Finnair Plus - So Much for oneworld Finnair style

I travelled HKG BKK on CX Biz then Finnair BKK Helsinki Frankfurt Biz class
my bags were booked through to Frankfurt by CX and boarding passes issued for all 3 flights on CX cards

I am now in Frankfurt airport booked FINNAIR BIZ to Helsinki and Bangkok then CX to HKG
I have the same route return to HKG via CX 712

FINNAIR WILL NOT BOOK MY BAGS THROUGH TO HKG ONLY TO BKK

SO I HAVE TO CLEAR MY BAG IN BANGKOK AND CHECK IN AGAIN WITH CX
THIS IS RIDICULOUS

oneworld >>>>>>>??????????????

consider this before you choose Finnair again :td:

Are the flights on the same PNR? I have had many times this problem even with KUO-HEL using AY and HEL-LHR using BA - when the tickets have been on separate PNR:s.

That's against Finnair's own policy. I think you should file a complaint. Being on separate PNRs is not a reason in this case (according to oneworld policy and Finnair's own publicly stated policy, which naturally is basically the same as the oneworld policy).

Outsourced station staff can be utterly sour sometimes... Sometimes it might pay to call for the supervisors!

This is definitely a case of outsourced check in staff not knowing all the relevant policies.

Please do write a complaint letter or email to Finnair as they deserve to know about this and hopefully take it up with the handling company in FRA.

I've encountered similar at MAN.

Two separate PNRs, AY MAN-HEL on one PNR, AY HEL-HKG and QF HKG-MEL on 2nd. Check-in agent insisted he couldn't thru check two separate tickets. I queried with him as to what made AY the exception when this has always been possible on other OW carriers. After much tutting, rolling of eyes etc, he triumphantly produced Bag Tags all the way through and (surprisingly) BPs for the QF leg which I thought may not be possible and which didn't really bother me.

Sometimes I think it's just a lack of confidence/training on the part of the outsourced check-in staff.

As an aside, something obviously didn't happen as normal though; after boarding at HKG a ground agent requested to see my bag tags down to MEL. A quick message into the hand-held and we were OK to go.

BD

Exactly the same issue I've had with LA on multiple occasions, sometimes even with same ticket/PNR. To request a supervisor might help but not everytime as outsourced staff often are what they are in terms of customer service..honestly..

Another typical problem is for example the following: checking in at a remote OW location with carrier X and connecting later during the journey to AY on the same ticket/PNR:

1. normal luggage OK for carrier X per ticket rules (people often think there's a general OW status based luggage allowance but there's not..)

2. you have for example golf bag or scuba kit with you = you need to pay extra for carrier X for that as it goes over the total allowance per ticket rules = totally OK and within the rules

3. AY has status based extra allowance for sport equipment for their own status pax on AY metal = free scuba or golf kit.

4. carrier X refuses to check in your sport kit as they say they don't know if it's OK with AY and if they will get extra charges from AY for it... and this leads to a big mess, phone calls to Finland in time zones are permitting etc.

I can understand some outstations which most likely have never heard about AY, or Finland, for that matter, but when this happens at AY/Carrier X codeshare station it's really frustrating..I've notified AY about this issue many, many times but it still exists.

This issue is getting more and more evident as many OW carriers have become very strict about luggage allowance during the last few years...I've had AA to request me to take 3 lbs out of my "to be checked in bag" and take it as carryon to avoid $50 surcharge...all this for an Emerald when flying intra-US F and connecting to int'l J, all on AA metal, so yes, they are playing by the book/rules.

You've been warned ;)

it gets worse
On the outbound to Europe flight the Finnflopair flight attendant opened the overhead locker and dropped my computer onto my leg from 1.7 meters up then onto the floor Guess what The battery is broken now
Having been forced to get get my bag in Bangkok and go through Immigration etc Guess what - they lost my bloody bag - it was still in Helsinki - so much fo Biz class and they had no IFE - just handed out DVD players
Kak airline
Kak oneworld member

Quite a lot of bad luck to befall one person...Or then internet legend. Like Fox News used to advertise "You decide"

Bad luck aside...

