Avios booking. ETicket not issued
Jul 27, 2013, 12:11 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Spg PLAT/LTG
Posts: 9
Oh dear, jccuadrado, this sounds like a right old shitstorm (that's a German phrase, so it's not swearing).
I encourage you to chase BA with all the evidence you have. And I also encourage you to ask for compensation as well. This really is not good enough.
If they still refuse then I would further encourage you to go down the route of the small claims court (if you're in the UK).
And welcome aboard!
I encourage you to chase BA with all the evidence you have. And I also encourage you to ask for compensation as well. This really is not good enough.
If they still refuse then I would further encourage you to go down the route of the small claims court (if you're in the UK).
And welcome aboard!
I am definetely chasing BA and still hopeful that they will compensate.
Am not in the Uk but Spain. So things might be a bit more troublesome when goongbto court.
In other occasions when airlines have let me down, i had the excellent travel insurance of my american express platinum compensating me.
In this case, i do not know what they will say, since the 1,73 euros tax charge was not charged to the card.
However, the problem flight was just a leg of a 3 flights seven-day trip all paid with amex platinum card. Anybody has any idea if the amex platinum insurance would compensate?
Jul 27, 2013, 1:45 pm
#18
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 2,660
Hello again Jccuadrado,
Thanks for being so detailed in your answers to the questions I had. I'm frankly astonished as it would have been very hard to detect that anything was wrong, even to a paranoid sort like myself!
For my first question about the confirming email, that is certainly pretty hard evidence in itself. Although what surprises me is that by the time I get an email, typically it includes a ticket number and is indeed included with the receipt. Although I don't always even receive them (partner redemptions with LAN recently, I have no email trail, but everything was issued - I could see it online and check-in with LAN online).
Finally, if your email from BA shows the taxes to be charged to your Amex, then you might still be able to follow up with Amex and their travel insurance. Especially if you paid the replacement ticket with your Amex as well. From your point of view, whether the charges posted to Amex or not, certainly your intention was that it would (and you would have the email to show that it should have). Hopefully it should never come to that, as this is something that seems so obviously to be BA's responsibility that the only way I'd even expect Amex to get involved is if they wanted to look out for you as a loyal customer of theirs and ensure that BA sorts it out in the end.
The only thing I can even imagine you could have done to catch this on your own is to have tried to check-in online with AA (which you should be able to do normally) and have encountered a problem in that process. BA has got to sort this out... let us know how it turns out!
Thanks for being so detailed in your answers to the questions I had. I'm frankly astonished as it would have been very hard to detect that anything was wrong, even to a paranoid sort like myself!
For my first question about the confirming email, that is certainly pretty hard evidence in itself. Although what surprises me is that by the time I get an email, typically it includes a ticket number and is indeed included with the receipt. Although I don't always even receive them (partner redemptions with LAN recently, I have no email trail, but everything was issued - I could see it online and check-in with LAN online).
Finally, if your email from BA shows the taxes to be charged to your Amex, then you might still be able to follow up with Amex and their travel insurance. Especially if you paid the replacement ticket with your Amex as well. From your point of view, whether the charges posted to Amex or not, certainly your intention was that it would (and you would have the email to show that it should have). Hopefully it should never come to that, as this is something that seems so obviously to be BA's responsibility that the only way I'd even expect Amex to get involved is if they wanted to look out for you as a loyal customer of theirs and ensure that BA sorts it out in the end.
The only thing I can even imagine you could have done to catch this on your own is to have tried to check-in online with AA (which you should be able to do normally) and have encountered a problem in that process. BA has got to sort this out... let us know how it turns out!
Jul 27, 2013, 3:10 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Spg PLAT/LTG
Posts: 9
Hello again Jccuadrado,
Thanks for being so detailed in your answers to the questions I had. I'm frankly astonished as it would have been very hard to detect that anything was wrong, even to a paranoid sort like myself!
For my first question about the confirming email, that is certainly pretty hard evidence in itself. Although what surprises me is that by the time I get an email, typically it includes a ticket number and is indeed included with the receipt. Although I don't always even receive them (partner redemptions with LAN recently, I have no email trail, but everything was issued - I could see it online and check-in with LAN online).
