Not happy at QANTAS So called customer service

[Annstan77]

I have waited over two months to get this response from QANTAS

YES TWO MONTHS

Ref. No: CW/93355370



Dear Miss Annstan77

Thank you for your recent correspondence. I am sorry that you are still unhappy with my response of the issues you raised.

I am afraid that there is nothing more I can add to my previous explanations. While I appreciate you may be disappointed by this, I am afraid we cannot take any further action.

I am sorry that this response cannot be more favourable and trust it confirms our position on this issue.

Thank you again for taking the time to write to us.


Yours sincerely



Customer Care Executive
Qantas Airways Ltd
Address: QCA5 203 Coward Street | Mascot NSW 2020


Also, can you belive I waited one year , yes you read right over ONE YEAR to be issues a $56 refund from QANTAS. They over charged me on an infant fare and it took exactly one year to have the money refunded on my credit card, What a Joke.

As for the above so called apology letter why bother even sending it!

Lift your GAME QANTAS! :evil::evil::evil:

 

[Dave Noble]

The reason for sending the letter would seem to be due to you contacting them back after they replied to a complaint. If they had sent nothing then that would have been worse. That the person had nothing more that they could add was an appropriate response if that was the case


Dave

 

[docjames]

I guess whether the reply is fair or not depends on what your complaint was?

 

[lovestotravel]

I guess whether the reply is fair or not depends on what your complaint was?

Pretty much!

No good posting a reply to a letter when you don't know what the initial complaint was.

Perhaps this person should fly Tiger and then see what customer service is like.

 

[Annstan77]

The reason for sending the letter would seem to be due to you contacting them back after they replied to a complaint. If they had sent nothing then that would have been worse. That the person had nothing more that they could add was an appropriate response if that was the case


Dave

The initial complaint letter was sent at the end of July..... I did not hear anything for 2 months! On calling QANTAS customer care I was told, well there is a back log and we will get to it when we can!!! I then waited 2 weeks for a reply which I will post on here. I was not happy with the response so said so. I then waited over a month for this second reply.

I do not see that this time frame is appropriate for a BIG Company like QANTAS and the attitude on the phone has been pathetic.

 

[Annstan77]

Pretty much!

No good posting a reply to a letter when you don't know what the initial complaint was.

Perhaps this person should fly Tiger and then see what customer service is like.

So that makes it alright then............? Because there is apparent worse airlines than QANTAS? Tiger airlines for one does not charge what QANTAS does.............

The whole topic is about the time it has taken for a response to a simple complaint letter, that was never addressed.

 

[Annstan77]

Ref. No: CW/93355370



Dear Miss <Annstan77>

Thank you for supplying me with your details.

I have since reviewed your file and I was concerned to learn about your dissatisfaction with aspects of your recent travel. I would like to convey my apologies that you feel you did not receive the level of service you expected from a premium airline.

In relation to the security screening, I am aware that changes to security requirements in London have impacted on our customers in a number of ways. However these changes have been introduced because of heightened security concerns and are determined by the governments policy. We will always try to minimise the impact on our customers but safety and security remain our number one priority. Please accept my apologies that this information was not properly communicated to you by your travel agent.

With reference to your damaged car seat, this will need to be addressed by our Baggage Services Department, as they have access to our baggage system and will be better able to assist you on this occasion. Should you need to contact them directly you may do so by calling 1300 306 980 or if you are covered by personal insurance you may be able to claim on that policy.

Please be assure we have logged your comments and they will be examined by our management team and used to bring in improvements to our service.

I would again like to convey my apologies for the inconvenience you experienced and thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. I hope we have the opportunity to welcome you aboard Qantas again in the near future.



Customer Care Executive
Qantas Airways Ltd
Address: QCA5 203 Coward Street | Mascot NSW 2020

This was my first letter sent addressing the concerns I have...

