bmi diamond club - 1 hour & 15 minutes on hold

I thought that the BMI Diamond club was supposed to be one of the best FF schemes, but I've just been on hold for 1:15, and still no answer. Shocking!

Is this normal? And it was their 0870 number...

Was tempted to get a BA Gold status match from them, but after this not sure whether to even bother!

I thought that the BMI Diamond club was supposed to be one of the best FF schemes, but I've just been on hold for 1:15, and still no answer. Shocking!

Is this normal? And it was their 0870 number...

Was tempted to get a BA Gold status match from them, but after this not sure whether to even bother!

I've never had to hold for more than a few minutes. That said, I was on hold for 40mins the other night - needed to grab a seat in F for my other half otherwise I would have hung up.


B

I thought that the BMI Diamond club was supposed to be one of the best FF schemes
It is, but no one ever ever ever suggested the ICC was perfect.

Shocking!
Agreed.

Was tempted to get a BA Gold status match from them, but after this not sure whether to even bother!
Your loss - I wouldn't give up at the first hurdle.

Since this message, I called up again on the 01332 number and got through in 3 minutes! No idea what is going on there....

Not going to throw the baby out of the bath water here - gonna send them the stuff needed for the status match for * gold.

Thank goodness for VOIP and speakerphone. I was on hold with the DC Gold line for 28 minutes before giving up around 4pm GMT yesterday. Called back a couple of hours later and was on hold less than a minute.

I can't believe anyone still calls 0870 numbers. www.saynoto0870.com is your friend.

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever read on FT was from wise owl Gaza who had some knowledge of the operation of call centres. He said that, if you hadn't been answered within a few minutes, it was likely you wouldn't be answered at all and that you would be better trying at another time (admittedly this is difficult with the restricted opening hours). Spending excessive time on hold in the hope of being answered is a bit like sitting on a cloudy beach waiting for the sun to shine; not a great use of time.

I prefer to use my local airport ticket desk for anything the call centre can't handle.

I've never had to hold for more than a few minutes. That said, I was on hold for 40mins the other nightHuh?:confused:

I heard shocking things about the hold time calling BD, however last sunday I called at 2am Pacific time, so 10am UK time and got through in less than 1 minute. I asked for my seat which I researched in advance and got the booking correct within 10 minutes. I have to admit it was a hard time to get it out of the agents head that I fly from Los Angeles instead London but in the end it worked.

I suggest the op just count it towards any sort of bad experience and get your BD match ^

I can't believe anyone still calls 0870 numbers. www.saynoto0870.com is your friend.

^ It was you that gave me website before and I still use it. Great tool.

I notice one of the poster's in this forum is from LA so hopefully my question is not too far OT. I have been in Diamond Club for a bit over a year now and have enough now for the redemption I want, thanks to cash and points!, and have been researching via ANA. I believe my research is done and I have dates and alternatives for a SEA-FRA, FRA-DME, and DME-SEA picked out, all three as one way bookings.

I have seen a lot of phone numbers mentioned, and I'll be calling from the US Pacific time zone. I haven't called the UK in many years, so perhaps some gentle advice could be offered RE:

best time to call for minimal wait times (and given that I don't want to be up at 3am Pacific).

best number to call to given that I will be using a Costco phone card, hence calling into that 800#, giving my PIN, and then dialing the appropriate UK number. I mention this in that some numbers can't be reached via phone cards (example, calling from overseas back to the states and trying to call an '800' type number in the states... you often have to have a 'toll' style area code such as 206)?

What the dialing string is for the number recommended? I know that for German relatives I strip out some numbers that they normally use. I know the 011 part for overseas but not up on country code/city code/etc. for UK numbers.

Any issues with US based credit card for booking via ICC (which is where I believe I will be connected by calling the UK number)?

all input appreciated.

I notice one of the poster's in this forum is from LA so hopefully my question is not too far OT. I have been in Diamond Club for a bit over a year now and have enough now for the redemption I want, thanks to cash and points!, and have been researching via ANA. I believe my research is done and I have dates and alternatives for a SEA-FRA, FRA-DME, and DME-SEA picked out, all three as one way bookings.

I have seen a lot of phone numbers mentioned, and I'll be calling from the US Pacific time zone. I haven't called the UK in many years, so perhaps some gentle advice could be offered RE:

best time to call for minimal wait times (and given that I don't want to be up at 3am Pacific).

best number to call to given that I will be using a Costco phone card, hence calling into that 800#, giving my PIN, and then dialing the appropriate UK number. I mention this in that some numbers can't be reached via phone cards (example, calling from overseas back to the states and trying to call an '800' type number in the states... you often have to have a 'toll' style area code such as 206)?

What the dialing string is for the number recommended? I know that for German relatives I strip out some numbers that they normally use. I know the 011 part for overseas but not up on country code/city code/etc. for UK numbers.

Any issues with US based credit card for booking via ICC (which is where I believe I will be connected by calling the UK number)?

all input appreciated.

I called via my AT&T calling card and used the number on the back of my BMI card. I think it's the gold hotline but I dont know for sure.

The number is written on the back of your membership card.

Cant say anything about best time to call. It was just convenient because I was in LAS and didnt sleep until 7am anyways :p

After my whinging post earlier, just to prove I am not a miserable daily mail-reading old git who thinks everything is wrong in the world, here is my experience on BMI today as posted on the BA forum:

"This is BMI related, but as a loyal BA customer I felt the need to post....

Having had a dire experience waiting on hold for 1:15 with the diamond club today, I am surprised to report that the BMI business flight I just did to Beirut is much better than Club Europe on BA - assuming the BA flight to BEY is CE and not full Club!

I must admit I had low expectations of BMI, but I thought the food was much better than CE, the seat much bigger and more comfortable, and the trolley dollies were friendly. The IFE was pretty good too, though I only watched 1 film. The flight also left on time.

No idea of the pricing difference as I didn't personally buy the flight, but this has made me definitely want to status match the BMI Gold card. I'm still happy with Club World for long-haul, but if it's the same seat/product I will definitely do my Moscow flights and any other medium-haul (?) business class where possible with BMI.

Now if only the lounge at T1 (which I must say felt like a ghost terminal tonight!) were up to scratch - that really is the bad bit of the deal!"

Please don't post that number on the internet otherwise everyone will be calling it!

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever read on FT was from wise owl Gaza who had some knowledge of the operation of call centres. He said that, if you hadn't been answered within a few minutes, it was likely you wouldn't be answered at all and that you would be better trying at another time.Yes that is 100% true, and I came to realize that in the past couple of weeks.
Twice I called and was kept on hold for ages (I did post a thread here about that) both times I gave up and called again and was answered within 2-3 minutes.

Seems that your call gets lost in their system somehow, but I wonder why this happens.

I am surprised to report that the BMI business flight I just did to Beirut is much better than Club Europe on BA -assuming the BA flight to BEY is CE and not full Club!
BA does not fly to BEY at all.
Their flights are code shared and operated by BD.

skywalkerLAX Thank you :)

Huh?:confused:

What don't you understand - up until the other evening all my calls were answered relatively quickly.

BA does not fly to BEY at all.
Their flights are code shared and operated by BD.

Strange, I flew with BMED a few years ago to BEY. When did they stop?

Strange, I flew with BMED a few years ago to BEY. When did they stop?

When bmi bought BMED...

When bmi bought BMED...

As I explained on the thread on the BA Board. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the problem with cross-posting :D