GUC Use > Banging Head vs. Wall (Rant)
I'm a bit honked off after once again trying to use a GUC. I'm sure that's not a shocker.
Called as EF showed ample Z space for both a KL and DL segments needed for my trip. First two agents with whom I spoke maintained no space was available. Third agent, after some prodding, says, "oh yes, I can see it now." Great. On the return, same thing, can't see it at first, and then they can. Now ticket ready for purchase.
Rep builds the record--I can see on the site--and keeps coming back and saying she needs help with the res to be ticketed. Finally, about an hour in to the call, she tells me KLM won't sell the segment on the first-leg (an eight hour trip) but they're going to keep trying.
TWO HOURS in the rep comes back to tell me there's nothing I can do. I get transferred to a supervisor (upon request) who tells me the same thing. I ask if there's a way they can keep me in Delta One on the transatlantic leg as a courtesy since a) this was done for me by a JV desk supervisor once before and b) I've now lost at least two hours on the call. Not only was I told no (and I understand), but I was also told "and it looks like you've asked for that plenty of times before."
WHOA. The supervisor goes on to tell me that yes, they have notes documented from previous calls. But of course, when responding to my comment that agents need to be trained better as they're looking for wrong upgrade space on partners, they don't know with whom I spoke earlier in the day ("well we don't keep track of them all"). In the end, there's nothing she can do aside from a $100 voucher or 10k miles.
In situations like this I try to be as civil and courteous as possible when lodging my frustration, and I believe I was so in this case. In the end, what honks me off is how inept many agents are (telling me I can only upgrade a Y,B,M fare on a DL codeshare, KL operated flight or looking for RY class on KLM) and they remain the only way in which these GUCs can be used. I get it--I have choices on what my 'rewards' can be and I can opt for something else--but man would it be nice if the experience weren't such a cluster each and every time.