Qantas Call Centre Long Wait Times

My understanding (from unofficial sources) is that there is a pool of priority phone numbers that airport staff give to passengers which rotates every few weeks.

I will attempt to publish the currently active number(s) in this post:

1300 304 318
1300 659 161
1300 025 396
1300 659 116

1300 024 715
1300 025 390
1300 659 115
1300 659 134
1300 659 502

 

[clifford]

That's the number I was given (via email) when a flight was recently cancelled and they asked me to call this number. I've been using it since for all my bookings and haven't had an issue but I am constantly getting the South African call centre who seem to have a lot of issues completing even the simplest of tasks.

As a lowly Gold, I rang 131313 a couple of days ago about a refund > 8 weeks overdue, and got a lovely person in the AKL call centre (at least I thought it was based on her accent). Had to wait about 20 mins, but no problem. If SA, I would've HUCA'd.

 

[Melburnian1]

I don't expect airlines to have their call centre staff/contractors answer a phone call instantly - a 10 to 15 minute wait is reasonable, given queries re air travel invariably take many minutes to resolve, irrespective of which airline.

However showing what can occur, I was astounded recently upon calling the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (Melbourne-based) to have my call answered within one ring. I've no window into how busy it was - the gent said 'we're always pretty busy' - but I thought it was spectacular service, especially when it was combined with being properly listened to, apart from once not having to repeat what I said and the staffer giving clear guidelines re its parameters.

QF and some other airlines (perhaps many) - take note.

 

[MARTINE]

I don't expect airlines to have their call centre staff/contractors answer a phone call instantly - a 10 to 15 minute wait is reasonable, given queries re air travel invariably take many minutes to resolve, irrespective of which airline.

However showing what can occur, I was astounded recently upon calling the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (Melbourne-based) to have my call answered within one ring. I've no window into how busy it was - the gent said 'we're always pretty busy' - but I thought it was spectacular service, especially when it was combined with being properly listened to, apart from once not having to repeat what I said and the staffer giving clear guidelines re its parameters.

QF and some other airlines (perhaps many) - take note.

I can assure you I have had complaints dealt with very efficiently by both TIO and BIO. You speak with an onshore human/direct phone lines are answered and as soon as said bank/Telco finds out they are involved in your case a world of prompt access magically appears….

 

[RAM]

I don't expect airlines to have their call centre staff/contractors answer a phone call instantly - a 10 to 15 minute wait is reasonable, given queries re air travel invariably take many minutes to resolve, irrespective of which airline.

However showing what can occur, I was astounded recently upon calling the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (Melbourne-based) to have my call answered within one ring. I've no window into how busy it was - the gent said 'we're always pretty busy' - but I thought it was spectacular service, especially when it was combined with being properly listened to, apart from once not having to repeat what I said and the staffer giving clear guidelines re its parameters.

QF and some other airlines (perhaps many) - take note.

The time delay in answering calls for a business, whether call centre or older style switch board, is something that can & is calculated. It is a deliberate senior management decision.

The time taken to 'fix/respond' when answered and subsequent actions required are described as the 'fufillment cost'. It all comes down to $$ and cents. Larger businesses decide exactly how much customer time they're prepared to take/risk before a call is dealt with (hold time).

Typically it is couched in the terms "How long will your customers be prepared to be on hold for before the attrition rate (hanging up) is too high?" Seeking cash refunds when you're possibly insolvent may see a company place a much longer time as 'acceptable'.

Spoiler: Customers are such a nuisance.

Since at least the late 1980s pretty much all call centre operations produce reports (on demand, and at regular intervals such as daily, weekly etc) to show exactly how long on average calls are on hold initially, how long they last once answered, how long on hold over the complete call time, how many calls drop out on hold before being answered (initial attrition rate) etc. Then there's the greater detail aka the statistics - a table showing the break down of # calls taking A to B seconds on hold, B to C etc, the same for time being dealt with. Pretty much everything is there for management to see.

Lenghty periods on hold are a senior/top management decision if they last for more than a few weeks. Long ago (pre-internet let alone smart phones), one Australian big 4 bank CEO was talking with potential major Superannuation customers (industry funds) at his bank's function for them. When one of them asked why it took 'so long to speak with someone'? The CEO didn't do a brush-off routine, but asked roughly how long was it, what day of the week & time roughly. 'Nearly a minute, last Friday lunchtime'. His response was accurate & honest (who'd have thought!).

'Friday from 11.30 to 2.30 is the busiest time each week as people often check to see their pay has arrived or they've got enough money for their planned weekend, we aim for no more than a 75 second delay in answering by a person, if you choose IVR then there should be virtually no delay. For nearly all the rest of the week then the delay to speak with someone should be less than 30 seconds'.

Back then speaking with someone was the second option on the initial menu, now it does not come up until the next level down menus and only as the very last item mentioned. Typically more than a minute before you get there and then go on hold & wait to speak with a person. However pushing the appropriate number, often '0' works at any level for most, but not all systems. More 'enhanced systems' deliberately will not recognise a single '0' to stop people beating the system aka speaking with a person - such as where FF numbers are entered - a single '0' can be recognised as wanting to speak to a person but is deliberately responded to with a message like 'Account number not recognised'.

