Has Qantas lost your business due to its failure to provide customer service?

[Cddc]

The fact this page has managed to generate so many responses in so little time is telling in itself. People are passionate about QF. All this talk about AJ needs to go reminds of when there was the same sentiment about Geoff Dixon.

Sheesh...everybody (myself included) maybe needs to take a breather? Yes QF are cough at the moment, after trying to recover from a pandemic. So what?! Try an alternative airline. Vote with your feet and change will happen. Is your self worth really tied that much to your status with an airline?

 

[Anna]

it was impossible to access any sort of customer service, and I don't think that's good enough.

I agree. But there are 2 things about your experience in PER - it wasn't QF's fault that the WA state govt did something ridiculous with no notice to pax. And even if there had been a QF service desk and say it had 1 or even 2 staff sitting around quite late just in case some pax arrived with an issue - there would have been a long queue at the desk and I don't think it is fair to imply that QF having a service desk would have automatically solved your particular problem on that particular night. More likely you would have been stuck in that queue instead, and then if there were booking issues as you say, the staff probably would have experienced them too. So I don't agree with the premise that your specific issue that night would have been quickly fixed if only there had been a QF service desk.

I'm not saying it's ok there's no QF service desks at airports. Just that entirely blaming QF when you spun the pandemic travel roulette wheel and lost is not fair. We all knew in 2021 that domestic travel carried risks of sudden border closures. I'm saying that as someone who also spun that roulette wheel a couple of months later and lost, on a trip to Qld when SA decided to slam the border shut. And I also got poor service from QF in trying to rearrange travel. But it was in the pandemic with state govts overreacting all over the shop so I'm not going to overreact as well.

 

[Mattg]

I agree. But there are 2 things about your experience in PER - it wasn't QF's fault that the WA state govt did something ridiculous with no notice to pax. And even if there had been a QF service desk and say it had 1 or even 2 staff sitting around quite late just in case some pax arrived with an issue - there would have been a long queue at the desk and I don't think it is fair to imply that QF having a service desk would have automatically solved your particular problem on that particular night. More likely you would have been stuck in that queue instead, and then if there were booking issues as you say, the staff probably would have experienced them too. So I don't agree with the premise that your specific issue that night would have been quickly fixed if only there had been a QF service desk.

I'm not saying it's ok there's no QF service desks at airports. Just that entirely blaming QF when you spun the pandemic travel roulette wheel and lost is not fair. We all knew in 2021 that domestic travel carried risks of sudden border closures. I'm saying that as someone who also spun that roulette wheel a couple of months later and lost, on a trip to Qld when SA decided to slam the border shut. And I also got poor service from QF in trying to rearrange travel. But it was in the pandemic with state govts overreacting all over the shop so I'm not going to overreact as well.

Having actually been at the airport that night, I'm pretty confident that Qantas operating a sales/service counter would have at least helped. If nothing else, it would have meant all 3 staff members on duty could have been actually helping customers, rather than 2 of them sitting on hold trying to get through to the call centre for most of the evening.

Anyway, as I said in the original article last July, this fiasco was caused by a combination of the Qantas website/App not working properly, Qantas filing certain ticket types incorrectly, the call centre not answering the phone and no airport staff being able to help. Yes, the announcement of a lockdown at short notice obviously didn't help. I get that. But I really feel like I would not have been stranded in Perth if Virgin or even Jetstar had flights running that evening.

I'm not sure why you're defending Qantas' failure to sell a ticket to a customer who wants to buy one (on a flight with ~100 empty seats, no less). Is it unreasonable for me to expect this of a "premium" airline?

 

[OATEK]

Having actually been at the airport that night, I'm pretty confident that Qantas operating a sales/service counter would have at least helped. If nothing else, it would have meant all 3 staff members on duty could have been actually helping customers, rather than 2 of them sitting on hold trying to get through to the call centre for most of the evening.

Anyway, as I said in the original article last July, this fiasco was caused by a combination of the Qantas website/App not working properly, Qantas filing certain ticket types incorrectly, the call centre not answering the phone and no airport staff being able to help. Yes, the announcement of a lockdown at short notice obviously didn't help. I get that. But I really feel like I would not have been stranded in Perth if Virgin or even Jetstar had flights running that evening.

I'm not sure why you're defending Qantas' failure to sell a ticket to a customer who wants to buy one (on a flight with ~100 empty seats, no less). Is it unreasonable for me to expect this of a "premium" airline?

There does seem to be a lot to take in here, but I can't help but think the discussion has become emotional across many posts. The fact that VA and JQ did not have flights does allude to why QF might still hold some cred with pax generally. But the range of QF failings in the many posts makes it hard to analyse.

