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

 

[Ansett]

78 minutes to get through to VIP 2 minutes to fix the issue which was an email threatening to cancel bookings due to being a duplication. They were not duplications. I am so glad I am a priority customer, God help those that aren't.

 

[Daver6]

As a WP, on hold for over 40 minutes. Select the option for an existing booking.

MrsDaver6 as a SG called. Selected the option for new international booking using points. She got through in under 5 minutes to a completely useless agent and landed up hanging up.

I hung up and selected new international booking using points. Been on hold now for 10 minutes. So clearly routing the call through to different agents, but it really does impact hold time.

 

[aweingar]

I called last week, as a WP, and gave up after 25 minutes, assuming the long wait time was due to the DSC promotion.
Called again today after 9pm and was on hold for 30 minutes. So it has nothing to do with the promotion. Even if it did, it really can't be an excuse, it's not like they were not ready for it. I'd hate to think of the wait time for NB.
Are we back to the abysmal customer service that Qantas is famous for?
So much for the improvements promised by the new CEO.

 

[Tropic]

As WP, called today waited for 40min got agent in NZ who then put me on hold for 15min only to tell me she couldn't assist with my request....which was to book flight using 2 stacked GV....and who suggested I keep calling/hanging up until I jag someone in Hobart!!! Called again, another 30min wait and got someone in Hobart (great!!) Only to be be put on hold for 15min again and then find out the agent had no idea! Asked if she had a coach and sure enough she confirmed and offered to transfer me. I got transferred to a male who didn't seem particularly engaged or knowledgeable about GVs either and who then had to put me on hold...after 10 mins I just hung up. Then a new booking ( with new PNR) appeared in my app for the flights I was looking to use my GVs on .... Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[justinbrett]

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:
View attachment 351849

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.

And of course not only could I not get an award seat on this flight, my paid J fare has bounced

The claim you made for missing Qantas Points submitted on 11-Mar-2024 has been processed but was UNSUCCESSFUL - FLIGHT ROUTE NOT ELIGIBLE TO EARN.

Your claim details

Claim ID: 7410197
Flight Details: AA 1096 27-Feb-2024 TGU MIA

It's not even TGU, that's the old airport, I entered XPL as the airport code.

 

[MrJetset]

I called on Monday for an award release request. An agent in HBA put it through and was approved in minutes. He held the reservation while I worked out other details.

I have called several times a day this week and been on hold for at least 20-40 mins each time and get an agent in Suva. I always HUACA.

Yesterday, I spoke to an agent in AKL who appeared to be WFH with sirens in the background. Requested some new dates and I had a feeling he did it wrong.

Called back, got an agent in Fiji, she resubmitted but then quoted by the full fare as the taxes on the award.

It really has become a joke. Rumour has it a number of HBA agents have left.

 

[jfl]

It has become near-impossible to get reasonable service from any non-HBA and non-AKL call centre these days. I'm only Silver status so not possible to hit those call centres. I've encountered a number of issues:

1. The agents computer has an update and needs to reboot. They said they would call back but never do. This has happened multiple times with different agents.
2. The agent needs to escalate to "Qantas IT". Again, offered a callback. No callback given.
3. The call suddenly drops.
4. The agent has no knowledge of a classic flight award.
5. The agent has no knowledge of a Oneworld Classic Award. This one is extremely common.
It has been infuriating! It took seven different calls to get my flights ticketed, and I forced the agent to stay on the phone until my e-ticket came through.

Is anyone else having this much pain trying to redeem points? Is the grass greener on the other side of the fence (Velocity)?

 

[RooFlyer]

Is anyone else having this much pain trying to redeem points? Is the grass greener on the other side of the fence (Velocity)?

There have been very many experiences the same as you; its systemic. Plats don't necessarily get Hobart these days either.

I've only ever redeemed VFF for domestic flights. I gather VA also have offshore call centres so for 'partner redemptions' it may be much the same.

 

[djkelly69]

4. The agent has no knowledge of a classic flight award.
5. The agent has no knowledge of a Oneworld Classic Award.

For this issue, just say 'I want to book a reward flight' or 'I want to add flights to an existing booking'.

You don't need the phone agent to know what an OWA is, as the system does, and it will automatically apply the cap if the booking meets the criteria.

To be fair though, a lot of those excuses sound like someone who probably doesn't understand what you want and just wants to get you off the phone.

 

[MelbFlyer]

It has become near-impossible to get reasonable service from any non-HBA and non-AKL call centre these days. I'm only Silver status so not possible to hit those call centres.

I'm even lower - a Bronze member and I had great difficulties in changing my now completed business OWA last year.

I wanted to make some simple changes - ie. change the one economy leg on my itinerary to business, as new business seats were showing online since I made the booking, and also a change of date for another leg with another seat that was also showing online.

As a OWA, unfortunately the only way to make changes is to call.

Overall I called up over 100 times in total and only a handful of those times were successful. On some days I called around 15 times and most times gave up since I was getting no luck. 90% of responses were "the seats you see online are for new bookings only and can't be used for existing bookings".

Is anyone else having this much pain trying to redeem points? Is the grass greener on the other side of the fence (Velocity)?

