Kayon
Oct 8, 09, 10:20 am
Hi everybuddy,
Just seeking advice after extremely disappointing experience with VS check-in staff at LHR. Have flown VS for more than 10 years and have never experienced anything this unprofessional. Flew with partner on VS 652 from Lagos on Oct 3, connecting on VS 11 on Oct 4 to Boston. Couldn't check bag through from Lagos to Boston so we had to store our 1 bag in Terminal 3.
On day of flight, we checked in online and printed boarding passes for the flight. However (due to tube delays) arrived back at Heathrow just 10 mins before the close of baggage drop. I went straight to the check-in desk to let them know our situatuation while the boyfriend ran to retrieve our bag from storage. Unfortunately, he arrived back 5 mins after the baggage drop limit and we were told the flight was closed AND they had cancelled our reservations.
Now, we were never advised at any point that they were going to cancel our reservations, when they took my passport and boarding pass, they told me they wanted to "process the baggage tag.". My partner and I are both physicians and needed to be back in the hospital in Boston that evening and still had time to make it to the gate 30 mins before departure. Furthermore, we had family with us at LHR who would have taken the bag with them and sent it on later. In the worst case scenario, seeing as we had only 1 bag, one of us could have rebooked if necessary so that we both did not miss work commitments.
In the end, this whole experience cost us $500 to rebook on the flight to JFK, $300 + 5 hours of driving through the night to get to Boston from New York, 2 work shifts missed at the hospital and an incredible amount of anger and frustration at VS and the extremely rude treatment we got from the staff.
Seeing as we had valid boarding passes and other options for dealing with our bag (i.e. giving it to family to mail) after we missed the baggage drop, should our reservations have been cancelled?
k*
Just seeking advice after extremely disappointing experience with VS check-in staff at LHR. Have flown VS for more than 10 years and have never experienced anything this unprofessional. Flew with partner on VS 652 from Lagos on Oct 3, connecting on VS 11 on Oct 4 to Boston. Couldn't check bag through from Lagos to Boston so we had to store our 1 bag in Terminal 3.
On day of flight, we checked in online and printed boarding passes for the flight. However (due to tube delays) arrived back at Heathrow just 10 mins before the close of baggage drop. I went straight to the check-in desk to let them know our situatuation while the boyfriend ran to retrieve our bag from storage. Unfortunately, he arrived back 5 mins after the baggage drop limit and we were told the flight was closed AND they had cancelled our reservations.
Now, we were never advised at any point that they were going to cancel our reservations, when they took my passport and boarding pass, they told me they wanted to "process the baggage tag.". My partner and I are both physicians and needed to be back in the hospital in Boston that evening and still had time to make it to the gate 30 mins before departure. Furthermore, we had family with us at LHR who would have taken the bag with them and sent it on later. In the worst case scenario, seeing as we had only 1 bag, one of us could have rebooked if necessary so that we both did not miss work commitments.
In the end, this whole experience cost us $500 to rebook on the flight to JFK, $300 + 5 hours of driving through the night to get to Boston from New York, 2 work shifts missed at the hospital and an incredible amount of anger and frustration at VS and the extremely rude treatment we got from the staff.
Seeing as we had valid boarding passes and other options for dealing with our bag (i.e. giving it to family to mail) after we missed the baggage drop, should our reservations have been cancelled?
k*