Customers are such a nuisance.

The initlal push to 'enhance' this process, aka computerise, was solely marketed to companies as a 'massive cost benefit'. The solution was Interactive Voice Response - whether it recognised a customer's voice or required inputting numbers. IVR was, and is, sold as being 'more cost effective'. Trouble is that it is not necessarily. The more complex the issues then the less cost effective it becomes, the longer people have to go through lengthy menus and the longer the choice description becomes - taking up much more customer time before finally reaching the point where you have to speak to a person aka wasted effort. Too many IVR systems don't pass along the information gathered up to that point.

The flipside is the company needs many more 'lines' for the IVR, more hardware to manage the interaction, paying more licence fees for software per line. The hidden cost becomes adding an extra bundle of 'lines' which while only adding maybe 5% more capacity may see cost jump 20% because of the additional hardware required.

 

[glasszon]

I tried to avoid booking QF when possible given the long wait time at call centre if problems arise. It is amazing how I call VA today and they answered my call immediately while even QF Platinum members have to wait for a long time to get their call answered.

 

[TheRealTMA]

For comparison, I rang Emirates yesterday (not now WP but only as a lowly SG member) and got through in 5 rings.

 

[MooTime]

Just out of interest what proportion of major airlines are listed companies?

And does that have anything to do, coincidently or not on call center expenditure / wait times etc??

Don't want to go OT here, but just curious.

 

[tuesday_]

Day of week	Friday 29 April
Time of call	5:10pm AEST
Number used	131131
Status	Gold
Hold time	57 minutes
Call Centre (if known)	Unknown
Matter resolved	No
Details	Operator picked up, couldn't hear me, long silence on their end while I'm all, "Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?" ... And then the call was terminated. Wait time was stated to be 30 minutes to an hour. Have just called back, wait time is stated to be 15 minutes.

 

[Ade]

Just got off the phone with South Africa (Cape Town) call centre. QF Platinum, called 13 13 13

Total call time 1 hour 2 mins. Total wait time before an agent answered the call approx 15 mins.

Trying to get multi-city Classic Reward seats released for next week.

Requested CBR-SYD - 1xY reward seat - success. Initially offered only what was shown on the website. After explaining that I needed to be in SYD by a certain time, the agent said he will put me on hold and call his "internal team". Came back 10 mins later and was able to release a seat on a flight leaving one hour earlier.

Requested SYD-MEL - 1xY reward seat - fail, had to choose what was shown on the website.

Requested CBR-MEL - 1xY reward seat - fail, I had already chosen a better flight from the website.

 

[dylarr]

Day of week	Friday 29 April
Time of call	8:05pm AEST
Number used	13 13 13
Status	Platinum
Hold time	10 minutes
Call Centre (if known)	Hobart
Matter resolved	Yes
Details	Called to have Classic Flight Reward seats released across two bookings. Droid approved on the spot and tickets issued.

 

[LinaLee]

Unreal my friends flight has just been cancelled at 2150 tonight for their return tomorrow at 1420. So it’s back to the coughpy 1300 number trying to sort out their return. That’s what we are spending our last night of catching up doing listening to the “wonderful“ on hold music.…. the flight change which is not acceptable was automatically checked in cause they had already checked in for the cancelled flight. So, now at the 1+hour of on hold and then half hour so far of dealing with the call centre person who does not seem to know anything so keeps putting my friend on hold each time she needs to do something on the website. Now back on hold as she does not know how to uncheck in them…..

I really hope I’m not facing the same rubbish for my next flight at the end of May

 

[dylarr]

Day of week	Saturday 30 April
Time of call	2:18pm AEST
Number used	13 13 13
Status	Platinum
Hold time	Quoted under 15 minutes and callback offered which I accepted; received callback 1 hour and 30 minutes later
Call Centre (if known)	South Africa; agent did say they were from "Qantas Premium" when I answered the call
Matter resolved	No
Details	Called to make some changes to some Classic Flight Reward bookings that couldn't be done online — as it is the last day that changes could be made under the Fly Flexible policy. After telling the agent my desired flights, she quoted an exorbitantly incorrect amount for additional taxes and fees and then placed me on hold for 20 minutes to calculate the additional points. After taking me off hold, she said she'd call me back shortly after she had finished calculated the points. Call ended and didn't have any expectation that the agent was actually going to call back "shortly" so after a couple of hours I called back...

Day of week	Saturday 30 April
Time of call	6:00pm AEST
Number used	13 13 13
Status	Platinum
Hold time	Quoted between 30 and 60 minutes and callback offered which I accepted; received callback 1 hour and 30 minutes later
Call Centre (if known)	Auckland
Matter resolved	Yes
Details	Got an agent from Auckland who was able to access the PNRs the previous agent worked on and correctly calculated the taxes, fees and additional points and had the 2 PNRs ticketed in under 5 minutes. Also wanted to make two multi city international bookings using 2 flight credits that couldn't be done online. After about 10 minutes, had these bookings updated, payment captured and tickets issued. Was going to have the previous agent assist with this but decided to hold off when it became evident that calculating fees, taxes and points for a simple return domestic was a struggle.

