An Adelaide business man, Ian Lock, has been forced to take Qantas Airways to court after he claims the airport valet service he used while away on international business, negligently left his brand new Aston Martin V12 Vantage vulnerable to hungry rats that ate through the car’s entire internal electronics system.
Lock had no reason not to trust the airport valet service when he left his Aston Martin at the airport for a few nights, but he was shocked to discover when he came to collect the car on his return, that the car was displaying a warning message: ‘emission system service required’.
Lock then got his Aston Martin Vantage towed to the dealership where he’d bought the car and it was there that the trained Aston mechanics discovered the grizzly truth. They told Lock how the wiring had been ‘severely tampered with’ and that rats droppings were found all over the offending wiring. A bitter Lock says he is now seeking AU$9 297 (the equivalent of around R91 000) in compensation and court costs from the airline.
Lock said: “I am bemused, really, by the whole thing, no one else conducting business would go about things this way. The only reason I brought the claim, after three months of asking Qantas whether they’re accepting any responsibility for it, is because I haven’t received any word in writing from them.”
As a Frequent Flyer with Qantas, Lock has indignantly vowed to change to Virgin airways after this incident. Qantas has denied any basis to his claim. As bizarre as these circumstances are, we are happy to report at least that the Aston Martin Vantage is repaired and back on the road again.