The lack of an airport desk is a key issue, and focussing on that makes sense. When I flew out of LHR on BA to DUB, we had been unable to print at home. We were saved by the the fact we could print out at the check-in machines. Under QFs plan, that would become tricky as the remove the desk and the ability to print BPs. For me this is the crucial issue, YMMV.

 

[Melburnian1]

I think the answer to this will never be known, as you rightly pointed out earlier in your well written post that QF will simply manipulate financials to spin the PR story it wants to be told.

I don't think Joyce is an idiot at all, but I also think that this latest saga has reached a point where his position is no longer tenable. When you combine the other recent own goals such as the unbelievably short sighted decision to outsource ramp services (I am still stunned they thought they could do this in the way they did) it all points to a culture of invincibility in an industry that is extremely precarious, even in the good times.

Completely agree.

Doesn't any Board have a requirement to put the company's interests first, not those of management? This QFi/QFd CEO has shown in recent times how completely out of touch with passengers (and importantly, prospective passengers) he is that he's overstepped the mark. Of course, he's not an idiot, but he has been too clever by half.

His poor planning has become evident. All the spin in the world can't hide that. Too much concentration on politically correct issues, including some that have little or no relevance to aviation or the company.

RAM's post (as usual) nailed the problems.

Notable how many QF staff seem to dislike (to put it mildly) the CEO.

While QF won't be the only listed (or unlisted) company where this is the case, in many others, employees can either be largely neutral or even positive about the man or woman at the top. AFFer The Insider's brief comment about management using the words 'toxic people' was illuminating.

 

[Peasant]

Perhaps the real issue here is that most of us actually quite like Qantas.

In my case, aside from my own inconvenience, I have serious concerns about the conditions their front line employees are being forced to work under after everything has been cut so close to the bone. All by a management team that knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

 

[Mattg]

Perhaps the real issue here is that most of us actually quite like Qantas.

For the record, I also like Qantas. I've been flying with them for many years, to all corners of the globe, and have had plenty of great flights with them. The airline iconic and there are lots of excellent people working at the organisation. Which is perhaps also why I find it so disheartening to see what the airline has become in recent times.

 

[Anna]

Is it unreasonable for me to expect this of a "premium" airline?

Is it reasonable that you found the whole experience in Perth beyond frustrating? Yes. I would have too. I totally get that it was frustrating. Not to mention that it was disappointing that your planned trip was ruined by the WA govt. I really do get that.

Is it reasonable to repeatedly refer to the experience as "Qantas left me stranded" when you were trying to buy one of 2 specific types of fare (which happen to be the most popular fare types), within 3 hours of departure, on the last flight of the day, and you weren't able to make the cheap, quick exit out of Perth that you (and loads of other people) suddenly wanted? No, IMO that is not reasonable. You were just as much (if not more) "stranded" by the WA government's snap lockdown, by VA because it had no flights that night, by JQ because it had no flights that night, or by your own decision to travel and risk the sudden lockdowns and border closures that we all knew were a possibility at that time.

 

[drron]

Perhaps the real issue here is that most of us actually quite like Qantas.

In my case, aside from my own inconvenience, I have serious concerns about the conditions their front line employees are being forced to work under after everything has been cut so close to the bone. All by a management team that knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

This amuses me. I started to query QFi 20 years ago when our son moved to Philly. Because of that we flew BNE-JFK frequently flying J. I, at that stage, did actually like QF as well. But I discovered JAL had a better hard product, a way better soft product and all at half the price of QF.

They were not a member of OW at that stage so I joined Aadvantage so as to get some points. Then in 2006 we had enough points for a J award NRT-LAX. After boarding and even though on award tickets with no AA status we were upgraded to F.
The next year we were on a QF RTW award. We had stopped in Paris and our next flight was CDG-JFK. A strike was called at CDG. AA had 2 flights to JFK that day and ours was the early flight. Got to CDG very early and our worst fears were confirmed. Our flight was cancelled and the later flight was full. The check in agent gave as lounge access to wait until the AA manager arrived in ~ 2 hours time. The manager got our ticket details up and let out an OMG. Because we had missed the flight the rest of our itinerary had been cancelled. now we had been in touch with QF to warn them of the possibility and whether there was any other solution but no help. The manager then said we will issue a new AA ticket for the rest of your flights and I have booked you on our CDG-MIA flight which will be operating and a flight to LGA from there. And unlike a QF J award which would have us in Y the AA ticket had us in F.
The real insult though came on the next segment JFK-LAX on QF on a 747. No J award seats so in Y.At least the first row of Y so we could see the downstairs J cabin. Far from full. At LAX with the curtains opened we could see what the J load was as the upstairs pax were seen descending. Total J load 8 pax. Made a decision then that QFi was not for us.

So I am sorry but those thinking of giving up on QF you are a little late IMHO.

 

[RooFlyer]

The fact this page has managed to generate so many responses in so little time is telling in itself. People are passionate about QF. All this talk about AJ needs to go reminds of when there was the same sentiment about Geoff Dixon.

