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

 

[robertaflak]

Nothing has changed here in 2022. What a joke. Finnair cancelled my flight on a QF ticket and no one is rebooking it. Finnair (15 min hold) told me Qantas must. But they are averaging 4-5 hours with my calls, and then the rep gets confused and puts me on a long hold that goes dead. Been happening for years like this.

 

[TheInsider]

I have no idea what you are classifying as "Secure Flight" data as again this temrinalogy is not used during the online booking process with Qantas and is not APIS which is what both the OP and myself are talking about.

APIS will allow the ticket to be issued, because the 'secure flight' data is needed to issue the ticket (which is included in the APIS). Which is name, gender, and DOB. Irrespective if you want to enter your passport details, it needs the other information for the ticket.

This is from AA, but same applies to all airlines. https://saleslink.aa.com/en-US/documents/Archives/AgencyRef/Secure_Flight_FAQ.pdf

 

[Peasant]

I have no idea what's going on at the moment...too many people triggered by the lovely new ad campaign who've rushed to book by phone?!

I was warned of a 30 minute hold when I dialled (reasonable enough for Platinum), now crossing the 95 minute mark...

As an update, I've given up after four hours on hold. I knew things were bad, but this is the first time I've experienced it being impossible. I assume there's no prospect of a Gold, Silver or Bronze getting through.

 

[Mr H]

As an update, I've given up after four hours on hold. I knew things were bad, but this is the first time I've experienced it being impossible. I assume there's no prospect of a Gold, Silver or Bronze getting through.

I would guess that either status is not being taken into account right now or that WPs are being diverted to a very under-resourced Hobart centre where they may have to wait as long or longer for attention as non-status pax waiting to get through to SA or FJ.

 

[MooTime]

If only there was a way to transfer all my QF points to basically any other international airline I would.

I just don't want to book anything QF & inevitably having to call up to go thru the many posts above ordeals.

Should change emblem to a brown kangaroo.

 

[Mr H]

If only there was a way to transfer all my QF points to basically any other international airline I would.

I just don't want to book anything QF & inevitably having to call up to go thru the many posts above ordeals.

Should change emblem to a brown kangaroo.

Do you think other airlines offer a better service? There's a thread on the difficulties with SQ call centres - and I have pre-Covid experience of multiple long and frustrating calls to TK and Air Algerie.

 

[Berlin]

Sorry, yes a little off-topic. SYD-LHR, FCO-DOH-JNB and JNB-SYD. I've flown these segments before and it's never been a requirement.

Still on and off hold to this CSR, 1 hour in...

I see you have Doha there in your itinerary. I had the same issue last week on a redemption ticket that included one segment on QR and the (otherwise rather helpful and cluey) QF lady told me that the reason is Qatar insisting on pre arrival data but Qantas not enforcing this information on their bookings. No idea if true or not- painful experience in either case.

 

[Peasant]

Do you think other airlines offer a better service? There's a thread on the difficulties with SQ call centres - and I have pre-Covid experience of multiple long and frustrating calls to TK and Air Algerie.

My experience with SQ (as a Solitaire) has been pretty good and until today has been similar to what I've had with QF. Not as immediate as in the past, but definitely within the hour even at its worst, but usually within 10 minutes.

The airline that has impressed me most in the last few months is actually BA.

 

[Mr H]

My experience with SQ (as a Solitaire) has been pretty good and until today has been similar to what I've had with QF. Not as immediate as in the past, but definitely within the hour even at its worst, but usually within 10 minutes.

Most of us would not be Solitaire - I can see that they might get better treatment. I have had very long pre-Covid waits for SQ and their agents have not always been terribly helpful...

 

[MooTime]

Do you think other airlines offer a better service? There's a thread on the difficulties with SQ call centres - and I have pre-Covid experience of multiple long and frustrating calls to TK and Air Algerie.

Ok I admit I have no real hard data how other airlines call centres go, but I just see QF at such a terrible level, and as posted by long termers that things were the same pre covid.
3+ hour wait times for Gold status. That's not good. ~1 hour for WP... That's not good.
They could fix it, they know how, but chose not to.
Basically you can't make any changes online + 8 weeks for refunds, C'mon, just UnAustralian.

