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

 

[levelnine]

I wonder if this situation ever changes.

What will prompt Qantas to shift tact in this area? My only guess would be the introduction of a full service Star Alliance competitor that uses customer service as a point of distinction. In other words, never.

 

[TheInsider]

Up to 3 hours again… if only they improved the ability of the website. All I need to do is cancel a leg from a classic award

It’s been so long since I’ve flown Qantas I can’t remember how their systems work… I’m booked SYD-LHR (JL) and LHR-SYD (QF). I managed to score a J seat LHR-SYD so made a new booking (because the website of course can’t handle a swap from Y+ to J) and just moved my Y+ sector to next year (so I don’t have duplicate bookings). If I fly the sector to London with JL, will I then have the option to cancel the return online? Or can’t it be canceled after commencing travel?

The 2nd sector cannot be cancelled if any segment has been flown on already.
Highly likely they would have to cancel the entire booking and then rebook the individual segment.

 

[Daver6]

I wonder if this situation ever changes.

What will prompt Qantas to shift tact in this area? My only guess would be the introduction of a full service Star Alliance competitor that uses customer service as a point of distinction. In other words, never.

I doubt that would fix it either. They'd be just as bad. Government legislation is needed to ensure businesses can respond to customers in a timely manner.

 

[serfty]

...
If I fly the sector to London with JL, will I then have the option to cancel the return online? Or can’t it be canceled after commencing travel

...2nd sector cannot be cancelled if any segment has been flown on already

Yes, once travel has commenced the Award is considered consumed and there are no refunds if you wish to cancel.

There are very limited changes that can be made to the unflown segment.

 

[N860CR]

Yes, once travel has commenced the Award is considered consumed and there are no refunds if you wish to cancel.

There are very limited changes that can be made to the unflown segment.

Thanks. I thought so, just had something sitting in the back of my mind about individual segments on award bookings. Should have booked them separately.

3 hours on hold this afternoon before giving up, 1:30 now... really don't understand why the website can't be setup to allow class changes across all classes. Wasn't an issue going from Y+ to Y, but it doesn't allow changes to J

 

[Kendall Roy]

I'm trying to get a valid OW Award ticket issued. I've spoken to around 5 different people and no one has a clue. The saffers are very slow off the mark!

If I lose my seat holds on non-QF airlines, there will be hell to pay.

A few years ago, this would've been sorted same day!

 

[N860CR]

I'm trying to get a valid OW Award ticket issued. I've spoken to around 5 different people and no one has a clue. The saffers are very slow off the mark!

FWIW I did get onto somebody in Cape Town last week who managed to issue a ticket that was stuck within about 10 minutes. I'm guessing it was because of a taxes calculation issue on the website.

 

[N860CR]

What. A. Joke.

At 3hrs 52mins the call is picked up in Cape Town. Agent says "I am sorry sir, we have system issues and I am unable to open any bookings". I ask to get transferred to somebody else and I am told "I cannot do that either". Asked to speak to a manager and was put on hold for 15 minutes before being transferred to the automated survey.

I have now spent 7 hours on the phone with Qantas today and gotten absolutely nowhere Honestly... no other business would survive with this sort of service

 

[sydneyboi]

So update, I got through to a capetowen agent last night after waiting 2 Hours .50mins...
she could tell that I was really frustrated, I was changing an award J booking cancelling the return leg and keeping the outbound.

She was able to process the refund and points difference on the spot and said that I will have the refund within 3 working days....The taxes seemed about $150 short when I priced the none way leg now, but I wasn't going to argue....hopefully it will all work out.

 

[N860CR]

Finally got there. After being disconnected last night (well this morning... it was 2:45am) I called back and selected a different option which got me through to somebody (CPT again) within 15 minutes. Explained, agent seemed to get it, put me on hold and came back and said "ok done, you will receive the ticket within 72 hours". I pushed and said I wanted it issued on the spot and she mumbled a bit but said she would. Little more time on hold and I'm told all done. I ask for the ticket to be emailed to me which she does..... and it hasn't been changed. Same sectors, same ticket number. Ask why and she said "oh I'll do it within 72 hours leave it with me". Say no, back on hold again, 10 mins later I'm transferred to the survey and hung up on.

