Phoning the ICC from within India
#16
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Manchester, England
Programs: Bonvoy LT Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, BMI Gold (RIP)
Posts: 8,021
I did try asking Sita this question when I called the ICC a few minutes ago. Her answer was that it isn't possible, i.e. that if I'm in Mumbai and want to speak to them in Pune then I need to place an international call to the UK. I remain hopeful that someone here will have a better answer.
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Plat; IHG Diamond-Amb; Meliá & HH & Marriott Gold
Posts: 5,450
Mind you, when we booked our tickets to BOM we did get the standard "and would you like me to arrange a Hertz car for your time in Mumbai, sir?" I just laughed at the time (me? drive in Mumbai???), but on reflection it would make a great FT "do": fly out to BOM, once the new Lufthansificated bmi has introduced direct daily flights from six UK regional airports, and make a road trip to Pune.
#18
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#19
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: BHD/DUB
Programs: BA Gold, TK*G, EI Elite
Posts: 7,622
I don't remember anyone being advised to call Ventura (India) and ask what the direct number for their bmi office is.
#20
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: LCY
Posts: 1,222
Why would they have an in-country phone number Diamond Club calls from India?
The airline doesn't operate to the country and so I would assume there are only a few diamond club members (given it used to be difficult to join from all but a couple of countries..)
Do they have even have local numbers for countries they do operate to, like Armenia or Azerbaijan?
The airline doesn't operate to the country and so I would assume there are only a few diamond club members (given it used to be difficult to join from all but a couple of countries..)
Do they have even have local numbers for countries they do operate to, like Armenia or Azerbaijan?
#21
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
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The thinking behind my question was that calls made to the ICC are presumably patched to geographical numbers (and for many 0800 and 0870 numbers in the UK it's become fairly easy to find out the 'real' number). Given the ICC's physical location, it should be possible to reach it from within India without the call being routed outside the domestic telephone network.
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
The thinking behind my question was that calls made to the ICC are presumably patched to geographical numbers (and for many 0800 and 0870 numbers in the UK it's become fairly easy to find out the 'real' number). Given the ICC's physical location, it should be possible to reach it from within India without the call being routed outside the domestic telephone network.
#23
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
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Given there doesn't seem to be anyone here with company-specific inside knowledge, it looks as though resolving this question is going to take some phone calls.
#24
Join Date: Jan 2005
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#25
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210
Well I'm in Argentina and have no problem using Skype to the ICC when making redemptions. For the cost of a few pence one really can't complain.
I used to stay yards from the now closed Goldfish call centre back home. It might as well have been 1000s of miles away as the only way one could contact them was over the phone.......knocking on their door and paying them a personal visit wasn't an option. Used to have a laugh with the agents when they saw where I stayed and I told them to look out of their window and I would give them a wave.
I used to stay yards from the now closed Goldfish call centre back home. It might as well have been 1000s of miles away as the only way one could contact them was over the phone.......knocking on their door and paying them a personal visit wasn't an option. Used to have a laugh with the agents when they saw where I stayed and I told them to look out of their window and I would give them a wave.
#26
Join Date: Mar 2006
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#28
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Location: Berlin
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Posts: 5,450
All for this one moment
Splutter. Coffee everywhere. And it might have been better for LH if their advert and slogan hadn't appeared immediately underneath jamesbrownontheroad's link.
#30
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BOM-SIN-EWR
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Actually, there is - Fly BOM-PNQ on 9w, get LH miles...
Quite correct - they probably do not even have or allow a landline where the call center employees have access to it. Also, any cellphones are probably banned - I have never heard the GSM interference that normally is associated with receiving SMS's/calls on the sly, when talking to the ICC.
However, that doesn't mean that it is not happening - that interference is usually associated with analog PaBX's (used for domestic call centers, as each digital phone costs quite a packet), and they could be using an all-digital one..
Kewl!
However, that doesn't mean that it is not happening - that interference is usually associated with analog PaBX's (used for domestic call centers, as each digital phone costs quite a packet), and they could be using an all-digital one..
Well I'm in Argentina and have no problem using Skype to the ICC when making redemptions. For the cost of a few pence one really can't complain.
I used to stay yards from the now closed Goldfish call centre back home. It might as well have been 1000s of miles away as the only way one could contact them was over the phone.......knocking on their door and paying them a personal visit wasn't an option. Used to have a laugh with the agents when they saw where I stayed and I told them to look out of their window and I would give them a wave.
I used to stay yards from the now closed Goldfish call centre back home. It might as well have been 1000s of miles away as the only way one could contact them was over the phone.......knocking on their door and paying them a personal visit wasn't an option. Used to have a laugh with the agents when they saw where I stayed and I told them to look out of their window and I would give them a wave.