Finally, if your email from BA shows the taxes to be charged to your Amex, then you might still be able to follow up with Amex and their travel insurance. Especially if you paid the replacement ticket with your Amex as well. From your point of view, whether the charges posted to Amex or not, certainly your intention was that it would (and you would have the email to show that it should have). Hopefully it should never come to that, as this is something that seems so obviously to be BA's responsibility that the only way I'd even expect Amex to get involved is if they wanted to look out for you as a loyal customer of theirs and ensure that BA sorts it out in the end.
The only thing I can even imagine you could have done to catch this on your own is to have tried to check-in online with AA (which you should be able to do normally) and have encountered a problem in that process. BA has got to sort this out... let us know how it turns out!
Thanks for being so detailed in your answers to the questions I had. I'm frankly astonished as it would have been very hard to detect that anything was wrong, even to a paranoid sort like myself!
For my first question about the confirming email, that is certainly pretty hard evidence in itself. Although what surprises me is that by the time I get an email, typically it includes a ticket number and is indeed included with the receipt. Although I don't always even receive them (partner redemptions with LAN recently, I have no email trail, but everything was issued - I could see it online and check-in with LAN online).
Finally, if your email from BA shows the taxes to be charged to your Amex, then you might still be able to follow up with Amex and their travel insurance. Especially if you paid the replacement ticket with your Amex as well. From your point of view, whether the charges posted to Amex or not, certainly your intention was that it would (and you would have the email to show that it should have). Hopefully it should never come to that, as this is something that seems so obviously to be BA's responsibility that the only way I'd even expect Amex to get involved is if they wanted to look out for you as a loyal customer of theirs and ensure that BA sorts it out in the end.
The only thing I can even imagine you could have done to catch this on your own is to have tried to check-in online with AA (which you should be able to do normally) and have encountered a problem in that process. BA has got to sort this out... let us know how it turns out!
Thanks for the heads up on amex. I will try that one.
May be i am not as paranoid as you, but believe me that i am close. i always check my bookings myself repetitevely and conciously...since 25 years ago my secretary sent me to Midland, Tenessee instead of Midland, Michigan and i spent 24 hours crossing the US back and forth.
I did try to check in on line and it did not work. I got a message saying "unfortunately we are unable to fulfill your request" and gave me a American Airlines PNR. This was the same message that i got in an informaion card from the checkin machine at LGA airport.
Not being able to check in was kind of odd, but since it gave me an AA PNR, i was confident that my ticket was in AA system and for that reason did not call BAEC to chekup. This was my mistake...getting old and trusty, perhaps.
Jul 27, 2013, 6:57 pm
#20
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,638
Quote:
Originally Posted by robsterny
When I called in the phone rep said they were aware of the problem and the issue was that BA's systems weren't providing AA with the date of birth(s) of the traveller(s), even if you already have that info in your profile. Once she entered that information manually the tickets were issued.
That sort of thing drives my heart rate up. If you know about a problem that will distress many of your clients badly, why on Earth don't you fix it? It is easy to do, pull a list every morning of previous days AA bookings, check if all of them have a ticket number, manually enter DOB for those that don't. Failing that, fixing a crap system might help as well.
It is the sort of thing where I'd wish for more of an American suing culture. If BA had to pay out a few million quid for emotional distress every time they make a stupid mess, it might eventually drive them towards quality.
Rant over. And I'm not even the OP.
Originally Posted by robsterny
When I called in the phone rep said they were aware of the problem and the issue was that BA's systems weren't providing AA with the date of birth(s) of the traveller(s), even if you already have that info in your profile. Once she entered that information manually the tickets were issued.
That sort of thing drives my heart rate up. If you know about a problem that will distress many of your clients badly, why on Earth don't you fix it? It is easy to do, pull a list every morning of previous days AA bookings, check if all of them have a ticket number, manually enter DOB for those that don't. Failing that, fixing a crap system might help as well.
It is the sort of thing where I'd wish for more of an American suing culture. If BA had to pay out a few million quid for emotional distress every time they make a stupid mess, it might eventually drive them towards quality.
Rant over. And I'm not even the OP.
Jul 29, 2013, 12:35 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MAN
Programs: F
Posts: 2,898
Three bookings in the last few days, one on AB, two on AA. Same problem on them all. The AB booking was sorted out pretty efficiently by the BAEC agent, who made a one minute hold whilst he spoke to his supervisor, and then ticketed it there and then after taking DoB and passport details. The two AA bookings were painful. The first agent took DoBs and then disappeared to talk to a supervisor for 15 minutes until the call dropped. The next agent had to talk to ticketing, held for 10 minutes, then came back to say he had to talk to someone else. He sorted it offline though and phoned to confirm ticketing.