Call back again, only 5 minutes (don't select Intl flight option; it said "over 2 hours") and speak to another agent in CPT. I open in Afrikaans and switch to English, explain and he gets it right away. I still have to push three times for immediate ticketing but receive it in the end. Climb into bed at 4:30am.

I have no idea what I am getting refunded, what they have charged me and when the points are coming back.

Clearly, there is virtually zero oversight of this outsourced operation and the training seems to be extremely poor.

 

[clifford]

Clearly, there is virtually zero oversight of this outsourced operation and the training seems to be extremely poor.

You're being very generous, I think.

Surely the Philippines would have been a much better option than SA for Qantas.

 

[DC3]

You're being very generous, I think.

Surely the Philippines would have been a much better option than SA for Qantas.

Manila and Cape Town are in the mix, along with Auckland (if you are lucky), all being 24/7.

Hobart is (about) 7.00am-11.00pm.

 

[Scr77]

You're being very generous, I think.

Surely the Philippines would have been a much better option than SA for Qantas.

Virgin manage to train their overseas staff.

It takes at least 10 calls to a overseas Qantas callcentre. How can it possibly be cheaper?

 

[Jousams]

1:21 to get onto team today - called at 9:30am today, answered at around 10:51am. Am SG.

Looking at the above, sounds like I got lucky....

 

[smckay]

Took 1:20 to be answered this morning. By then, the reward seats I was trying to book into an existing OWE had gone. Damn it all, now I have to stump up another 98,000 points or pay cash.

 

[Spacetravel]

Status: Gold
Number Called: 13 13 13
Options Selected: 2 (existing booking), 5 (you want to change an upcoming flight), 1 (International)
Time Called: 3:15PM (AEDT)
Wait time: 1hour 40 min. Had to hang up as ran out of time to wait any longer
Not offered the call back service

I feel like anything +30 minutes is unreasonable (for anyone) especially for a higher tier FF

 

[N860CR]

Status: Gold
Number Called: 13 13 13
Options Selected: 2 (existing booking), 5 (you want to change an upcoming flight), 1 (International)
Time Called: 3:15PM (AEDT)
Wait time: 1hour 40 min. Had to hang up as ran out of time to wait any longer
Not offered the call back service

I feel like anything +30 minutes is unreasonable (for anyone) especially for a higher tier FF

Try swapping 1 for 2…..

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I doubt that would fix it either. They'd be just as bad. Government legislation is needed to ensure businesses can respond to customers in a timely manner.

But it's also customers that put up with the service! 99% of that I think is due to the golden handcuffs of status.

 

[Daver6]

But it's also customers that put up with the service! 99% of that I think is due to the golden handcuffs of status.

I partially agree. Not only status, but having your points tied up there too. To use ones points for a OWA you generally need to call.

Prior to VA2 going bust, was the situation there much different? Genuine question. I suspect the answer is probably that it was much the same. If that is the case, it doesn't matter where one goes. This is why I think legislation is the answer.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I partially agree. Not only status, but having your points tied up there too. To use ones points for a OWA you generally need to call.

Prior to VA2 going bust, was the situation there much different? Genuine question. I suspect the answer is probably that it was much the same. If that is the case, it doesn't matter where one goes. This is why I think legislation is the answer.

You shouldn't need legislation to drive private customer service... market forces and competition should do that. I wonder what legislation would look like? That you need to provide suitable and timely support to any product you sell? What if companies were forced to list their call centre wait times over a one, two and three year average? Would it make any difference if passengers knew there was likely to be a four hour wait to speak to someone? I guess QF would argue that their website is adequate, or that pax could use travel agents?