Tuesday, August 27, 2024 Qantas Airways has announced that it will be refunding or rebooking several hundred passengers who purchased first-class tickets at an exceptionally low price due to a coding error. A spokesperson for Qantas confirmed that the airline mistakenly offered these fares, which led about 300 travelers to book round-trip flights between Australia and the United States at an 85% discount. The affected passengers will be rebooked in business class instead of first class, at no additional cost.
This error allowed customers to buy first-class tickets for just a few thousand Australian dollars, significantly lower than the usual price of over AUD 20,000 (£10,000). These first-class amenities typically include premium drinks, a selection of gourmet food, and luxurious sleep arrangements. Qantas pointed out that, according to their terms and conditions, the airline can cancel bookings and provide refunds if a clear pricing error is detected.
Even with the downgrade to business class, passengers will still enjoy a considerably reduced fare, paying about 65% less than the standard business class price. This incident is not unique in the airline industry. For example, in 2019, Cathay Pacific honored tickets sold by mistake, where $16,000 business-class seats were priced at just $675.
In contrast, other airlines like British Airways have chosen to cancel such bookings, as seen in 2018 when it voided tickets to Dubai and Tel Aviv that were mistakenly sold for £1 instead of £200. The situation underscores the complexities airlines face with fare errors and the varied responses companies have in addressing such issues..
