Qatar seat change nightmare - any ideas?
Mar 13, 23, 2:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 2
Qatar seat change nightmare - any ideas?
Hi
My partner and I recently had a terrible experience on Qatar and were wondering if anyone had any good ideas about recourse for a situation like this.
We were travelling from Sydney, Australia to Doha and onto London on board an A380. We had booked (and paid to reserve) two seats in economy on the upper deck. I'd start this by saying that I understand no seat is ever guaranteed, and I always mentally prepare my self that there is a possibility you'll get moved. Upon boarding, we made our way to the back of the plane, up the stairs and to our seats. Upon finding our seats (two by the window) there were another couple sitting there. I did the usual, 'excuse me I think you're in our seats' and was told by the couple that they had been moved there by a stewardess because their inflight entertainment wasn't working and they had complained. A stewardess then came over to us and informed us that they had made a last minute seating change within the cabin, and that our seats were now on the lower deck. Obviously, I was a bit annoyed as we had paid $700 to reserve these seats through to London. I tried my luck, and told the stewardess that we had paid extra to reserve these seats, but in my gut I knew there was no changing this situation. As I thought, the stewardess said there was nothing she could do, and she was somewhat apologetic. My partner and I accepted the situation (there's nothing you can really do) and the stewardess took us to the lower deck to our new seats. We were sitting in the middle of the plane, in an aisle and middle seat. I asked the stewardess where I should contact if I wanted to try and get a refund for the seat fees. She told me to contact Qatar customer service (again, I didn't think she would give me any specific help, but thought I'd ask in case). While it was annoying, we both tried to let it go and move on.
This is where things got genuinely unacceptable. My partner and I slowly realised that our inflight entertainment wasn't working, our screens were completely unresponsive while everyone else's was working. The plane was starting to get full at this point (it is typically a very busy flight). I called over a flight attendant and asked if we had been moved into the other couple's seats, with the faulty inflight entertainment. I was informed that we had, and that they were very sorry for the inconvenience. I really found this galling, that we had been taken from our seats that we paid extra for, to be moved into someone else's faulty seats. But - my partner and I are not confrontational people. We did not want to be those people yelling at air stewards. I politely asked if there was anything they could do to fix it. I was informed that once in the air they would come and try to fix it. A few hours into the flight, nothing had happened. I called the steward, and a gentleman eventually came over to take a look. After a few minutes they informed us that they wouldn't be able to get the system working.
Could it get any worse? Yes. Since this flight, Qatar have refused to refund us anything at all for the inconvenience. I originally asked for compensation and a refund on the seat fees. They refused. I asked if they could just refund the seat fees. They have refused. They have now stopped responding to my contact.
The sad thing is, I really enjoyed flying with Qatar - we had flow with them the past two times we went to Europe. But I genuinely cannot believe this level of customer service. Budget carriers typically would offer more recourse than this. I understand that this whole situation is likely futile, and I'll just have to accept this, but does anyone have any ideas about how to get a satisfactory resolution out of this?
My partner and I recently had a terrible experience on Qatar and were wondering if anyone had any good ideas about recourse for a situation like this.
We were travelling from Sydney, Australia to Doha and onto London on board an A380. We had booked (and paid to reserve) two seats in economy on the upper deck. I'd start this by saying that I understand no seat is ever guaranteed, and I always mentally prepare my self that there is a possibility you'll get moved. Upon boarding, we made our way to the back of the plane, up the stairs and to our seats. Upon finding our seats (two by the window) there were another couple sitting there. I did the usual, 'excuse me I think you're in our seats' and was told by the couple that they had been moved there by a stewardess because their inflight entertainment wasn't working and they had complained. A stewardess then came over to us and informed us that they had made a last minute seating change within the cabin, and that our seats were now on the lower deck. Obviously, I was a bit annoyed as we had paid $700 to reserve these seats through to London. I tried my luck, and told the stewardess that we had paid extra to reserve these seats, but in my gut I knew there was no changing this situation. As I thought, the stewardess said there was nothing she could do, and she was somewhat apologetic. My partner and I accepted the situation (there's nothing you can really do) and the stewardess took us to the lower deck to our new seats. We were sitting in the middle of the plane, in an aisle and middle seat. I asked the stewardess where I should contact if I wanted to try and get a refund for the seat fees. She told me to contact Qatar customer service (again, I didn't think she would give me any specific help, but thought I'd ask in case). While it was annoying, we both tried to let it go and move on.
This is where things got genuinely unacceptable. My partner and I slowly realised that our inflight entertainment wasn't working, our screens were completely unresponsive while everyone else's was working. The plane was starting to get full at this point (it is typically a very busy flight). I called over a flight attendant and asked if we had been moved into the other couple's seats, with the faulty inflight entertainment. I was informed that we had, and that they were very sorry for the inconvenience. I really found this galling, that we had been taken from our seats that we paid extra for, to be moved into someone else's faulty seats. But - my partner and I are not confrontational people. We did not want to be those people yelling at air stewards. I politely asked if there was anything they could do to fix it. I was informed that once in the air they would come and try to fix it. A few hours into the flight, nothing had happened. I called the steward, and a gentleman eventually came over to take a look. After a few minutes they informed us that they wouldn't be able to get the system working.
Could it get any worse? Yes. Since this flight, Qatar have refused to refund us anything at all for the inconvenience. I originally asked for compensation and a refund on the seat fees. They refused. I asked if they could just refund the seat fees. They have refused. They have now stopped responding to my contact.
The sad thing is, I really enjoyed flying with Qatar - we had flow with them the past two times we went to Europe. But I genuinely cannot believe this level of customer service. Budget carriers typically would offer more recourse than this. I understand that this whole situation is likely futile, and I'll just have to accept this, but does anyone have any ideas about how to get a satisfactory resolution out of this?
Mar 13, 23, 3:10 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 9,608
Wow - that is a bad experience.
Did you pay for the seats separately? If yes, I would file a charge back with your credit card.
Btw, you should have posted this in the QR forum for better response.
Did you pay for the seats separately? If yes, I would file a charge back with your credit card.
Btw, you should have posted this in the QR forum for better response.
Mar 13, 23, 4:02 am
#3
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 100,471
If the airline refuses to refund the seat fees, the suggestion to file for a chargeback with the bank card-issuer is sensible. You paid extra to pick seat assignments and the paid seat assignments were undone by the airline. A refund should be considered due for services ultimately not delivered.
Mar 13, 23, 7:37 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 9,608
The issue with disputing a USD 700 credit card charge might be that it covers ASR for all 4 segments whereas the dispute only seem to relate to 1 segment, DOH-LHR.
Mar 13, 23, 1:00 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 19,810
The response by Qatar is not uncommon.
If you paid by credit card could dispute the charge.
Have requested thread be moved to https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qata...lege-club-644/
If you paid by credit card could dispute the charge.
Have requested thread be moved to https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qata...lege-club-644/
