Big airlines can't do good phone service?
Jul 29, 2015, 12:13 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,725
Big airlines can't do good phone service?
Phoned British Airways today to do seat selection, as their website wasn't recognising my AA status.
As a total nobody, with no BA status or even a BA FF number, I was on the phone with an agent inside five minutes. When she realized she couldn't answer my question, she had me escalated to an exec level agent in five minutes more.
This turned out to be a really weird IT glitch, so the BA agent asked for my phone number so she could call me back once she'd resolved my issue.
Twelve minutes later, she phoned back with not only my issue resolved, but an explanation of where BA's system had gone wrong, as well as concrete steps she'd taken towards getting it fixed moving forwards.
All of this took less than thirty minutes, and began with a recorded message saying "we apologise if our response is slower than usual, as we are experiencing a high volume of calls at the moment".
Meanwhile, I call aeroplan and the phone just rings and rings...
Tell me again about the part where good customer phone service is difficult for large, multinational airlines?
As a total nobody, with no BA status or even a BA FF number, I was on the phone with an agent inside five minutes. When she realized she couldn't answer my question, she had me escalated to an exec level agent in five minutes more.
This turned out to be a really weird IT glitch, so the BA agent asked for my phone number so she could call me back once she'd resolved my issue.
Twelve minutes later, she phoned back with not only my issue resolved, but an explanation of where BA's system had gone wrong, as well as concrete steps she'd taken towards getting it fixed moving forwards.
All of this took less than thirty minutes, and began with a recorded message saying "we apologise if our response is slower than usual, as we are experiencing a high volume of calls at the moment".
Meanwhile, I call aeroplan and the phone just rings and rings...
Tell me again about the part where good customer phone service is difficult for large, multinational airlines?
Jul 29, 2015, 12:19 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ZRH
Programs: AC SE 100K
Posts: 924
Phoned British Airways today to do seat selection, as their website wasn't recognising my AA status.
As a total nobody, with no BA status or even a BA FF number, I was on the phone with an agent inside five minutes. When she realized she couldn't answer my question, she had me escalated to an exec level agent in five minutes more.
This turned out to be a really weird IT glitch, so the BA agent asked for my phone number so she could call me back once she'd resolved my issue.
Twelve minutes later, she phoned back with not only my issue resolved, but an explanation of where BA's system had gone wrong, as well as concrete steps she'd taken towards getting it fixed moving forwards.
All of this took less than thirty minutes, and began with a recorded message saying "we apologise if our response is slower than usual, as we are experiencing a high volume of calls at the moment".
Meanwhile, I call aeroplan and the phone just rings and rings...
Tell me again about the part where good customer phone service is difficult for large, multinational airlines?
As a total nobody, with no BA status or even a BA FF number, I was on the phone with an agent inside five minutes. When she realized she couldn't answer my question, she had me escalated to an exec level agent in five minutes more.
This turned out to be a really weird IT glitch, so the BA agent asked for my phone number so she could call me back once she'd resolved my issue.
Twelve minutes later, she phoned back with not only my issue resolved, but an explanation of where BA's system had gone wrong, as well as concrete steps she'd taken towards getting it fixed moving forwards.
All of this took less than thirty minutes, and began with a recorded message saying "we apologise if our response is slower than usual, as we are experiencing a high volume of calls at the moment".
Meanwhile, I call aeroplan and the phone just rings and rings...
Tell me again about the part where good customer phone service is difficult for large, multinational airlines?
Both calls- answered so fast I was not ready for them with my info.
I just avoid ever calling Aeroplan - it is a complete and utter disaster. And don't get me started on how ridiculous it is to try to redeem for flights. . . (OK- I will get started - - I am trying to get 1 return seat YYZ-NYC (any airport) next June on June 16 with a return of June 20 - - There are almost no seats available at all on any flight. I am trying to redeem on LX (or others) to go ZRH-OSL in December and really all of the various routings are available in any class on all flights on all days . . . . )
Jul 29, 2015, 12:28 am
#3
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,284
Phoned British Airways today to do seat selection, as their website wasn't recognising my AA status.
As a total nobody, with no BA status or even a BA FF number, I was on the phone with an agent inside five minutes. When she realized she couldn't answer my question, she had me escalated to an exec level agent in five minutes more.
This turned out to be a really weird IT glitch, so the BA agent asked for my phone number so she could call me back once she'd resolved my issue.
Twelve minutes later, she phoned back with not only my issue resolved, but an explanation of where BA's system had gone wrong, as well as concrete steps she'd taken towards getting it fixed moving forwards.
All of this took less than thirty minutes, and began with a recorded message saying "we apologise if our response is slower than usual, as we are experiencing a high volume of calls at the moment".
Meanwhile, I call aeroplan and the phone just rings and rings...
Tell me again about the part where good customer phone service is difficult for large, multinational airlines?
As a total nobody, with no BA status or even a BA FF number, I was on the phone with an agent inside five minutes. When she realized she couldn't answer my question, she had me escalated to an exec level agent in five minutes more.
This turned out to be a really weird IT glitch, so the BA agent asked for my phone number so she could call me back once she'd resolved my issue.
Twelve minutes later, she phoned back with not only my issue resolved, but an explanation of where BA's system had gone wrong, as well as concrete steps she'd taken towards getting it fixed moving forwards.
All of this took less than thirty minutes, and began with a recorded message saying "we apologise if our response is slower than usual, as we are experiencing a high volume of calls at the moment".
Meanwhile, I call aeroplan and the phone just rings and rings...
Tell me again about the part where good customer phone service is difficult for large, multinational airlines?
Jul 29, 2015, 9:46 am
#5
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,726
I recently had great experiences with NZ as well. Initial hold times were virtually nil and the agents were generally friendly, knowledgeable and efficient.
Fair comment that Aeroplan isn't an airline itself, but it's somewhat unique in that AC has spun it off, and it's still virtually an extension of AC since they use AC's inventory and AC's *A agreements. So I think it's fair to lump it in with airlines.
This is an important distinction. My friends and family who have no status tell horror stories of waiting forever on the phone with AC just to speak to an agent, whereas calls to the SE line are picked up virtually right away.
Fair comment that Aeroplan isn't an airline itself, but it's somewhat unique in that AC has spun it off, and it's still virtually an extension of AC since they use AC's inventory and AC's *A agreements. So I think it's fair to lump it in with airlines.
This is an important distinction. My friends and family who have no status tell horror stories of waiting forever on the phone with AC just to speak to an agent, whereas calls to the SE line are picked up virtually right away.
Jul 29, 2015, 10:16 am
#6
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,987
That's not my experience with BA. I routinely had wait times over 30 minutes just to make Avios bookings. Many people used to just call the Singapore or Hong Kong office instead to bypass the wait times. Having said that I think things have improved recently on BA in my last few experiences. I have no BA status.
Jul 29, 2015, 11:36 am
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
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Posts: 44,284
I remember a 45 minute wait a few years ago (pre-status), but I just kept my phone on speaker while I packed and planned for my trip.
Jul 29, 2015, 11:43 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,725
I use the speakerphone method as well; my 'high score' this year, before I hit status, was two and a half hours.
Jul 29, 2015, 11:46 am
#9
Formerly known as newbie elite
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: YUL
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador, Accor Platinum, AC50K
Posts: 2,921
AE is not an airline but AE is as independent from AC as Rouge is...Such a large proportion of inter-company transactions between these two preclude if, marketing bs notwithstanding.
Jul 29, 2015, 8:56 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
The guy that has a copyright of this phrase is making a ton, probably more than the founder of Twitter. Do I need to pay him to use it on my answering machine.
