Qantas has apologised to customers after a ‘coding error’ offered some first-class flights to and from the US at a huge discount.

Around 300 return flights were sold for less than AUD 5,000 where a regular priced flight in the airline’s top premium seats would cost many times that amount.

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According to a report in The Guardian, the flag-carrier has contacted customers to offer to rebook them into business class, or give them a full refund. As the action was taken as soon as the error was uncovered, it does not break any laws in the airline’s country of origin.

In a statement, the airline described the issue as “a case where the fare was actually too good to be true”, citing a coding error.

“As a gesture of good will, we’re rebooking customers in business class at no additional cost,” the statement read. “Customers also have the option of a full refund.”

Qantas had previously paid a fine  of AUD 120m for selling seats on flights that it had already cancelled due to the pandemic.