Article: Jetstar Has Better Customer Service Than Qantas

[AFF Editor]

Jetstar Has Better Customer Service Than Qantas is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

Jetstar Has Better Customer Service Than Qantas

The Qantas Group owns two distinct brands in the Australian market. Qantas is supposed to be the premium, full-service brand while Jetstar is positioned

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[Revenge]

The other factor is that Jetstar actually has a web chat function on its website where you can chat with someone pretty much straight away. This alone makes the customer service better than Qantas.

 

[dylarr]

Jetstar cop a lot of flack but I've flown with them quite a bit throughout the pandemic and honestly they've been pretty decent to deal with... much better than Qantas. It's relatively easy to get hold of someone either by phone or chat (remember the good old days when you could use chat for Qantas?), they process refunds incredibly quickly (and you don't even have to speak to anyone to get a refund), their flight voucher system works a treat, their system doesn't come up with a plethora of errors when you try to change a flight and so on.

 

[wombatpatties]

Qantas has been the status of perfection long enough. I cannot understand how Mr
Joyce is oblivious to this, sack him surely, and move on please. Qantas WAS the best, now the time has arrived to re-invent itself or die.

 

[Hutchy]

Jetstar Has Better Customer Service Than Qantas is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

Jetstar Has Better Customer Service Than Qantas

The Qantas Group owns two distinct brands in the Australian market. Qantas is supposed to be the premium, full-service brand while Jetstar is positioned

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

Couldn't agree more. We're flying out to AKL on Wednesday on QF from SYD via MEL...wanted to book that using a credit, and ended up having to wait on the phone for nearly 90 minutes to get an answer - the system wouldn't let us do the necessary for reasons still unknown. At least they waived any charges for phoning them up.

After a few days in AKL we're taking JQ down to Queenstown for a week. While running through the itinerary with the family, we noticed that the seats I thought I'd confirmed weren't together - completely my fault - so I tried to purchase the exit row. Again, for whatever reason, the system wouldn't let me do it, and rather endure another lengthy wait I went straight to the live chat. Instant response, instant resolution, along with why I hadn't been able to so, and a waiver of the charges that should have been levied...good on you JQ!

Not much in the way of synergies within the group, and QF need to learn from their low cost relatives.

 

[Saab34]

I do feel that JQ has tried to eliminate a whole heap of overheads by introducing more functionality online, webchat, online credits, and so on. You sort of get the feeling that the aim is to get rid of the call centre, ie let’s get the passenger to solve their own problems online, what platforms can we continue to develop to make it all self service, etc and so on. It’s all very automated and seamless. They save costs but are also customer friendly. When a flight was cancelled I could go online and select another one, or click automated buttons for a credit/refund. Didn’t have to speak to anyone and the whole process took 30 seconds.

Why is QF so behind in these basic IT functions? Can they not learn from its low cost offshoot? After all, streamlining many functions online saves the Roo money. And that’s what appears to be top of mind with anything they do, saving money, so it’s quite all quite bizarre that it’s online technology is so backward.

 

[lovestotravel]

Qantas has been the status of perfection long enough. I cannot understand how Mr
Joyce is oblivious to this, sack him surely, and move on please. Qantas WAS the best, now the time has arrived to re-invent itself or die.

Why, the board is the problem he is just a spokesperson. Changing him won't change anything

 

[Saab34]

Why, the board is the problem he is just a spokesperson. Changing him won't change anything

Clearly just a retirement job for Goyder. He has no control and Alan just runs around rampant and does whatever the hell he wants.

The place needs new blood. The employees are tired and just over it all. Someone who can keep things like staff agreement negotiations in house, not splashed all across the media. I feel like the employees in this business are continually dragged through the media. Virgin has finalised agreements with its employees, not via the media though. AJ reminds me of someone who is continually throwing toys out of the cot when he isn’t happy and the first group he runs to is the press. Employees are some form of third wheel.

 

[dajop]

Is part of the problem the legacy reservations systems that Qantas uses? Singapore Airlines seem to have similar problems visa-vi Scoot. I have no special insights but from a customer perspective QF (and SQ) seem to be bogged down in archaic back end processes that were designed to handle paper tickets but miss out on the streamlining that comes with systems that only existed in the electronic age. I could be wrong though, it could just be underinvestment.

 

[justinbrett]

Jetstar Has Better Customer Service Than Qantas is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

Jetstar Has Better Customer Service Than Qantas

The Qantas Group owns two distinct brands in the Australian market. Qantas is supposed to be the premium, full-service brand while Jetstar is positioned

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

Lacks a lot of context.

In terms of picking up the phone / answering your message, sure - JQ is better at the moment.

In terms of getting a favourable response to "you cancelled my flight due to the weather and now I can't travel" or something similar, you'll probably not be satisfied. They don't operate as a LCC handing out discretion.

Some might prefer to wait an hour on hold if it means actually getting their refund. Even before Covid JQ was the worst at this - they can be ruthless.

Clearly there's something very wrong in QF's call centre, and I have no idea why they got rid of social media / web chat support; but be careful what you wish for.

 

[wombatpatties]

Why, the board is the problem he is just a spokesperson. Changing him won't change anything

Well, how could we SACK the whole Board and make a clean sweep of the Company, aka a new broom sweeps best.

 

[henrus]

I'd love to know what percentage of customers calling QF are doing so about award travel?

Obviously JQ has none of those problems and 99% of the bookings are very simple point to point or single connection flights.

 

[clifford]

Clearly there's something very wrong in QF's call centre, and I have no idea why they got rid of social media / web chat support; but be careful what you wish for.