What was AY's reply to the luggage issue? It's an advertised OW benefit that they'll through check luggage to/from other OW airlines and we, as their customers, should really make a mess out of it if they cannot/won't do it. As said here earlier, AY has outsources their ground services at most outstations but it's only an excuse.

as of the moment I received no reply Their local manager said 'I was in the queue' for a reply. They found my bag in Helsinki and delivered it in the evening of the next day.

Frankfurt is hardly a 3rd world checkin location. I got the b...h to call her supervisor or supposedly she did and still she would not check me through even though I showed her 3 CX boarding passes correctly issued in the other direction for AY flights. Then , have you tried contacting AY customer service ? well you have to call Finland and they tell you a charge will apply for their time to talk to you. Nice little earner given the amount of complaints they must get.

Frankfurt is hardly a 3rd world checkin location. I got the b...h to call her supervisor or supposedly she did and still she would not check me through even though I showed her 3 CX boarding passes correctly issued in the other direction for AY flights.

While I do not recall the name of the handling agent at FRA, the same company also does the check-in for Icelandair. As mentioned several times now, they only have a contract with Finnair but are not employed by them.

But I agree with you that check-in at FRA could be better. Terminal 2 is rock bottom also in that aspect and I try to avoid flying OneWorld from and to Frankfurt as much as possible.

Then , have you tried contacting AY customer service ? well you have to call Finland and they tell you a charge will apply for their time to talk to you. Nice little earner given the amount of complaints they must get.

Why don't you send an e-mail to Finnair Plus?

Frankfurt is hardly a 3rd world checkin location. I got the b...h to call her supervisor or supposedly she did and still she would not check me through

Whatever the issue, I don't think there is a need to describe anyone doing their job (however good/bad) in these terms. Hopefully you did not display this sort of attitude at check-in.

even though I showed her 3 CX boarding passes correctly issued in the other direction for AY flights.

Quite irrelevant, BPs do NOT equate to Bag Tags. Quite often an airline will tag bags to final destination but not be able to issue the BPs (the opposite to what you were trying to prove, but illustrates the point that I'm making). The class of travel is also irrelevant: interlining is either a benefit or it isn't. In this case it is and you're entitled to make a complaint.

Are you not able to raise this issue with Finnair in Hong Kong (+852 2117 1238), I suggest you don't use the B****h word, though.

BD

Hello!
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From: Lio Connie [mailto:Connie.Lio@finnair.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 12:21 PM

Subject: RE: BKKAY16HELBKK/AY095/30Oct

Dear Marco Polo,

Thanks again for your understanding. We always need some good feedbacks to keep or to improve our services. I am sure that our Customer Relations Department will contact you as soon as your case comes next in queue.

Have a nice day.
Connie
________________________________________
From.Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 11:56 AM
To: Lio Connie
Subject: RE: BKKAY16HELBKK/AY095/30Oct
It was frankly a disaster
I have 2 million miles with CX already and thought I would try another route to Europe
I almost missed my connecting flight in Bangkok whilst waiting for the missing bag and had to run to the gate
The main complaint is the ground staff at Cologne who flatly refused to check me through onto CX to Hong Kong even though I showed her the CX booking and that CX is oneworld

From: Lio Connie [mailto:Connie.Lio@finnair.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 11:49 AM
Cc: HKG Finnair
Subject: BKKAY16HELBKK/AY095/30Oct

Dear Marco Polo

Greetings from Finnair Hong Kong.

Please excuse me for the late reply as we read the email on Monday and your file number below was not easy to recognized. It took me sometimes to check with our Bangkok Airport handling agent to find out what had happened to your luggage. I was told this morning that the luggage had been delivered to you on Sunday, so I hope that you had found all your important documents. Please accept my apology for all the inconvenience thus caused.

As mentioned by my Customer Care Center colleague that, your feedback will be handled by our Customer Relations Department and they should be in contact with you soon for the other issues.
Contrary to the impression created, please be informed that all the flights between Hong Kong and Helsinki are operated by A340-300 and the Bangkok flight will also be replaced by A340-300 very shortly. We look forward to serve your again in the future and please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any further assistance.

Best regards.
Connie
Connie Lio
Sales Manager, Hong Kong & Taiwan
Finnair Oyj
Mailing Address: Unit 2312, 23/F., Cosco Tower, 183 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong
connie.lio@finnair.com, www.finnair.com
Dir: +852 2117 1232
Tel: +852 2117 1238, Fax: +852 2117 1239

:mad::td: