Qantas phone booking fee - anyone had it waived/refunded

[Aggi]

Hi, I booked two international flights on Sunday and had to do it over the phone as the Qantas website kept giving me errors (probably due to a stopover in LAX). So ended up wasting several hours trying to do it online then gave up and called Qantas, the phone call took less than 5 minutes as I knew what flights I wanted. So I'm a bit peeved at having to pay $120 booking fee as i would have done it online had the Qantas website allowed me to.

Wondering if its worth trying to get the booking fee refunded? Has anyone else had this problem and been successful in getting the fee refunded?

 

[Dave Noble]

I would doubt very much that they will refund the fees paid. Perhaps would have been better to book on another site or through an agent which would not have charged such high fees rather than phone QF

 

[serfty]

Qantas try to justify the fees, the implication being "You can use the Web to Book" - the 'phone is a "premium service".

I would have endeavored to have the fees rescinded as the Web site was not working for your particular booking.

 

[pauly7]

I would have endeavored to have the fees rescinded as the Web site was not working for your particular booking.

I have had 100% strike rate at getting QF phone fee waived by saying this.... Even when it wasn't entirely true lol

 

[thewinchester]

I've only had to book over the phone twice, and one of those I didn't have to but didn't have any time to do it myself.

The other was to use a credit from a domestic multi-sector to rebook a domestic multi-sector. Due to the way their online system works, it is not possible make such a booking online using the credit. I'm still waiting on a response from QF (no surprise there).

 

[markis10]

Bit peeved myself for being slugged an extra $40 for changing a multicity booking, given you cannot do it online.

 

[david870mdg]

I am not a fan of the booking fee, especailly for WP, F and J bookings.
BUT;
Many airlines do not charge fees and have their call centres based in Bangladesh, Kenya, Tuvalu and who knows else where so at least with QF you have Australian operators based in Australian cities.
In SOME cases I would be willing to pay a fee for this premium.