Well that's all fine, but I've never had a problem with the JQ call centre. They answer the phone promptly, are helpful and knowledgeable, and have dealt with my requests quickly and correctly.

Not sure what this ruthlessness might be, but yes, they do try to follow the rules (which is what one should expect).

 

[justinbrett]

Well that's all fine, but I've never had a problem with the JQ call centre. They answer the phone promptly, are helpful and knowledgeable, and have dealt with my requests quickly and correctly.

Not sure what this ruthlessness might be, but yes, they do try to follow the rules (which is what one should expect).

It really depends what you're asking for. As I said, Jetstar are quick, but don't expect them to go out of their way to show discretion when you fall between the cracks of the T&Cs.

Eg - I was booked on a JQ flight, flight cancelled just on boarding due to weather at the destination. Couldn't be rebooked the following day as all of those flights were already sold out. They rebooked us 48 hours later, we managed to get a flight the next day with VA.

JQ wouldn't refund the ticket. The company got a credit which I believe went unused. And to be fair, that's exactly as per the T&Cs.

I've been in a similar situation with QF and we got a refund.

That's my point. JQ might have faster service, but it's still LCC service. Don't expect them to be rolling out the red carpet just because they answer their phone quicker.

 

[clifford]

That's my point. JQ might have faster service, but it's still LCC service. Don't expect them to be rolling out the red carpet just because they answer their phone quicker.

I'm happy to get what I pay for with JQ, and don't expect a red carpet from any airline. If you get one that's a big bonus, but don't count on it.

I have to say that as a Gold with VA (as I am with QF), I've been very happy with the call centre service. As a soon to be VA Plat, it'll be interesting to see if the service is any better (but it doesn't need to be).

And, as a lapsed QF Plat, I know what the customer service at that level was, and I wasn't overly impressed. Even as a United 1K, I thought the customer service was somewhat better. Just a corporate culture thing I guess.

 

[justinbrett]

I'm happy to get what I pay for with JQ, and don't expect a red carpet from any airline. If you get one that's a big bonus, but don't count on it.

I have to say that as a Gold with VA (as I am with QF), I've been very happy with the call centre service. As a soon to be VA Plat, it'll be interesting to see if the service is any better (but it doesn't need to be).

And, as a lapsed QF Plat, I know what the customer service at that level was, and I wasn't overly impressed. Even as a United 1K, I thought the customer service was somewhat better. Just a corporate culture thing I guess.

Yes I've had multiple instances - recently - of Qantas showing discretion and allowing refunds / changes etc when not technically permitted by the rules. I don't think there's anything particularly special about that, I assume VA would be the same, but JQ are categorically not.

 

[bcworld]

Not sure what this ruthlessness might be, but yes, they do try to follow the rules (which is what one should expect).

As far as I'm concerned Qantas is the ruthless one. Notwithstanding the fact that their call centre has been experiencing 'unusually high call volumes' for about the past 10 years...getting service requests actioned by JQ is just so much easier.

As a business class passenger I was abandoned by QF in SFO with a 24 hour delay. They refused to arrange hotel accommodation but offered 200AUD for a hotel...on a Saturday night, at a moment's notice on a weekend that hosts the biggest event of the year in the city. The only thing I could book on Qantas.com for that was a fleapit in the Tenderloin with a shared bathroom. Care factor - zero. Then I was involuntarily downgraded and put on UA SFO-SYD-MEL, instead of QF J SFO - MEL. Not that they bothered to tell me or even give me a new PNR - found out by looking in the app. Middle seats allocated on the 787. Care factor - zero. Upon return I was told that any refund was purely at QF's discretion (what!?) and I was made to fill out 3 separate forms to claim a refund, my $200 and their generous $50pp allowance. Compensation, no sorry. Care factor - zero. Major attitude received on the phones at all times.

Similar experience when I came up with a solution after a connecting booking had some changes which resulted in an illegal connection. Complete inflexibility. Care factor - zero.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

As a business class passenger I was abandoned by QF in SFO with a 24 hour delay. They refused to arrange hotel accommodation but offered 200AUD for a hotel...on a Saturday night, at a moment's notice on a weekend that hosts the biggest event of the year in the city. The only thing I could book on Qantas.com for that was a fleapit in the Tenderloin with a shared bathroom. Care factor - zero. Then I was involuntarily downgraded and put on UA SFO-SYD-MEL, instead of QF J SFO - MEL. Not that they bothered to tell me or even give me a new PNR - found out by looking in the app. Middle seats allocated on the 787. Care factor - zero. Upon return I was told that any refund was purely at QF's discretion (what!?) and I was made to fill out 3 separate forms to claim a refund, my $200 and their generous $50pp allowance. Compensation, no sorry. Care factor - zero. Major attitude received on the phones at all times.

As someone who pre-COVID has flown UA extensively, having racked up well over 100,000 lifetime BIS on their metal, I take exception to your remark of being involuntarily downgraded to UA. This was a rare upgrade QF gave you from QF J to UA Y. Say what you will about UA, but they at least know how to treat their customers. They don't have to pull out a chair for customers to sit on at the airport to wait hours for the privilege of speaking with an agent in South Africa who may or may not know how to sort out your IRROPs. They don't leave you stranded in a far flung destination. And they sure as hell don't blame the customer when they do have a customer service failing!

-RooFlyer88

 

[Must...Fly!]

And they sure as hell don't blame the customer when they do have a customer service failing!

Yeah, never.

2017 United Express passenger removal - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Yeah, never.

2017 United Express passenger removal - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

In fairness the passenger was being reaccomodated. I'd love to see QF provide that level of service!