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

 

[DejaBrew]

Rang today @ 1:24pm. Called regarding my previous interaction as I was having issues with seat selection on linked bookings (i.e. booking 1 had my visibility as WP, booking 2 had visibility as NB). Answered immediately by "Diane" (unconfirmed, but pretty sure based in the Hobart call centre) - super helpful and efficient. Seat selection issue resolved manually in a matter of minutes and was happy to spend extra time on the call to explain the situation in more detail as I was initially a little unclear as to the root cause of the issue.

As someone who is only now getting the chance to interact with them, I have to say that I'm quickly understanding and appreciating why everyone talks about Hobart being the gold standard for QF call centres!

 

[CMA222]

A week ago I booked a weekend on Norfolk Island as the J fares were better, with the current sale.

After the week had elapsed I am still awaiting an itinerary and a e-Ticket so I rang this morning to follow up as last time I travelled QF international (a couple of months ago) I had the same problem and a 55 minute wait at the airport while they resolved the missing ticket at check-in. I had followed up with the Fiji call centre who said there was an issue but they would send it to be fixed.

I was answered as a WP after about 45 seconds following the usual inputting of my QFF number and booking reference. It seemed to be Hobart. Very efficient and both itinerary and e-Ticket were emailed through immediately.

I asked if it was necessary to phone after making each booking as the payment was processed immediately and cleared in under 24 hours (the obvious priority part for QF), but it appears the ticketing is a problem. I was told that the ticket should have issued, and there was no further comment, despite it being 2 out of 2 failures. I understand the IT is a mess but QF continue to tolerate the mess.

At least I could get through to complain without the previous delay

 

[Blackadder]

Feb 1: 1535 called 131313 regarding an email for a duplicate booking causing issues.
Call answered straight away after the various prompts, I am guessing Cape Town by the accent.
Issue sorted out in about 10 mins, most of that being on hold.

 

[CMA222]

I rang QF today at about 2 pm to try to get a tax invoice sent because the "Resend Tax Invoice" sent me an Itinerary with no mention of payments or tax. Hopeless.

After 32 minutes waiting for my Premium Consultant as a WP, I spoke to a lady who tried to send me the Itinerary/receipt that I already had.

She sent me another copy of the eTicket saying exactly the same thing - no details except Fare and Total and Grand Total shown as "IT".

She then wanted me to go to the Qantas website and I queried why. She sounded flustered so I asked where she was and she said South Africa.

I said thanks put me through to Hobart which I know she cannot do and she said I will have to call again - to try to get Hobart. !!!

I am now 15 minutes into waiting to try to get someone who knows what they are doing while hearing over and over - thank you for your continued support.

Gave up after 20 minutes.

If that is Premium service for a WP why does anyone bother with QF ?

 

[RooFlyer]

If that is Premium service for a WP why does anyone bother with QF ?

Loyalty

 

[henrus]

~40mins today as a plat answered finally via Suva… what is going on.

 

[encryptededdy]

I rang QF today at about 2 pm to try to get a tax invoice sent because the "Resend Tax Invoice" sent me an Itinerary with no mention of payments or tax. Hopeless.

Yeah I find that if there's any changes to the ticket, the Tax Invoice information is lost in any subsequent PDF generated by the system. Very annoying.

Have you tried https://www.qantas.com/au/en/manage-booking/tax-invoice.html ? I find it works most times, but you have to wait 5 minutes for the email to land in your inbox.

sounded flustered so I asked where she was and she said South Africa.

I wonder what the turnover is at the overseas call centres. I can't imagine it's great.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Just called through as a silver to change a classic award booking. Call answered in 13 minutes, sounded like in Fiji. Explained the change I wanted to make, being from QF73 to QF7, and also one day earlier. The agent was mumbling through calculating the points and tax differential, but eventually she got there. I mentioned that I didn't love being charged the 5,000 point change fee, given there was no way to self-serve the change. Also mentioned I have been doing a fair bit of domestic travelling with Qantas over the last few months. Short hold and she agreed to waive the change fee. All up took about 30 minutes, which is far better than this would've taken a year or two ago.

