Two Wellingtonians successfully obtained a refund from Qantas for their flight after experiencing an unpleasant incident.
On a 9-hour flight from Bangkok to Sydney on December 30, they discovered their plane seats were wet, initially assuming it to be water. This issue was first noticed when a pillow and other items placed on the floor became wet and stained. The situation worsened when, towards the end of the flight, they found children’s underwear under the seat, leading them to believe the wetness was actually urine.
Despite using the wet items during the flight under the assumption they were dampened by water, the couple later discarded them. They reported the incident to the flight crew and the company offered 10,000 Qantas points as compensation, which the couple refused. They demanded a refund for the uncomfortable experience, especially since they no longer wished to fly with Qantas.
Qantas initially declined the request for a refund, saying the ticket had been fully utilised.
The couple persisted citing the unacceptable nature of the incident and Qantas’ responsibility for the contracted cleaning crew. The airline eventually agreed to a refund as a ‘goodwill gesture’.
Qantas also said they will be launching an investigation into the incident with their cleaning supplier in Bangkok.
Image credit: Josh Withers
