Asiana customer service? NOT!
I recently flew 2 Asiana segments on an AC code share ICN-SGN & rtn. Both flights were chronically late and meh. So I contacted Asiana customer service and received a patronizing and officious reply:
We truly regret to hear of the inconvenience caused during your recent trip. On January 31st, our OZ736 flight was delayed due airport traffic control for weather condition at the destination and aircraft connection. Please kindly understand that these are the factors that the airlines do not have control of.
Although we do exert our greatest efforts to prevent flight alterations, they are sometimes very difficult to avoid and flight schedules and/or aircrafts are subject to change without notice and this is stated on the back of tickets under the terms of General Conditions of International Carriage. This prevents every airline from guaranteeing time table schedules, therefore carriers cannot assume liability for such unexpected changes. Please take into consideration that we do not compromise the safety and security of our passenger, therefore Asiana and all other carriers avoid guaranteeing flight time table.
Also, as stated in EC Regulation No 261/2004, under Article 5, “ an operating air carrier shall not be obliged to pay compensation in accordance with Article 7, if it can prove that cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.” Furthermore, “The Regulation does not apply to non-EU air carriers’ flights into the EU. The Regulation applies to operating air carriers licensed in a Member State of the EU (Community carrier) flying from outside the EU into the EU and to passengers (including non-EU citizens) using such flights. However, these passengers are not entitled to the provisions of the Regulation where benefits or compensation and assistance are given on the basis of local regulations in non-EU countries. The legislation of the third country always needs to be respected.”
We sincerely regret that you had experienced inconvenience during your trip with us recently; however, as stated in the above, flight was delayed for the cause that the airlines do not have control of; therefore, we are unable to process your compensation request.
My question is : is this standard for Asiana customer service?
I honestly don't know how to respond? Basically, what they are saying is they don't care about customer goodwill.................if legis does not require them to provide compensation, too bad!
Elsewhere in this fora, I have read great things about Asian carriers. Is Asiana really this bad?