Incorrect information you've been given by Qantas Contact Centre

[TheInsider]

It's definitely not correct.

After further email exchanges Qantas have agreed to refund via a cheque.

It actually is correct, money will go back into the original account and then that bank can transfer it to you.

 

[Dr Ralph]

It actually is correct, money will go back into the original account and then that bank can transfer it to you.

So the promise of the cheque from Qantas was a lie?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So the promise of the cheque from Qantas was a lie?

No. But your point earlier was that there’s no way the money could go back into an expired/closed credit card, and the bank wouldn’t know who you are and that it would bounce back.

None of those things are true... and the standard procedure is that the money will be refunded into your original form of payment.

So this really isn’t an ‘incorrect information you have been given’... it is actually correct. Your powers of persuasion managed to negotiate an exception

 

[Dr Ralph]

No. But your point earlier was that there’s no way the money could go back into an expired/closed credit card, and the bank wouldn’t know who you are and that it would bounce back.

None of those things are true... and the standard procedure is that the money will be refunded into your original form of payment.

So this really isn’t an ‘incorrect information you have been given’... it is actually correct. Your powers of persuasion managed to negotiate an exception

Seems you've misread my original post.

I stated:

"I was earlier today told that they could only make a refund to the credit card I used to pay."

I knew that this was a false claim by Qantas and simply something they were choosing to do for their own convenience.

@Ktan89's post #13 also indicates that the claim made by Qantas that it can only go back to the original card was false.

The clear indication today from Qantas that they will pay the refund by cheque confirms for me that claim that Qantas can only make a refund to the original card is definitely false.

Not sure how it can be any clearer that what they've told me is false. It was obviously false from the beginning.

I'll post again when I receive the cheque confirming that the statement was false if you'd like, but I don't intend to comment further until then.

 

[astrosly]

Half an hour with Qantas in app messaging resulted in the below exchange from "Jasmine" ...

Me: I wish to cancel a classic award booking and cannot do it online. Booking reference xx_xx_
CSA: May I also have your full name (Me: provided)
CSA: Can I also verify your email address and phone number associated in this booking? (Me: provided)
CSA: Hello, if you wish to cancel your flight kindly contact your travel agency as they are the one's who created the booking.
Me: ? My travel agency IS Qantas. It is a QFF Classic award booking.
CSA no response.

 

[Kangol]

This is actually correct. Even though you may have closed the account over a year ago, you can still refund to it. You then call whoever the bank was that issued the card and ask them to direct deposit the credited funds to a bank account of your choice.

The reason this exists is because the card schemes require it for money laundering reasons.

I've experienced both scenarios - refund to a closed card account, then subsequently received the money from the card issuer.

As well as - refund to a different card. I gave the numbers and only realised later that it was different to the card used originally. Whoops. Status may have been involved in this.

So it's true - however what they are supposed to do (as per the rules) and what they actually do are not the same thing.
Exceptions to the rule exist.

 

[onetonnerodeo]

Had an agent tell me that a transit between two flights across successive calendar days was considered a stopover, even though the time between flights was less than 24 hours.

 

[banana boy]

I'll post again when I receive the cheque confirming that the statement was false if you'd like, but I don't intend to comment further until then.

Does this mean the ploy where you purchase a fully refundable $$$ ticket to meet bonus spend on a new CC, get the points, cancel the CC and then get a refund for the ticket is good to go?

I always thought QFs insistence on refunding to the original payment method made this fraught.

 

[adenda]

Not sure it was the incorrect information mentioned in the thread title, but I had a call 'drop out' when it appeared my request was going to be a bit harder / take longer than the cookie cutter ones they can handle

All worked out well when I called again and was able to get someone who knew what they were doing

I've had a similar experience with chat sessions that mysteriously go offline just when my questions seemed to get a bit too difficult.

 

[higheden]

Was told today that a Oneworld Sapphire member in Economy on a QF operated Domestic Australia flight is only entitled to 1 checked bag. 2 bags is apparently only a benefit if in Business Class.

So were we for a Dec 26th flight and didn't know the info was incorrect. We purchased extra bag!