Yes and getting rid of Geoff Dixon was a good move.

Sheesh...everybody (myself included) maybe needs to take a breather? Yes QF are cough at the moment, after trying to recover from a pandemic. So what?! Try an alternative airline. Vote with your feet and change will happen. Is your self worth really tied that much to your status with an airline?

Thanks for the homily and advice . Yes, take a breather. See you on another thread later on. AFF provides these forums for people to express their views, passionate or otherwise. It’s great reading, but see you around

 

[Mattg]

Is it reasonable that you found the whole experience in Perth beyond frustrating? Yes. I would have too. I totally get that it was frustrating. Not to mention that it was disappointing that your planned trip was ruined by the WA govt. I really do get that.

Is it reasonable to repeatedly refer to the experience as "Qantas left me stranded" when you were trying to buy one of 2 specific types of fare (which happen to be the most popular fare types), within 3 hours of departure, on the last flight of the day, and you weren't able to make the cheap, quick exit out of Perth that you (and loads of other people) suddenly wanted? No, IMO that is not reasonable. You were just as much (if not more) "stranded" by the WA government's snap lockdown, by VA because it had no flights that night, by JQ because it had no flights that night, or by your own decision to travel and risk the sudden lockdowns and border closures that we all knew were a possibility at that time.

I wouldn't call the $500 Y fare I was trying to buy "cheap". Anyway, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this

I mentioned this in my original post simply as an example of a bad experience I've had recently with Qantas. Sadly, it was just one of many that have caused me to reconsider my choice of airline.

 

[Julesmac]

I think where we have all gotten off track is using the words "Qantas" and "Customer" and "Service" in the same sentence.

 

[Quickstatus]

organisations at least have a physical presence

Mwave, Appliances Online, Aussie Broadband.

what office works are for.

What about 3am on Monday morning?
And some OWorks want a 24hr turnaround for some reason.

…..

Eventually the heat and venting will settle down. This is nothing new.
I’m glad I have decided to defer flying for another year. Of course there was going to be mayhem when airlines resume. It Would have been naïve to think otherwise.

 

[Anna]

we'll have to agree to disagree on this

Deal!

Meanwhile I'm refreshing the QF app every 15 minutes or so in case there is a last-minute cancellation of my flight tomorrow

 

[AIRwin]

Meanwhile I'm refreshing the QF app every 15 minutes or so in case there is a last-minute cancellation of my flight tomorrow

I also subscribe to flight status alerts for this purpose...

 

[RichardMEL]

I suspect Rhonda Burchmore, and a 737 worth of QF pax may rethink their business with QF. News of a (delayed) flight MEL-BNE today where ZERO bags were loaded and QF doesn't know (with Easter here) when they can get the bags up to BNE for the pax.

oh dear.

(only added here as didn't think it warranted a new thread)

 

[dylarr]

I suspect Rhonda Burchmore, and a 737 worth of QF pax may rethink their business with QF. News of a (delayed) flight MEL-BNE today where ZERO bags were loaded and QF doesn't know (with Easter here) when they can get the bags up to BNE for the pax.

oh dear.

(only added here as didn't think it warranted a new thread)

That's the fault of Rhonda and the other pax on that flight — clearly they are not match ready. They should have couriered their bags up a few days earlier if they expected to have luggage for their trip.

Also — this mirrors my experience SYD-CBR for the weekend just gone. Lots of bags including mine not loaded onto a 717 flight and took QF 2 days to get the bags to CBR.

 

[ferntree]

I suspect Rhonda Burchmore, and a 737 worth of QF pax may rethink their business with QF. News of a (delayed) flight MEL-BNE today where ZERO bags were loaded and QF doesn't know (with Easter here) when they can get the bags up to BNE for the pax.

oh dear.

(only added here as didn't think it warranted a new thread)

Ouch!

Even coming out of humble Hobart a week or so back, we boarded (half an hour late) and waited on the tarmac for nearly another hour for an entire trolley full of bags to be brought out and loaded.

 

[samh004]

I suspect Rhonda Burchmore, and a 737 worth of QF pax may rethink their business with QF. News of a (delayed) flight MEL-BNE today where ZERO bags were loaded and QF doesn't know (with Easter here) when they can get the bags up to BNE for the pax.

oh dear.

(only added here as didn't think it warranted a new thread)

I've taken a BA flight in the past to LCY that left without half the bags, didn't see my bag for a week and then discovered the tags on it and saw it had gone further than I did. Still flew them in the future. Stuff happens.

 

[RAM]

I think where we have all gotten off track is using the words "Qantas" and "Customer" and "Service" in the same sentence.

Please Julesmac - stop leaving out the most important component...

"Qantas" and "Customer" and "Service" and "Enhancements"