Comments on: British Airways http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/ The travel troubleshooter. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:12:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Linda Smith http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-35987 Linda Smith Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:33:34 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-35987 British Airways has no compassion for the recently bereaved. My mother just died of cancer, I had to return to my work by myself in Doha. I had checked in and needed to spend more time with my children who had lost their grandmother. So, I didn't go to the departure gate straightaway. Based on my recollection of the last time I made that trip, I went to the gate before you start security. There I was turned away and told to go back to BA, not given any reason. When I went to the BA desk nearby, they told me I had been taken off the flight and put on standby. They then told me to go to the ticket desk and warned me that I would not get my flight. I went to the ticket desk. They told me that if you don't enter security by a certain time, I think this is 35minutes, you are automatically taken off the flight. This is well before the time that is on your boarding card for gate closing. I had literally missed this by seconds. First of all, I had no idea they had such a harsh system, secondly because of me and my kids bereavement, I'm not sure even if I read something I would have known what the implications were. Fact is I was a bereaved passenger, I was entitled to some compassion. All I was given was "according to our terms and conditions.... blah blah, we are not at fault... blah blah" Since they were not willing to find a way to fast-track me to the flight, I thought that at least they would rebook for me another flight, without additional charges. In all this conversation about the SYSTEM and the POLICY with the manager, who apparently did acknowledge that a bereaved person, may not be fully aware of their rules, I asked if she had the discretion to waive the additional charges. She told me that she did indeed have this authority, but she would not exercise it. I then complained to the so-called customer care team, where instead of trying to look at the situation from my point of view, I got the same story. This was made worse when the customer care person, tried to make out that the information, was on my boarding card, when I read out to her that this wasn't there, only the gate closing time, she referred me to the small print on the card, i.e.the standard get out clause "terms and conditions apply". Another standard rejoinder was the "travel agent should have told you", a bit much to expect from EXPEDIA I thought. Fact is that they knew I had checked in, I had paid for my ticket, the airport at that time seemed to have more staff than passengers. There was cut-off step in their process, I'm sure my circumstances were unusual (i.e. 1 out of 300 passengers for that flight), why they didn't think they should make a tiny bit of effort to find me? What the manager said to me, was this is how they train passengers! Next time you won't make the same mistake again! Well, I certainly won't. I am telling you all, I have started telling my colleagues at work, my family. I do authorise travel, I will neither use BA again, nor will I authorise anyone else to use them. Good bye BA, for life. British Airways has no compassion for the recently bereaved.
My mother just died of cancer, I had to return to my work by myself in Doha. I had checked in and needed to spend more time with my children who had lost their grandmother. So, I didn’t go to the departure gate straightaway. Based on my recollection of the last time I made that trip, I went to the gate before you start security. There I was turned away and told to go back to BA, not given any reason. When I went to the BA desk nearby, they told me I had been taken off the flight and put on standby. They then told me to go to the ticket desk and warned me that I would not get my flight.
I went to the ticket desk. They told me that if you don’t enter security by a certain time, I think this is 35minutes, you are automatically taken off the flight. This is well before the time that is on your boarding card for gate closing. I had literally missed this by seconds. First of all, I had no idea they had such a harsh system, secondly because of me and my kids bereavement, I’m not sure even if I read something I would have known what the implications were. Fact is I was a bereaved passenger, I was entitled to some compassion. All I was given was “according to our terms and conditions…. blah blah, we are not at fault… blah blah” Since they were not willing to find a way to fast-track me to the flight, I thought that at least they would rebook for me another flight, without additional charges. In all this conversation about the SYSTEM and the POLICY with the manager, who apparently did acknowledge that a bereaved person, may not be fully aware of their rules, I asked if she had the discretion to waive the additional charges. She told me that she did indeed have this authority, but she would not exercise it.
I then complained to the so-called customer care team, where instead of trying to look at the situation from my point of view, I got the same story. This was made worse when the customer care person, tried to make out that the information, was on my boarding card, when I read out to her that this wasn’t there, only the gate closing time, she referred me to the small print on the card, i.e.the standard get out clause “terms and conditions apply”. Another standard rejoinder was the “travel agent should have told you”, a bit much to expect from EXPEDIA I thought. Fact is that they knew I had checked in, I had paid for my ticket, the airport at that time seemed to have more staff than passengers. There was cut-off step in their process, I’m sure my circumstances were unusual (i.e. 1 out of 300 passengers for that flight), why they didn’t think they should make a tiny bit of effort to find me? What the manager said to me, was this is how they train passengers! Next time you won’t make the same mistake again!
Well, I certainly won’t. I am telling you all, I have started telling my colleagues at work, my family. I do authorise travel, I will neither use BA again, nor will I authorise anyone else to use them. Good bye BA, for life.