Do I now need to worry about re-ticketing, or is that not a concern with Qantas operated flights on an award booking?

 

[encryptededdy]

I mentioned that I didn't love being charged the 5,000 point change fee, given there was no way to self-serve the change.

FYI you would be charged a 5000 point change fee even if you self-serviced it, unless you meant the 7,700 service fee for changing over the phone (only applicable to non-business bookings in theory)

 

[CaptainCurtis]

FYI you would be charged a 5000 point change fee even if you self-serviced it, unless you meant the 7,700 service fee for changing over the phone (only applicable to non-business bookings in theory)

Oh interesting, my mistake, I thought there was no fee when changing online. She initially refused waving the 5k change fee, but with a bit of persistence she eventually obliged.

 

[CMA222]

Yeah I find that if there's any changes to the ticket, the Tax Invoice information is lost in any subsequent PDF generated by the system. Very annoying.

Have you tried https://www.qantas.com/au/en/manage-booking/tax-invoice.html ? I find it works most times, but you have to wait 5 minutes for the email to land in your inbox.


I wonder what the turnover is at the overseas call centres. I can't imagine it's great.

I tried the link you supplied and it response I received, in about 30 seconds, yet another copy of the 7 page "Itinerary Receipt" which makes zero reference to any payment or break down of the amount I paid. Just the same flight details and all the blurb about bags and cut off times etc. Maybe I should advise the ATO that Qantas are making sales presumably without recording the GST they are collecting (if any) and being unable to issue a tax invoice, despite it being a legal entitlement in every transaction. For this booking the only thing that worked efficiently was the payment process when QF took and cleared my money within 24 hours.

 

[encryptededdy]

I tried the link you supplied and it response I received, in about 30 seconds, yet another copy of the 7 page "Itinerary Receipt" which makes zero reference to any payment or break down of the amount I paid. Just the same flight details and all the blurb about bags and cut off times etc.

Yeah ok, sounds like their IT is truly borked. The challenge now would be to find someone who can actually pull that information for you.

This is a domestic flight, I assume?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just called through as a silver to change a classic award booking. Call answered in 13 minutes, sounded like in Fiji. Explained the change I wanted to make, being from QF73 to QF7, and also one day earlier. The agent was mumbling through calculating the points and tax differential, but eventually she got there. I mentioned that I didn't love being charged the 5,000 point change fee, given there was no way to self-serve the change. Also mentioned I have been doing a fair bit of domestic travelling with Qantas over the last few months. Short hold and she agreed to waive the change fee. All up took about 30 minutes, which is far better than this would've taken a year or two ago.

Do I now need to worry about re-ticketing, or is that not a concern with Qantas operated flights on an award booking?

If it’s all Qantas operated flights (aircraft) then no need to worry. If ticketing fails they can just recreate an award seat for you.

 

[Economy_Gold]

I tried the link you supplied and it response I received, in about 30 seconds, yet another copy of the 7 page "Itinerary Receipt" which makes zero reference to any payment or break down of the amount I paid. Just the same flight details and all the blurb about bags and cut off times etc. Maybe I should advise the ATO that Qantas are making sales presumably without recording the GST they are collecting (if any) and being unable to issue a tax invoice, despite it being a legal entitlement in every transaction. For this booking the only thing that worked efficiently was the payment process when QF took and cleared my money within 24 hours.

If this in regards to the Norfolk Island flight you mention earlier, no tax invoice will be issued for the ticket as Norfolk Island flights, despite the island belonging to Australia, are treated as international flights and therefore there is no GST and no tax invoice.
My understanding is that is also why the flights depart / leave from the International Terminal and a passenger arrival card needs to be filled out.

 

[CMA222]

If this in regards to the Norfolk Island flight you mention earlier, no tax invoice will be issued for the ticket as Norfolk Island flights, despite the island belonging to Australia, are treated as international flights and therefore there is no GST and no tax invoice.
My understanding is that is also why the flights depart / leave from the International Terminal and a passenger arrival card needs to be filled out.

