Qantas Code Error Leads to Mistaken $4,200 First-Class Flights From Sydney to LA

A Qantas Airlines Boeing 737-800 plane travels down the runway as a Qantas Boeing 717 plane lands at Sydney International Airport on June 7, 2024. DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images

Qantas has been forced to provide heavily discounted business class flights to customers who booked a first-class ticket from Sydney to LA for just over $2,000 each way.

The lucky customers were able to snap up super cheap flights from Australia to the United States.

Qantas confirmed to The Epoch Times that a coding error led to the wrong first-class flights being put up for sale online.

Now, the airline has written to these customers and rebooked them to a business class cabin, which is still a massive upgrade on the usual price.

“We have identified that your booking was affected by this error and are contacting you with an important update about of booking,” the message said.

A first class flight from Sydney to LA was sold for $2,191, with the return flight on offer for $2,108 in one instance published online.

One customer said she had managed to get a Sydney to LA to New York flight for $4,600.

“Was honestly expecting them to cancel it entirely but bought it just for the potential chance. I am still pretty happy with the business counteroffer, that is an excellent price and all I wanted was the lay flat seat anyway,” the traveller wrote on Facebook.

Gesture of Goodwill

Qantas rebooked the travellers into the business class cabin and offered a full refund to those customers who did not want to take up the offer.

“Instead of cancelling and refunding your booking, on this occasion, as a gesture of goodwill, Qantas will be rebooking you in the business class cabin on the same flight for the same price you have already paid,” Qantas said.

“This represents a significant discount on our standard business class fares. We anticipate this will take a few days to work through.”

Specifically, it was a 85 percent discount on the usual first class fare, and 65 percent less than the business class fare on offer at the time.

In a time period of eight hours, about 300 bookings were made for the fare. Terms and conditions enable Qantas to cancel the booking and offer a full refund if an error or mistake is reasonably obvious in the fare price.

A spokesperson for Qantas said, “unfortunately this is a case where the fare was actually too good to be true.”

“As a gesture of goodwill, we’re rebooking customers in business class at no additional cost. Customers also have the option of a full refund.”

What About Qantas Competitors?

Meanwhile, Qantas’ major competitor in Australia, Virgin, is reportedly in talks with Qatar Airways to sell 20 percent of its business.

CEO Jayne Hrdlicka announced she would step down earlier this year, however her replacement is still to be announced.

The airline has also recently struck a new code share agreement with Air New Zealand reaching an agreement with Australian and New Zealand regulators.

Virgin Australia Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Alistair Hartley said this new partnership would provide travellers with access to a comprehensive network between Australia and New Zealand.

“Australians share our love of New Zealand and its national carrier and we can’t wait to reignite this partnership before the end of the year,” he said on Aug. 23.

Meanwhile Rex Airlines, a third competitor on the market, recently entered administration amid financial woes.

Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Minister Catherine King took action to protect Rex’s slots at Sydney airport on Aug. 26.

“Our government will continue to work closely with Rex’s administrator to determine a path forward that ensures regional aviation has a strong future in this country,” she said.