Voice of Real Australia: We still need to iron out the kinks plaguing international travel

Popular Aussie comedian Carl Barron jokes that Telstra should change its name.

It should be bloody Telstra, or something a bit more blue as he says it.

That's because when the subject of our national phone carrier is raised, people respond with their own personal gripes.

Much of the Telstra's criticism comes from people trying to contact the company, as a communication business they can be annoyingly hard to contact.

Customers are frustrated by the long periods they spend on hold listening to canned music while trying to get their problems resolved.

But Telstra is not the only company with communication problems.

Many of the bigger concerns offer a contact number which does not seem to be serviced.

Auto messaging "bots" on their websites can be helpful, but not always.

A human is needed to sort out complicated matters.

It has gotten so bad even a voice from an outsourced phone centre overseas is welcome.

Like many, I have had my own personal frustrations with Telstra in the past but my most recent frustrations have been with Air New Zealand.

My wife and I were among several hundred passengers left stranded in the US when Air New Zealand's long-haul return flight to Auckland was cancelled a few weeks back.

After sitting on the runway for a few hours, we were returned to the terminal - the flight was cancelled.

A text message from Air NZ greeted passengers saying - "If you do not reside in New York, due to limited availability, we may not be able to source accommodation for you, so please retain your receipts for reimbursement consideration."

Those who received their bags early left to find yellow cabs to take them to any available hotels with late check-ins.

Then came the advice that Air NZ had found accommodation at a nearby hotel for remaining passengers at the carousel.

The flight had been repeatedly postponed and delayed for several days causing tempers to fray as all manner of inconveniences were suffered.

It was brutal welcome to the post-COVID world of international travel.

There was applause when the plane eventually took off several days late from JFK Airport in New York and then applause again when it landed in New Zealand.

Unfortunately for some of those applauding, they weren't out of the woods yet, they were to find their bags failed to make the flight with them.

Passengers were starving for information from Air New Zealand about plans for our return.

Many of them, including myself, tried to contact them by phone to no avail.

One passenger said she waited on hold for several hours - more patience than yours truly that's for sure.

Her call was never answered.

My wife and I had booked a return flight with Air New Zealand as well from Auckland.

That couldn't be arranged after the cancellations so they booked us instead on a Qantas flight, although no booking tickets were provided despite our unease.

Still, that was when our luck changed.

As we were directed all over the place at Auckland Airport, we finally found the Qantas desk.

"I feel like I'm home," my relived wife commented after spying the flying kangaroo.

After the long haul from New York it was only a short hop across the ditch back home to Melbourne, so the flight was fine.

I wasn't that surprised when our luggage failed to land with us in Melbourne though. The check-in process had been chaotic.

That blunder happened way back in New York, it wasn't the fault of Qantas.

But as we found a Qantas staffer on the luggage desk in Tullamarine, they took it upon themselves to sort the mess, which they did with speed and professionalism.

A few days later our bags were delivered to our front door.

Thank you again Qantas.

Staff are hard to get at the moment, we get that.

Airlines were forced to lay off many people during the COVID border closures, we get that as well.

Perhaps the CEO could spend some time answering the phone when problems arise, it might be illuminating.

If you're not ready to go, then don't take people's money.

In 2023, the Voice of Real Australia newsletter will hit your inbox on Mondays and Fridays.