Make Qantas Smarter (and win!)

Qantas have a ‘thick’ online booking system.

This came to light when I read an article in The Dominion Post this morning, which reads:

A mother says she will never fly Qantas again after her two unaccompanied children were bumped off an overloaded Wellington to Sydney flight and sent to Auckland instead.

And here’s the set-up quote…

A Qantas spokesman said it was not policy to offload children travelling on their own. “If we had been aware of it, we would not have offloaded them.”

And the eyebrow raiser…

The tickets had been booked on the Internet, the spokesman said, and there was no indication the children were travelling alone.

But –  judging  by the user interface of their online booking system I believe  there is something very simple Qantas could do to ensure they will always be notified if children will be travelling alone…

Here’s the first stage of the booking screen.

I don’t know if the ‘Children travelling alone?’ link has recently been added by Qantas following the bad publicity – but even if it wasn’t, there is  a fool-proof way to ensure the airline will definitely know if children will be travelling alone.

greenlabbit

WIN!

Crickey! You could win me!Tell me how Qantas could have known the children were travelling alone (and your proposed solution to the problem) and you could win a rare spotted green Smorkin Labbit!

Some Conditions

  • Postage: To a New Zealand or Australian address only.
  • Guess as many times as you like.
  • I’m the judge and my decision is final.
  • In my opinion, the prize is not suitable for children.