Qantas Call Centre

[parsonstrish]

Re: Qantas: QFF points lost due to IT system malfunction and flood out call centre

I had a 1-2 minute wait this evening with call centre. I'm QF gold, answered by premium line, Cathy. She was fantastic and answered my multiple queries and made necessary changes as required. Great experience.

 

[anshul]

Re: Qantas: QFF points lost due to IT system malfunction and flood out call centre

But what I am understanding from the OP is that they have never actually talked to anyone from QF?

I understand the frustration of being put on hold/waiting, etc, and completely agree that waiting for long periods on the phone is harsh and unacceptable, but I would try that before doing things like going to the "ombudsman". What are you going to tell them? That you don't have time to wait on hold and instead prefer them to sort things? That you can't wait for QF to answer a call?

Unanswered "call-back" services peeve me. But if I was upset enough to warrant pursuing this matter I would make a cuppa, get comfortable, and make the call......

I stopped getting the thread updates after the threads were merged.

Lodging a complaint to any external entity on the grounds that Qantas is ignoring my point refund request won't be a 100% correct as I am not sure if Qantas has even read my emails and it would be good to get their formal position on this matter. I have raised this via email and they have generated a case number and surely there should be a way to escalate an unresolved SR internally within Qantas. In their automatic response when raising a SR, they should tell how to escalate or who to call if the SR isn't resolved but they don't.

A call to 13 13 13 won't help as the reservation team after the current restructuring isn't equiped to handle these sort of matters, in my experience and a team manager or a manager has to look at the evidence to make the decision. Is there any other number I can call? Normally consumer affairs have a priority number for the respondent company that they give to the complainant so that the issue can be addressed before they formally engage with the respondent company. Does anybody have that number?

It would be good to know how this matter can be escalated within Qantas without lodging a formal complaint.

Thanks.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Qantas: QFF points lost due to IT system malfunction and flood out call centre

I think if QF aren't responding or cooperating, escalating to an external service is appropriate. There is no airline ombudsman as such, however the airline consumer advocate acts in a similar way.

There are costs imposed on Qantas if something needs to be sent to them. If the bill is adding up, Qantas will fix internal customer service (theoretically).

Airline customer advocate can't do very much if airline maintains they are right.

Consumer affairs or small claims court would be best options.

Really cannot understand why Qantas is playing hardball over 15,000 points.

 

[Deleted member 26544]

Called Qantas last night to change an award booking after trying the not very helpful live chat. After initially opting to wait and giving up at the 48 minute mark, on the second call I opted for call back with an estimated 60 minute wait time.

Pretty much bang on 60 minutes I get a call from the premium desk. Got a great agent who was able to see the EK flight I wanted, sorted out the rebooking and sent it off to be ticketed.

Now to wait for the reservation to be ticketed - any ideas how long for a QF/EK award booking?

Edit: the updated reservation was ticketed within about 18 hours.

 

[anshul]

Today I received a call from Qantas asking if I have already received the points refund. I didn't log into the account for last few days. While she was on the phone, I checked the account and there was no refund. Then she said that I have raised this with the wrong department and FF team doesn't handle this sort of issue. She transferred me to another gentleman in the "right" department. But he didn't have the visibility of the SR I raised previously and after explaining the issue to him, he said it's not the right department and he will transfer me to Qantas customer care.

After 30-35 minutes of hold, I finally spoke to a woman in customer care. Without spending a lot of time to explain the issue to her, I asked if she has access to the SRs and gave her my FF and booking number. But she could only help with the current bookings and advised me to raise the request to customer care via online web based form. When I asked about their email address so that I could just forward the original email, she said that isn't in place for over 2 years and a web-based request is the only way to raise a request to their team.

There was no proper classification on their website for this sort of issue but I have raised it. I hope that Qantas can resolve it.

I just find that simple things take too long to be addressed nowadays. I recall, one of the issues that I raised to customer care team over their dedicated email in 2010 ([email protected]). It was resolved without me spending hours on the phone or filling web-based forms. I raised the matter with all input that I had in my initial email. Qantas called me for further input from memory and resolved it within a few days. Unlike now, where the issue is well documented with proof but still unresolved after 6 weeks and spending hours on it.

 

[katiebell]

Today I received a call from Qantas asking if I have already received the points refund. I didn't log into the account for last few days. While she was on the phone, I checked the account and there was no refund. Then she said that I have raised this to the wrong department and FF team doesn't handle this sort of issue. She transferred me to another gentleman in the "right" department. He didn't have the visibility of the SR I raised previously and after explaining the issue to him, he said it's not the right department and he will transfer me to customer care.

After 30-35 minutes of hold, I finally spoke to a woman in customer care. Without spending a lot of time to explain the issue to her, I asked if she has access to the SRs and gave her my FF and booking number. But she could only help with the current bookings and advised me to raise the request to customer care via online web based form. When I asked about their email address so that I could just forward the original email, she said that isn't in place for over 2 years and a web-based request is the only way to raise a request to their team.