You are correct that the NLK flights are treated as international and are therefore GST-free. However, under the GST system they should therefore produce a tax invoice showing zero GST. If it is a business expense a tax invoice confirms the full amount paid and that the GST included in the invoice is zero. The invoice supplied as part of the eTicket shows taxes and credit card fee but not the actual cost of the flight, and no total cost.

 

[TheInsider]

I rang QF today at about 2 pm to try to get a tax invoice sent because the "Resend Tax Invoice" sent me an Itinerary with no mention of payments or tax. Hopeless.

After 32 minutes waiting for my Premium Consultant as a WP, I spoke to a lady who tried to send me the Itinerary/receipt that I already had.

She sent me another copy of the eTicket saying exactly the same thing - no details except Fare and Total and Grand Total shown as "IT".

She then wanted me to go to the Qantas website and I queried why. She sounded flustered so I asked where she was and she said South Africa.

I said thanks put me through to Hobart which I know she cannot do and she said I will have to call again - to try to get Hobart. !!!

I am now 15 minutes into waiting to try to get someone who knows what they are doing while hearing over and over - thank you for your continued support.

Gave up after 20 minutes.

If that is Premium service for a WP why does anyone bother with QF ?

An IT fare, is an 'Inclusive Tour' fare. This must've been part of another package?
Highly likely wouldn't be a price for them to send you.

 

[CMA222]

An IT fare, is an 'Inclusive Tour' fare. This must've been part of another package?
Highly likely wouldn't be a price for them to send you.

It was a direct QF website purchase of two return tickets only. Nothing else. So the only information that I paid anything is from my credit card. The law says that if a customer requests a tax invoice it MUST be supplied within 28 days, including the following minimum detail:

The Tax invoice must include enough information to clearly determine the following 7 details:

1. document is intended to be a tax invoice
2. seller's identity
3. seller's Australian business number (ABN)
4. date the invoice was issued
5. brief description of the items sold, including the quantity (if applicable) and the price
6. GST amount (if any) payable – this can be shown separately or, if the GST amount is exactly one-eleventh of the total price, as a statement which says 'Total price includes GST'
7. extent to which each sale on the invoice is a taxable sale.

If the sale exceeds $1,000 the tax invoice must also include the buyers identity and ABN. The total of the sale was in excess of $1,000 on each of two invoices.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Went through "Contact us" on the website today, and it spat me a 1300 number to call with a 6 digit code so my information would be readily available to the agent. Blow me down it worked and I was answered instantly.

Unfortunately couldn't get what I wanted (stuck with the "new booking only" availability for an award change) but still, it worked. Had to cancel and rebook the itinerary of exact same flights numbers just an upgrade of cabin - the domestic leg was Y only for changing existing booking. However, J all the way on a new booking.

 

[bPeteb]

As WP only two minutes (at midday) to get answered by Fiji callcentre (?) after joining the queue.

Unfortunately what I'd thought would be an easy change after our original flight from BNE to SYD (part of bkg BNE-SYD-JNB) was cancelled and moved to a later flight - requesting to be moved to an earlier flight that I could see as available revenue or CR - has turned into quite the call. Told nothing available. I said that I could see availability on the earlier flight both revenue and CR. The "I'll check" has now seen me on hold for 15 minutes and counting.

Now my dread is that both of the bookings through to JNB will be jeopardised. We should have just accepted the later flight

 

[justinbrett]

As WP only two minutes (at midday) to get answered by Fiji callcentre (?) after joining the queue.

Unfortunately what I'd thought would be an easy change after our original flight from BNE to SYD (part of bkg BNE-SYD-JNB) was cancelled and moved to a later flight - requesting to be moved to an earlier flight that I could see as available revenue or CR - has turned into quite the call. Told nothing available. I said that I could see availability on the earlier flight both revenue and CR. The "I'll check" has now seen me on hold for 15 minutes and counting.

Now my dread is that both of the bookings through to JNB will be jeopardised. We should have just accepted the later flight

It would be a married segment issue