Due to a coding error, Qantas will refund or downgrade hundreds of passengers who were sold first-class flights at a huge discount last week.
“Unfortunately, this is a case where the fare was actually too good to be true,” said a spokesman for the Australian airline.
When the incorrect offer appeared on the company’s website on Thursday, around 300 people quickly booked round-trip flights between Australia and the United States, paying 85 percent less than the usual first-class fare.
Qantas said the airline would upgrade passengers who purchased a cheap ticket to business class – one level below first class – “at no additional cost”.
With special rates available on the website for around eight hours, customers paid a fraction of the usual price.
This means they would have paid several thousand Australian dollars for tickets that should have cost more than AUD$20,000 (£10,000) and would have entitled them to whisky and champagne, an à la carte menu, and a memory foam mattress and “pillow selection” to sleep on.
However, the airline’s terms and conditions state at the time of booking that in case of an obvious error or mistake in the price of the airfare, the airline has the right to cancel the booking and offer a full refund.
“As a gesture of goodwill, we are rebooking customers into Business Class at no additional cost. Customers also have the option of a full refund,” Qantas said in a statement.
A passenger traveling in business class would still pay 65 percent less than usual for his ticket, the airline said.
