Effing Computer Problems
 

And finally, just one more observation from checking in at MAN yesterday.

BMI has a new computer system and they are suffering the odd teething problem. Nothing serious (the agents can still get authority to use the old system in an emergency) but complicated bookings may be problematic.

In my case, I have a MAN-LHR-LAX-NAN-LAX-LHR-MAN itinerary with both BMI and NZ codes plus a night's stop over in LA (normally, it is all NZ codes but I suspect our TA gets to save a few pounds a bit this way) and this did confuse the poor computer.

Understatement of the year award! The odd teething problems means that even simple check ins can take a long time.

I telephone checked in at T - 20 hours, then changed my flight and that took 30 minutes to unscramble at check in. What a waste of G&T drinking time!

It took approx 20 minutes to get me checked in so a nice queue formed at the business class/*G line. Fortunately, it was a morning flight so the only thing I was missing out on was coffee and blueberry muffins. Had it been an afternoon or evening flights (any time after Internaut's G&T threshold), I would have been a bit peeved.

Today was good. OLCI produced error messages.

Telephone check in (Indian style) wasted 20 minutes with the guy sounding very pleased with himself finally telling me "You will have the opportunity to check in at the airport" which is one way of putting a positive spin on the system being cream crackered.

At least check in at the airport worked OK. There wasn't even the usual stroppy agent trying to keep people away from the queue.

I have a collection of printouts of OLCI error messages : and I'm missing out on the bonus miles you get for using OLCI.

Is there a process for claiming your bomus miles when you have tried to use OLCI but can't bacause it broke ?