Help - opinion on BA's attitude

Old Jan 21, 2016, 3:32 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 16
Help - opinion on BA's attitude

Hi,

Would love to hear your comments on that and advise on what to do.

Was traveling JFK to CDG on AA with a BA ticket in biz (promo ticket). Got caught in traffic and made it to the airport 45' before departure, AA agent offered me to abandon my luggage to travel (!), which I couldn't (1 month away from home, ok big bag, which I used to take in cabin sometimes btw).

No AA flight to rebook me on, so AA agent called BA, who told her to call gold guest list line (I'm a member). After a long time, they said that the ticket was restricted and had me buy a new one (in miles). Only premium was available, I tried to use the joker to go biz but I couldn't (it has to be more than 24 hours in advance).

I got to T7 only to realize that the AA flight hadn't gone yet, over one hour delay. BA staff in the Concorde room told me AA may have well try to cancel my ticket so they don't refund in case of a cancellation (!).

I became slightly paranoiac at this stage and called the GGL again, they deeply apologize, and said they would open a case with customer relations. Now Customer Relations answered very quickly and basically told me to get lost (politely).

I'm sort of furious because 1/ I expect the counterpart of my loyalty to be a kind of "we treat you as a human not a machine" attitude, and BA sounded horrifically bureaucratic from A to Z -- what if I have a bigger problem? Will they be understanding and helpful? and 2/ arriving near the cut-off time happened to me a few times in the past, including arriving one day after departure on a super cheap LH Y ticket, and they always got me on board for free or a nominal fee.

I don't feel entitled to anything, but I have a serious trust problem with BA. Do you guys have similar experience? Do they care?

So far I only asked for refund of taxes on the unused ticket, sincere apologies, and a symbolic something like half of the miles I used for the ticket (or anything, it was 30k anyway, just a sign of good will). It really does not seem exaggerated to me... I know I was 15' late, but who cannot make the difference between being caught in traffic 15' and making a proper exchange on a ticket? Bureaucrats?

What do you think? Any experience if this kind of situation? So far they had always been very nice to me and helped me, I had been spoiled maybe -- but I travel long haul more than twice a month and it's the first time I meet stubborn/bureaucratic staff like this.

Best

P
PeyoNYC is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 3:56 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: UK, Peak District near MAN
Programs: BA- blue, BD,DL
Posts: 2,027
Help - opinion on BA's attitude

If I arrived 15 mins after check in closed on a restricted ticket I would expect to buy a new ticket and accept I was in the wrong. I would hope for some goodwill but if it wasn't forthcoming so be it.

On the other hand if I was GGL I would hope that they'd be a bit more accommodating.
highpeaklad is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 4:02 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: WAW ✈ LHR ✈ GLA
Programs: BA GfL/GGL/CCR, HH Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,492
I would remove all liquids and go straight through the security... they can always check your bag into hold at the gate, can't they? ;-)
megaloman is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 4:16 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: DEL
Programs: Mucci du Miel d'Or
Posts: 2,372
Originally Posted by PeyoNYC
Hi,

I don't feel entitled to anything, but I have a serious trust problem with BA. Do you guys have similar experience? Do they care?
I don't see that BA misled you or that they was duplicity, so don't understand how you have a 'trust problem'. I can understand frustration, disappointment from unfulfilled expectations.
Dan72 is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 4:37 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
Bottom line, you were late at check in and had a restricted ticket. They tried to accommodate you but it would have meant leaving the baggage.

If your complaint is you were denied boarding then you need to take take it up with AA but on the basis that you arrived 15 mins after check in closed then I can't see you having much luck.

If your complaint is you didn't get your miles refunded then that is normally the case with promo tickets when you miss the flight. Sometimes you strike it lucky with a sympathetic agent but not guaranteed. It sounds like they made a gesture (30,000 miles) which I suspect normal (non GGL) travellers might not have got.

I can't see any breach of trust here by BA. Maybe if you regularly cut it fine, as you suggest, then either setting off earlier or buying a flexible ticket might be the best approach.
simons1 is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 7:57 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,570
Originally Posted by PeyoNYC
...made it to the airport 45' before departure, AA agent offered me to abandon my luggage to travel

I got to T7 only to realize that the AA flight hadn't gone yet, over one hour delay.
Basically, you arrived after the deadline for baggage acceptance but during a window where they would still accept you. At the time, they were saying that your bag wouldn't make the flight in time, but you could, which is fair although not ideal or practical.

Although the flight ended up being delayed, we can't tell now when that delay became known. It might have been after the baggage acceptance deadline, in which case they still wouldn't have opened baggage acceptance up again. It might have been just before boarding, after you had already decided not to go without your bag. That it was delayed probably makes you feel that you and your bag could have gone after all - but baggage cut off is determined by scheduled departure to ensure that late bags don't cause a further delay. Unfortunately, you (with a bag) missed the flight.

I'm sort of furious because

1/ I expect the counterpart of my loyalty to be a kind of "we treat you as a human not a machine" attitude, and BA sounded horrifically bureaucratic from A to Z -- what if I have a bigger problem? Will they be understanding and helpful? and

2/ arriving near the cut-off time happened to me a few times in the past, including arriving one day after departure on a super cheap LH Y ticket, and they always got me on board for free or a nominal fee.
1) If you have a bigger problem, such as? Missing a flight due to hospitalisation? Covered. Death? Covered. Act of God? Pretty much covered.