There was no proper classification on their website for this sort of issue but I have raised it. I hope that Qantas can resolve it.

I just find that simple things take too long to be addressed nowadays. I recall, one of the issues that I raised to customer care team over their dedicated email in 2010 ([email protected]). It was resolved without me spending hours on the phone or filling web-based forms. I raised the matter with all input that I had in my initial email. Qantas called me for further input from memory and resolved it within a few days. Unlike now, where the issue is well documented with proof but still unresolved after 6 weeks and spending hours on it.

Qantas has a long track record of making it hard to complain. They stopped supplying paper forms long before other airlines (the cynic in me would say that they hoped we would not bother/be too busty when we got off the aircraft) and the current online complaints sytem is so hard to use I am sure that some just give up...

 

[cosi]

Rang the Premium call center to make a OW Circle Asia booking - a real pain because this cannot be booked on the internet.

Even thou I had the Booking Reference # for the same trip last May, (the other change for the August trip is the dates as all the flight remain the same) it till takes 30 minutes while the agent (in this case a junior) goes off the check the miles, rules etc and fares come back with the cost.

Normally immediately after we say our goodbyes with the agent, I receive an confirmation email.

Nothing.

Several hours later no booking appearing on my QFF account.

Had to make another call to the call centre because the Agent forgot to include my QFF # on my booking, even thou she was working the premium desk.:evil:

No wonder when she did the seat allocation for all the flights, I had lousy seats. This was fixed with the second call.

Hopeless

 

[Sdtravel]

Just had an interesting call with the call centre. I called from London but i assume it got routed to Aus.
Wanted to change seats on my QF12 in a few weeks. On the JFK to LAX i was in 15K in the upper deck.
Operator says to me that seat doesnt exist on the on a 747 so she moved me to 6K. I tried to correct her and say that there is row 11 to 16 in business on the 747 on the upper deck. She says no she is aware of the seats maps and that i am incorrect that 15K is economy not business and has moved me. She says she is well aware of the seat map and if she tries it will give her a system error.

I then tried to get some seats on LAX to SYD. Was told as SG that i cant access row 16 ( i have no idea what I have access to on a A380 so she could be currect) so was put in 21K.

I suspect i will be calling back to try again.

 

[mannej]

Just had an interesting call with the call centre. I called from London but i assume it got routed to Aus.
Wanted to change seats on my QF12 in a few weeks. On the JFK to LAX i was in 15K in the upper deck.
Operator says to me that seat doesnt exist on the on a 747 so she moved me to 6K. I tried to correct her and say that there is row 11 to 16 in business on the 747 on the upper deck. She says no she is aware of the seats maps and that i am incorrect that 15K is economy not business and has moved me. She says she is well aware of the seat map and if she tries it will give her a system error.

I then tried to get some seats on LAX to SYD. Was told as SG that i cant access row 16 ( i have no idea what I have access to on a A380 so she could be currect) so was put in 21K.

I suspect i will be calling back to try again.

Just as a data point, there is a 747 version without row 15, so the agent may have been correct. It is either OEB or OJM.

 

[Sdtravel]

Expert flyer showed me an upper deck with row 15 and after the call i saw the 15k seat i had was now free.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Expert flyer showed me an upper deck with row 15 and after the call i saw the 15k seat i had was now free.

What does QF website show for your booking. I have had instances where they've differed I think.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Just had an interesting call with the call centre. I called from London but i assume it got routed to Aus.
Wanted to change seats on my QF12 in a few weeks. On the JFK to LAX i was in 15K in the upper deck.
Operator says to me that seat doesnt exist on the on a 747 so she moved me to 6K. I tried to correct her and say that there is row 11 to 16 in business on the 747 on the upper deck. She says no she is aware of the seats maps and that i am incorrect that 15K is economy not business and has moved me. She says she is well aware of the seat map and if she tries it will give her a system error.

I then tried to get some seats on LAX to SYD. Was told as SG that i cant access row 16 ( i have no idea what I have access to on a A380 so she could be currect) so was put in 21K.

I suspect i will be calling back to try again.

HUAC
If there's 15K on EF the agent is wrong.

 

[Sdtravel]

I called again and got it sorted with someone who knew what they were doing and answered with "premium service".

Cant see seats at all on any leg of qf12 for some reason. Could ages ago but not now. Cal only see seats via EF searches now.

 

[N860CR]

I called again and got it sorted with someone who knew what they were doing and answered with "premium service".

Cant see seats at all on any leg of qf12 for some reason. Could ages ago but not now. Cal only see seats via EF searches now.

The annoying part is that, in the good old days, if you got a useless Qantas dragon on the phone you would just hang up and call again. By the law of averages, by staff member 3 you'd have hit a good one.

