A Queensland couple has been slapped with a $15,000 credit card bill and has no flights to show after an airline employee overcharges their payment method.
Dennis and Pat Amor, from Bundaberg, were eager to book a return flight from Hervey Bay to Melbourne – usually cost $400 – to visit relatives after two years of separation.
In a shocking turn of events, the staff member had processed the booking 15 times, creating a stark debt that has yet to be repaid.
“She wanted the credit card, we gave her the number, and she said it was declined,” Mrs. Amor said.
“It’s never been turned down, and she tried to push it over and over.”
Camera Icon An elderly couple has been beaten up to $15,000 by Qantas after their card was repeatedly processed. Delivered/A Current Affair. Credit: NCA NewsWire
Concerned about the constantly declined card, the couple contacted their lender, MasterCard, to discover a hefty $15,000 bill.
““They just said there was a $15,000 bill on the card because 15 transactions had been made, so we were really off the charts,” said Ms. Amor.
Despite multiple calls to adjust payments, the airline did not respond to the couple.
“In the end, I got a supporting member,” said Ms. Amor
“He assured me he would sort it out with their finance team and call me back the same afternoon or the next day, but he didn’t.”
Since the back and forth, MasterCard has refunded the couple $11,000, but the couple still owes $4,000.
A Qantas spokesperson told A Current Affair that the airline was not holding back any money from the Amors.
“We are investigating why the customer has been charged more than once, but it appears to be an issue with their credit card,” they said.
A spokesperson for MasterCard said the lender only allowed secure payments.
““Banks are solely responsible for holding customer funds and authorizing payments. As a result, any required remediation is the responsibility of Qantas and the issuing bank,” they said.
Since the events, the couple has been told they will not be able to fly with the airline until the incident is resolved.
“We feel we are the only people in Australia not allowed to take a Qantas flight,” said Ms. Amor.
“It doesn’t seem fair to us. We are frustrated. We are angry.”
Camera IconQantas says it is not holding back the couple’s money. Richard Walker Credit: News Corp Australia
Determined to see their family, the Amors had to book alternative flights with Jetstar, lengthening their journey from home.
The couple will now have to travel from their home in Gin Gin to the Sunshine Coast Airport – which takes more than three hours by car – to board their flight.
“It’s about a four-hour journey instead of about an hour and a half,” said Mrs. Amor.
