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

 

[dylarr]

I just don't understand how this happens. If the flight only had cash seats avaliable then maybe the agent didn't know how to convert one to award for an involuntary schedule change, but if it does have award seats then why can they not see it, yet see one two days later?

I guess the most likely explination is whatever interface the Mindpearl agents use to access the booking seems to have a weird set of limitations, especially around award bookings that Hobart/Auckland don't have since they use a different interface.

If I get through to Hobart or Auckland tomorrow I'll ask and post back any insights.

My understanding is HBA and AKL actually moved to the same software that was being used in the outsourced centres recently... so they all should be using the same interface now (ARD Web).

So I got through to Hobart today and spoke to a wonderful agent who fixed the booking in minutes. I was having a bit of a chat with her and a couple of things:

I asked her how she was able to make the change when I'd spoken to so many other agents who couldn't and she told me "Ah! That's because it was showing that there were no seats on that flight!". She said sometimes when looking at availability from a booking it can show nothing at all in any class, so she had to ignore the booking, then check availability, then add the desired sectors to the booking. So what Hobart and Mindpearl was seeing was the same — it's just Hobart knew what to do about it.

They haven't been moved to the same system as the Mindpearl centres yet, but she understands it will be happing at some point.

 

[encryptededdy]

She said sometimes when looking at availability from a booking it can show nothing at all in any class, so she had to ignore the booking, then check availability, then add the desired sectors to the booking.

Oh my goodness. That's awful IT, although I wonder if it's Qantas' fault or Amadeus.

 

[dylarr]

Some very good news as well — Qantas are currently hiring more people for the Hobart centre:

Consultant Contact Centre

Contact Centre Consultant At Qantas, we’re finding new ways to deliver a memorable customer experience. Exciting opportunity to join our multichannel Contact Centre Permanent full time role, covering a 7 day roster Hobart Central location (flexibility to work from home may be available) Today...

qantas.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com

 

[PineappleSkip]

Love this bit of the ad

• At Qantas, we’re finding new ways to deliver a memorable customer experience.

…by resurrecting the old ways…

Cheers skip

 

[RooFlyer]

Some very good news as well — Qantas are currently hiring more people for the Hobart centre:

I'm unemployed ... wonder if I should apply?

They haven't been moved to the same system as the Mindpearl centres yet, but she understands it will be happing at some point.

Wonder if that is a good thing?

 

[encryptededdy]

oh no, the prerecorded "Don't call us unless you have a flight in the next 24 hours" message is back. (or has it always been there and I've missed it the last 10 times I called?)

 

[BriarFlyer]

oh no, the prerecorded "Don't call us unless you have a flight in the next 24 hours" message is back. (or has it always been there and I've missed it the last 10 times I called?)

Must be school holidays.

 

[sudoer]

oh no, the prerecorded "Don't call us unless you have a flight in the next 24 hours" message is back. (or has it always been there and I've missed it the last 10 times I called?)

It played for me last Friday, after I selected the option I was after (new international points booking) the call was answered by HBA in a few rings.

 

[encryptededdy]

yeah, I just gave up after 20 minutes on hold . Haven't had these hold times since I was Silver and calling in March 2022.

Just after an AA Record Locator for a QF booking so will just call back later.

Maybe the brains trust can help me with something else though (even if this is slightly off topic for this thread)

The $1.45 refund has come through, but the $99 has not. They're all to the same card. Do you think the fact that it's "Credit Card" instead of "American Express" could be why it's not coming through?

 

[djkelly69]

Just after an AA Record Locator for a QF booking

If you mean the AA-specific PNR, it should show if you put your QF PNR into CMT.

 

[encryptededdy]

If you mean the AA-specific PNR, it should show if you put your QF PNR into CMT.

That worked, thanks

 

[oz_mark]

Oh my goodness. That's awful IT, although I wonder if it's Qantas' fault or Amadeus.

It's the result of the implementation of.married segments and other things
There is a comment in the Qantas policy that PNR availability is different to general availability

 

[CMA222]

It seems that Stephanie Tully is being rewarded for her contributions to Customer Service by moving her to OneStar, where there isn't any

Tully named as new Jetstar chief executive

 

[jeza]

It seems that Stephanie Tully is being rewarded for her contributions to Customer Service by moving her to OneStar, where there isn't any

Tully named as new Jetstar chief executive

The things people do to get away from AFF member emails

 

[sarvowinner]

I have been trying to get a OW award booking reticketed for two months. For some reason when my Cathay flights were canceled and QF managed to find me a better QF PE flight back in July, it caused all types of confusion and half of our Oneworld Classic Flight Reward was refunded yet the bookings remained on our QF. I finally had the mental fortitude to call QF yesterday arvo, add some new MH flights and change the dates on our domestic connecting flights. Since 3pm yesterday, most agents have been quite sympathetic and endeavoured to get the flights ticketed. The issue is the queue to access the ticketing department is ridiculous. They each promised me that the ticketing would be done in an hour and they would get back to me - Nada!
At 4 pm today, I coincidentally encountered the same agent who made my original booking back in July. She has been on hold with me while queueing for ticketing for 3 1/2 hours. Her shift finished half an hour ago when the queue was ostensibly 54 minutes - it is now 58 minutes but she says she wants to get it all sorted before she goes home. She is an angel.
I will keep you updated.

 

[Danger]

...
At 4 pm today, I coincidentally encountered the same agent who made my original booking back in July. She has been on hold with me while queueing for ticketing for 3 1/2 hours. Her shift finished half an hour ago when the queue was ostensibly 54 minutes - it is now 58 minutes but she says she wants to get it all sorted before she goes home. She is an angel.
I will keep you updated.

Jude?

 

[sarvowinner]

Jude?

Lila, however after over four hours on the ticketing queue and two after her shift had finished she has transferred responsibility to her supervisor who has taken over the queue wait. she has gone well and truly beyond her remit & I am verygrateful.

 

[tdimdad]

Lila, however after over four hours on the ticketing queue and two after her shift had finished she has transferred responsibility to her supervisor who has taken over the queue wait. she has gone well and truly beyond her remit & I am verygrateful.

She deserves a box of chocolate, flowers, whatever you can safely send through as a thank you, if you happen to get an address for the delivery. Plus also a message to ensure this kind of service is noted by her manager in her next performance review.

 

[jpp42]

She deserves a box of chocolate, flowers, whatever you can safely send through as a thank you, if you happen to get an address for the delivery. Plus also a message to ensure this kind of service is noted by her manager in her next performance review.

The sad part is that this might actually be seen negatively by the supervisor. Call centre agents are supposed to keep their call times down, and she might be penalised for not being able to convince the customer to hang up and wait 24 hours for ticketing.

 

[sarvowinner]

Nothing had been updated when I woke up this morning but I received an eTicket at 9.21am with everything confirmed! So happy.
Lila just called me back to check it had been ticketed as she and her supervisior got back onto ticketing first thing this morning.
I told her I would hang on after she hung up to leave a review but weirdly another customer was on my line! How should I go about expressing my appreciation?