 

[Scr77]

Now It seems that NB can never get a local agent or a callback offer. I called through the week at 5am and hold time was 40minutes. Went to SA and was promised a callback in a few minutes, which you know is a straight out lie. I felt like calling her a liar, but if that’s how they treat a customer you know they won’t have the skill to fix your issue. All I want is the points back for a cancelled flight (taxes were already refunded).

Called at 7.30am today (Sunday). Phone systems says there’s a technical error and doesn’t ask for pin.

 

[TheInsider]

Now It seems that NB can never get a local agent or a callback offer. I called through the week at 5am and hold time was 40minutes. Went to SA and was promised a callback in a few minutes, which you know is a straight out lie. I felt like calling her a liar, but if that’s how they treat a customer you know they won’t have the skill to fix your issue. All I want is the points back for a cancelled flight (taxes were already refunded).

Called at 7.30am today (Sunday). Phone systems says there’s a technical error and doesn’t ask for pin.

Then call the frequent flyer service centre and not reservations. Fixed.

 

[kingzac]

Day of week	Friday 29 April
Time of call	9am AEST
Number used	131313
Status	Gold
Hold time	30 minutes (stated under 30)
Call Centre (if known)	Either Philippines or Fiji
Matter resolved	Yes
Details	OWA J flight cancelled and replaced by flight days later after the next connecting flight (again). Called to change flights to ones I found on a search. Agent struggled to get the flights I'd found to connect properly and put me on hold to get assistance. Came back saying she couldn't get us on the options we found, but could do direct QF2 if we wanted. Easy choice. Ticket emailed through two hours later. Total time 1hr 19min. One of the best experiences I've had even with the trouble getting the flight.

(A couple of days late but was a good experience so had to comment)

 

[JohnM]

Not justifying it, just want to add a bit of context, being two separate bookings then this should've just been done online.
Gold FFers have more seating availability than a Silver. There is no real thing as 'linking' up a booking, it's just a comment and code for when the bookings come into the check-in system at -80 hours for it to link at that point only.
The agent would've seen more availability in the Gold booking and then would've had to call someone else to override the seating selections for the Silver FFer in the separate booking. This does take time as it really can't be done via the CC.

How can this be done online?

I can find on the QF website how to separate a booking for more than one pax into individual bookings but not how to 'link' (for want of a better term) separate bookings.

I have a situation where I (WP) have a booking. It is becoming likely that my partner (registered as such in the QF system), but an NB, will be able to join me on the trip. How can I 'link' a booking that I make for her to mine, for seat selection purposes, without having to call up?

 

[clifford]

Can I say, completely off topic, that I had to call the UA call centre (in Miami) a few days ago to make a booking using miles.

The agent was lovely and wouldn't let me go until I had the booking that I wanted, CPH-BKK-MEL on TG business class.

It required quite a bit of searching and tooing and froing, but she was so helpful and effusive it just struck me how different this was from dealing with Qantas.

Oh, and I've also just made a booking using QF points for a flight on RJ, and it isn't close to being ticketed. The flight booked via the UA call centre on TG was ticketed immediately by the lovely UA agent while on the phone.

Makes my blood boil!

 

[dylarr]

How can this be done online?

I can find on the QF website how to separate a booking for more than one pax into individual bookings but not how to 'link' (for want of a better term) separate bookings.

I have a situation where I (WP) have a booking. It is becoming likely that my partner (registered as such in the QF system), but an NB, will be able to join me on the trip. How can I 'link' a booking that I make for her to mine, for seat selection purposes, without having to call up?

You definitely can't do it online yourself. Even after the bookings are linked (TCP).

You'll need to call. I have do to this regularly, last time I called to have something like this was last week when an ALK based agent was able to move my travel companion (PS) on a seperate booking next to me (WP) in the Platinum seating zone, as obviously the seats would be blocked for them in MMB. Took the agent seconds to do.

 

[TheRealTMA]

How can this be done online?

I can find on the QF website how to separate a booking for more than one pax into individual bookings but not how to 'link' (for want of a better term) separate bookings.

I have a situation where I (WP) have a booking. It is becoming likely that my partner (registered as such in the QF system), but an NB, will be able to join me on the trip. How can I 'link' a booking that I make for her to mine, for seat selection purposes, without having to call up?

Can’t. Just call and sit on phone for a few PERfect hours.

 

[Scr77]

Then call the frequent flyer service centre and not reservations. Fixed.

Not sure how that helps. Dialled 131131 at 7am. Still went to South Africa after 50minutes and they were still unhelpful. Apparently, they will send an email. I press for him to call the department but says he can’t.

Has anyone without status been able to speak to Hobart to Auckland in the last few weeks? I suspect they no longer can.