Why this photo had Qantas scrambling and customers booking first class flights like crazy

Qantas accidentally sold hundreds of discounted first-class tickets to customers, while flights on a popular international route were being offered for less than $5,000.

The national airline sold the cheap tickets for return flights between Australia and the United States on August 22.

About 300 customers booked tickets during the eight hours the tickets were listed on the Qantas website.

Flights from Sydney to Los Angeles were advertised for $2,191, while flights from Los Angeles to Sydney were available for $2,108.

The flight tickets were offered for January 10, 2025 and January 30, 2025.

Daily Mail Australia has learned that the first class tickets were sold due to a programming error.

The advertised fares were up to 85 percent lower than the normal cost of a first class ticket.

The discounted prices were also approximately 65 percent lower than the usual cost of business class flights.

Flights from Sydney to Los Angeles were advertised for $2,191, while flights from Los Angeles to Sydney were available from $2,108

The rates were quickly shared online, including on the popular discount website OzBargain.

One customer posted a message urging travelers to book while they still can, though he admitted the sale appeared to be “clearly a mistake.”

“There is no guarantee that Qantas will honour it, but it is worth a try,” they wrote.

The message stated that flights could be booked from September 2024 through June 2025, including dates during the busy Christmas holiday period.

Social media users claimed to have managed to secure seats on some flights.

‘I have booked two and one is already approved. See you at LAX. [Los Angeles International Airport]’ someone wrote.

‘Awesome. Just tried a dummy booking for April and the cheap rate is correct,’ wrote someone else.

“Thank you, I bought 10,” wrote a third.

A Qantas spokeswoman confirmed the flight prices were the result of a systems error and told Daily Mail Australia that staff were helping customers affected by the sale.

“Unfortunately, this is a case where the price was too good to be true,” the spokeswoman said.

‘As a gesture of goodwill, we are rebooking customers to Business Class at no extra cost. Customers also have the option to get a full refund.’

The latest trouble comes after Qantas was ordered to pay a $120 million fine and damages for misleading thousands of customers about cancelled flights.

Qantas has confirmed the flight prices were caused by a system error and staff are helping customers affected by the sale (stock image)

Approximately 86,000 customers were sold tickets for flights that had already been cancelled between May 2021 and August 2023.

The airline also agreed to pay $100 million to the ACCC for breaching the Australian Consumer Law.

New CEO Vanessa Hudson said the airline will work hard to revive its damaged reputation.

The airline illegally laid off nearly 1,700 workers during the Covid-19 pandemic and charged its customers high airfares.

Mrs Hudson, who succeeded Alan Joyce after he stepped down in September last year, apologised for letting her customers down.

“We didn’t deliver what we should have done and we were often difficult to deal with,” she said.

“We understand why you are frustrated and why some of you have lost confidence in us.”