Air New Zealand Air Points - AirPoints Service Centre Service drops to new lows

It seems that APs no longer wanted members to contact them by mail. Even the so called premium team. :td:

Previosly over the past 10 years, I have had very good discussions via email with AP premium teams, esp. when looking at dates, upgrades and award flights. Recently this has ground to a total halt, with basically almost and standoofish dont annoy us attitude. Basically saying that you should use the non available functions on the website.

I sent a mail to the premium team asking about award seats next february or March. With specific dates - basically a one off shot to see, as I would kick myself if I found they were available.

After 48 hours I received a form mail back saying the following;


Dear Mark,

Thank you for your email. To make this booking you will need to phone the Airpoints Service Centre.

Should you have any further queries, please call our London Office on 0800 028 4149 or the Airpoints Service Centre on +64 (03) 374 7208, or visit our website at www.airnewzealand.com

Kind Regards,
name removed
Airpoints Consultant


So instead of the person taking one minuite to look up availability she asked me to call LONG DISTANCE to NZ (I live in CPH -and they know that).

So I sent a mail back saying these numbers were long distance, and could they not look into it. To which someone else replied - this time in 10 mins, so they are reading mails, by queuing them :mad:


Dear Mark

Thank you for your email.

We have provided you with toll free numbers which cost nothing. This allows you to phone at your convenience. Or alternatively you can again at your convenience visit our website at http://www.airnewzealand.co.uk/airpoints/default.htm.

Kind Regards
Name Removed
Airpoints Consultant

Note - these are not toll free from Denmark (the Danish toll free number has not worked for over 12 months), and that if you go to the website it tells you quite clearly that you cannot book award travel online for LHR/AKL/MEL and to please email or phone the service centre! :rolleyes:


Okay so getting no where, I picked up the phone, not free as claimed, and then found hardly surprising that there was no availability - actually surprised that there was some for two people in business, but the dates did not work, I had specific one shot dates.

So instead of just doing some customer service, one minuite on the system to say 'sorry nothing is availble please contact us to discuss other options' they send two mails, have me phone long distance.

Crazy, needless to say I chatted with someone from CS who will follow this up, but if APs are no longer allowed to discuss award bookings via email and shoving everything to non existant functions on the website then customer service has really hit new lows. Or maybe it was just a bad day in Christchurch?

Will keep you informed, - any one lese had similar experiences - must also add that this is the first time in 10 years I have experienced this.

Mark

"As this is revenue travel you will need to call Reservations to change flights/seats/insert airpoints number" particularly sticks out in my mind.

Hopeless ! For a company that says they embrace the internet this is a very poor show indeed.

PS - Has anyone recieved their Gold/Elite Koru Review for November yet ?

I have long lost faith in sending them emails. Ten to one they are gonna reply with useless copy and paste information or link to their website.

It is a shame as they used to be helpful and conversational via mail. Now it is rarely ever helpful, and often incorrect - at least it is in writing.

The funniest example was a couple of months ago, I sent it exactly the same format as the website a request for an upgrade, and they wrote back to say they would slap me with a $25 charge. So I filled out the online form.

And what did it do, emailed the details exactly the same format, to exactly the same person and then she would happily do it :rolleyes:

I guess what surprised me the most is all the so called online labour saving does i send a mail (with name, pnr, dates etc), whereas you would have thought it would interact directly with their system.

Mark