Category: Your Experience With Qantas
Sub-Category: Children
Question:
To whom it may concern,

Myself, partner and 10 month old daughter recently took a flight with Qantas return from Australia to London Heathrow, stopping via Singapore.

We had to change our flights and after a lengthy phone call explaining the cost of changing the flights, I asked the consultant weather I would be billed in UK pounds or Australian dollars. I was told it would be Australian dollars, so I used my Australian credit card, not my UK card. I was very annoyed to learn that I HAD been charged in UK pounds, and I had been charged the WRONG amount, more than what I was told on the phone and I incurred a large fee for a foreign transaction on my credit card. I did ring QANTAS and explained the situation and the supervisor said there was nothing that could be done, it was basically my word against the consultant! This lack of training and the inability of the consultant to do their job should be addressed.

I also checked the guidelines with QANTAS about taking baby formula etc. on the flight with us. When we got to Heathrow we spent two hours at security and nearly missed our flight as they went through every baby item we had and confiscated my child's paracetamol, gripe water and baby sunscreen, along with baby food and formula. I tried to do the right thing and check the guidelines, but was given misinformation by QANTAS.

This led to a very stressful rush to the flight and my daughter was left without her vital medicine and food.

When we left the flight in Singapore after a very long 13 hour flight, my child's car seat did not come with the rest of our luggage.

This is the last thing we wanted to do on our holiday, but we had to chase our lost luggage. After numerous phone calls to QANTAS lost baggage in both Australia and Singapore and waiting two days, the car seat was finally returned to us. Damaged, scratched and worse for wear. This was a £200 item which was brand new, we were not very happy at all. It also cost us $50 in phone calls and internet charges to finalise this matter, not to mention putting my child in danger as we did not have a car seat to use in Singapore.

One would think in this hightend times of security it is dangerous to have an item carry on to Australia without a passenger on board.

Further, when I joined the frequent flyer program I was told I would be able to claim the points for these flights that were undertaken. It turns out that there is a time limit (which I was not told about) and I have now missed out on substantial points. WRONG information once again given by QANTAS.

We chose to fly QANTAS as we thought it would be good service with a child..... however the whole experience has left us out of pocket and not recommending QANTAS at all.

thank you

On the 28 Sep this was the first contact I had received from QANTAS asking for information that had already been sent via email and on the telephone!!!

Subject: Qantas Customer Care
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:15:14 +1000


Dear Ms <redacted>

Thank you for your correspondence.

To help assist us with your feedback could you please provide me with your flight details, dates, baggage reference numbers, etc. Once I have received these I will be able to investigate further and will be back in touch with you with a response.

Thank you for your time.


Yours sincerely



<redacted>
Customer Care Executive
Qantas Airways Ltd
Address: QCA5 203 Coward Street | Mascot NSW 2020

Perhaps I should go down this line of an unhappy passenger to get some results


British Airways - World Traveller Plus

 

[MelUser]

There was a post started earlier this week by Simongr about baby liquids.

London airports, LCY/LHR do not make exemptions for baby formula, liquid medicines. Customers carrying these are treated as potential terrorists.

For this reason, I will never again travel with an infant from london airports - in fact LCY's attitude towards my family carrying baby formula caused us to divert our future flights to other european airports - HEL, FRA and MAD. All these airports are very understanding and I can recommend them.

If I had to travel with infants from Australia to UK, I would not depart the UK by plane but would probably get a train to one of the European airports and get on a plane there.

Re damage to car seats - we have had a car seat and stroller damaged in transit with airlines other than Qantas and I have simply accepted this as part of international airline travel.

Whilst I have sympathy for you for what happened, it is better for you if you let go and move on. Life is too short to get to hung up about these things.

 

[Annstan77]

MelUSer,

Thanks for your email, yes I am feeling the same way about Heathrow at the moment....... Doesn't make travel nice with a family anymore.

