Customer Service Blunder: Wrongly Charged Phone Fee
Jun 29, 2016, 3:43 am
#16
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London
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It sounds to me like you're just belligerent enough to have got the fee waived every time, and then taken that success as being the correct operating procedure.
And then got more belligerent when people have told you that you're wrong...
And then got more belligerent when people have told you that you're wrong...
Jun 29, 2016, 3:51 am
#18
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I'm not being belligerent or mad. It just seems like a completely unfair business practice by BA to me. If that's the policy, than that's the policy. But that has not been what has been done in the past.
Jun 29, 2016, 4:51 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Australia
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Have you been charged previously or not?
To quote you from post 13 "Yeah on second thought I've been charged every time it's not an issue. Thanks"
Jun 29, 2016, 8:05 am
#21
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
Sounds like you have benefited a lot in the past, so I would quietly forget the charge. of course BA might read this topic and ensure that no further agents forget having realised they are missing out on several $25's
Jun 29, 2016, 8:40 am
#22
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,378
It doesn't require any belligerence - a polite request will often suffice... In fact, many agents proactively offer it, I've never paid the fee and only asked not to 50% of the time.
Jun 29, 2016, 8:45 am
#23
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No-one is forcing you to use your Avios on Alaska Airways. If the phone fee is reason to not book on AS, then that is your decision!
Jun 29, 2016, 8:49 am
#24
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I actually agree with the OP. The fact that something is part of the T&C does not necessarily make it correct or even enforceable.
Jun 29, 2016, 9:03 am
#25
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,378
Equally, the fact you don't like something doesn't mean it isn't enforceable... Given the infrastructure and staffing costs BA incur on a telephone booking (I know I've spent almost an hour talking to someone with a more complicated booking before), I'm struggling to see how it could ever be ruled legally unenforceable.
Jun 29, 2016, 9:56 am
#26
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Wasn't referring to this specific example but in some countries you cannot punish the customer for ordering a service or product through the only channel available to them without clearly advertising it as part of the total cost.
You can have a surcharge if you offer the customer a choice.
You can have a surcharge if you offer the customer a choice.
Jun 29, 2016, 9:59 am
#27
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Wasn't referring to this specific example but in some countries you cannot punish the customer for ordering a service or product through the only channel available to them without clearly advertising it as part of the total cost.
You can have a surcharge if you offer the customer a choice.
You can have a surcharge if you offer the customer a choice.
What has punishment got to do with it? The customer uses a service, there is an advertised charge, the customer pays the charge for that service.
Jun 29, 2016, 10:00 am
#28
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That's about change fees.
Edit: sorry, meant to type service fees. It's when you choose to have BA provide you with an additional service on top of the product you're purchasing. For example you prefer to speak to an agent instead of booking online, which would be free.
Now if BA have advertised prices for a ticket from A to B but you cannot, for whatever reason, purchase them online so you have to use an agent, then BA can either not charge that fee or they have to change their advertised price to include the fee, as that is the actual consumer price.
Edit: sorry, meant to type service fees. It's when you choose to have BA provide you with an additional service on top of the product you're purchasing. For example you prefer to speak to an agent instead of booking online, which would be free.
Now if BA have advertised prices for a ticket from A to B but you cannot, for whatever reason, purchase them online so you have to use an agent, then BA can either not charge that fee or they have to change their advertised price to include the fee, as that is the actual consumer price.
Jun 29, 2016, 10:04 am
#29
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It does lists offline service fees for new revenue bookings and isn't just about change fees. You are right though, for reward bookings I should have pointed you to this page
http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/...d-service-fees
http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/...d-service-fees
Jun 29, 2016, 10:08 am
#30
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I am not disagreeing with you that BA advertises their fees. I am just saying that I always successfully object if I am charged a service fee for something I cannot do any other way.
Admittedly that has never been a reward booking but mostly complex itineraries or changes that could not be done online.
Admittedly that has never been a reward booking but mostly complex itineraries or changes that could not be done online.
