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

 

[DC3]

Pauline at the HBA CC said they are open from "7:00-11:00" AEST (7am, but not sure if 11am or 11pm). Upon entering your QFF number, the computer confirms WP status and makes the decision to route you to HBA or AKL. Otherwise AKL if earlier in the morning. Not 100% of the time, but more often than not.

I have been answered in SA, but usually HUACA.

Hobart is 7.00am-11.00pm AEST every day. Auckland Is 24/7, as is Cape Town.

 

[TheInsider]

Afterwards she told me, the only thing she can do from her end is to request an upgrade with points.
According to her, it is not possible to upgrade single legs of a flight, either with cash or flight credit. ( I can't verify if this is true, but it does sound not right)
Also with another issue with a flight credit (not visible online, worth more than 8k) she couldn't to anything.
I'd love to avoid calling, but with their outdated IT it is unfortunately not possible to do basic things online.

She would be correct. You'd need to upgrade at least the one way trip booked if domestic, or if international generally the entire itinerary.
So if SYD-Per via MEL and wanted to upgrade one sector, you'd need to upgrade ALL sectors. Unless you booked three sectors individually.
That's absolutely nothing to do with outdated IT systems.

 

[emilbulls]

She would be correct. You'd need to upgrade at least the one way trip booked if domestic, or if international generally the entire itinerary.
So if SYD-Per via MEL and wanted to upgrade one sector, you'd need to upgrade ALL sectors. Unless you booked three sectors individually.
That's absolutely nothing to do with outdated IT systems.

Thanks for your feedback.
I was under the impression that a mixed class itinerary would be possible (e.g. one leg eco, other leg premium eco)
Maybe for clarification, I’ve a return booking MEL-VIE-MEL in Y.
Outbound is via DBX on Qantas flight number. Inbound VIE-LHR-MEL on BA and QF10.
My plan was to upgrade the QF10 Sector to premium eco (and I’m aware that the upgrade includes the BA leg to, but it will be eco anyway)
I can bid for the upgrade, sometimes during the booking process, the upgrade is offered on the website as well.
Is this not possible after the flight has been booked?
Re outdated IT system, for every change in my booking, I have to call as the change button in MMB is greyed out, doesn’t really speak for their IT

 

[TheInsider]

Thanks for your feedback.
I was under the impression that a mixed class itinerary would be possible (e.g. one leg eco, other leg premium eco)
Maybe for clarification, I’ve a return booking MEL-VIE-MEL in Y.
Outbound is via DBX on Qantas flight number. Inbound VIE-LHR-MEL on BA and QF10.
My plan was to upgrade the QF10 Sector to premium eco (and I’m aware that the upgrade includes the BA leg to, but it will be eco anyway)
I can bid for the upgrade, sometimes during the booking process, the upgrade is offered on the website as well.
Is this not possible after the flight has been booked?
Re outdated IT system, for every change in my booking, I have to call as the change button in MMB is greyed out, doesn’t really speak for their IT

Upgrades using points are different and the timing of it matters too.. When constructing a fare with different fare rules it becomes very complicated. Sometimes you can do a single class upgrade with the fares but then it would generally change the lowest available fare class tooto a higher priced one.
Airline tickets (not just QF) are very complex and when adding in different airlines it's a completely different ball game.

 

[Danger]

Can't explain that. Did it ask you to enter your QFF#? I suppose Hobart works weekends?



Not necessary. WPs usually get Hobart, or Auckland. I got Fiji once but the person was well trained and took just a little loner than Hobart would have to fix the issue (reschedule Qantas revenue flights after sector cancellation by QF).

I have a similar experience. Of my last 9 calls between 7am and 11pm AEST as a platinum, only one has been answered onshore.

 

[RooFlyer]

I have a similar experience. Of my last 9 calls between 7am and 11pm AEST as a platinum, only one has been answered onshore.

Maybe things aren't improving as much as we thought from recent posts. Did you get competent (properly trained) agents in the offshore places and did they have the authority to issue tickets (if that was necessary)?

 

[cove]

We haven’t bothered doing anything with Qantas due to these reported failures.We don’t need to get antagonised by inept management.

 

[serfty]

What’s your secret? Lol

I try to call Monday between around 7:30am - for the last few months as a WP, I have not been answered by SA or Fiji and the wait has been less than 10 minutes - last Monday it was one ring then answered.

 

[tharaka]

called Qantas 131313 and not sure where it heads. but 2 out of 2 the agents were just appalling. Nothing personal but I just think they're not trained at all.

First agent didn't know how to pull up my details based on the punched-in validated details. Second person just didn't want to stop and listen to understand the request.

Flight availability is showing up on website when I do a return search. I just want to book the returning leg only as a oneway. Due it its originating location it will not allow me to book the OW partner classic reward. Unfortunately, both these agents were unable to find this availability. Wasted one hour and no resort.