2) AA at least gave you an option, although undesirable to you. I'd count the previous times you've got away for free/nominal fee as times to be thankful for; as exceptions rather than the rule.
JAXBA is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 8:53 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
This has happened to me twice with AA and/or old US. I usually check a bag as my work often involves bringing along too many gadgets.

Generally they were very accommodating as they have a flat tire rule (if you are there within 3 hours, they'll rebook you on the next flight, even on a restricted ticket).

One time I was rebooked into SFO instead of SJC as it had a flight 30 minutes later, within the bag checkin time limit. Another time I missed the cutoff by 10-15 minutes. I basically used my (in the words of c-w-s ) mercurial charm to persuade them to accept the bag and expedite it to make the flight. I basically explained that I was late, explained what happened on the way, said I could really use a favour, and I had the US equivalent of a golden ticket to offer as thanks for their kindness. They did a quick override and called someone to deliver the bag to the plane. This was a couple of years ago when I had status on US, and I have no idea if it work today as a BA Gold, but AA generally treats me very well.

While your experience did vary, I find it far easy to resolve things at the airport if at all possible, rather than hoping to resolve things later, because it's unfortunately a lot easier for a phone agent that wasn't there to simply say no.
dylanks is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 10:16 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 946
Help - opinion on BA's attitude

The only thing GGL does is to speed up the process, but you don't get any special treatment in the sense of "the rules don't apply to you".

You were late, you have to pay for the consequences. It's BA, not one of the nice understanding airlines.
FlyingB1975 is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 11:22 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,210
It's what BA is like these days - they don't care about anybody any more and just want to screw people out of money.

In future, allow more time to get to JFK or buy a flexible ticket - and if running late phone ahead and get a note put in your pnr.
IAMORGAN is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 11:54 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: North East
Programs: Hilton HHonors, BAEC Silver
Posts: 1,204
In my experience BA service is often excellent, and occasionally poor. This sounds to me like you have hit middle ground here. I do understand your frustration in being given machine like responses which would annoy me too. I have never actually complained through CR as such for this very reason,and certainly wouldn't regarding matters whereby BA were just following their own policies (however inflexible they may be). If they had severely broken cast iron promises the case would be different, but for not being more compassionate and discretional would not fit the bill for me.........seems more hassle than it's worth tbh.

It is unfortunate that loyalty doesn't count for much these days; it should do, but rarely does in any walk of life anymore.

Just out of interest what caused the delay? Too late now, but always worth trying to establish at the time. If the delay was say an operational reason that staff could pre-empt well in advance, I personally think AA could have handled the situation differently. However, if everything was running tickety-boo until doors closed, aircraft still on stand due to creeping ATC delays then I feel their actions were wholly correct.
TyneTraveller is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 12:27 am
  #11  
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,350
Originally Posted by PeyoNYC
and 2/ arriving near the cut-off time happened to me a few times in the past, including arriving one day after departure on a super cheap LH Y ticket, and they always got me on board for free or a nominal fee.

I don't feel entitled to anything
Whether you choose to call it "entitlement" or not, it seems to me that you are at the very least "expecting" that the airline would find a solution when you miss the check in deadline that will not involve your having lost your ticket.

Most airlines won't, and for better or worse, the trend is towards more inflexibility rather than less.

Ultimately, as others pointed out, you missed your flight. It is very frustrating but not in any way the airline's fault. This can be covered by travel insurance, or sometimes by calling the airline ahead of time, or of course by adding a very large cushion to the time we plan to arrive at the airport (fully aware that in NYC there is sadly no fully safe recipe on that front). GGL gets you fast and competent service, but not a suspension of rules. Moreover, in case you had any doubt, the airline will not reimburse the FFP for the ticket in case of a missed departure, so here, you are asking BAEC to give you some money (avios) back when they have parted with it and have no way of getting it back themselves.
orbitmic is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 12:46 am
  #12  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,495
I understand your frustration. But directing your anger at BA does not make much sense. You bought a dirt cheap J ticket (3oK miles+tax), which is highly restricted. You are technically a no show which can be costly for an airline (another pax might have enjoyed an award/paid ticket and could not). Furthermore, the award involves two different airlines, so that BA has already credited your payment to AA.
Like everyone else, I feel that there is no "BA trust" issue here, simply frustration of having not taken a proper time buffer.
brunos is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 1:01 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Yorkshire
Programs: BA Gold & HH Silver
Posts: 1,465
BA's Attitude? Its not as bad as your Timekeeping... Take it on the Chin old chap, move on, let it be a life lesson.
BLHD is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 1:12 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
Originally Posted by IAMORGAN
It's what BA is like these days - they don't care about anybody any more and just want to screw people out of money.
So when it suits the passenger, buy a cheap discounted ticket that gives BA limited margin.

However when the passenger screws up, that airline should treat it as if it was a fully flexible ticket and provide a refund.

Meanwhile back in the real world......
simons1 is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 1:35 am
  #15  
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,350
Originally Posted by brunos
You bought a dirt cheap J ticket (3oK miles+tax), which is highly restricted.
PS: it makes no difference to your argument which I fully agree with, but 30k would not be a J ticket.
orbitmic is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.