Currently on call number 4 - CapeTown Centre.
I need to remove two flights that route through CMB and replace them with flights through DEL. This is my choice and there will be an increased fare to pay.
Call 1 - talked the agent through the changes step by step, with flight details, phonetic alphabet and everything. I saw the changed come up on Check My Trip so she got the flights right. I thought how encouraging this was. I was put on hold while she did the taxes (this took over an hour) and then I gave my payment details. I was told that this would be ticketed immediately because the flights would disappear if it was not ticketed the same day. Then she came back after ab hold to tell me there was a problem with the payment, put me on hold and eventually I was disconnected.
Call 2 - got through, explained the problem and the agent hung up.
Call 3 - got through, explained the problem, and was told that they would recalculate the taxes. Eventually they gave me a figure, I paid and the transaction shows on my credit card. I was told it would be ticketed in 24-48 hours. I said I had been told that it would need to be ticketed same day, and I was told it would probably happen within an hour or two and I would know when it had happened as they would email me the new itinerary.
A day later and no ticket numbers for the new flights (and one existing one) on Check My Trip. So...
Call 4 - I was told it had all been ticketed. I said the first three flights on my itinerary did not seem to have ticket numbers. After a lengthy hold, I was told that I was correct. More lengthy hold while they try to ticket me. Then the agent has come back to say that there is a price difference to be paid. I said this had all been priced yesterday and I had paid, I quoted the exact amount from my bank website. Back on lengthy hold. Agent hung up after an hour.
Call 5 - in progress... One of my existing flights is no longer available - it was happily ticketed until yesterday evening. The lost sector is MEL-KUL with MH. I have helped the agent by finding availability MEL-PER-KUL the same day. It is less good - four hours in Perth and five hours on an MH 737 instead of the nice direct flight - but I can live with it. Waiting on the re-pricing although I will argue that I should not pay any extra because it was a QF mistake. They're currently unable to price it as it has more than 11 flights but the agent knows I am allowed up to 16 flights on a OWA so she needs to see whether there is a different system that can do this...
This has taken literally hours. How can it be so complicated to issue a ticket? Surely it is just a button press.
The one saving grace is that I have been connected quickly each time.