Main consolation is getting US domestics for £1.60 and TATL lie-flat business class for about £30 per person!
Main consolation is getting US domestics for £1.60 and TATL lie-flat business class for about £30 per person!
Jul 30, 2013, 9:25 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
I've had this exact thing happen half a dozen times in the last year on AA bookings...most recently on an LAX-HNL booking 2 weeks ago. I certainly would hold BA liable and seek compensation if it caused me to miss a flight (or I had to pay out of pocket).
...having this happen to a non frequent traveler at an airport like LAX (organized chaos is how I'd describe the AA Y check in @ LAX) would likely lead to a missed flight. Taking BA to small claims court would likely lead to a judgement against them when you have a confirmation e-mail in hand and an issued e-mail receipt.
-bubu
...having this happen to a non frequent traveler at an airport like LAX (organized chaos is how I'd describe the AA Y check in @ LAX) would likely lead to a missed flight. Taking BA to small claims court would likely lead to a judgement against them when you have a confirmation e-mail in hand and an issued e-mail receipt.
-bubu
Jul 30, 2013, 11:42 am
#24
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MAN
Programs: F
Posts: 2,898
You wouldn't - you would have an email telling you the reservation code and that the email receipt was to follow. The actual email receipt contains the ticket numbers.
Jul 30, 2013, 12:11 pm
#25
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
confirmation = receipt?
You are right, it could go either. I can tell you that the cost for BA to defend a small claims case exceeds the damages. They send a check...
Jul 30, 2013, 12:37 pm
#26
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 156
Sounds like a comment Ryanair would have been proud of!
Jul 30, 2013, 3:03 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MAN
Programs: F
Posts: 2,898
Indeed!
I don't challenge the right to complain sue, etc of anyone who has been left in the lurch, and wish them all the best, but I strongly encourage everyone to avoid being a victim in the first place, and to clearly understand the differences in the meanings of "confirmed", "reservation" and "e-ticket" in the context of modern air travel. This will breed a healthy paranoia.
I don't challenge the right to complain sue, etc of anyone who has been left in the lurch, and wish them all the best, but I strongly encourage everyone to avoid being a victim in the first place, and to clearly understand the differences in the meanings of "confirmed", "reservation" and "e-ticket" in the context of modern air travel. This will breed a healthy paranoia.
Aug 6, 2013, 9:57 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Spg PLAT/LTG
Posts: 9
Indeed!
I don't challenge the right to complain sue, etc of anyone who has been left in the lurch, and wish them all the best, but I strongly encourage everyone to avoid being a victim in the first place, and to clearly understand the differences in the meanings of "confirmed", "reservation" and "e-ticket" in the context of modern air travel. This will breed a healthy paranoia.
I don't challenge the right to complain sue, etc of anyone who has been left in the lurch, and wish them all the best, but I strongly encourage everyone to avoid being a victim in the first place, and to clearly understand the differences in the meanings of "confirmed", "reservation" and "e-ticket" in the context of modern air travel. This will breed a healthy paranoia.
Now,if you allow me to ask a couple questions so i can keep learning to avoid being a victim again.
A) What's the point of sending an email to customers with a confirmed reservation and then not sending an e-ticket automatically, if required?
B) if a confirmed reservation need an action from the customer to be later converted in an actual eticket, why that actionn it is not requested or flagged to customers?
Thanks in advance fos sharing with us your wisdom.
Aug 6, 2013, 12:15 pm
#29
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210
Indeed!
I don't challenge the right to complain sue, etc of anyone who has been left in the lurch, and wish them all the best, but I strongly encourage everyone to avoid being a victim in the first place, and to clearly understand the differences in the meanings of "confirmed", "reservation" and "e-ticket" in the context of modern air travel. This will breed a healthy paranoia.
I don't challenge the right to complain sue, etc of anyone who has been left in the lurch, and wish them all the best, but I strongly encourage everyone to avoid being a victim in the first place, and to clearly understand the differences in the meanings of "confirmed", "reservation" and "e-ticket" in the context of modern air travel. This will breed a healthy paranoia.
It was only after reading some of the horror stories on the bmi DC board that I started to make sure I had a ticket number on redemption bookings. This seems to be a fault of BA's so I would expect a full refund of the revenue ticket had it happened to me.
Aug 6, 2013, 1:00 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BAEC Gold, LH M&M Member
Posts: 2,705
Dd you actually get any money from them yet?