Originally Posted by
Nuster
Called the gold line to upgrade a TA booking as I have done many times. Gave the usual identification information and the PNR. However as it was a TA booking I needed to give my passport number and expiry date. I could not remember the expiry.
At this stage I had provided name, address, date of birth, passport number, email address, Exec club number and PNR but the agent would not proceed without the expiry number. This was because of "data protection".
I asked the agent what he meant when he said "data protection"? Was it legislation? He confirmed that the government had told BA to introduce this measure to combat fraud. ������
This was not India who usually try to put up obstacles to doing anything. I had a good mind to ask for verification from the agent that I was in fact on the gold line.
Another unsatisfactory interaction with a once excellent airline.
Having a BA profile loaded with a memorable but made-up "passport" number and expiration date is not beyond the realm of the possible. Plenty of BAEC members don't have actual, state-recognized passports to provide BA, let alone anyone else.
Loyalty program operators need to up their account security game, for their own sake and that of the customers. But some measures taken in the name of security are akin to allocating resources that win a battle but cost the war, all while setting up a situation where there will be lots of collateral damage. Equifax is a case in point.
Welcome to getting a crash course in "BA can do little/no wrong" -- that kind of stuff is expected around these parts.
