trip and what do I see - cancelled next to my confirmed flights for this trip.

I absolutely freaked out. There were some new flight times (a few days later) also with cancelled beside them.

Now at this point I must mention that I have received no calls from Qantas, nor any emails or any other notice. So I rang the number, waited 32 mins and yep, they have changed their flight schedules. Sorry about that, but we have the right to do it. No I can't go on the earlier flight, I can either take the new flights days later, or get a refund. What about my connecting flights and accommodation? "Not our problem. That's between you and those providers". The fact that the only reason I need to change my arrangements with those providers was because of Qantas changing my confirmed booking, without notice I might add, was of no consequence. Now I am sure somewhere in the fine print will be a limitation of liability no doubt, but they refused even any small amount of assistance.

So I am ringing around, freaking out, checking travel insurance PDS's (for something they tell me airlines are responsible for so they wont cover!) and trying to reorganise all my booked, paid and confirmed connecting flights, transfers, accommodation and day tours. So why the hell can't I charge them an alteration fee?

A big shout out here now goes to Thai Airways, my connecting flight airline. They went above and beyond to help me out. Without having any compulsion to do so they sympathised and organised everything for me. Now this was a basic cheap ticket, much less than the ticket I had with Qantas. They gave me a number of options, and have even made contingency plans in case Qantas unilaterally decides to change my newly changed itinerary again. Dead set champs. Should have flown entirely with them in the first place, but heaven forbid I try and support my own country's supposed flag carrier airline.

The Thai accommodation and transfers places all helped out too, despite having no cancellation or changes polices. And I wouldn't have changed them either but for Qantas. All up I have to pay an extra $A50.

So I went through all this stress, lost 2 days from my holiday and have to change where I go with absolutely no recompense whatsoever and am out of pocket. All airlines might have similar fine print, but not all enforce it to the absolute letter with no regard for their long standing customers.

Sure as a regular traveller I have had flights changed. But never by a number of days, and certainly with no notice.

With the GFC and all that Qantas (and maybe some other airlines) may be cutting out services - including your booked flights. Might want to check if you have any so called 'confirmed' flights - you might find they have been changed with no notice to you.

Rant over.