Why do people pick on their service?
Aug 18, 2014, 9:33 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: TK Elite+
Posts: 80
Why do people pick on their service?
I just called them up to get a reservation ticketed and was met by the most courteous lady ever. Her English was excellent - she got the reservation ticketed in under 10 minutes and was very professional.
Everywhere, both here and on blogs I read that you should avoid calling them. My experience is that they are better than UA, TK, US and so forth in terms of customer support. (granted I only have one experience with it).
Don't avoid calling
Their English line is super nice!
Everywhere, both here and on blogs I read that you should avoid calling them. My experience is that they are better than UA, TK, US and so forth in terms of customer support. (granted I only have one experience with it).
Don't avoid calling
Their English line is super nice!
Aug 19, 2014, 7:26 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,942
Come on, they are not that bad. My experience is similar to the OPs, you do get agents who don't have a clue or who you can't understand from time to time, but fair number of them are quite good both in terms of helping out and communicating in English
Aug 19, 2014, 8:41 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
Ever have any success doing something that you can't do on lifemiles.com?
Aug 20, 2014, 8:06 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,942
Aug 23, 2014, 5:27 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: MDE
Programs: AA EP, CM PP, AV GM, UA Silver, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,002
Lifemiles.com is a bit more challenging than most North American airlines' web sites, but they are on par with their Latin American competitors, IME. Before I reached a level of Spanish fluency that allowed me to use, "Para espańol, marque uno," I found that they often had no English speaking staff working late at night. That was frustrating.
My much bigger complaint is that Eldorado (BOG) still doesn't have enough gates, even with the new terminal open, and my flights departing there for SJO almost always leave from Gate 50, meaning that I have to ride a bus to the pod, then carry my bags up the world's steepest stairs to board.
They don't split Clase Negocios from the rest of the pack on the bus, so it always feels like I'm losing some of the value I paid for when I have to board with the masses. Oddly, they invite Clase Negocios to board the bus first, but that just buries us deeper inside the bus so that we actually board near the end of the first busload. Not a well thought out plan, IMHO.
My much bigger complaint is that Eldorado (BOG) still doesn't have enough gates, even with the new terminal open, and my flights departing there for SJO almost always leave from Gate 50, meaning that I have to ride a bus to the pod, then carry my bags up the world's steepest stairs to board.
They don't split Clase Negocios from the rest of the pack on the bus, so it always feels like I'm losing some of the value I paid for when I have to board with the masses. Oddly, they invite Clase Negocios to board the bus first, but that just buries us deeper inside the bus so that we actually board near the end of the first busload. Not a well thought out plan, IMHO.
Sep 1, 2014, 5:35 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
My issues with Avianca...
1) Their phone lines are kinda crappy, I ASSUME that's because even when you call the USA number it routes to Colombia (which doesn't have flawless phone service) and because of that AND slightly less than perfect English usually lead me to calling half in Spanish half in English (my Spanish is good, but far from perfect). VERY minor problem.
2) I had 1 semi-bad experience with a mis-connect and rebooking. I was given bad advice, which I shouldn't have taken but did, then 3 agents and 2 managers were fairly useless in my plight, I solved the problem myself and once I did they were very happy to help (to their credit).
Beyond that the only complaints I've ever had have more to do with Colombian people (who I LOVE) than anything else. More than any other airline I've flown on, Colombian people MUST be the first one standing/out the door as soon as the plane comes even close to a full stop.
1) Their phone lines are kinda crappy, I ASSUME that's because even when you call the USA number it routes to Colombia (which doesn't have flawless phone service) and because of that AND slightly less than perfect English usually lead me to calling half in Spanish half in English (my Spanish is good, but far from perfect). VERY minor problem.
2) I had 1 semi-bad experience with a mis-connect and rebooking. I was given bad advice, which I shouldn't have taken but did, then 3 agents and 2 managers were fairly useless in my plight, I solved the problem myself and once I did they were very happy to help (to their credit).
Beyond that the only complaints I've ever had have more to do with Colombian people (who I LOVE) than anything else. More than any other airline I've flown on, Colombian people MUST be the first one standing/out the door as soon as the plane comes even close to a full stop.
Sep 1, 2014, 5:37 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
If you mean the inbound immigration I 100% agree. I was racking my brain thinking of experience, it's nicer than the old BOG basement hallway
, but yea I arrived at like 2pm from YYZ and was in line for over an hour to get in the country and connect to MDE. Meanwhile the Colombian residents line moved muy rapido. I understand that aspect, but once that line is more or less clear, why not direct a few DIAN agents to call over us foreigners!This of course has little to do with Avianca itself though.
Sep 1, 2014, 8:31 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: MDE
Programs: AA EP, CM PP, AV GM, UA Silver, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,002
Beyond that the only complaints I've ever had have more to do with Colombian people (who I LOVE) than anything else. More than any other airline I've flown on, Colombian people MUST be the first one standing/out the door as soon as the plane comes even close to a full stop.
Maintenance arrived almost instantly, and they disconnected the two fairly quickly, but I could not get anyone to let me depart my seat to deplane. They were storming the door so fast it was as if there was a fire back there!
I would have agreed with you until last month. One day I was departing BOG after flying in from MDE, and the line for extranjeros was 20 times as long as I had ever seen it. My inbound was late arriving into the very end gate of the new Terminal 1, and my departure was from gate 50 in terminal 2. I just barely made it.