Originally Posted by
subject2load
I'm genuinely surprised by the stance taken by the second agent spoken to by the OP, because I still believe that the original decision, ie the refusal, was the correct one (I mean as far as EK rules go, not from a 'moral' perspective). Plus.....I got the distinct impression that others agreed with me during the course of the debate .....DYKWIA, eternaltransit, irishguy28 ........
EK004 Regular : just for total clarification, could you please let us know when your car has actually been confirmed AND shows as such on your MMB ?
I ask because I'm just wondering whether the agent who has now told you that he/she was booking the car, and would then call you back, may in fact be knocked back by someone else within the chain of command who is responsible for making any tricky decisions (a note at the top of the CDS Eligibility Grid states "Res Ops Team will confirm or reject CDS requests based on the below rules....")
It's not that I don't want you to have you the car. Quite the opposite. I have been refused a car myself when making (same day, non-stopover) domestic flights operated by QF to connect with a long-haul EK sector - so it would be in my own interests if the rules were either a) shown to have been interpreted wrongly in my case, or b) have recently been amended in some way.
I agree - although I am less surprised due to the inconsistency in staff training and EKs IT systems set up so there is a lot of flexibility in override (possibly a function of the main markets they operate in where cultural norms do not look too kindly upon "Computer says no" - to put it diplomatically
).
OP, I am of the opinion that technically going by their published rules, you are ineligible for pick-up in SYD for a SYD-MEL-SIN flight. EK unfortunately, unlike other airlines and companies who will "own" their mistakes, will have absolutely no qualms about having an agent book it and then confirm with you, making it visible online, and then when it comes to 24 hours beforehand when the local station actually organises it - simply unilaterally cancel the booking and not inform you at all (or inform you at say, 3-4 hours before pickup). This understandably may cause you to be angry at the inconvenience and possibly make you waste some time in your life complaining either at the airport (whose ground staff can do nothing for you) or to customer affairs, who are likely to send back a standard email saying you weren't eligible, so tough. These I think are not really worth the hassle of spoiling your F flights!
Inconsistency in service enforcement is one of EKs rather weak points - for instance, lounge access for families and guests is a big one. Many stations are quite lenient and allow say (a family with 2 in J with 2 in Y to allow the family in Y to enter) - and then when faced with a lounge that enforces the rules, get rather angry (and I have seen actually quite abusive).
In a similar vein, the amount of people I have seen get op-ups and then denied from the lounge and have the temerity to start getting angry - the churlishness constantly amazes me, getting angry at not getting something you aren't entitled to, but think you "should" be! Shocking!