These days... That would be a 7 hour exercise!

 

[Red Roo]

Guys, I am looking for suggestion on how to resolve the matter below. I have patiently waited for Qantas to address this matter but after a month's wait and their recent response, which indicates they have even not bothered to read my email, it doesn't look like they have bandwidth or any interest in resolving this.

Summary: I had a flexible international booking and requested business class upgrade. But my plan changed so I wanted to cancel the ticket but couldn't cancel in time due to their website locking up my booking and their call centre had over an hour wait. My booking was upgraded and points were deducted while I was trying to get the ticket canceled. According to the Qantas FF site, it costs over $400 to buy 15000 points so that's the money value of what it costed me. If Qantas website wouldn't have locked up my booking and greyed out the cancel option or their call centre wasn't flood out with over 60 minutes of wait, I would have canceled the booking before them processing the upgrade and I wouldn't have incurred the cost of 15000 points (~ A$400). It's one of the rare occasions, when I was able to capture all the evidence from that day in my email that I sent to them on 18th June. I though it's pretty straight forward for them to sort out. Here's the email that I sent:

######START OF EMAIL SENT on 18th June - SR Number SR1253474 assigned by Qantas############
Qantas Booking: 8A84E3
Qantas FF #: 51xx_XX

Dear Frequent Flyer Support Team,

In my booking 8A84E3, I couldn't check-in and/or modify/cancel the tickets online. The 131313 number used to be quick but whatever modification have been done recently, I find the wait times have gone up significantly and it doesn’t give the option to leave the number for callback all the time, doesn’t call back always even if the number if left and today it wasn’t recognizing the numbers I was keying in response to IVR. When I entered my FF number initially, it said it’s not a valid entry and didn’t recognize any of the options I selected.

Anyways now the actual issue, I called around half past 10 to cancel my booking 8A84E3 as the online cancel button was greyed out for some reason:
View attachment 75507

But the IVR wasn’t recognising the FF number and the options I was keying in. On top of that the wait time was over 60 min. Just due to sheer frustration, I recorded the video below in which I couldn't capture the IVR failure but please note the wait time (over 60 min) and time of the call (10.42AM at the time of video recording) https://youtu.be/IWvUnGN7PLE

While I was on call waiting for somebody to respond so that I could cancel, at 10:54AM I got a text that my booking has been upgraded to Business!
View attachment 75508


I was eventually able to cancel the booking an hour back using online cancel button. But the booking still appears in “Company Booking” in Business Direct login and under “Manage my booking” in FF login so I am not sure if it worked.

I want to confirm that the booking 8A84E3 is cancelled and I want to ensure that full refund, including the 15k points for Business upgrade, will be provided as I wasn’t able to cancel in time due to Qantas system issue as mentioned above. If the cancel button would have worked, I would have canceled the booking around 10:30AM about 24 min before the upgrade request was processed.

Could you please confirm and I would really appreciate a prompt response.

######## END OF EMAIL ############


If they are reducing the call centre staff leading to much higher wait times, shouldn't the IT systems work as expected? Am I being unrealistic expecting them to refund 15000 points? Or should I report it to Consumer Affairs if Qantas fails to respond. I would appreciate any comments / suggestions.

Hi,

I would like to sincerely apologise for the way in which this matter has been handled.

I have just spoken with our Frequent Flyer team and they have processed the refund of the 15,000 Points. I have also passed on your comments to the relevant Managers.

If there is anything else you need assistance with on this booking please PM me so I can action ASAP.

Red Roo

 

[Kendall Roy]

The 147 to AKL for tomorrow night got cancelled 5mins before OLCI opened (plans stuffed, thanks QF!)

Called up QF, selected callback option in approx 40mins (which they did - received the premium desk). Never had to wait more than 2-3mins before as a SG; I really hope this isn't a sign of things to come!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

; I really hope this isn't a sign of things to come!

Errr - it's been 8 months (maybe 9?) since the problem was first reported. Not much seems to have changed and QF hasn't provided any guidance as to what the problem is or when it might be solved. (Or indeed if they intend to 'fix' it. They might not want to.)

 

[Danger]

Hi,

I would like to sincerely apologise for the way in which this matter has been handled.

I have just spoken with our Frequent Flyer team and they have processed the refund of the 15,000 Points. I have also passed on your comments to the relevant Managers.

If there is anything else you need assistance with on this booking please PM me so I can action ASAP.

Red Roo

Fantastic response.

 

[katiebell]

Fantastic response.

It might be a fantastic response at long last but really it should not have needed red roo's intervention and all the posting to get this outcome. If systems had been functional at the start the problem would not have arisen

 

[Danger]

It might be a fantastic response at long last but really it should not have needed red roo's intervention and all the posting to get this outcome. If systems had been functional at the start the problem would not have arisen

I wholeheartedly agree with that.