 

[higheden]

I've had a similar experience with chat sessions that mysteriously go offline just when my questions seemed to get a bit too difficult.

Ditto - or take forever to get an answer which then doesn't make sense. One of my text conversations went on for 24 hours before they came back with a response.

 

[Kitkathai]

As Qantas continues to outsource its contact centres, with more and more calls being answered in Manila & Cape Town, myself and many others have noticed a severe deterioration in the quality of the service provided. It's become so bad, in fact, that I've decided not to re-qualify for Qantas status next year and to move more of my business away to other airlines.

Not all of my experiences with the overseas call centres have been bad. Yesterday, for example, somebody in the South African call centre answered with "Qantas Premium" and was actually quite helpful. The previous time I'd got through to the South African call centre, the lady answered by saying "Hello? Helloooo-ooooo?!" (yep, seriously) and had no idea what she was talking about.

The purpose of this thread is to share the incorrect information you've been given by the Qantas contact centre. This includes the call centres, social media or SMS chat.

Here are just a few of the most ridiculous things I've been told:

• There is no availability on any of the flights you want (even though I've already checked, and the next agent could see the flights when I hung up and called again)
• The Oneworld Explorer (paid RTW fare) rules apply to a Oneworld Classic Flight Reward (umm.... no they don't)
• Your final destination on a Oneworld Classic Flight Reward counts as one of your 5 permitted stopovers

What incorrect information have you been given by Qantas?

I booked a paid domestic flight 6 months in advance. About three weeks later Qantas advised me that the flight was cancelled. Due to the need for me to attend a special function in a rural town with some travel by road after landing I had booked this specific flight which is a normal scheduled time. After days trying to call the contact centre and eventually getting through I was told the only option I had was either booking on the only available flight the day before which would mean 1) overnight accommodation and 2) cancelling patients already booked 5 months in advance and losing revenue for the day, or booking on a flight Qantas offered as an alternative which arrived AFTER the function I was booked to speak at. I also pointed out to Qantas that I had to engage in road travel after landing.

Qantas complaints feedback was a form letter. Called again to establish why the flight was cancelled and was informed mechanical reasons. After months of backwards and forwards it was agreed that this was not an accurate to state it was mechanical some five months in advance, Qantas then stated it was for operational reasons. No compensation offered and no understanding of my time, income loss and inconvenience to patients. Just a form letter!!

 

[Rebekkap]

When trying to book a J points redemption to Europe at Christmas for the Christmas just gone, I was having trouble with the multi city booking tool throwing up errors, so called the call centre. Got someone who was clearly offshore, told me no award availability in J or even in Y, on any oneworld airline. Had no idea that there are partner airlines who are not in oneworld. Had no idea who the yield management team was or how to contact them. Eventually hung up as they clearly didn't know what they were doing, and managed to book myself MEL-NRT-LHR-PVG-SYD-MEL all in J for the dates I wanted

 

[smiliemonster]

I honestly think chat is the worst. My exchange yesterday:

Me: Hello, I understand there has been a time change for one of the flights under ref (PRN supplied). I believe CX731 on XX will now depart HKG at 16:25 and arrive in DXB at 20:50. If this is the case can you please acknowledge the change. My full name is (supplied), my email is (supplied) and my phone number is (supplied). My husband (name supplied) is also a passenger on this trip. Thank you for your help.

Agent: Hi let me check that for you. May I have your booking reference, full name and flight details please

Me: Please see my original message - it has all of this information

Agent: Than you so much. Regarding on that yes we gonna inform you on that email and number if we have a change or cancel

Me: Can you please confirm you are responding to my request? It doesn't sound like it...

Agent: Yes, that's correct. Your flight CX731 will now depart HKG at 16:25 and arrive DXB 8:50pm.

Me: OK. Can you please acknowledge the change on the system?

Agent: Sure. You can also do it online using our website (link included)

Me; Yes, thank you. I know I can check the times online but I can't acknowledge the change online. Only you can do that in this case.

Agent: You're welcome. Is there anything else I can help you?

Note the typos and errors are as per the exchange.

