Article: How to Get Good Qantas Customer Service for Under $3,000

[Franky]

Thanks for the followup article - good reading.

I was sort of wondering if WP status was in any way helpful at the moment. No call I've made in the last three months has been less than 45 minutes wait, and most are over two hours. On Sunday night I gave up and went to bed after waiting well over two hours. The challenge: my flight was 0700 Monday morning. So, not much hope of my calling back to the contact centre and no expectation that I'd get through in sufficient time to be useful.

On Monday afternoon I got through after only 2:35 on hold. Way too many times I had to listen to the perky "Did you know it's possible to do all this agenty stuff yourself by going to the website and clicking a few buttons?". Unfortunately for me, I have a PNR that is not possible for me to manage myself even though I booked it myself. Such is the QF system. Worse: that PNR now is going to hang around until October (COVID delays!) and I can see at least one more change in the near future. Were there people in front of me waiting to add a FF number, or get better legroom, or upgrade? Who knows.

One interesting comment from the exceptionally competent agent who answered on Monday, and fixed things very quickly, and with no fuss: why didn't I take the callback option? Answer: there was no callback option. Oh how I wish. I haven't been given a callback option in... I don't remember. Possibly never. Am I calling the wrong number?

If you're calling the number on the back of your WP card, it's the same one on which we had long waits over the weeked, along with equally long waits on Tuesday on the 131313 number which took us to Hobart.

 

[themaiz]

If you're calling the number on the back of your WP card, it's the same one on which we had long waits over the weeked, along with equally long waits on Tuesday on the 131313 number which took us to Hobart.

The agent was surprised that I'd had such a long wait. He said I'd correctly arrived at the priority queue/desk, and that there were around 150 people in the queue at that time (Monday 1500 AEDT). It took me about 10 mins to complete the transaction. Let's see. If one call arrives every minute (a WAG), then what does queuing theory say about the wait time. Gave up thinking about that.

 

[mel1]

Every night I pray, “I hope I never fly qantas ever again”. A once great airline decimated (and not by covid)

 

[Tonymoon]

How to Get Good Qantas Customer Service for Under $3,000 is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

How to Get Good Customer Service from Qantas for Under $3,000

The problems with the Qantas call centre are well-documented on Australian Frequent Flyer and elsewhere. Unless you happen to have Platinum or Platinum

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

For many years I had Platinum with both Qantas and Virgin. I have had many gripes with Virgin but currently they are excellent. I have travelled a bit recently and calling customer at Virgin service seems first rate. No delay at all and excellent response. I do sometimes think of flying Qantas (I am Life Gold) but I am scared off by the publicity. I have just booked 2 tickets business to Europe. Not only were the fare prices for Qantas absurd given the market, with their current reputation you would have to be barking mad.

 

[herveybayjeff]

May I add my ten cents worth. I am WP and have called twice in the last week. The first I hung up after 1 hour, the second I got through after 1 hour 30 minutes. Service was excellent and the issue was resolved in 3 minutes. Previous to this I used to get through in 5 - 10 minutes.

 

[Promethius]

How to Get Good Qantas Customer Service for Under $3,000 is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

How to Get Good Customer Service from Qantas for Under $3,000

The problems with the Qantas call centre are well-documented on Australian Frequent Flyer and elsewhere. Unless you happen to have Platinum or Platinum

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

It never ceases to amaze me how Qantas is trashing its brand by this regrettable downgrade of customer service that is forcing loyal customers to abandon the "National" carrier, yet nothing is ever said about this on TV. All we get is TV presenters fawning over Alan Joyce when he announces expansion of flight services from the pandemic era. Maybe the free upgrades to first class for TV presenters prohibits them from discussing this topic that is a such a very sore point with so many travellers. When will anyone ask Alan Joyce why Qantas call centre service is so bad?

 

[brownbox]

Amazing article Matt - thankyou -

I have joined AFF to voice my disgust at Qant-cough phone wait times as well. TBH its been like that pre covid! It reeks of laziness and contempt for their customers.

Unfortunately i am partially trapped because of the number of FF points i have and earn - I fly to the USA 3 - 4 times a year all business class. I literally despise Qant-cough but have had to use them. But now I'm motivated to ensure it costs them! ... this is how:

1) I am booking other airlines (I just booked two SYD>LAX business return flights with Fiji Airways (i'll live with that its not direct)
2) I voice passionately to everyone i can (and i can be vocal when motivated) how bad Qantas is: I am literally a walking anti advertisement
3) I take joy from the fact that every Qantarse advertisement i see (which they pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for (I'm in the industry so i know) reminds me how rude they are and reminds me to do what I can to not use them.

I would like to add when i do get through on the phone (normally i have to set an alarm and get up at 4.30am and still wait up to an hour) the people are largely lovely and doing their best.

This is purely a management issue and the buck stops with Joyce who clearly has taken his eye off the ball or simply doesn't care.

Thankyou for getting this out there

 

[ClaireE]

Platinum here. Called yesterday and took option of call back, also tried Business Rewards phone line but waited for an hour and then FF customer service phoned me back. I had a flight pass issue to sort out, was seeking a credit on a flight I didn't take and couldn't cancel online because it was part of a multi-leg booking and couldn't get through to Qantas on the phone in time to change the booking before I flew, and then I wanted to book an international flight using my flight credits to take advantage of double status credits.

