Qantas horror: Couple recall European ordeal that left them facing a huge $19,000 bill
How a shocking Qantas mistake cost an Aussie couple $19,000: ‘An overall horrible experience’
- Aussie couple traveled to Netherlands
- However, their return flight was delayed
- They had to pay $19,000 to get a new flight
An Australian couple have revealed how they had to spend more than $19,000 to get home after a Qantas mistake left them stranded in the Netherlands.
Sydney’s Andrew and Meagan Lewis said they had a “terrible experience” trying to get home from their trip to Europe in February.
The married couple had booked business class flights to and from Europe using Qantas Frequent Flyer points approximately 12 months before they left for the Netherlands.
However, at midnight the day before they were due to fly home, they were informed that one of their return flights was delayed.
They were assured that the issue would be resolved by email the following day.
That email never arrived and after a last minute phone call showing him around, Mr Andrews was eventually told that the couple would not be able to make their flight due to the delay.
To make matters worse, the only replacement flight available was over $19,000 and was not eligible for a refund from Qantas.
The couple had booked business class flights to and from Europe using Qantas Frequent Flyer points about 12 months before they left for the Netherlands
“It was an all-encompassing horrific experience,” said Mr. Lewis news.com.au.
‘They advised us that we could pay for a flight via Frankfurt [in a few days time]. So we would have to take a train from Amsterdam to Frankfurt and then it would go from Frankfurt to Dubai to Sydney with Emirates for a total cost of just over $19,000 for the two of us.
“We felt like we had no choice because we had work commitments to come home.
“We were gone for a long time, so we had to pay them the money over the phone.”
To make matters worse, he had to pay for two extra nights of accommodation in Amsterdam, two train tickets and an extra night in Frankfurt, which cost an additional $1,600.
The couple also discovered that their frequent flyer points were not refunded to his account as promised.
It took numerous phone calls over several weeks to rectify this situation.
Qantas eventually apologized to Mr Lewis and refunded the money he paid to go back home
Mr Lewis also explained how he was a Qantas Gold member for about ten years before the pandemic.
“All that loyalty, accumulating points, building status credits, I was treated like I was nobody to them,” he said.
Qantas eventually apologized to Mr Lewis and refunded the money he paid to go back home – three months after his ordeal.
“Reaccommodating customers following a cancellation or schedule change is always the responsibility of the operating airline.
“When we became aware that Mr. Lewis’ flight with Japan Airlines was delayed and that he needed a new flight, we should have contacted Japan Airlines to resolve the booking.
“We apologize to Mr. Lewis for this experience.”