]]> By: Gerardine D'Sa http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-35435 Gerardine D'Sa Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:09:01 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-35435 I completely agree with you - never fly British Airways again. I only travelled to run out my miles because I have had enough with BA but this was worse than I expected. I have been an exec club member for 16 years, but no more. They ripped open a month old samsonite bag, then Helen Holtz(rep at O'Hare) refused to file a baggage damage claim at Ohare saying I had to go online. I did get her to weigh the bag and write on the complaint sheet so at least I have that. I have lost more than $2000 - sent them bills for $1778 and they have after 2 months agreed to pay $600 saying I should have reported it at the airport. This is a scam - they refuse to put in the report citing new rules and then use that to refuse compensation. On the flight was worse. From Bangalore to London the flight attendant dropped coffee on me while leaning over to give the coffee to the middle seat passenger. I had to go to the washroom to get paper towels and they forced me back to my seat because of the seatbelt sign. On landing they told me that ground staff would help. I had to walk in the cold with a wet coat and jeans to the bus to the terminal. No help from ground staff and then another flight. This time I got Harpreet Atwal who threatened me and said that his daddy was the customer service manager so my complaints would be useless. Apparently BA is ruled by the Atwals. He laughed at the brown patches(dried coffee) on my clothes - it was disgusting. And they are still deciding whether to pay for the one year old coat. What happened to basic British courtesy and do they follow their liability rules? I completely agree with you – never fly British Airways again. I only travelled to run out my miles because I have had enough with BA but this was worse than I expected. I have been an exec club member for 16 years, but no more. They ripped open a month old samsonite bag, then Helen Holtz(rep at O’Hare) refused to file a baggage damage claim at Ohare saying I had to go online. I did get her to weigh the bag and write on the complaint sheet so at least I have that. I have lost more than $2000 – sent them bills for $1778 and they have after 2 months agreed to pay $600 saying I should have reported it at the airport. This is a scam – they refuse to put in the report citing new rules and then use that to refuse compensation.
On the flight was worse. From Bangalore to London the flight attendant dropped coffee on me while leaning over to give the coffee to the middle seat passenger. I had to go to the washroom to get paper towels and they forced me back to my seat because of the seatbelt sign. On landing they told me that ground staff would help. I had to walk in the cold with a wet coat and jeans to the bus to the terminal. No help from ground staff and then another flight. This time I got Harpreet Atwal who threatened me and said that his daddy was the customer service manager so my complaints would be useless. Apparently BA is ruled by the Atwals. He laughed at the brown patches(dried coffee) on my clothes – it was disgusting. And they are still deciding whether to pay for the one year old coat.
What happened to basic British courtesy and do they follow their liability rules?

]]> By: Nathan F. http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-34284 Nathan F. Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:09:33 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-34284 Sent an email to Silla Maizey a few days ago, no bounceback but nothing in response yet either. These people are absolutely horrendous to deal with. It's as if they just don't want to talk to customers. We were told in a written communique that we could receive a refund minus a change fee for a ticket on a trip that we had to cancel, however they reneged on the offer and are now saying that the ticket is non refundable and we are eligible only for a tax refund. We've been trying to have this resolved for over two months, and the incredible delay in their responses has pushed us to the brink of the flight date. Sent an email to Silla Maizey a few days ago, no bounceback but nothing in response yet either. These people are absolutely horrendous to deal with. It’s as if they just don’t want to talk to customers. We were told in a written communique that we could receive a refund minus a change fee for a ticket on a trip that we had to cancel, however they reneged on the offer and are now saying that the ticket is non refundable and we are eligible only for a tax refund. We’ve been trying to have this resolved for over two months, and the incredible delay in their responses has pushed us to the brink of the flight date.