I am not really upset at QANTAS lack of empathy I guess.... but you are right should move on.

cheers, hope your future travel is more enjoyable

Anna

 

[MelUser]

Tks Anna,

We just got back from an ATW and the following airports get the thumbs up for travelling with a baby and having the related liquids such as formula, creams, panadol etc:

(1) HKG - nicer than Singapore and less obsessed with triple checking everything like Singapore.

(2) HEL - great

(3) MAD - great

(4) LGA and JFK - both understanding with baby formula

(5) SFO - understanding.

NB: DFW - 2 trips through - 1 time fine, 1 time the baby liquids triggered a secondary which is a pat down and bomb scan of everything

PHX - triggered a secondary but in a very understanding/caring way which made it easier.

 

[Commuter]

I am curious as to what misinformation were you given by Qantas in relation to baby items? Was it different from what is said here Fly - Baggage - Carry-on Baggage - Country Specific ?

I have never had any issue carrying medicines (creams and liquids) in addition to my 1 litre bag / 100 ml container allowances out of Heathrow (or anywhere else for that matter). I have also witnessed many times people with babies being allowed through security with baby formula etc. Did you declare the items to the security people before they were put through the X-ray machine? I always point out the 'extras' to the security people rather than wait for them to notice - it does state that you have to declare them.

Baby formula etc is allowed through security at Heathrow as long as they are declared and if the security people did not, then that is not Qantas' problem as far as I am concerned. This is not misinformation from Qantas, but inappropriate application of rules/procedures by security people.

Besides, if they were so vital, as you were travelling with your husband, you could have ensured that you divided your baby's items between your 2 x 1 litre bag / 100ml container allowance to ensure that you would get through without a problem.

As for damage to the car seat, if it is cosmetic damage as opposed to a 'destroyed state'? If it is cosmetic damage, then such damage is the hazard of travelling with it, unfortunately. Scuff marks etc are specifically excluded from the damage compensation. Did you report the damage to the baggage services immediately upon collecting it?

I think being charged a different amount from what you were advised should be your main grounds for complaint, unless it was a trivial difference. However, are you certain that the agent quoted you the full cost of change, and not per person or just the change fees? Sometimes you end up talking about different things - you think you are talking about the whole costs involved, when the other party is talking about the change fee only, per person as opposed to the whole group, etc. As for a 'large fee' for foreign currency transaction, it would not have been so large, considering that you generally incur no more than 2% of the amount involved, unless your change cost you $1000s? Unless the total difference came to a worthwhile amount (whatever the amount you feel your time spent would be worth it), it's probably better to just get over the whole thing.

 

[N860CR]

Interestingly, I have previously received two very similar letters from Qantas.

First one took over two months to be received (funny that) and pulled the same "premium airline" BS.

Second, after I got back to them saying how poor it was that it took said "premium airline" so long to respond, was exactly the same as the "sorry we can't do anything" one you got.

Seems these are standard pre-written forms for them - shame they're so condescending!

 

[Reggie]

On the 28 Sep this was the first contact I had received from QANTAS asking for information that had already been sent via email and on the telephone!!!
Quote:
Subject: Qantas Customer Care
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:15:14 +1000


Dear Ms xx_xx_xx_

Thank you for your correspondence

Ann, you missed removing your last name from the first contact, you may wish to edit your post

 

[JohnK]

Sad to hear that you are not getting satisfactory explanations from Qantas customer care.

We had to change our flights and after a lengthy phone call explaining the cost of changing the flights, I asked the consultant weather I would be billed in UK pounds or Australian dollars. I was told it would be Australian dollars, so I used my Australian credit card, not my UK card. I was very annoyed to learn that I HAD been charged in UK pounds, and I had been charged the WRONG amount, more than what I was told on the phone and I incurred a large fee for a foreign transaction on my credit card. I did ring QANTAS and explained the situation and the supervisor said there was nothing that could be done, it was basically my word against the consultant! This lack of training and the inability of the consultant to do their job should be addressed.

