This Qantas Platinum flyer is choosing Virgin after 39 years
Neil Pharaoh is a loyal Qantas Platinum frequent flyer who has flown with the airline since he was born. But he’s considering switching to Virgin after half his flights were cancelled or delayed in the past year.
The 39-year-old board member of Sustainability Victoria and Climate Action Network Australia said he was appalled by the competition watchdog’s allegations that Qantas sold tickets for thousands of services that had already been cancelled.
Qantas cancelled Neil Pharoah’s flight and gave him a refund instead of a replacement, which cost him double on another airline. Emon Gallagher
“At this point, I’m close to doing a status switch to Virgin. I tried them out last week, which I haven’t done for a very long time as I’m tired of the Qantas cancellations,” Mr Pharoah told AFR Weekend.
Mr Pharoah said one of his nightmare Qantas experiences was a return trip from New York to Melbourne via Los Angeles in July last year, which occurred in the period when Qantas conducted the alleged misconduct.
Less than 12 hours before he was set to leave New York, Qantas cancelled the Los Angeles to Melbourne flight and offered him refund, but no alternative flight.
“The last-minute tickets were almost double the price. It was predatory conduct,” he said.
Mr Pharaoh said he was eventually given a fix to take him from Los Angeles to Brisbane, then a Brisbane to Melbourne flight, but only after “spending hours and hours and hours having discussions”.
“I literally had to get aggro with them before they gave me a way to get home.”
Qantas also refused to liase with the American carrier performing the New York to Los Angeles flight, which forced Mr Pharaoh to organise the connection instead.
Mr Pharaoh doesn’t only blame Qantas, but also
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