]]> By: Ronnie Miller http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-27399 Ronnie Miller Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:17:12 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-27399 Hi, I am a Travel Manager in Texas who has been heading a large agency for about 6 years now. Wow, am I having the worst issues with BA right now. I have a 7 segment flight roundtrip from Lubbock to Heathrow and then on to Prague and home from Vienna. It is plated on BA except for the LBB-IAH flights. Yesterday I went in to check my itinerary and query about seats on BA.com and noticed that the CO flights weren't there anymore. I looked in SABRE and sure enough everything was still there. I didnt' pay attention to the booking class because they were ticketed and paid for by a VISA card back in August. Today I received a notice in Sabre from BA saying that I needed to update my record because my itinerary didn't match my E-Ticket. I immediately called BA and they told me that I had cancelled and rebooked my entire itinerary yesterday and that I would need to pay the upgrade difference (around $2000.00 total). I have spent all day today on the phone with them trying to put it back the way that I ticketed it and paid for. I have called the BA TA help desk three times and now they won't even speak to me. They told me I would have to wait 5 days and then they would check and see what the fare difference would be that I need to pay. You talk about a dirty airline! I don't know how we let these companies get away with this?? I want to just cancel the whole trip and lose my money rather than give them another $2000.00. I would do that but I am afraid they would just send me a debit memo and try to collect the difference in fare even after I cancel. I have received the rudest, most unhelpful responses today. My guess is because I am a TA. We always get punished for trying to sell the airlines products! Help!!! Hi,

I am a Travel Manager in Texas who has been heading a large agency for about 6 years now. Wow, am I having the worst issues with BA right now. I have a 7 segment flight roundtrip from Lubbock to Heathrow and then on to Prague and home from Vienna. It is plated on BA except for the LBB-IAH flights. Yesterday I went in to check my itinerary and query about seats on BA.com and noticed that the CO flights weren’t there anymore. I looked in SABRE and sure enough everything was still there. I didnt’ pay attention to the booking class because they were ticketed and paid for by a VISA card back in August. Today I received a notice in Sabre from BA saying that I needed to update my record because my itinerary didn’t match my E-Ticket. I immediately called BA and they told me that I had cancelled and rebooked my entire itinerary yesterday and that I would need to pay the upgrade difference (around $2000.00 total). I have spent all day today on the phone with them trying to put it back the way that I ticketed it and paid for. I have called the BA TA help desk three times and now they won’t even speak to me. They told me I would have to wait 5 days and then they would check and see what the fare difference would be that I need to pay. You talk about a dirty airline! I don’t know how we let these companies get away with this?? I want to just cancel the whole trip and lose my money rather than give them another $2000.00. I would do that but I am afraid they would just send me a debit memo and try to collect the difference in fare even after I cancel. I have received the rudest, most unhelpful responses today. My guess is because I am a TA. We always get punished for trying to sell the airlines products! Help!!!

]]> By: pontus http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-25827 pontus Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:23:05 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-25827 Due to a traffic accident blocking the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, I could not get to the airport in time. In fact, I even called BA one hour before the flight departed, telling them that I was stuck on the bridge, moving nowhere. I was on my way to Scotland to be the best man of a dear friend's wedding. British Airways would charge me $3000 to put me on their next flight to London (the following day), or otherwise I could just forget about the whole thing. They were incredibly rude and couldn't care less about my situation. Accepting the situation I found a reasonable cheap one-way ticket with Air NZ. So I called BA back to make sure they wouldn't cancel my return trip. To my great surprise, they refused!!! They simply said that my ticket was useless now that I missed my first flight, and there was no way I was getting on that return flight (unless, they said, I'd pay the $3000). This is nuts! I can't believe the absolute disregard BA has for their passengers. Instead of helping a really unfortunate passenger out, they try to make a profit on his desperation. Shameful. In the end, I booked a return flight with Air NZ for $1700. Due to a traffic accident blocking the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, I could not get to the airport in time. In fact, I even called BA one hour before the flight departed, telling them that I was stuck on the bridge, moving nowhere. I was on my way to Scotland to be the best man of a dear friend’s wedding. British Airways would charge me $3000 to put me on their next flight to London (the following day), or otherwise I could just forget about the whole thing. They were incredibly rude and couldn’t care less about my situation.