I thought the same too - to ditch churning QFF earning credit cards for Velocity instead, but I had a look at the VFF website - the awards availability are even worse than QFF - so, I guess I'll stick with QFF points earning cards.

 

[aweingar]

I'm only Silver status so not possible to hit those call centres

Don't feel bad. As a WP, the last time I got the HBA call centre was years ago, when I was still SG in fact.
The QF call centre is a joke. The service is back to the bad old days, none of the improvements promised by the new CEO have been kept. Even Plat members get atrocious service now.

 

[encryptededdy]

It seems like the only things the call centres are able to do competently are things I could do online myself anyway.

 

[jfl]

I found they kept getting me to complete things online (which I prefer anyway). Problem is, the things I was calling about could not be done online. For example, I had a mixed class booking which had Y for outbound leg and F for the inbound leg of the booking. Was looking to change outbound leg to F as availability popped up but Qantas website said no. Six calls later (HUACA) and resolved.

 

[sudoer]

WP, 'existing booking', had an issue with a classic award booking failing on the Qantas site - probably because it had no taxes payable (JL domestic) and the website didn't know what to do. But a PNR was issued, so I call to get it ticketed.

20 minute wait, call seemed to be accidentally terminated when taken off hold.

40 minute wait after calling back. Explain the issue to the rep, including that it's a classic award.

After about 10 minutes of near silence, he asks "are you using points to pay for this booking?". Not only did I already tell him it was an award, but there is a single JL flight in the PNR - the only way I can possibly make this booking with Qantas is to pay with points.

He's put me on hold to "process it again", it's now been 15 minutes.

Don't think I've had the pleasure of speaking to an onshore agent at any point in 2024.

 

[Rangalad]

It has become near-impossible to get reasonable service from any non-HBA and non-AKL call centre these days. I'm only Silver status so not possible to hit those call centres. I've encountered a number of issues:

1. The agents computer has an update and needs to reboot. They said they would call back but never do. This has happened multiple times with different agents.
2. The agent needs to escalate to "Qantas IT". Again, offered a callback. No callback given.
3. The call suddenly drops.
4. The agent has no knowledge of a classic flight award.
5. The agent has no knowledge of a Oneworld Classic Award. This one is extremely common.
It has been infuriating! It took seven different calls to get my flights ticketed, and I forced the agent to stay on the phone until my e-ticket came through.

Is anyone else having this much pain trying to redeem points? Is the grass greener on the other side of the fence (Velocity)?

Called to book a priority economy seat.
The JNB agent had never heard of it and after checking claimed it only applies to redemption bookings.
I gave her the URL so she could check, she then hung up.
Booked VA instead.

Priority Economy seat purchase​

Make priority purchases of up to two Full Economy tickets on eligible Qantas operated flights with a Qantas flight number or QantasLink services. Must be booked before midday on the day before travel and when holding or purchasing a Full Economy ticket for yourself (the Platinum member).#

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Just some data from 2 calls lately (within the past fortnight).

Call 1 answered within 20 seconds. Hobart agent linked separate bookings within 2 minutes.
Call 2 answered within a minute. Overseas agent who allowed seat selection for my fiance next to me (Seats were blocked for her as I'm WP) within 30 seconds and waived preferred seating fees.

 

[tdimdad]

I feel lucky and blessed with the call centre raffle. Called today at 10:30 AEST and it was answered in seconds. Clearly a local agent (Hobart) based on the Aussie phrasing she used throughout the call (name Mina, Meena, or similar).

I redeemed a GV. The redemption page on the QF website gave higher prices than the cash booking engine, hence the call. Usually the agents get bizarre prices on their screen but this one got the right lower price outright. However, it took total of 25 mins to get everything done: first she needed a minute to check something because it had been a long time since she had done a GV redemption and later the system didn't subtract the GV value from the residual 'to be paid' price.
While she was waiting for the support, she also resolved a minor issue I had with another booking.

What I really appreciate was that she was upfront about what was happening on her screen and when & why she had to seek support. The overseas centres obfuscate their challenges and try to fob you off for whatever lame excuse but today's directness was refreshing. It made me feel as a worthy customer. Friendliness or courteous behaviour and adequate skills & tools are a basic expectation but her attitude and style set the call apart from so many others. Extracts of the recording should be played to the new trainees as an example of how to handle things well.

 

[Jousams]

required some help with some redemption bookings ex South America this week. Multiple South African and Fiji Agents rude, unwilling to help, hang ups and lacking basic geography skills. How after *4 years* this is still an issue is beyond me....

 

[aweingar]

Had to call Qantas twice in the past week, once to release a classic rewards seat and the second time to clarify a duplicate booking.
I got the Hobart call centre both times. Waiting time was 1 or 2 minutes. The interaction was pleasant and efficient, couldn't ask for more.
Well done. A huge difference from the call I had to make a few months ago.

 

[MrJetset]

Had to call Qantas twice in the past week, once to release a classic rewards seat and the second time to clarify a duplicate booking.
I got the Hobart call centre both times. Waiting time was 1 or 2 minutes. The interaction was pleasant and efficient, couldn't ask for more.
Well done. A huge difference from the call I had to make a few months ago.

What time of day? I've been trying for days and have HUACA at least give times.