 

[RooFlyer]

WP, called 12:30 pm Monday in response to ( Another) schedule change that I couldn’t review and change on-line:



Message of 15 min wait or call back. Choose call back and Hobart called in about 10. Fixed issue and promised ticket. Unusually, in my experience with Hobart, not yet received 90 mins later.

Edit: and the booking has disappeared off MMB

 

[Pushka]

Give me strength. I'm on my 4th try. I need to cancel a booking for next week and it's all greyed out. This relates to a post I did a week ago where I praised the operator. Stupid me. So I have to call. First 131313 - it didn't even connect. Next time. Through to dreadful call centre. Couldn't hear because of all the laughter and yelling going on behind. Operator said, sorry. It's a call centre. Then line dropped out. Rang again. Dead line. Rang again, and through to Hobart I'd say. Finally problem sorted.

 

[blackcat20]

We've had another flight time change so I thought Id give it a go, but they dont seem to be able to see the availability thats on the website (reward seat MEL-SYD). I can see the 3 seats needed, they can only see 2. Sounded like SA call centre.

 

[blackcat20]

Just tried the pinned numbers. The first goes to customer care, the second seems to just route to the standard number, and the third thanks you for calling in response to a flight change notification. Hoping we make progress.

 

[Danger]

Maybe things aren't improving as much as we thought from recent posts. Did you get competent (properly trained) agents in the offshore places and did they have the authority to issue tickets (if that was necessary)?

Quite simply, no. The agents were not competent in any way.

I made a post in the platinum requesting an award seat thread. Since then, I spoke with Ilana in Suva about a flex Y and Y bucket domestic flight. I wanted to understand how a credit would work if I cancelled the reservation but kept the money with Qantas. She first told me that when I came to rebook I would need to book in at least the flex category. I challenged her on that and she spun her wheel of possible responses again. She then told me it would need to be of equal or higher value, which I already knew. I asked her to transfer me to HBA which she said she would do. All that happened was I got returned to the queue and started all over again. This time Dolly in Cape Town told me it was an entirely non-refundable booking. I challenged her on that. She spun her wheel and then apologised, saying she was looking at the section on refunds after departure. She said it would cost me $90 to refund, yet the pop-up window in the my booking page on Qantas clearly states a $99 fee. I pushed her more and presumably she spun again. Now it was apparently 100% entirely refundable. No, it isn't.

 

[Rangalad]

called Qantas 131313 and not sure where it heads. but 2 out of 2 the agents were just appalling. Nothing personal but I just think they're not trained at all.

First agent didn't know how to pull up my details based on the punched-in validated details. Second person just didn't want to stop and listen to understand the request.

Flight availability is showing up on website when I do a return search. I just want to book the returning leg only as a oneway. Due it its originating location it will not allow me to book the OW partner classic reward. Unfortunately, both these agents were unable to find this availability. Wasted one hour and no resort.

Just waited almost ten minutes (9m:48s).
Call answered by "Sarah", when I started speaking, the call disconnected.
I had barely said good morning, my name is.....

 

[blackcat20]

I've had two agents so far this morning, the first said they'd put me through to someone higher up, call went straight to the survey.
Second said she was call the relevant department then call me back. Given yesterdays agent never called me back, I'm not holding my breath.
For some reason they can only see 2 U seats on the flight I want, whereas I can see the three I need.

 

[cbourl]

Just waited almost ten minutes (9m:48s).
Call answered by "Sarah", when I started speaking, the call disconnected.
I had barely said good morning, my name is.....

Hey man Ive spent about 13 hours over the past 3 days on hold with "QFF" call centres which should be called lap it up becasue my employer doesnt give me the power notr the IT to do anything useful - oh that sounds like the Qantas.com website

 

[MJHoops]

Bronze. 10pm. 30 mins. Fiji agent. Laughing etc in background. Me “Can you check the notes from Cape Town on Friday night?” “There are no notes sir”
I explain briefly what’s going on, email has been sent to JL re new flights etc. I want to follow up on JL’s response to that email and get my new eticket

She then reads out my e-ticket that doesn’t have the new flights on it, and starts listing the dates the e-ticket has been sent to me

HUCA

 

[MJHoops]

Bronze. 10pm. 30 mins. Fiji agent. Laughing etc in background. Me “Can you check the notes from Cape Town on Friday night?” “There are no notes sir”
I explain briefly what’s going on, email has been sent to JL re new flights etc. I want to follow up on JL’s response to that email and get my new eticket

She then reads out my e-ticket that doesn’t have the new flights on it, and starts listing the dates the e-ticket has been sent to me

HUCA

Part 2
10:30pm. 70 min wait to get cape town
Agent has some idea what I’m talking about
Put on hold for 15 mins
Will get supervisor to follow up
Yusrah says she will call me back in 24-48 hours with an update

 

[Mattg]

Has anyone noticed that Air New Zealand actually publishes their current call centre wait times on their website in real-time?

Travel alerts

www.airnewzealand.co.nz

I like the transparency, and it would be useful if Qantas did this so customers would know the best times to call...