Complaint against an airline - impounded Skydive Gear

[BigJonMcQuimm]

Hi

Looking for some advice.

Coming through Melbourne and our Skydive Gear (20k) was confiscated by an airline manager based on them being "Dangerous Goods".

Now, despite proving that they are exempt of all travel regulations with the relevant documentation,absent from the airlines own DG list, and can be taken either as hand luggage or hold, they were impounded.

On one leg of our trip - a check-in assistant even called DG and validated they were not Dangerous Goods. (We did 7 legs with the same airline).

We had to catch our flight, and so had no other option but to resolve this from the UK.

An initial letter to customer complaints was futile, with them only repeating the ground manager's claim that Sports Parachutes are DG.

I have spoken with IATA, CAA and FAA and all agree they are not dangerous goods.

Is it possible to file a formal complaint and get this investigated? If so what body?

Is there any other avenue we can investigate?

We have written a formal letter, citing the relevant evidence. As it stands they are still classified by the airline as DG and cannot be moved. We do not have a contact in Melbourne who can assist us in freighting them in any other manner.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[TEKNOPUG]

Email airline CEO. Post up on their Twitter feed. Bad publicity seems to be the quickest way to get anything done nowadays.

[StevieBee]

I would suggest that you try first the British Embassy / Consulate in Melbourne. They will most likely direct you to the relevant Australian aviation authority and if you're lucky, they may even give you a name and possibly offer some representation on your behalf, initially at least.

Failing that, speak to your insurance company. Facing a payout for £20k worth of kit, they may well have some legal support they can deploy on your behalf.

[Disastrous]

My sympathies. What a st situation!

I can't help but feel we are fast approaching a time when nothing beyond all but the most mundane items packed in a regulation size bag will be allowed on an airline.

They so clearly don't want you to take sports equipment or musical instruments and so on and the drones at the airports are completely inconsistent in applying the rules.

Just before Christmas I was given a stern telling off about my hand luggage (that has faithfully come with me on a million flights without incident) by KLM. It's a squashy leather grip and was nowhere near full and when I placed it on its end in the bag measuring rack was told "hmm, ok this time I guess but really it should fit in the right way up rather than sideways". I asked if the handle had been on the side would it miraculously be ok but she declined to answer.

Idiots, everywhere.

Sorry, not much help but just empathising. Hope you get it sorted.

[HotJambalaya]

So, how about telling us the name of the airline? Usually makes it a little easier to help....

I''d also head over to the relevant airline forum of FlyerTalk.com and ask there.

[BigJonMcQuimm]

Hi

The airline in question is Qantas.

I tried FlyerTalk to obtain emails, but most have been bounced back.

If anyone can provide valid email details, I would be most grateful.

I have tried :-

[e-mail] - bounced
[e-mail] - bounced
[e-mail] - bounced
[e-mail] - bounced

I will be in touch with the British Consulate shortly. Hopefully, they can assist raising this incident.

Many thanks

Edited by BigJonMcQuimm on Thursday 5th January 19:44

[surveyor]

Qantas


Mr Alan Joyce Chief Executive

Email [e-mail]

Website http://www.qantas.com

[BigJonMcQuimm]

surveyor said:

Qantas


Mr Alan Joyce Chief Executive

Email [e-mail]

Website http://www.qantas.com

Thank you Sir

Thus far, it appears not to have bounced.

[red_slr]

IIRC Casey Niestat had a similar problem with the same airline at the same airport (or was it Sydney) with his Boosted Board. I think he had to ask everyone to cease trolling the airport on twitter!

[eliot]

surveyor said:

Qantas


Mr Alan Joyce Chief Executive

Email [e-mail]

Website http://www.qantas.com

Having had sight of the mailbox of certain bearded fella that owns an Airline amongst many other things - his email address bore no relation to his name whatsoever. So i suspect the one above just goes into the bitbucket.

[surveyor]

eliot said:

surveyor said:

Qantas


Mr Alan Joyce Chief Executive

Email [e-mail]

Website http://www.qantas.com

Having had sight of the mailbox of certain bearded fella that owns an Airline amongst many other things - his email address bore no relation to his name whatsoever. So i suspect the one above just goes into the bitbucket.

maybe - but usually still deal with high level complaints...

And you'd be surprised. I've email the CEO of a large hotel chain today with a complaint. The email was opened on an iphone in Washington. He'll pass it on to someone else to deal with no doubt.

[davepoth]

I had a problem with insurance once that the call centre wasn't interested in resolving.

Five minutes of digging on LinkedIn later and I had the name of the director of underwriting, who accepted my call directly when I rang into the head office and asked for him by name. He was a bit surprised by the approach but sorted it out nice and quickly.

The same might work here. As others have said the CEO likely has a secret email account, but the second tier directors probably don't - anything you send to them will almost certainly fly straight into their inbox.

