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

 

[Mattg]

According to another website, the average wait time at 9am is 6 mins. I called yesterday at 9am and was on hold for 24 mins, even as a WP. I didn't even want to call but I had to follow up an overdue refund.

That article from that other site you refer to has been recycled from last year and is based on research done by CHOICE many months ago. It is not relevant to the current situation.

 

[pgsdiver]

@RedSMS - I feel your pain.
This is after my 4th attempt to ring QF to change a flight. Currently at 1 hour and 5 minutes on hold (after variously, 30 minutes, 54 minutes, 40 minutes on previous calls) so at least the rumoured 1 hour cut off is proven as a myth.
I'm guessing that QF's woeful customer service performance at present is due to a shortage of properly trained staff, or perhaps I'm an optimist.
I'm hanging in here even if it means missing my next meeting.
Good luck!

 

[pgsdiver]

Agree with Mattg. I've tried now five times at various times morning to evening over the past two days and have never been on hold less than 30 minutes.

 

[AIRwin]

I'm hanging in here even if it means missing my next meeting.

I recently hung on during gym and was still waiting after the class was over...

 

[whole-lotta-moxie]

OMG... i have been trying to get my refund of $1230 back and qantas is pathetic...

I have tried calling and was on hold for 1 hour 40mins and when someone finally answered they just hung up on me straight away. I then sent them a private message on messenger and no response.
i then sent them an email via the contact us page and nothing again.
I have now called again I was on hold for 2 hours waiting to get through. i finally got through and the agent said 'oh you need to wait at least 8 weeks for a refund'. when i told i had been waiting since Oct 21 she then said ok let me look at that for you. She then said 'its in credit for you'. I said no its not. i dont have a credit and these are refunds for frequent flyer bookings. She then put me on hold for about 25mins and then just hung up.

Anyone got any ideas how i can get my refund from Qantas? what is the best time to call?

 

[Danger]

You're a few months early for 1st April....

The calendar was the second thing I checked.

This is truly frightening. You got the CPT premium line?

That's an oxymoron.

 

[OwlDo]

How long has everyone been waiting on hold using this 1300 number recently?

 

[AussieDisneyFan]

How long has everyone been waiting on hold using this 1300 number recently?

Called at 7.05 am yesterday and it said 2h wait. Offered a callback so I took it. They called back at 8.30.

 

[OwlDo]

Called at 7.05 am yesterday and it said 2h wait. Offered a callback so I took it. They called back at 8.30.

Lucky you got the option for a call back.

 

[pgsdiver]

As a further update, I finally had to give up yesterday and tried the priority number with no better result.
Am now on my second try today. Tried at 6pm (couldn't do it any earlier) and was hung up on after 23 minutes.Am now on hold again.
I've emailed them and will be straight off to fair trading if they try to slug me if I can't get through prior to the flights tomorrow (which were supposed to be at 11:05am,)
*sigh*

For the refund, you could try to ring their switchboard and ask for any random position (Accounts Payable, General Counsel) and ask where to lodge an official complaint prior to contacting the Ombudsman. (I think I may be hangry - I've just given my kids a swearing lesson as I keep losing my temper at the recorded message while on hold. Luckily the recorded message isn't playing my game.)
Hope your result is better,
P

 

[Daver6]

Anyone got any ideas how i can get my refund from Qantas? what is the best time to call?

Forget Qantas. They've had ample time to refund you. Call your credit card provider and initiate a charge back.

 

[TheInsider]

How long has everyone been waiting on hold using this 1300 number recently?

The number rotates every few weeks. So if it asks for a frequent flyer number then it's the wrong number for that week.
The correct number is the one where it doesn't ask for anything.

 

[MARTINE]

The number rotates every few weeks. So if it asks for a frequent flyer number then it's the wrong number for that week.
The correct number is the one where it doesn't ask for anything.

Having said that when I had success I did put my details in and it was answered immediately and money back on CC next day. I’d try all combos

 

[whole-lotta-moxie]

Forget Qantas. They've had ample time to refund you. Call your credit card provider and initiate a charge back.

ohhh great idea... i had not thought of that... YES!!!! I will do that.

 

[eminere]

Rang 131313 just before 8am AEDT this morning and got through to a Premium agent in about 15min.

 

[encryptededdy]

Another story here for this thread.

I cancelled an already confirmed Classic Upgrade Reward without realizing it'd cost me 5000 points since it was already confirmed (I've only ever cancelled still pending upgrades in the past, which have no fee). Realizing my mistake, I thought I might call 13 13 13 and see if it could be undone. ETA was >1h, which was not going to work (since I assume when the bot gets around to processing it, I would lose that seat forever).

Called 1300 134 502, sorted after literally 4 minutes on the phone.

The original issue is entirely my own fault for not checking first, although to be fair Qantas' website could be helpful by letting you know when you're about to perform an operation that may result in a point penalty/fee. The Upgrade webpage already knows it's already confirmed, so it should be able to put that information into the warning.

 

[sudoer]

I cancelled an already confirmed Classic Upgrade Reward without realizing it'd cost me 5000 points since it was already confirmed

Shouldn't cost you anything with the current Fly Flexible arrangement.

Edit: I can't read.

 

[encryptededdy]

Shouldn't cost you anything with the current Fly Flexible arrangement.

Hmm, well that's the thing, the Fly Flexible arrangement seems to only covers the cancellation of Classic Flight Rewards, not Classic Upgrade Rewards. I want to cancel just the upgrade (i.e. return to Economy) since my flight was changed from A330 to 737.

Per the Qantas Frequent Flyer Fee Schedule;

For Reward Flights;

Cancellation Refund Fee
Fee: 6,000 Qantas Points per passenger.
For Classic Flight Reward Change and Cancellation Fees waiver information, visit Flexible Classic Flight Rewards.

Note that it specifically calls out waiver information.

For Upgrades;

Refund of Unused Flight Upgrade Fee or Unused Classic Upgrade Reward Fee
Fee: 5,000 Qantas Points per Upgrade

Note that it does not specifically call out waiver information.

Therefore my best conclusion is that there is a 5000 point fee for cancelling an already-confirmed flight upgrade right now.

You can see my thread here for more.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has any experience to the contrary, or any other information about this.

On the subject of useless Qantas customer service, I did pose this exact question (are fees for cancelling already-confirmed Classic Upgrade Rewards currently waived) to [email protected]. This is the response I got.

Dear Mr Zhang,

Thanks for contacting Qantas Frequent Flyer.

Should you need to, you can make many changes online via Manage Your Booking at qantas.com. Through your online account, you can change your flight, check in, add special requests, update your contact details, request a Frequent Flyer upgrade and more.

In the meantime if you require assistance, Qantas Contact Centre can be contacted on 13 13 13 or via our Feedback form on qantas.com. If you're calling from overseas our global contact numbers can be found at here.

Kind regards,

Christine Marie Corazon

Qantas Frequent Flyer Team

qantas.com/frequentflyer

gee thanks.

 

[get me outta here]

502 number took 44 mins to do a cancellation. Quoted taxes take 8 weeks to refund, points take 4 weeks".

 

[sudoer]

Hmm, well that's the thing, the Fly Flexible arrangement seems to only covers the cancellation of Classic Flight Rewards, not Classic Upgrade Rewards. I want to cancel just the upgrade (i.e. return to Economy) since my flight was changed from A330 to 737.

My apologies - misread your first post!