Travelling with small pets on the golden triangle

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Dear RedRoo,

Can you please advise why your reservations staff are so utterly clueless when it comes to the policy for checking in small pets for travel between SYD/BNE/MEL?

Your website clearly states that our small four-legged friends can be checked in at the terminal, yet half your staff tell me I have to call AAE and send him freight(!), and the other half know the deal and add it to my booking without issue.

One of your staff members on the premium desk tonight told me quite rudely that I needed to take my precious pooch to AAE when I phoned to advise we were running late due to
Sydney traffic and to let the ground staff know we wouldn't be there one hour before - as I've always been advised by reservations I need to be. As we were running late, the last thing I want to be (incorrectly) told is that my pet needs to be checked in at AAE outside the main terminal at least one hour before. Turns out it's the same as domestic baggage cutoff - 30 mins prior.

I dislike having to train your staff in your own policy, which details the pet crate requirements and in-terminal check in procedures, etc. at selected airports. I have now done this five times and appear to know your policy better than most of your staff.

Conversely, once at the airport, the lovely ground staff could not have been more pleasant and accommodating to us and our fur-baby. As is typical for the other times we have travelled with him on QF.

What is with your reservations staff and their lack of knowledge, giving incorrect information and just being plain rude? Travelling with a pet is stressful enough however misinformation by your call centre - and the premium desk at that - simply adds to an already stressful situation.

Just in case they are unaware of the policy, perhaps I'll direct them here in future: Travelling with Pets | Qantas

Regards,
Mr ComeFlyWithMe, Ms ComeFlyWithMe and Harrison the dog.

 

[opusman]

You should attach a photo of Harrison for added effect

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

"Qantas reservations told you I had to go where? freight???" - Harry

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

View attachment 24447
"Qantas reservations told you I had to go where? freight???" - Harry

What a cute little Doggie is Harrison!

I've seen the dogs come off the planes in BNE , SYD, TSV, CNS, they all get the special " lick my fingers" treatment from the ground handlers as well.

Ironically, in January , Jetstar ran an article in their inflight magazine spruiking the Benefits & features of travelling pets with QF mainline ( Jetstar do not offer the service due to lack of air con in the cargo hold).... so QF mainline should have a little more awareness & uplift in pet reservations would would think.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

What a cute little Doggie is Harrison!

I've seen the dogs come off the planes in BNE , SYD, TSV, CNS, they all get the special " lick my fingers" treatment from the ground handlers as well.

Ironically, in January , Jetstar ran an article in their inflight magazine spruiking the Benefits & features of travelling pets with QF mainline ( Jetstar do not offer the service due to lack of air con in the cargo hold).... so QF mainline should have a little more awareness & uplift in pet reservations would would think.

The ground staff are excellent. My beef is with the reservations staff who don't know which way is up it seems.

 

[Rebekkap]

The ground staff are excellent. My beef is with the reservations staff who don't know which way is up it seems.

Personally I don't understand why you can't bring your small dog (in suitable carry container) in the cabin as hand luggage like you can in most other countries. Harrison is super cute. I wouldn't mind sitting next to him!

 

[N860CR]

If it makes you feel any better… Virgin are hopeless as well.

A few years ago when I moved back to Sydney we had to move +1s Cat. The thought of driving for 20 hours with a screaming cat was enough to send me insane, so we decided he would fly on the last trip down with us.

Options were QF or VA. Called, QF and they sounded extremely disinterested (woman had a go at me for having the nerve to call reservations as it's AAE's issue - platinum line, all class!) and basically fobbed it off.

Called VA and they seemed very switched on. Call centre lady seemed to know exactly what to do, made the booking for us over the phone and added the pet onto it, didn't charge for over-the-phone booking etc and just said drop it to checkin. Easy! +1 for Virgin! Get to Virgin checkin at airport and are basically shooed out of the terminal as "animals aren't allowed" and sent to Virgin Freight to check it. After a pleasant walk in summer heat with a screaming cat in a box (did I mention I didn't want to drive with it?), it's dropped off at Virgin Freight who take the payment for it and send us back to checkin. Freight and the checkin staff advise that he'll be available for collection at oversized bags in SYD. +1 is, of course, stressed and checks with cabin crew to ensure he's been loaded and again told all is well and he'll be delivered to oversized bags. Upon arrival at SYD, we wait at oversized bags for a good 20 minutes and no cat is forthcoming. I'm not too upset to be honest… +1 is and is having a very unpleasant night! We ask the oversized fluro wearing guys what's happening, get a shrug and say go see Baggage Services. So we do… We get looked at like idiots and told "it'll probably be at DHL". Of course! Why did I not realise this (oh wait… i assumed Virgin would know how to communicate such information to me). The only DHL I know of is back near the old Terminal 4, which is a decent walk from T2 so I ask where that would be. Turns out I got one thing right! It's over near the Formule 1. So off we walk all the way up to retrieve a very pissed off looking cat at the far end of the airport area. All in all… a very stressful and upsetting ordeal largely due to the incompetence and inconsistencies from VA staff that we've all come to love.

My point… QF do it badly, VA do it badly. We can't win

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Personally I don't understand why you can't bring your small dog (in suitable carry container) in the cabin as hand luggage like you can in most other countries. Harrison is super cute. I wouldn't mind sitting next to him!

I'd say he's better behaved than some children (and their parents) that I have encountered onboard

And I agree, you see them in Europe and they just slip under the seat in front.

 

[Rebekkap]

I'd say he's better behaved than some children (and their parents) that I have encountered onboard

And I agree, you see them in Europe and they just slip under the seat in front.

and in the US - I've even seen people with pets in the lounge!

 

[Red Roo]

Can you please advise why your reservations staff are so utterly clueless when it comes to the policy for checking in small pets for travel between SYD/BNE/MEL?

Your website clearly states that our small four-legged friends can be checked in at the terminal, yet half your staff tell me I have to call AAE and send him freight(!), and the other half know the deal and add it to my booking without issue.

Having precious fur-babies of my own, I fully appreciate the importance of a well planned journey. Glad to hear that our teams on the ground have been looking after you and Harrison (who is very cute by the way ).

I share your disappointment regarding inconsistent service delivery, particularly from the Premium Desk. I'll follow up with management on Monday, however please accept my apologies in the interim. While it's not a commonly queried procedure, we do have detailed internal reference guides available to our customer service agents reconfirming the requirements.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Having precious fur-babies of my own, I fully appreciate the importance of a well planned journey. Glad to hear that our teams on the ground have been looking after you and Harrison (who is very cute by the way ).

I share your disappointment regarding inconsistent service delivery, particularly from the Premium Desk. I'll follow up with management on Monday, however please accept my apologies in the interim. While it's not a commonly queried procedure, we do have detailed internal reference guides available to our customer service agents reconfirming the requirements.

Thanks RedRoo, we really appreciate the response.

It would be remiss of me not to mention that Harrison said to say 'woof' to your joeys too

And kudos to your SYD and BNE ground staff who handle him with great care and attention each time we travel