Alitalia MilleMiglia - AMEX Alitalia Gold in Italy. The horror, the horror.

Guys,

I just wished to share my PAINFUL experience in getting an AMEX Alitalia Gold Business in Italy.

I submitted the documents for the request on Sept. 26th.

Since then, they (or rather, the outsourcer they use for data entry...) have called me at my home phone (my home phone! With the office phone, office fax, email, and cellphone available, you call me at home at 11 am? Really?) tens of times, requesting:
1) some "proof" of my private residence (for a business card?) since my ID card brings a different address (as any Italian may know, ID cards do not get updated if you move...)
2) id documents of my business partner (?) sent three times (by fax and by email)

After the last call, received tuesday (interrupting an important meeting) and requesting once again the same documents I faxed over and over, I am sincerely so disappointed I am thinking about cancelling the request altogether, and cancelling the other AMEX cards we have as a business too. We are now at 1.5 months after the request, they seem to lose constantly track of this paperwork, and I am beginning to feel like these people do not deserve my business (I will not quantify for privacy reasons, but I can assure it is a significant flow of payments, always covered without exceptions or issues, over more than 5 years of ongoing relationship).

Has anyone had any experiences just as bad with AMEX in Italy?

I am sorry to hear of the troubles you are experiencing with your application! P.S.: I have had Amex cards for ages and, for some odd reason, I have always been contacted on my landline number!

Been an AMEX customer for quite a few years in Italy and personally have never had any problems except for Membership Rewards (where I have had some problems with points accumulations)

The customer service is pretty good but to be honest I can't really remember very much about the application process

HOWEVER I do also have some mates who have / have had AMEX cards here in Italy and not everyone is as happy as me

Certainly the Plat card is the best value for money card they have
It costs quite a lot but the benefits are top notch -> one of my favourites is the car hire insurance which when used (as a claim) is dealt with very quickly

Sent a refund claim in September - within 3 weeks had the money on my account..^

Certainly the Plat card is the best value for money card they have It costs quite a lot but the benefits are top notch

Unluckily, there is no Alitalia Platinum Business.

Sorry to hear of the trouble you are going through...

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Jubilate deo! It looks like, with the help of a map and a gps, they were finally able to find their own a55 with their hands, and it is now in its "final stages" of processing, with no further input required. Good grief... 1.5 months to enter a form!

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Jubilate deo! It looks like, with the help of a map and a gps, they were finally able to find their own a55 with their hands, and it is now in its "final stages" of processing, with no further input required. Good grief... 1.5 months to enter a form!

Meno male!!! You'll see their service improves!!!

Jubilate deo! It looks like, with the help of a map and a gps, they were finally able to find their own a55 with their hands, and it is now in its "final stages" of processing, with no further input required. Good grief... 1.5 months to enter a form!

This is getting even more ridiculous. Still "in the final stages" of whatever. Call back in 10 days maybe.

This is getting even more ridiculous. Still "in the final stages" of whatever. Call back in 10 days maybe.

Sooooo... on december 15 (after weekly useless calls), I get to know that I am a cardholder "since december 1st" (what? and the past two weeks?!).

My card has been mailed to me via a private service of express mail (sailpost).

OK, so I put on hold my first 2012 reservations, eager to earn my additional miles.

Dec. 21st, still no card, I get the tracking nr and the phone nr of Sailpost. I call.

"I'm trying to track an AMEX card which I should have received by now"
"OK, your surname?"
"XXXXXXX"
shuffle... shuffle...
"Yes, it's here. We can deliver it by... ANTONIOOOOOOOOOO WHEN CAN WE DELIVER THIS?... by wednesday".
Picture my face: :confused:
"Oh great... WAIT! Today is wednesday. By WHICH wednesday?"
"Oh, the 28th"

Long story short, I went and picked it up myself.

I am really AMAZED by how painful this has been.

I am really AMAZED by how painful this has been.

I'm most sorry to hear that, mate, however this is common practice for any Italian company, I'm afraid. I lived down there for quite a few years and I'm still amazed by how patient I was, mainly because I was used to a completely different way of dealing with customers, in a Country (the United Kingdom) where things get done properly most of the times.

I'm most sorry to hear that, mate, however this is common practice for any Italian company, I'm afraid. I lived down there for quite a few years and I'm still amazed by how patient I was, mainly because I was used to a completely different way of dealing with customers, in a Country (the United Kingdom) where things get done properly most of the times.

But this is not, or rather should not be, an Italian company!

And, regarding british customer service...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDxIFQLOiV0

:D

But this is not, or rather should not be, an Italian company!

The service I get from Amex in the UK is constantly above standards ^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDxIFQLOiV0

:D

P.S.: Merry Christmas! :)

I'm most sorry to hear that, mate, however this is common practice for any Italian company, I'm afraid. I lived down there for quite a few years and I'm still amazed by how patient I was, mainly because I was used to a completely different way of dealing with customers, in a Country (the United Kingdom) where things get done properly most of the times..

Nice to see that London is now in Italy:
American Express Services Europe Limited,
Belgrave House
76 Buckingham Palace Road
Londra SW1W 9AX (UK)

rappresentanza stabile,
Largo Caduti di El Alamein, 9,
00173 Roma.


AlicorporateUK, it's time for the truth: Santa doesn't exist and the British Empire is over. I do understand that many Brits took their civilising mission seriously, and I'm very grateful for bringing light to the dark ages, but now let's say that the mission is accomplished ;)

Nice to see that London is now in Italy:
American Express Services Europe Limited,
Belgrave House
76 Buckingham Palace Road
Londra SW1W 9AX (UK)

rappresentanza stabile,
Largo Caduti di El Alamein, 9,
00173 Roma.


AlicorporateUK, it's time for the truth: Santa doesn't exist and the British Empire is over. I do understand that many Brits took their civilising mission seriously, and I'm very grateful for bringing light to the dark ages, but now let's say that the mission is accomplished ;)

I actually meant the mail company ;) Moreover, I was aware that Amex's head office is based up here in Britain, yet the people working at their branch in Rome are obviously Italian and not British ;)

Hi, do you get level miles counting toward platinum status for charges made on your Alitalia American Express? I have been platinum for years with Air France using the French Air France American Express. But starting this month, the miles are no longer level miles. I'm looking for another SkyTeam carrier with a credit card partner offering level miles. A Flying Blue partner like Air Europa would be the best. But I do not see an Air Europa thread on FlyerTalk.

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Hi, do you get level miles counting toward platinum status for charges made on your Alitalia American Express? I have been platinum for years with Air France using the French Air France American Express. But starting this month, the miles are no longer level miles. I'm looking for another SkyTeam carrier with a credit card partner offering level miles. A Flying Blue partner like Air Europa would be the best. But I do not see an Air Europa thread on FlyerTalk.

You get miles for any purchase, level miles only for ticket purchases.

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You get miles for any purchase, level miles only for ticket purchases.

So How is the card going??

I'm a bit annoyed that the plat is up to 700€... Going to have to consider if worthwhile this year...

How much is the Gold now?

So How is the card going??

I'm a bit annoyed that the plat is up to 700€... Going to have to consider if worthwhile this year...

How much is the Gold now?

Waiting for the first miles to post on my account. Spent 4500EUR+ on the first month, most of which in tickets. Let's see :)

For the business alitalia gold card, it's 95 EUR the first year, 190 afterwards.