 

[Steamrollersam]

Couldn’t book a multi-city itinerary using my flight credit so had to ring last night to take advantage of sale fares. Called 131211 just after midnight and was quoted 30-60 minute wait as Plat. Put the call on speaker 20 minutes in as I snoozed, and I woke up to a voice (Kiwi accent?!) 2 hrs and 45 minutes in. Lady had to be told what flights I was after as she couldn’t see the cheaper business sale flights ADL-HND SIN-ADL from her end. Lots of typing on the keyboard , consulting someone else, more typing, dead silence for long stretches, until we finally got to the desired outcome and I’ve been ticketed the flights I wanted. All up the call took 3 hours and 29 minutes before the call dropped out, but by that time my CC for additional charges had been charged. Got confirmation email 7 am.

 

[Gladstone Tim]

Day of week	Saturday
Time of call	12:30am
Number used	13 12 11
Status	Platinum
Hold time	Quoted "over two hours"
Call Centre (if known)	N/A
Matter resolved	No. Just hung up after I heard the hold time.
Details	N/A

Is that half past midnight or half past noon? It”s written as just past midnight.

 

[dylarr]

Is that half past midnight or half past noon? It”s written as just past midnight.

This was half past midnight that I tried to call.

 

[Gladstone Tim]

This was half past midnight that I tried to call.

Crazy wait time for middle of the night!

 

[implsv]

4 hours and still on hold….

 

[DC3]

4 hours and still on hold….

Cape Town is waiting to answer.

 

[sudoer]

Day of week	Sat 26 Mar
Time of call	~3:05pm AEDT
Number used	13 12 11
Hold time	Quoted 1-2 hours, callback offered and taken. Callback missed after 2h 25m
Call Centre (if known)	N/A
Matter resolved	N/A

Day of week	Sun 27 Mar
Time of call	~7:20am AEDT
Number used	13 12 11
Hold time	Quoted less than 15 minutes, actual hold 22 minutes
Call Centre (if known)	AKL
Details	Called to submit a couple of classic award requests during the DSC booking window. Fairly basic bookings - SYD-xBNE-SIN in U on one PNR, SGN-xSIN-SYD in X on another PNR (easter long weekend so all SIN-SYD flights were I0) At first the agent claims QF51 BNE-SIN doesn't exist, then admits they were searching for it wrong. Then asked why I was calling to book an award even though I'd already stated there were no awards and I'd like to request the seats. They seem perplexed so I explain the process of submitting the request to the droid for assessment, the agent seems vaguely aware of this but openly states they don't know how to process these and need to talk with their supervisor. After 10 minutes she come back to ask for all of the flight details once again, then I'm back on hold while they get their supervisor to look over the booking before submitting the request. After 5 minutes the agent takes me off hold to ask if it was a Points Plus Pay booking?! I'd mentioned it was classic award several times through the call so far. Back on hold for about 20 minutes while they construct the PNRs, then come back and say all approved, so we progress to payment.. "The SYD-xBNE-SIN flights will be $218 in taxes and 18400 points" - obviously I query this, the taxes sound right but the 18400 points would be SYD-BNE only. She goes off to check. I can see both PNRs in my QFF profile, SGN-SIN-SYD is all confirmed but BNE-SIN is still sitting on "Requested" instead of Confirmed, so the droid likely said no. I have some backup dates ready to request instead, but I'm already back on hold at this point ... and continue to wait on hold for a further 30+ minutes just to be hung up on (sent straight to the survey) without any answer regarding the BNE-SIN flight. Clearly too hard to deliver a negative response? Total call time 1h 35m - 22 minutes waiting to speak to someone, 10-15 minutes coughulative time spent talking to agent, over an hour waiting for the "premium desk" agent to figure out how to do their job. Experienced staff can process these requests in 3-4 minutes if you can get through to them. Even if they had to follow a manual/guide, SURELY this wouldn't take over an hour?! Anyway, back in the queue I go, praying I don't end up with that agent again. Current wait time "less than 30 minutes"

 

[Mr H]

I understand that overseas agents are cheaper when costed by the hour, but given how much longer they take to do anything I wonder whether QF really saves in the long run...

 

[Stusipad]

Day of week	Sunday
Time of call	7.15am
Number used	13 13 13
Status	Silver
Hold time	0mins - straight through!
Call Centre (if known)	Fiji
Matter resolved	Yes
Details	Still hadn't been issued an e-ticket for my OWA. Called and explained the situation and after some back and forth we determined the booking had not previously been made correctly and 'the droid' was rejecting it repeatedly. The rep put me on hold and contacted the ticketing team to do it manually right away and got it through about 1hr 40mins later. Showing OK on checkmytrip.com so confident we are good now. Phew!

 

[Danger]

It would be swell if people included the time zone when stating the time of their call. I'm not an expert but I think 11.15am, for example, occurs what, 24 times a day around the world?