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

 

[justinbrett]

Maybe QF's systems need to take a direct feed from gcmap ...

XPL - Comayagua [Coronel Enrique Soto Cano AB], CM, HN - Airport - Great Circle Mapper

Airport information about XPL - Comayagua [Coronel Enrique Soto Cano AB], CM, HN

www.gcmap.com

Yep, I told her that it's pretty easy to calculate the points - should be 20,300 (XPL-MIA-DFW-ABQ).

Interestingly the QF website shows the full name:


The iOS app, before the update, said "XPL to Albuquerque"

The updated app says "Miami to Albuquerque" (skipping the troublemaker) but then won't open the booking (causes an error).

I'd hazard a guess if you flew this on an AA revenue ticket you'd have to manually chase the points.

 

[elanshin]

30 min wait to try to try and add flights to RTW itinery only for the call center to say nope-our system doesnt allow us let me transfer you to AA OW desk (which is closed). SG currently - in half a mind to wait until I hit WP then try again.

 

[Nitro6333]

I got through to Hobart this afternoon regarding my AA reward booking containing a new airport (XPL) not in the QF system.

She spoke to ticketing and confirmed they can't process as it's not in the QF system; however - she made some calls and they are going to add it to their system and once done, "Sonya" will call me back to process (not the person I was speaking to, but was described as "fantastic" by the operator).

Such a difference to the CPT call centre - who are nice enough but just don't have the toolkit to help with complex problems like this.

Did you try the 1300 number I shared with you? just wondering who you got through to as a WP on it

 

[Daver6]

Oh boy. WP took about 15 minutes to get through to HBA.

Needed to follow up. I cancelled an award flight to TLV a few weeks ago. I called up after the fact to see if they'd waive the 6k points cancellation. They agreed to and said it would be done in 48 hours. Didn't happen. Multiple follow ups through Facebook chat was pointless. Also needed to discussed miss points for a QR DXB to DOH flight. The points for the connecting DOH to PER posted. I had submitted an online request but it was denied stating it was a class issue. Made no sense as it was Y (flex Y) and should earn points.

While there is no argument about the 6k points being returned, they need to prod someone or other to actually do it. As for the missing points and status credits they need to transfer me to the useless FF service centre.

It seems I need to provide proof of the flight. I no longer have the boarding pass. I said given you know I was on the connecting flight I must have been on the DXB to DOH flight. While she agree that is true and is common sense, it's not good enough. If QF can't let common sense prevail in a situation like this, there is truly no hope!

 

[Ansett]

Called VIP Yesterday as a P1 at 4.30 took over 25 minutes and eventually ended up as an overflow caller no idea where I ended up, but task was completed successfully. I suspect NZ.

 

[AIRwin]

It seems I need to provide proof of the flight.

Try requesting QR for the equivalent of this:

Proof Of Travel | Submit a form for your request | Emirates Australia

Use this form to request proof of travel on an Emirates flight you took within the last two years.

www.emirates.com

 

[dylarr]

Oh boy. WP took about 15 minutes to get through to HBA.

The last few times I’ve called as a WP have been at least 30 min waits, including yesterday.

 

[Daver6]

Try requesting QR for the equivalent of this:

Proof Of Travel | Submit a form for your request | Emirates Australia

Use this form to request proof of travel on an Emirates flight you took within the last two years.

www.emirates.com

Sadly I can't seem to find a similar online form for QR. Not sure I have the energy to chase it for 10 SC and 200 points.

Clearly QF have learnt nothing at all in the last few months.

 

[StayGoldPonyboy]

Sadly I can't seem to find a similar online form for QR.

I found Qatar online chat v helpful in the past, might be worth a try.

 

[Amanad78]

Sadly I can't seem to find a similar online form for QR. Not sure I have the energy to chase it for 10 SC and 200 points.

Clearly QF have learnt nothing at all in the last few months.

Check your QR app that the boarding pass isn't in there. I have an Etihad claim through VFF at the moment and the old boarding passes are still saved in the Etihad app

 

[Daver6]

Well miracles do happen. QF actually got back to me and decided to apply some common sense. They've managed to make an assumption. That much closer to LTG now

 

[tdimdad]

Day of week	Wed 1 Nov 2023
Time of call	10:00 am AEDT
Number used	13 11 31
Status	Platinum
Hold time	0 minutes
Call Centre (if known)	Fiji
Matter resolved	Yes (as much as it could be)
Details	Called with three little things: 1) Change a connecting flight in an existing booking due to the incoming having been changed (QF38 cancelled, moved to QF36). The agent first suggested a $145 fee ($125 to change + $20 fare difference) but when asked, did then override it as an involuntary change. Asked for seat 23K on QF36 but that was blocked for CL/P1's only, another seat now assigned. Case resolved. 2) Seat selection on an AY booking & marketed but QF operated flight. It's on QF291 so the front of Y has Economy Comfort seats but, again, they were blocked. A seat allocated a few rows back. A seat selection on a CX operated / AY marketed flight was out of reach. Case resolved to the degree it was possible to the agent. 3) I receive repeated email reminders of a Qantas Pass expiring in Dec 2023 but I've used it all up earlier this year. The agent checked the status of the pass (balance confirmed $0) and removed my QFF number from it to stop the emails. Case resolved (presuming so). Call duration 20 mins which is very reasonable given the number of little things we dealt with.

