Just coming out of a 2.5 hr call with AA that leaves me rather frustrated. And which was just another one in a serious of frustrating encounters.
Have a booking on hold for two weeks already for which I want to use two paper vouchers in my wife's and my name. When arranging for that through the CS, voucher numbers were put into the reservation, was given the instruction to either mail them to Forth Worth or to go to a ticket office. So now it happens that the vouchers are with family in Mexico, while wife and I are in Poland. So, was told by
two different agents that it shouldn't be a problem to send someone else, as long as they bring along copies of our IDs and a note that my voucher can be used for my wife's booking. Alright, sounds doable.
So, eventually my sister-in-law goes to the ticket office in Guadalajara, Mexico, wasting an hour, because either the agents there didn't know what to do (first they said the booking is cancelled - nonsense), the system didn't allow it (perhaps), or there was a discount applied to the reservation that didn't allow the vouchers to be used (no idea what discount that would be). Simultaneously I called the AA CS to get their help. Made it through rather quick and they phoned the ticket office to assist them. After some back-and-forth, the ultimate conclusion was that everything is fine, vouchers are accepted, just wait until the ticketing is done. So I was told by the CS at least, and I hang up and tell that to my sister-in-law who's still in the ticket office. She wants to leave accordingly, but the agents there then refuse to keep the vouchers and say it won't work ...
(at this point, keep int mind that neither ticket office nor CS on phone said that only I or my wife can redeem the vouchers, but not my sister-in-law... important to know for the twist of the story)
Sooo ... I called again today... for 2.5 hrs ... trying to figure out what's the problem.
First, I'm being told that ticket offices can't do that kinda stuff. It has to be an airport with a ticket counter. Or Forth Worth. Try to find written information on that! Neither could they point me to that info.
Second, there is a "hidden" discount in the ticket (because it's an ex-EU ticket, which is apparently such an issue) that doesn't allow paper vouchers to be used. What this discount is and why and where I can find it, zero explanation. Of course, nowhere in my your-ticket-is-on-hold email is the slightest indication of that discount, neither did any agent I spoke to mention that before (except the agents in Mexico - so maybe they were right? Confusion keeps growing).
Third, the not-discounted ticket is a smashing 300USD more expensive! ...
... when I asked what about the price that has been offered to me and is now on hold (and has zero mention about an inherent discount), the agent was rather puzzled and looking for answers .... asking if that would also be the case if I mailed the vouchers to them and how that would unfold, she said, AA would phone me and tell me the price went up due to the vouchers... really, AA? You would corner customers like that? Quote a price, say it's on hold, receive vouchers, and then, without any transparency whatsoever, magically increase the price? ... agent was rather speechless then ... put me eventually through to a supervisor when I said that sounds utterly deceitful to me and the DOT should know about that.
Another lengthy explanation about the situation follows. The supervisor, after checking with the ticketing desk, ultimately says there is no discount on the ticket and she doesn't know what I have been told .... great consistent communication you got there, AA! Sometimes this, sometimes that, just keep us customers confused.
Finally, she said paper vouchers can only be redeemed personally by voucher holders, no one else, and it would say so on the vouchers. This information, however, I couldn't verify during the call as the vouchers aren't with me - the information on paper vouchers on aa.com is basically non-existent and doesn't say anything in this regard. So, at this point my hands were tied. Her suggestion is that I should mail the vouchers to Forth Worth now: even though it's less than 12 days before departure and the vouchers should not be mailed so close to departure (what about your policies, AA?)
After checking with my sister-in-law, she sends me a pic of the explanatory text for the vouchers. And of course, it doesn't say anything about who or who cannot hand over the vouchers. It also, explicitly says "redeem at any AA Ticket Office" (i.e. not just airport) if booking is made 12 days or less before departure.
So... AA... you are really kidding me here. A multitude of different explanations. Non-consistent messaging. Quoting policies that can't be accessed anywhere (cause they probably don't exist, or at least not for the customer), and probably a whole lot of incompetent people. It's a really sad experience I'm making here. So far, all previous interactions were rather smooth and satisfying, but this is beyond my comprehension.
Anyone else with paper voucher experiences like this? Am I so unlucky or is that just the maze that everyone has to go through who simply tries to follow instructions?
Will call again tomorrow...