It took 1.5 hours to sort out but the phone agent was incredible, extremely helpful, sorted out my missing flight pass, arranged a credit on my unused flight and then booked my international flight. There was no way I was going to try to book my flight online and risk not being able to use both flight credits and then have to call back and wait on the phone again. She said they have copped abuse from frustrated customers about the lengthy wait times and it is frustrating for them because they have no control over it. So remember people, be nice, it's not the phone agent's fault.

I was lucky I had the time to sit on the phone for that long, and could do work while I waited. Not everyone has that luxury. I really feel for anyone who isn't Platinum or above though.

 

[themaiz]

Called yesterday and took option of call back,

Callback? Woohoo! What number did you use?

 

[dylarr]

Callback? Woohoo! What number did you use?

The standard 131313 number will offer callbacks but it is only offered if the queue times aren't too bad. Offering callbacks when the queues are already too long just serves to exasperate the issue — at this point Qantas just seem to hope you'll just go away and give up.

 

[robertaflak]

I’ve hoping that with reduced service on the phone (I’ve had that too with WP last week and hung up) that having some status will work for me travelling on non Qantas planes. Emirates comes to mind.

Singapore Air and Cathay are good bets. You can receive points for either from some Aussie credit cards, too. I am considering moving my Points Plus (350k/yr +) spending to one of these.

 

[Rodster]

Great article, thanks. Except given that even Plats are waiting over an hour on the phone, maybe the title should have been "How to get better customer service ..."

Maybe if Qantas Customers start sending their complaints directly to the Qantas Board, CEO, Current Affair Shows, Radio Open Lines & Newspaper’s will they get Qantas to start listening. The CEO talks of customer service, but I am not sure he can remember what that is!!!
Don’t continue to blame COVID as that is now just just an excuse & will loose you a whole heap of very loyal fliers

 

[justinbrett]

Thanks for the tip, was so indecisive about what to book for DSCs I ended up with BNE-SYD-WLG//WLG-MEL-BNE for just over 1K (I prefer WLG to CHC and going to spend the weekend there). Got to make my way from NTL and couldn't combine them on the ticket so will just do that at a later date.

This with the 500SCs about to rollover tomorrow means I've pretty much requalified for WP already with the other trips I have booked.

 

[RooFlyer]

Maybe if Qantas Customers start sending their complaints directly to the Qantas Board, CEO, Current Affair Shows, Radio Open Lines & Newspaper’s will they get Qantas to start listening. The CEO talks of customer service, but I am not sure he can remember what that is!!!
Don’t continue to blame COVID as that is now just just an excuse & will loose you a whole heap of very loyal fliers

I once did that with Australia post (years ago now). I tried and tried to get them to stop delivering their un-addessed "Yellow envelope" of advertising material (ie its junk mail from AusPost).; I even went down to the local sorting office etc etc.

So, then I did write individually to the entire board (their respective work places/companies) and senior AP management complaining. That got their attention!! I got a personal visit at work from two very sheepish local AP managers to apologise. Gave 'em a cup of coffee and a bikkie and we parted on good terms - and I was never bothered with AP junk mail again.

 

[andye]

Singapore Air and Cathay are good bets. You can receive points for either from some Aussie credit cards, too. I am considering moving my Points Plus (350k/yr +) spending to one of these.

I'd be very hesitant booking CX myself given cancellation risk

 

[DBMeridien]

Speaking of website issues ... tried many, many times to just book flights BNE-SYD-BNE via both QBR and Qantas.com. Error after error preventing completing the booking. Could not be bothered calling even with FFP status. Eventually gave up. Checked VA flights and their business class is like 65% less than QF for the same thing. End result = is over 30 years of loyalty actually reciprocated or worth the effort?

 

[ClaireE]

Callback? Woohoo! What number did you use?

The one on the back of the Platinum member's card, right at the top left. In tiny font....

 

[BKN]

It would be nice if Quantas put as much resources into customer support as they place in selling up Frequent Flyer points.

 

[dajop]

Maybe if Qantas Customers start sending their complaints directly to the Qantas Board, CEO, Current Affair Shows, Radio Open Lines & Newspaper’s will they get Qantas to start listening.

A #Qantasboycottweek might work better, but to be honest most Qantas customers don't care. As long as they're getting their QFF points, and the high tiers are getting their proverbial "salt and pepper squid", then all's good. You only have to sniff around here to see the strong affinity people have with the QF brand and the QF marketing machine.

If complaining, why not send a letter directly to HSBC, JP Morgan and Citicorp, the major institutional investors in QF whose funds collectively own 55% of the company (31.5%, 15%, 8.5% respectively). If their aviation analysts can be convinced (which I doubt) that this is major risk and could become a problem for QF, then the board and CEO are far more likely to listen to them than customers.

 

[RobbieBrown]

It’s absolutely appalling to have limited contact and have your hands tied. I’ve waited 4.5 hrs three times last week to discuss an outstanding credit from a trip in June 2021 that still has not been allocated. I’m a nurse caring for patients and it is impossible to wait on the line. Additionally one credit I did receive in an email can’t be linked to my Q pass. I have been informed that in order to use this credit, I must call Qantas to make the booking!!! I can’t do it on line! Go figure. What a debacle and complete waste of time. Qantas you are an embarrassment!