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

 

[Pele]

First call to QFF in over three years. Wasnt looking forward to it.

Called 1300 659 161 after lunch today. Bronze status. Purpose to book classic reward tickets originating from Doha which cant be done online.

Call one- advised waiting time was about 15 minutes, which it was, agent answered went through the details, he priced up the taxes, then it dropped out. Total call time 28 minutes.

Call two- answered after 10 minutes on hold. Told him the details. He understood what i wanted. Problem was it wasnt showing the availability as the agent on the previous call had blocked it. Went on hold while he tried to sort it out as he said it should drop back into inventory. Sure enough he managed to get the tickets. Step by step at snails pace we went through all the details. I paid the taxes and got a PNR and should get the email with eticket confirming it in 24 hours. I am confident this will happen as all RJ flights i have booked recently get ticketed at exactly 24 hours if you have provided APIS info. Total call took 68 minutes which is quite bad considering there was nothing complicated about it but they did what i wanted and compared with some of the horror stories on this thread i will take it.

Both agents were located in Fiji.

Well i was too optomistic. The tickets were never issued. I got an email this afternoon saying there was an issue with payment. Odd becasue the taxes were deducted when i made the initial booking.

First call the lady didnt know what day of the week it was and eventually tried to transfer me to a different department and which point they hung up on me.

However i did work out the problem myself- they incorrectly charged an international assistance fee of 7,700 points for each ticket and i didnt have enough points to cover this additional points cost.

Second call the lady kind of got the problem but said she couldnt do anything and had to ring another department and then would call me back. I had my doubts but about an hour later she did call and said the assistance fee charges were wrong and that they will eventually be credited back to my account at which point i need to ring them up and get the points for the final ticket deducted.

I am dubious of a couple of things: that the assistance fee points will be credited to my account(she said wait a day or two), and that the booking wont be lost as surely there is a cut off time for a PNR getting populated with the eticket number. I am already at over 48 hours.

While the on hold times are less, the ability of the agents to perform even the most basic tasks is still coughe.

 

[Port Power]

I am considering booking return CX flights booked through QF PER-HKG-HND for March next year. They are the best connections from Perth, and timely. However, after reading all the problems here, I am really hesitant. If Cathay pulls out at any stage, I’ll be in the xx_x! Paid flights though, not classic rewards. International travel is still wrought with unknowns.

 

[Danger]

How long did they take to approve the request?

Less than 10 hours from the time it took me to submit the request to me noticing it confirmed in my profile.

 

[sudoer]

Paid flights though, not classic rewards.

This makes a significant difference. You will be dealing with Cathay direct rather than through Qantas as a third party travel agent. If Cathay cancel a leg, they will generally reroute you or rebook as needed.

They will operate HKG-HND as long as they are solvent, your risk is PER-HKG. if they cancel that they should be happy to put you on PER-SYD-HKG so long as there are any revenue seats still available (booking class irrelevant)

 

[bPeteb]

Called a couple of weeks ago after our flights to and from Cairns were changed and I wanted to change alternative return. WP. Call answered in Hobart under five minutes. While I was on the phone had four other flights linked and partner seated beside me (me revenue and partner rewards). All done in maybe 15 mins.

 

[Pele]

I called again this morning and it was answered almost straight away. The agent took my details and looked at my PNR and after being on hold for a while he said that I would have to call back Monday morning at 0700 as he could not reinstate the points for the incorrectly charged international assistance fee. Is it right that no one on the weekend can do this simple task? Tempted to call again but keen to hear from the brains trust first.

Thanks.

 

[Port Power]

This makes a significant difference. You will be dealing with Cathay direct rather than through Qantas as a third party travel agent. If Cathay cancel a leg, they will generally reroute you or rebook as needed.

They will operate HKG-HND as long as they are solvent, your risk is PER-HKG. if they cancel that they should be happy to put you on PER-SYD-HKG so long as there are any revenue seats still available (booking class irrelevant)

But I will have booked via Qantas, so not dealing direct with CX. Won’t it be up to QF to sort out the flights to HKG, whichever route?

”If they are still solvent” is the concern, which is another reason to book via Qantas. QF will have to find seats whatever the routing.

 

[DC3]

… QF will have to find seats whatever the routing.

Getting a bit off-topic here, but I wouldn’t be banking on this. There’s a recent report or two where QF came to the party regarding non-QF flights, but I would not be expecting too much. Apart from a refund of points/$.

Edit: I was certainly not helped by QF when recent JL flights were cancelled, having been booked as QF awards

 

[Port Power]

I wouldn’t be banking on this. There’s a recent report or two where QF came to the party regarding non-QF flights, but I would not be expecting too much. Apart from a refund of points/$.

So we still have the dilemma of booking with partner airlines but not being guaranteed to arrive at our destination? For cash paying passengers, it sounds like we should only book with the company who owns the metal if we want a guaranty of getting there?