Your word against the consultant? I would be surprised if Qantas did not record all conversations for quality assurance purposes. So in actual fact your conversation with the consultant would be stored on your file unless you specifically asked Qantas not to record your conversation....

 

[NM]

Your word against the consultant? I would be surprised if Qantas did not record all conversations for quality assurance purposes. So in actual fact your conversation with the consultant would be stored on your file unless you specifically asked Qantas not to record your conversation....

It may not necessary be linked to the caller's file. It may be sittiing archived on a server somewhere that can be retrieved given some identifying information such as the date and time of the call and/or the consultant's name/ID. I know that in these days of automation it should be expected that such call recordings are somehow linked to the membership account, but I would necessarily expect that to be the case.

 

[MelUser]

I have also witnessed many times people with babies being allowed through security with baby formula etc. Did you declare the items to the security people before they were put through the X-ray machine? I always point out the 'extras' to the security people rather than wait for them to notice - it does state that you have to declare them.

Baby formula etc is allowed through security at Heathrow as long as they are declared and if the security people did not, then that is not Qantas' problem as far as I am concerned. This is not misinformation from Qantas, but inappropriate application of rules/procedures by security people.

Besides, if they were so vital, as you were travelling with your husband, you could have ensured that you divided your baby's items between your 2 x 1 litre bag / 100ml container allowance to ensure that you would get through without a problem.

Traveling through LCY in August last year, every bottle/container of baby formula had to be opened and tasted by me. Open baby formula spoils and would not last. I did the correct thing and pulled everything out and declared it. It is impractical to split baby formula into small containers as it comes prepared in a larger container and would go off/spoil.

Having a discussion and/or trying to reason with the security staff was a complete waste of time and sensing this I backed off. I feel for Annstan who spent 2 hours dealing with security. It seems to me at times like some security personnel take pleasure in making life difficult.
Whilst none of these issues are Qantas' fault they were and are enough to put me off flying out of any London airport with an infant.

A question - how do you go through London with the amenity kit. THe business and first amenity kits contain lots of liquid goodies. I don't like to open the amenity kits - I tend to give them away back home. Does LHR require the amenity kit to be opened and liquids to be pulled out?

 

[JohnK]

It may not necessary be linked to the caller's file. It may be sittiing archived on a server somewhere that can be retrieved given some identifying information such as the date and time of the call and/or the consultant's name/ID.

You are probably right although the type of information stored that identifies the conversation could easily be matched with the account/customer.

We use VERINT or IMPACT360 (apparently this is freeware) to record conversations and it logs the date/time, consultant, workstation id, extension, incoming telephone number as well as the screen the consultant was using at the time of the conversation. In our database we log changes that are made to the master file and what time they are made and are able to match the 2 together....

 

[Keith009]

A question - how do you go through London with the amenity kit. THe business and first amenity kits contain lots of liquid goodies. I don't like to open the amenity kits - I tend to give them away back home. Does LHR require the amenity kit to be opened and liquids to be pulled out?

I usually pull apart the amenity kits before I land and put the liquid stuff into a dedicated plastic ziplock bag i bring for this purpose (unless my main one has sufficient space). I do this to avoid fumbling at security. Having said that, I completely forgot to do the repacking once and it was at LHR - the girl at transit security (T3 i think it was) did make me pull out the liquids from the amenity kit and place them into plastic ziplocks. I didn't think there are airports that make exceptions to the liquids' rule though?

 

[NM]

You are probably right although the type of information stored that identifies the conversation could easily be matched with the account/customer.

I am sure the call recording *could* be extracted. But how much effort are they will to go to in order to determine the truth in this case ???

 

[serfty]

... I know that in these days of automation it should be expected that such call recordings are somehow linked to the membership account, but I would necessarily expect that to be the case.

It definitely was the case several years ago and almost certainly still is.

Also other tags such as booking references can be attached.