Happy result (after 3rd Try) - Jetstar IRROPS on QFF Award

[Stevo.1702]

My parents are travelling today to visit me in CBR. They have a Jetstar MCY - SYD flight then connecting to CBR on QF. This wasn't what they originally booked but after a cancellation a few weeks ago, this is what they ended up with.

To help them on their way I looked up the inbound journey of their Jetstar flight to see if there were any delays... Cancelled. Their flight was showing cancelled on FR24 and then my parents confirmed cancelled in their app. No notification or email yet.

Called QF.
1. Overseas call centre. "We can only change your flight to another flight that has classic rewards available" - I argue but it doesn't work.... HUCA
2. Overseas call centre. "We can change but the fare difference is $1100 per person" - I argue but it doesn't work.... HUCA
3. "Welcome to Qantas, you're speaking with Dan.... "I can see 3 seats available on the Qantas service leaving 20mins later. I'll grab 2 of them for you right now"

Such variable experiences shouldn't be possible. A good news story in the end but no way my parents would have been able to action this themselves. Grossly unfair.

 

[jpp42]

Dan from Hobart or Auckland no doubt? Or could be Manila, there are good stories coming from there but they don't seem to get that big a percentage of calls.

 

[ChrisMars]

Such inconsistent experience is concerning, even more on an IRROPS. It shouldn't be rocket science.

Why did you call Qantas and not Jetstar btw?

 

[Pushka]

Such inconsistent experience is concerning, even more on an IRROPS. It shouldn't be rocket science.

Why did you call Qantas and not Jetstar btw?

Qantas award booking. They control it.

 

[Mattg]

2. Overseas call centre. "We can change but the fare difference is $1100 per person" - I argue but it doesn't work.... HUCA

This is disgraceful. Why does Qantas think it's OK to try to charge passengers a fare difference when their original flight was cancelled? What is the fare difference even for, exactly? This is a reward booking.

I'm so sick of hearing these kinds of stories when dealing with the overseas call centres. Clearly Qantas needs to invest in a LOT more training for these staff.

 

[ketsuzei]

travelling today

Qantas award booking. They control it.

I flew QF yesterday (and indeed last Friday) on an Asia Miles booking that had to be rearranged. Wouldn't have occurred to me to call Asia Miles, same-day bookings can be handled by the airline that's supposed to be operating your flight.

 

[Franky]

This is disgraceful. Why does Qantas think it's OK to try to charge passengers a fare difference when their original flight was cancelled? What is the fare difference even for, exactly? This is a reward booking.

I'm so sick of hearing these kinds of stories when dealing with the overseas call centres. Clearly Qantas needs to invest in a LOT more training for these staff.

Agree Mattg - but it’s long past the training problem, the call centres need to be brought back onshore.

 

[Robert K]

Agree Mattg - but it’s long past the training problem, the call centres need to be brought back onshore.

They’ve brought a lot of new agents online recently. Not sure it would’ve made a difference if they were on or off shore. Agent with no experience is gonna be an agent with no experience.

 

[dylarr]

Qantas have done a good job reducing wait times from my recent experiences (including reports from my parents who are not WP) so credit where credit is due.

However the service and advice being offered by a lot of these agents is just appalling. It should not take 3 calls (and an attempt to charge $1100 adcol per pax) to resolve a simple domestic IRROPS re-accomodation.

 

[Franky]

They’ve brought a lot of new agents online recently. Not sure it would’ve made a difference if they were on or off shore. Agent with no experience is gonna be an agent with no experience.

Agree - but once they’re back here, they would then be subject to more supervision by (hopefully) knowledgeable trainers who can spot any who need more guidance.

 

[ChrisMars]

Maybe AJ should produce some training video for those not match fit call centres?

 

[Pushka]

I flew QF yesterday (and indeed last Friday) on an Asia Miles booking that had to be rearranged. Wouldn't have occurred to me to call Asia Miles, same-day bookings can be handled by the airline that's supposed to be operating your flight.

Not my experience - travelling Qatar on Qantas Award. Qatar canceled the flight as we were about to board. Qatar told us Qantas would be contacting us with new itinerary which they did. Qatar would not rebook. They regard Qantas as the booking Agent. Never used Asia Miles but maybe Qantas does things differently.

 

[Stevo.1702]

Agree Mattg - but it’s long past the training problem, the call centres need to be brought back onshore.

I did mention to the 3rd agent, Dan, that I had tried two times in the past 10 mins and that there may be someone else simultaneously looking at the booking.

He was unsurprised and apologetic saying it is really unfortunate that you get put through to those centers. I could tell there was a level of embarrassment, which is unfortunate because I'm sure we've all had some great operators on the phone but they get drowned out by the bad ones.

Regardless, I did submit a compliment through the customer care portal stating his name, the booking reference, and the time of the call. Hopefully some recognition somewhere.