Qantas Mistakenly Sells First-Class Tickets at 85% Discount

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Qantas is facing a challenging situation after a recent error on its website led to the sale of first-class tickets at a fraction of their usual price. Last Thursday, a coding mistake allowed about 300 customers to book return flights between Australia and the United States at a discount of around 85%, with tickets selling for just a few thousand Australian dollars instead of the usual AUD 20,000 (£10,000).

For nearly eight hours, these heavily discounted fares were available online, prompting quick purchases from customers eager to enjoy first-class amenities such as premium beverages, gourmet meals, and luxury bedding.

However, Qantas soon realized the mistake and announced that it would be downgrading these bookings to business class at no additional cost. The airline also offered full refunds to those who preferred not to fly in business class. A spokesperson for Qantas explained, "Unfortunately, this is a case where the fare was actually too good to be true."

The airline's terms and conditions specify that if an error in fare pricing is reasonably obvious, Qantas can cancel the booking and offer a refund. Despite the downgrade, passengers will still be paying 65% less than the usual business class fare, but the loss of first-class perks has left some customers disappointed.

This incident isn't unique in the airline industry. In 2019, Cathay Pacific accidentally sold $16,000 business-class seats for just $675 but chose to honor those fares. Conversely, British Airways in 2018 canceled tickets mistakenly sold for £1 instead of £200.

Qantas is now working to manage the fallout from this error, hoping to maintain customer satisfaction and its reputation despite the blunder. The incident highlights the risks of automated pricing systems and the potential for significant consequences from seemingly small mistakes.