emeraldo

I've just had 2 interesting calls to the QFF service centre to try and book some FF tickets for my in-laws to come to Australia from South America next year, and to ask if QF ever converts J to D class (I'm currently waitlist in D for LAX-SYD in late Nov, flight listed as J9 D0).

Call 1:
Consultant was obviously irritated by my call - supposedly looked at the system and told me there was absolutely no availability for my requested FF seats, and that I should have tried to book them 6 months ago. In answer to my question about J to D class, I was told "QF never converts J to D, you should change your date of travel".....

Call 2 (one minute later)
Consultant spent a friendly 30 mins with me and found ideal flights for my in-laws, and told me that QF yield will usually convert J to D, especially for WP's). Great service!

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Unfortunately I often find QF service is polarised - either really good or really bad.

Lesson learnt - never take no for an answer!

Emeraldo

NM

Sounds like the difference between getting through to the QF Premium Desk and getting an ordinary QF CS agent. When you call and enter your FF number, the system will recognise you as a WP member and route your call to the Premium Desk. However, if there are no agents available at the Premium Desk to immediately answer your call, your call will be pushed to the top of the queue for the standard CS agents.

In my experience, the Premium Desk agents always answer the call identifying themselves by name and being from the Premium Desk - something like "Hello, Qantas Premium, Geraldine speaking ...". Then you know you have someone who will try hard to answer your querie.

Also in my experience, calls that drop through to the standard CS agents get treated as you have described your first call.

So if you don't hear the word "Premium" when the call is answered, wait a few minutes and call back. Especially if you are looking for helpful and favourable responses.

willyroo

Great advice. The Premium Desk has issued T class (award economy) and booked us upstairs on a 743. J sold as Y sold as X sold as T.

And why am I posting this late at night?

See you all at SYD or BNE Xmas events...

mcsmcs

Just played the book flights then book resort game only to find the resort has been fully booked while I was booking my flights!!!!

Spoke to Rada (or similar) from the Premium Desk and she changed flights and upgrades without pain - also put her on hold while I rang the resort to confirm availability before committing to the flights.

She took all my details and even called me back 30 mins later to confirm all details.

One of the best privilages of WP........gotta keep getting those SC's

MCS

mcsmcs

When ringing Premium there should be a choice if all the Premium Operators are busy to either hold or go to a standard CSO not just get diverted.

I dread it when I do not her the words "Premium"

Dave Noble

I don't see any reason for that. There's v little that the premium desk can do but the regular desk cannot.

Dave

number_6

Can't you ask for the call to be transferred to the Premium desk? That's what AA does (in fact most regular agents will insist on transferring the call to the EXP desk if it happens to roll to them, and this is always instantaneous, though I suppose AA's reservation center is a different scale than QF's). The number 1 benefit of FF status is getting access to knowledgable airline personnel -- whether it is in reservations, at the airport or in the lounges. Of course FT is still more accurate as a source of info than most airline training programs.

mcsmcs

Dave

A couple of good reasons above

It's not what they can and can't do - it's more what they want or not want to do!

MCS

Dave Noble

My experience is that the regular agents are just as helpful. If I want something which they are unable to do, then I just ask to be connected to the premium desk.

Dave

emeraldo

For everyone's info, my first call was answered by "Paul" from the Premium Desk, the second by "Peter", also from the premium desk. So unfortunately the premium/non-premium thing was not a factor in my experience....

BTW has anyone else noticed just how difficult it is to get FF redemptions on the SCL-SYD service in the past 6 months or so? Currently he first available FF seat is 11 months from now. I've booked this trip (ex LIM) 5 times in the past 2.5 years, always 1-3 months out - looks like a past luxury now.

Jon

NM

I have definitely found a noticeable difference in the helfulocity (or helpfulousness) of the agents depending from whence my call is directed.

Dave Noble

The only problems I tend to have with non-premium desk domestic staff is that they are (a) unaware that seat selection is available for domestic flights on QF1-399 and (b) that exit seats can be obtained for WPs in advance

When I am doing this I normally select the international option from the menu and if I get a non premium desk person, I at least get an agent that is aware what to do

Dave

rdd

I always get put through to the Premium desk if I have pressed the phone button for domestic travel. If I press the button for international travel, i always get put through to the normal CSA. Do people here, when completing their international bookings / enquiries press the domestic button to go through to the premium desk - of have i just been unlucky?

emeraldo

Post-Script to my original message:

I called QF again last night, got through to the Premium desk, spoke to an extremely helpful and clued up agent. She said that the premium desk was located in Melbourne (whereas the non-premium desk is in Brisbane) and operates under very different rules. Apparently they have access to a different computer system with far more clout - they can even see the loading figures on each flight. Also they are authorised to convert normal Y class seats to FF seats on domestic flights, on request on international flights (subject to loading). She mentioned that most of the TSA's on the non-premium desk don't even know about half this stuff so will generally give "no" for an answer.... interesting!