Airline app glitch randomly logged customers into other people's accounts
One Facebook user joked he would find a "better seat" for the Qantas customer whose details he was shown after the frequent flyer app issue.
Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images
- The Qantas app suffered a technical glitch, logging users into random accounts.
- The issue allowed users to view other people's travel details and loyalty points.
- Qantas said points couldn't be transferred and customers weren't able to use someone else's ticket.
An Australian airline's frequent flyers were left puzzled after a technical glitch with its app logged users into the wrong accounts.
Qantas began receiving complaints about the issue on Wednesday morning local time. In a statement, the airline said some people were able to see other customers' details on the app.
That included their name, upcoming flight details, points balance, and frequent-flyer status.
Some people affected by the glitch took to a Facebook group for Qantas frequent flyers to share their confusion.
"I was Sally, now I am Caroline, and I'm going to Singapore, not Brisbane," said one user.
Another person shared a screenshot of the app, showing a different person's details as well as a button to open the boarding pass for an upcoming flight.
One user even joked that they were "finding a better seat" for the person whose details they were incorrectly shown. "Surely he prefers window," they added.
Qantas said it had processes to ensure "customers were not able to board flights using the boarding pass of another customer and there were no reports of this happening."
It added that customers wouldn't have been able to transfer or use other people's Qantas Points.
The airline blamed "recent system changes" for the glitch, and said the issue was stable nearly eight hours after reports first surfaced.
"We sincerely apologise to all customers impacted and continue to monitor the Qantas app closely," it added.
This type of bug isn't unheard of. Back in 2018, a technical issue at Chase Bank gave some customers access to strangers' bank accounts.
Those affected by the Qantas glitch are still faring better than customers of Bonza, a budget airline that started flying in Australia last year. It "temporarily suspended services" due to be operated on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday amid discussions about the "ongoing viability of the business," per its website, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
Bonza's eight Boeing 737 Max jets have been seized by creditors, local media reported, and an administrator appointed.