Accepting the situation I found a reasonable cheap one-way ticket with Air NZ. So I called BA back to make sure they wouldn’t cancel my return trip. To my great surprise, they refused!!! They simply said that my ticket was useless now that I missed my first flight, and there was no way I was getting on that return flight (unless, they said, I’d pay the $3000). This is nuts! I can’t believe the absolute disregard BA has for their passengers. Instead of helping a really unfortunate passenger out, they try to make a profit on his desperation. Shameful.

In the end, I booked a return flight with Air NZ for $1700.

]]> By: Huzefa Chithiwala http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-25241 Huzefa Chithiwala Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:57:32 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-25241 All of you please go to the www.flyersrights.org and sign a petition. Next file a complaint with FAA online. http://airconsumer.dot.gov/problems.htm These are the only proper channels that are voices will be heard. Everything else is useless. They are currently helping me. This is easy to do. Take 5 minutes out of your time and please follow through. Thanks All of you please go to the http://www.flyersrights.org and sign a petition. Next file a complaint with FAA online. http://airconsumer.dot.gov/problems.htm

These are the only proper channels that are voices will be heard. Everything else is useless. They are currently helping me. This is easy to do. Take 5 minutes out of your time and please follow through.

Thanks

]]> By: Jo http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-25107 Jo Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:37:59 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-25107 Look at this page too http://www.britishairways.com/travel/disabilityassistanceinfo/public/en_gb Look at this page too http://www.britishairways.com/travel/disabilityassistanceinfo/public/en_gb

]]> By: Jo http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-25106 Jo Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:35:55 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-25106 Rajanbabu, BA has a service for unaccompanied minors and i am thinking that something similar may apply in your case. Check the info at http://www.britishairways.com/travel/childinfo/public/en_gb?gsLink=searchResults Morever, i would just call BA and ask them about your situation, i am sure they face it very often. I would guess the one thing that your parents need the most, is for someone to explain what will happen during their trip so that they know what to expect (flight-lenght, meals, entertainment, immigration if any, etc) and for a BA representative to escort them from the gate of their first flight to the gate of their connecting flight. BA has various services, so again, just call them up and inquire about the best way to assure your parents make it to their next flight on time and without a problem. :) Rajanbabu, BA has a service for unaccompanied minors and i am thinking that something similar may apply in your case. Check the info at http://www.britishairways.com/travel/childinfo/public/en_gb?gsLink=searchResults

Morever, i would just call BA and ask them about your situation, i am sure they face it very often. I would guess the one thing that your parents need the most, is for someone to explain what will happen during their trip so that they know what to expect (flight-lenght, meals, entertainment, immigration if any, etc) and for a BA representative to escort them from the gate of their first flight to the gate of their connecting flight. BA has various services, so again, just call them up and inquire about the best way to assure your parents make it to their next flight on time and without a problem. :)

]]> By: Rajaraman http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-25077 Rajaraman Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:05:40 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-25077 My Parents are leaving back on 22nd October to Chennai from Seattle through British airlines. This is first time for them and they can understand very little English. They both are elementary school teachers. Do you have any suggestion to arrange with British airways to help for my parents? If any leaves the same day that can help, please email me at rajbab2002@yahoo.com or call me at 425-591-6842 Thanks, Rajanbabu My Parents are leaving back on 22nd October to Chennai from Seattle through British airlines. This is first time for them and they can understand very little English. They both are elementary school teachers.

Do you have any suggestion to arrange with British airways to help for my parents?

If any leaves the same day that can help, please email me at rajbab2002@yahoo.com or call me at 425-591-6842

Thanks,

Rajanbabu

]]> By: Hans Rorby http://www.elliott.org/help/british-airways/comment-page-1/#comment-22807 Hans Rorby Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:36:29 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/british-airways/#comment-22807 Just flew Club LHR-DFW R/T. A smooth professional flight, excellent service, a personable, charming crew, excellent lounge in LHR. Just as a counterbalance to all the other stuff. Just flew Club LHR-DFW R/T. A smooth professional flight, excellent service, a personable, charming crew, excellent lounge in LHR.

Just as a counterbalance to all the other stuff.

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