Executive team

Alan Joyce - Chief Executive Officer
Andrew David - Chief Executive Officer Qantas Domestic
Gareth Evans - Chief Executive Officer Qantas International and Freight
John Gissing - Group Executive Associated Airlines and Services
Lesley Grant - Chief Executive Officer Qantas Loyalty
Jayne Hrdlicka - Chief Executive Officer Jetstar Group
Tino La Spina - Chief Financial Officer
Robert Marcolina - Group Executive Strategy, Transformation and IT
Andrew Parker - Group Executive Government, Industry and International Affairs
Jon Scriven - Group Executive Human Resources
Olivia Wirth - Group Executive Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs
Andrew Finch - General Counsel and Company Secretary

Take your pick!

[mickmcpaddy]

I think if someone got on with a parachute as hand luggage I'd be getting off.

[HotJambalaya]

It's such an awkward situation, was it one flight number all the way through, or a different flight number when you change?

If it's the same you might have some luck chasing them in the uk, but otherwise you'll have to chase them in oz. why on earth did you get on a plane leaving £20k worth of gear behind? Unfortunately it's looking like bombarding them is your only option as well as threatening them with court action.

[BigJonMcQuimm]

HotJambalaya said:

It's such an awkward situation, was it one flight number all the way through, or a different flight number when you change?

If it's the same you might have some luck chasing them in the uk, but otherwise you'll have to chase them in oz. why on earth did you get on a plane leaving £20k worth of gear behind? Unfortunately it's looking like bombarding them is your only option as well as threatening them with court action.

No - it was Lon -> Dubai -> Melbourne -> Christchurch -> Auckland -> Sydney -> Melbourne -> Dubai -> London

We declared the rigs at each stage. All with Qantas, all Business Class (except Auk - Syd).

We had no option - 1) We were traveling business class, and could not afford new tickets (no new tickets were offered). 2) We had sitters and work that we had to be back for.

We felt at the time and still do, we were 100% correct - having provided all relevant documentation that exempts rigs from travel regulations and we would sort it out the other end. The ground manager showed us Qantas Dangerous Goods list - and Sports Parachutes do NOT feature.

Furthermore, we were many hours delayed and were having to fight our cause at 3am on New Years Day. We had minutes left to get on board when we gave up the intellectual discussion.

I suspect, any other day, a real Dangerous Goods guy would have waved us through. (It took 15 mins at Sydney - when the check in lady was unsure and contacted DG - citing 16 years without ever seeing a Sports Parachute!).

[BigJonMcQuimm]

Does anyone know, do we have a case later on? The minimum we expect is for repatriation of the gear, at their expense and our convenience.

However, seeing how quite dreadful they have been, personally I would be interested in seeking compensation.

We only took Business Class at each leg, due to the 50+ kg (pp) we carry

No doubt.... wishful thinking - but do they have a duty of care etc????!

thanks

[ex1]

Did you opt for legal cover on your car insurance?

Very useful in these types of situation, doesn't have to be related to your car.

[hairyben]

Yeah Id have thought travel insurance was your first stop.

Failing that, as you bought the tix presumably in the uk with uk credit card will it be the uk office of quantas you take legal against and will cc provider offer assisstance on "unacceptable/defective service" grounds?

[BigJonMcQuimm]

hairyben said:

Yeah Id have thought travel insurance was your first stop.

Failing that, as you bought the tix presumably in the uk with uk credit card will it be the uk office of quantas you take legal against and will cc provider offer assisstance on "unacceptable/defective service" grounds?

Thanks chaps

We have gold cover from Flight Center - refused immediately.

We also have NatWest card insurance - refused as confiscated goods (Yeah I know :-( )

Will try IHI Bupa - 2 x travel - specifically taken for skydiving - I have little hope! (not checked policy for confiscated gear).

I refuse to use the house insurance - although we have full cover - including loss of our gear.

I have no idea if we have cover via the car insurance - but I will investigate.

I have managed to email six of the board members, but I have little hope.

Qantas customer care came back, and despite supplying 4 separate pieces of evidence that the rigs are exempt, are referring to Dangerous Goods.

FFS

Edited by BigJonMcQuimm on Friday 6th January 03:28

[hairyben]

BigJonMcQuimm said:

Thanks chaps

We have gold cover from Flight Center - refused immediately.

We also have NatWest card insurance - refused as confiscated goods (Yeah I know :-( )

card travel insurance or chargebacks/legal side? They have a legal duty to see that the goods you purchased are delivered and you can support arguement the airline have gone against the agreed terms or changed them mid contract, they have failed to give you the full service purchased and left you with losses so Id be giving cc some earache.

I think the car & home insurance was more they have legal advice people you can chat to about anything which can be handy before going the $$$ route.