Edit: Adding the CX call centre (131 747, what a fun number for an airline!) experience. Their phone system recognised my FF status (green tier) based on the phone number, then sent a one-time passcode by SMS for verification. After that I was presented with the call centre menu options. An immediate response (overseas but can't tell where by the accent). Unfortunately, the seats were blocked to the agent, too, for codeshare bookings. I'm now left with the airport desk / lounge agents to see what'd be available at that time.

 

[dylarr]

Have called twice today as WP, once earlier this morning and again this evening. Both times there was no hold time at all - as soon as I made my way through the IVR menu I was connected immediately so much better than the 30 min holds of late.

This morning was through to Auckland. Super efficient and helpful agent. Called about a ticketing issue that was resolved in a couple of minutes.

Currently on the phone to Suva. The agent is pleasant and helpful but obviously ill-equipped to deal with the issue I'm calling about as I've now spent about 35 minutes on hold whilst she works with the "support team" to resolve. She keeps coming back to check that I'm still OK to hold but I know this is something the in house call centres would have sorted on the spot. I've now been promised a call back later tonight so we'll see how that goes.

 

[RooFlyer]

Called twice yesterday as WP; both calls went to Sth Africa by accents, both answered "Premium"; 10 mins wait the first time, about the same the second time.

Very good agent the first time, very affable, matter resolved. Good-ish agent the second time, had to go off and ask a couple of times; very noisy background, matter probably resolved.

 

[tdimdad]

Another good experience. Called 13 12 11 (as a WP), answered in 3 mins in Fiji (asked about the location).
A routing change to a CR booking overseas (using a partner carrier) done effortlessly: the agent spent 3 mins to gather the info of what the change was about, 3 mins on hold while the agent worked on it, and 3 mins for him to confirm the fees applicable and finalise the change.

This, again, showed that outsourced and overseas services can work well if the service organisation is competent and equipped to do the job well. I have an inkling that some of the staff in those centres have managed to hang around for long enough to gain experience and tacit knowledge to step up to medium complexity tasks.

 

[encryptededdy]

Called 13 13 13 to change a CR in a way that wasn't supported online. Answered by Hobart (~3min hold).

Requested a change from TYO-SYD -> TYO-xMEL-SYD, but with an intentional 12 hour layover in Melbourne. I couldn't piece this together myself in multi-city (showed no MEL-SYD seats) due to married segments, but the call centre was able to help me with that.

Booking changed and card charged in ~10 minutes, now just waiting for ticket to re-issue.

 

[Port Power]

I received emails regarding changes to two different one-way classic reward flights next June. One is OSL-LHR-BLL, the other BLL-HEL-AMS, both J. The transits are only because there were no direct classic reward seats available at the time of booking. I am going to visit friends in Germany. The emails gave a premium number to ring.

Yesterday I rang and reached Hobart. My bookings could not be resolved. There were no classic reward bookings on the days in questions that would connect with the second flight, or with my final return flight to Australia from AMS on EK metal. I might have to pay full holiday fares, but let’s wait a month and see. 33 minutes on the phone.

My friends suggested I try HAM instead of BLL, as they live equidistant between them. I rang Qantas again today and quoted my replacement flights via HAM. Cass was very helpful, but her computer was slow and she had to check with her supervisor a few times. She was going to charge a fee as a voluntary change, but I repeated this is involuntary, so fee was waived. I asked where she was located. Fiji. I was impressed by her competence and manner. She has sent the new booking off for ticketing. I will receive points refunds on both bookings.

One item I am really not sure about is there was a further fee in Danish kroner for the Oslo flights. As I had already paid a goodly dime, I couldn’t understand why I would need to pay another AU$173? When I return home to Australia next month, I will check my paperwork.

The point is, the Suva call centre seems to have improved greatly.

Edit: The OSL-AMS-HAM ticket arrived while typing this. All correct. Points already refunded and new points taken.

 

[Mattg]

I've tried six times in a row to book a Classic Reward that I couldn't book online, but every time I got through to the Cape Town or Suva call centres and the flight isn't showing up in their system. (It definitely exists because I can see it on the Qantas website, but I just can't book it online because it departs from Argentina.)

The third agent (in CPT) told me "I probably won't be able to make this booking for you because Qantas might not fly domestically in Argentina".

It seems the system that triages repeat callers to Australia/NZ still isn't up and running. (Not that I should have to call repeatedly for this as I'm a platinum member.)

 

[Jacques Vert]

I've tried six times in a row to book a Classic Reward that I couldn't book online, but every time I got through to the Cape Town or Suva call centres and the flight isn't showing up in their system. (It definitely exists because I can see it on the Qantas website, but I just can't book it online because it departs from Argentina.)

The third agent (in CPT) told me "I probably won't be able to make this booking for you because Qantas might not fly domestically in Argentina".

It seems the system that triages repeat callers to Australia/NZ still isn't up and running. (Not that I should have to call repeatedly for this as I'm a platinum member.)

DTKWYA?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've tried six times in a row to book a Classic Reward that I couldn't book online, but every time I got through to the Cape Town or Suva call centres and the flight isn't showing up in their system. (It definitely exists because I can see it on the Qantas website, but I just can't book it online because it departs from Argentina.)

The third agent (in CPT) told me "I probably won't be able to make this booking for you because Qantas might not fly domestically in Argentina".

It seems the system that triages repeat callers to Australia/NZ still isn't up and running. (Not that I should have to call repeatedly for this as I'm a platinum member.)

Qantas flies domestically in Argentina, but only until 8am daily!