 

[zoomzoom]

As Qantas continues to outsource its contact centres, with more and more calls being answered in Manila & Cape Town, myself and many others have noticed a severe deterioration in the quality of the service provided. It's become so bad, in fact, that I've decided not to re-qualify for Qantas status next year and to move more of my business away to other airlines.

Not all of my experiences with the overseas call centres have been bad. Yesterday, for example, somebody in the South African call centre answered with "Qantas Premium" and was actually quite helpful. The previous time I'd got through to the South African call centre, the lady answered by saying "Hello? Helloooo-ooooo?!" (yep, seriously) and had no idea what she was talking about.

The purpose of this thread is to share the incorrect information you've been given by the Qantas contact centre. This includes the call centres, social media or SMS chat.

Here are just a few of the most ridiculous things I've been told:

• There is no availability on any of the flights you want (even though I've already checked, and the next agent could see the flights when I hung up and called again)
• The Oneworld Explorer (paid RTW fare) rules apply to a Oneworld Classic Flight Reward (umm.... no they don't)
• Your final destination on a Oneworld Classic Flight Reward counts as one of your 5 permitted stopovers

What incorrect information have you been given by Qantas?

QF call centres are useless. Sunday night the wait was 2 hours or a call back in 3.5hrs!
I called AA in the USA and they picked up immediately and fixed the issue.

QF service is heading to new lows.

 

[TheInsider]

QF service is heading to new lows.

Yet their NPS is basically the highest ever... People stop giving them 9's and 10's on the surveys!

And yes people say the NPS is BS, but not for QF. That's how the managers get paid their bonuses and keep track of everything.

 

[stoney]

Well where do i start and how much time do you have? On trying to plan a RTW trip using Award points bookings for the wife and myself, when the going got tough the line suddenly dropped out.

I used FF sevice which was fantastic, and so booked the trip and was ticketed but was for one person when it was clearly stated it was for two, it was another 2 hours wait on the phone to be told that a) the ticketing could not be changed, and b) there were a number of flights which no seating in business were no longer available. Much swearing as I had been planning the trip for a considerable time and getting in when awards became available to a lowly bronze FF.

After gathering my thoughts and waiting for the blood pressure to stabilise I had another go and initially was told that this was not possible to fix so much swearing again and thought that that was the end of that ( this was before the change in points required)

I received a call back from the same guy who magically got the booking on the same flights and linked the bookings and the only thing left was to do seating so that we actually travelled together. What a relief.

 

[The Astronomer]

In late 2018 the itinerary for the first part of my trip was LST-MEL-SYD one evening followed by SYD-BKK the next day, all on QF. I was stuck in MEL for the night because MEL-SYD flights were cancelled (I think it was weather). Qantas provided my accommodation, but all the flights MEL-SYD the following morning were full and I was going to miss my SYD-BKK flight. Called Qantas on the premium line and asked them to book me on an alternative route: MEL to BKK via SIN. I could see online that MEL-SIN was available on QF and SIN-BKK was available on Jetstar Asia, on Qantas' own website. But I was told that although she could get me on MEL-SIN, my fare structure would not allow me to take the Jetstar flight SIN-BKK. She was absolutely adamant that is couldn't be done that or any other way, and booked me on a later MEL-SYD flight the following day, and SYD-BKK the day after that. However, I decided to show up at Melbourne airport early the following morning to see what could be done and guess what? No problems! MEL-SIN and SIN-BKK were then booked for me, with SIN-BKK being on SQ. Easily done in only about two or three minutes. As it turned out, the Qantas flight was delayed and I missed the SQ connection, but during flight they rebooked me on a later SIN-BKK flight on TG with a minimum of fuss. So this is a clear example of the call centre staff, even on the premium line, not being able to cope. There are a number of other incidents I have experienced, and I agree that it is getting worse and worse.

 

[harvyk]

"There is no such thing as JASA's"

This was after they removed them from the website but before they stopped selling them. It took 3x HUACA to finally find someone who was willing to find out what they where (and then book one for me).

The fact that we feel we need this thread should be a massive wake up call to QF that their call center training sucks. Of course, lowest of 3 quotes is probably striking again.

 

[Aus ATC]

The fact that we feel we need this thread should be a massive wake up call to QF that their call center training sucks.

Where is @Red Roo when you need him/her??