Qantas credits

[Pusiek]

Here we go again with you Qantas, I had to cancel my staff trip to US, so agreed to take the credit voucher. And now after 90 minutes on the phone with reservation team, I was told to make a new booking I have to : 1. call QF reservation to make a new booking, I will have to pay extra $99.00 per person booking fee. No I cannot do it myself online. I found a new dates for the trip to US next year online, plenty of seats, decided to book this time premium economy, happy to pay the difference for call booking, but no.........it is not that easy. Qantas website shows trip to US for 2 people in premium economy $10580.00 in total. But when I called the reservation they told me they can only see the same fare, but the cost is $13528.08 !!!!!!!!!!!! That's nearly $3000.00 more than on Qantas website. The explanation given : you are making a new booking( but somehow they will use the same/old booking reference number. Since I decided I do not want to be ripped off by Qantas I asked for the refund. No worries, refund will be processed, LESS $1000.00 PENALTY. They telling you to take credit instead refund, but when things go wrong, they either ask you to pay much more, they won't allow you to use the credit to book online or they will give you refund but at the same time they will keep $1000.00 for free. What a SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA!!!!!!!!!! Time to talk to ACCC about it.

 

[tdimdad]

You've been taken on a ride with this. If an agent on the phone seems to not know what to do, it's time to hang up and call again, until you get a more competent agent.

Two simple points: 1) The phone booking fee applies only if you could book the itinerary online but choose to call instead. You can get this fee waived by simply saying that you are unable to book the trip online. 2) The 1st tier agents / call centre do sometimes see different pricing on their terminals. Has happened to me a few times, too. But I'll just ask them to check the price until they get the lower price appear. Often times this required them to consult someone in the back office.

The $1,000 processing fee sounds wrong. That's worth challenging, asking the agent to provide you with the fine print that specifies the fee.

[ @admin , perhaps this thread should be in the QF group and possibly amalgamated into an existing thread there?]

 

[Pusiek]

You've been taken on a ride with this. If an agent on the phone seems to not know what to do, it's time to hang up and call again, until you get a more competent agent.

Two simple points: 1) The phone booking fee applies only if you could book the itinerary online but choose to call instead. You can get this fee waived by simply saying that you are unable to book the trip online. 2) The 1st tier agents / call centre do sometimes see different pricing on their terminals. Has happened to me a few times, too. But I'll just ask them to check the price until they get the lower price appear. Often times this required them to consult someone in the back office.

The $1,000 processing fee sounds wrong. That's worth challenging, asking the agent to provide you with the fine print that specifies the fee.

[ @admin , perhaps this thread should be in the QF group and possibly amalgamated into an existing thread there?]

you are right, but let me tell you: good luck finding a proper agent in Fiji South Africa etc. I had spoken to the supervisor on duty, even worse then the first agent. It is not the first time they are trying to do this, by saying they do not see the same airfares as I do. I am sure it is deliberately set up by Qantas to rip even more money from people, otherwise why would you be forced to call them, please? The refund, I did check the conditions, yes $500.00 per person, but how on earth they do take $1000.00 if there are two people on one ticket. So once again, you book a taxi or uber or a hire car, and the price is for instance $50.00 for a car, not $50.00 per person in one car. That's what they do because government is allowing them to do so. They are charge whatever they want, they treat you like they want, and our PM blocks other airlines to increase number of flights here, to protect such dodgy practices by Qantas here. I did send the complaint about two weeks ago, but so far not respons has been received.

 

[Catardale]

I’ve had a bit of experience with Qantas customer service of late. @tdimdad is spot on - if you don’t get the answer you want, hang up and call back. You will get a different answer for sure. Sometimes it might take a few calls but you will eventually get a competent one, assuming you have the time. The good thing is you can normally tell within two minutes if they are competent or not.

 

[Pusiek]

I’ve had a bit of experience with Qantas customer service of late. @tdimdad is spot on - if you don’t get the answer you want, hang up and call back. You will get a different answer for sure. Sometimes it might take a few calls but you will eventually get a competent one, assuming you have the time. The good thing is you can normally tell within two minutes if they are competent or not.

you are both correct, but I am talking about bigger picture, while Qantas bluntly robbing people in bright day. It is all set up, and those consultants will tell you what's on their screen. I should not be push to keep calling back etc. The fundamental question is why Qantas prevents you from using your own credit online? There is a reason for it(sinister reason).

 

[elanshin]

you are both correct, but I am talking about bigger picture, while Qantas bluntly robbing people in bright day. It is all set up, and those consultants will tell you what's on their screen. I should not be push to keep calling back etc. The fundamental question is why Qantas prevents you from using your own credit online? There is a reason for it(sinister reason).

Bad IT. I don't think they maliciously want to screw the customers over, but they are lazy, uses a bit of duck tape and if not enough people complain, they'll keep trodding along.

Funnily I saw codeshare flights i wanted when i tried to redeem a voucher that I couldn't see at all in any form through the normal booking options.

 

[Pusiek]

Bad IT. I don't think they maliciously want to screw the customers over, but they are lazy, uses a bit of duck tape and if not enough people complain, they'll keep trodding along.

Funnily I saw codeshare flights i wanted when i tried to redeem a voucher that I couldn't see at all in any form through the normal booking options.

No, not at all, of course they do not try. so more than 1BL profit is just a great visionary of Mr Joyce..........no comments

 

[tdimdad]

you are both correct, but I am talking about bigger picture, while Qantas bluntly robbing people in bright day. It is all set up, and those consultants will tell you what's on their screen. I should not be push to keep calling back etc. The fundamental question is why Qantas prevents you from using your own credit online? There is a reason for it(sinister reason).

You can use your travel credits online. But with annoying limitations.
For those of us who got our credits converted into Qantas Pass / Travel Pass / whatchammacallit-pass, it was a little easier to use but still far from easy and ideal. E.g. Virgin Australia passes were a lot easier to use, and I've had also Finnair's credits which were equally easy.

As Elanshin mentioned, it's not malicious on QF's part but lazy thinking, lack of staff and antiquated systems holding them back. And us customers suffer. That's also known as preferencing the shareholders and good quarterly reports...

 

[tdimdad]

The refund, I did check the conditions, yes $500.00 per person, but how on earth they do take $1000.00 if there are two people on one ticket.

Oh, so they are actually talking of their cancellation or no-show fee? Not a fee to refund the funds?

Yeah, for many destinations, that would be right but the way I read the standard conditions for AU-US tickets, if it was a cancellation before departure, then it may not always apply, depending on your fare class. The fees would shown in your ticket, though, and QF is right to charge those. The fact that they let you keep that $500 per passenger on your credit is a nice courtesy but them deducting that from the refund ("I don't want to fly, please give me my money back" scenario) follows the fee schedule you've agreed to when purchasing the tickets back in time.

If you go back to your itinerary, you'll get the low down on what QF can charge if you cancel your ticket.