G_G

Yesterday I've tried to book an award of three legs, last leg was First Class LX228's flight ZRH-JED.

I've checked every leg with KVS and Expertflyer before to call.

First, I've spoken with a lady : she has checked every leg's availability, everything was ok.
She told me (as usual) to wait to have the amount of miles & cash and taxes.

When she came back, she told me that it was not possible to have this booking because LH (there was a LH leg) and LX don't allowed the taxes to be loaded for this routing!!!

And she wanted that, instead of LX, I fly MS.
She didn't find any availability so finally she told me that it was not possible to make the booking.

I've asked for explanations and watching she was always repeating the same words (LX and LX don't allowed the
taxes to be loaded and this is revenue service that told her that), I've asked to speak to a supervisor.

Somebody (SHRIOM) has presented himself as a supervisor.
He told me that my routing was backtracking and didn't speak about LH or LX.
I told him that was an usual routing that I've already ticketed.
He answered that it was not possible any more.
And didn't want to add any explanations.
He was rude and even didn't want to hear what I've to say.

I've asked for a "valid" routing that he wasn't able to give.

I've tried another time few hours after
and it was the same story : after checking the legs and finding the availability, the man told me to wait and has come back to me.
He told me that I've already asked for this routing and sent the call to Shriom !!

Today I've made a booking with almost the same routing (the first two legs) but last leg was with TK and Business
class : no backtracking problem and booking ticketed 30 minutes after.

So I've tried to make another booking @:-) with only two legs FCO-ZRH-JED with LX228's First Class.
The man checked the first leg, LX's flight in C was ok, but for the second leg he told me there was no LX flight
between ZRH and JED (he wasn't speaking about availabilty but that there was no operational flight).
I told him that it must be a mistake as the flight was existing.
He became rude and answered that if I want to take this flight, I will have to pay with my credit card.
I've stopped speaking with him and asked for a supervisor.

Supervisor was correct but he has not apologized for the behaviour of his colleague.
I've asked for the routing FCO-ZRH-JED but he told me he wasn't possible.
Thinking it was a (usual) backtracking issue, I've asked for only one leg : ZRH-JED LX228's First Class.

At this moment he told me that Diamond Club didn't allow this flight and if I want to go from ZRH to JED I have to
take MS or OS's flights !!!(of course connecting flights)

When I've asked him how could I know which flights are allowed or not by Diamond Club, he answered that I have to call and ask for.

When I told him it was a new Diamond Club's policy as Miles only for LH First Class, he didn't answer at all.

Did someone else have the same experience ?
It seems that Diamond Club's Indian CSR is getting worst (yes it seem to be possible ) and that DC's policies are more and more restricted if this situation is confirmed.

Sorry for this long post and my approximative english !!

GoldCircle

Oh, this is classic ICC shenanigans - and delivered with all the verve that we have come to expect. It sounds like there may have been a quiet directive that they are to tighten up on certain things like MPMs (max permitted mileages) and MDRs (most direct routings) and this is how it gets translated on the ground.

Mofomat

I had a 45 minute phone call with an agent who was very rude. I was trying to book an LX routing similar to the OP's and was told I had to go on TK. I told them to shove it up their Hacienda.

patgarrett

I'm sure they then told you that that route involved backtracking.

Mofomat

Yes they did. They also told me that there were no seats available despite ANA saying otherwise.

Tiger_lily

As always, if you don't make a complaint to DC management then they can't/ won't do anything about it, and Pune will keep telling bmi what a wonderful job they are doing and how happy we all are.

RAPC

Thanks Tiger_lily for this. Completely agree. ^

If we don't feedback, it won't get acted upon. Also, I can recommend using the feedback mechanism on the bmi site. From past experience it goes to Donnington Hall and not Pune, so your comments about the ICC won't get 'lost' when processed. Also the customer relations folks there actually respond properly (albeit it takes a bit of time) rather than just throwing back a template reply.

GoldCircle

For the uninitiated, the CR Feedback Form is here and they even have a special drop-down category regarding "Staff - Call Centre".

Tiger_lily

GC, just a suggestion, is this in the sticky anywhere and if not it might be a good idea to make it a sticky for a bit. There are far too many of these rude agent complaints being posted. A sustained bit of feedback to bmi might shake them up a bit.

RAPC

I'm sounding like your personal fan club, but good idea ^

I only started to make use of that because of seeing a post about the online link a little while ago. (Once for an issue, once to deliver some well earned praise) Well worth the couple of minutes to fill out the form.

RAPC

I have to say I was wondering if this was all a bit of a storm in a tea cup with a few bad experiences coming to the front again. As it happens we were thinking of some flights in October to NAS. So I thought I would test it out.

All I can say is that those posting experiences in the last 24 hours are not wrong. 3 calls, 3 failures to get any flights held. All the following were researched on ANA for availability.

Call 1
- "Sorry, the system is down and has been down all morning. Please call tomorrow"

Call 2 (30 seconds later)
- No availability on any flights from MUC, FRA or LHR in any cabin except Y to CLT, PHL or NYC despite multiple sets of availability showing on ANA

Call 3
- MAN-MUC-CLT offered with no problems. Connecting flight on US to NAS apparently is not possibly because....*drum roll*

.....Backtracking!

Politely questioned this and was rudely told I was wrong. Asked for a supervisor, was told none were available. Asked to hold, was told that was fine. Was put on hold and then cut off 20 seconds later.

I have had problems from time to time with the ICC before, but never to this degree with agent after agent. Whoever it was who suggested there may be some kind of staff revolt might not be as far off the mark as I thought.

Good luck to anyone needing to make a redemption today. You'll need it.

Tiger_lily

Don't forget to send your feedback in!

RAPC

Lol, typing it up as we speak

GoldCircle

The link I posted above actually is in the sticky, but I've colooured it red for easier spotting now.

Tiger_lily

Thank you GC ^