Oh for the times when a ticket meant you flew and arrived at the stated place more or less on time, and on the actual planes you booked! (What? That was only three years ago? Never!)

 

[DC3]

So we still have the dilemma of booking with partner airlines but not being guaranteed to arrive at our destination? For cash paying passengers, it sounds like we should only book with the company who owns the metal if we want a guaranty of getting there?

Although, should CX, for example, go under, then that could be problematic for anyone with CX bookings, whether using cash or points.

Edit: Even if CX survives, routes may be slashed.

 

[Port Power]

Although, should CX, for example, go under, then that could be problematic for anyone with CX bookings, whether using cash or points.

Edit: Even if CX survives, routes may be slashed.

My point, however, is that I booked with Qantas. My contract is with Qantas. If CX collapsed, my contract with QF would mean they either give me a full refund or put me on alternative QF flights. (Even if replacement flights aren’t as convenient.)

 

[DC3]

My point, however, is that I booked with Qantas. My contract is with Qantas. If CX collapsed, my contract with QF would mean they either give me a full refund or put me on alternative QF flights. (Even if replacement flights aren’t as convenient.)

Yes, of course. But still left high and dry if just receiving a refund. I was just trying to say that we should not be expecting much else.

 

[Mr H]

So we still have the dilemma of booking with partner airlines but not being guaranteed to arrive at our destination? For cash paying passengers, it sounds like we should only book with the company who owns the metal if we want a guaranty of getting there?

Oh for the times when a ticket meant you flew and arrived at the stated place more or less on time, and on the actual planes you booked! (What? That was only three years ago? Never!)

I don't think there has ever been 100% certainty. Airlines went bust, routes were chopped, schedules changed, equipment swapped. The level of support you would get was subject to a set of complex rules based on circumstances, routes and when you were going to travel.

 

[Capricornus]

WP… How do you people get to HBA?

15 calls, 3 answered in Fiji, 12 in Capetown… all between 10:00 and 16:00 AEST.

One call to Capetown was funny. I always prefer to do a ‘soft’ HUACA, but this time I heard the voice and got scared it was the person I just spoke to, so I just hung up.. a minute later I got a callback from the guy

Must be a new WP perk: we call back after your HUACA

But seriously, the last 3 calls I even politely asked them to put me through to Hobart which they said they can’t do…

What’s your secret? Lol

 

[DC3]

WP… How do you people get to HBA?

Become P1

 

[emilbulls]

Had a quite appalling experience with the call center today. Just called because I wanted to upgrade one leg of my upcoming booking with Cash/flight credits.
According to the accent, I must have been connected to Fiji.
Status: Gold Wait time: 20 Minutes
The agent put me on hold to check the ticket with the support team. She told me it wasn't ticketed, which was bogus as I received the ticket two months earlier including ticket number.

Afterwards she told me, the only thing she can do from her end is to request an upgrade with points.
According to her, it is not possible to upgrade single legs of a flight, either with cash or flight credit. ( I can't verify if this is true, but it does sound not right)
Also with another issue with a flight credit (not visible online, worth more than 8k) she couldn't to anything.
I'd love to avoid calling, but with their outdated IT it is unfortunately not possible to do basic things online.

 

[RooFlyer]

WP… How do you people get to HBA?

15 calls, 3 answered in Fiji, 12 in Capetown… all between 10:00 and 16:00 AEST.

Can't explain that. Did it ask you to enter your QFF#? I suppose Hobart works weekends?

Become P1

Not necessary. WPs usually get Hobart, or Auckland. I got Fiji once but the person was well trained and took just a little loner than Hobart would have to fix the issue (reschedule Qantas revenue flights after sector cancellation by QF).

 

[Capricornus]

Can't explain that. Did it ask you to enter your QFF#? I suppose Hobart works weekends?

Yes entered QFF# each time. The Capetown guy even said “you are talking to the premium line”

My attempts were both Friday and Saturday.

 

[RooFlyer]

The Capetown guy even said “you are talking to the premium line”

You must be kidding!! Oh. My. God. As I posted in another thread, Alan Joyce is just taking the pi**, now.

 

[Port Power]

WP… How do you people get to HBA?

15 calls, 3 answered in Fiji, 12 in Capetown… all between 10:00 and 16:00 AEST.

One call to Capetown was funny. I always prefer to do a ‘soft’ HUACA, but this time I heard the voice and got scared it was the person I just spoke to, so I just hung up.. a minute later I got a callback from the guy

Must be a new WP perk: we call back after your HUACA

But seriously, the last 3 calls I even politely asked them to put me through to Hobart which they said they can’t do…

What’s your secret? Lol

Pauline at the HBA CC said they are open from "7:00-11:00" AEST (7am, but not sure if 11am or 11pm). Upon entering your QFF number, the computer confirms WP status and makes the decision to route you to HBA or AKL. Otherwise AKL if earlier in the morning. Not 100% of the time, but more often than not.

I have been answered in SA, but usually HUACA.