Airline moves 78-year-old business class flier to economy so an off-duty pilot could take his seat

The flier was offered a partial refund after being moved to economy class. (Representational image)

A 78-year-0ld flier was downgraded from his business class seat to economy by Australia's Qantas Airways so that an off-duty pilot could take his seat, the man told the Australian radio station 3AW.

Stephen Jones said that he and his wife were sitting in a business-class lounge in the airport in Melbourne last Sunday -- about 30 minutes before his flight was set to leave for Adelaide -- when he heard his name being called over the intercom. He then found out from a Qantas Airways employee that he'd been "bumped."

"It didn't register at first," Jones told the radio station. "I wasn't quite sure what 'bumped' meant. She said, 'I'll have to reissue your ticket for economy class.'"

The employee then told Jones that his seat would be given to an off-duty Qantas pilot instead since flying business class was a part of his contract, the 78-year-old said. In a statement that the radio station shared, Qantas Airways admitted that Jones was indeed "bumped" from first class. It stated that he was moved to economy because no business-class seats were available.

"We've apologised to the customer, and explained why the downgrade was necessary," Qantas's statement to 3AW read. "When this happens we provide customers with a partial refund."

While Jones said that he was also offered 5,000 frequent-flyer miles as part of his compensation, he added that the experience was "unsettling and made me a little irritable" even though pilots are "entitled to rest and comfort" on their way to their next flight.