kinchai

I called to try book a flight from ZRH to PHL via LHR and JFK in Club World. Funny the agent said after I read him the exact flight numbers:

"Sir, are you trying to cheat the system for more TPs?? You know we have a direct flight to PHL from London"

I replied:
"Are you saying what you are saying? I am cheating the system? You have 2 flights to PHL. I am calling because through google flights I can get it to price up on AA but for BA google saids call BA. Have you ever thought of the idea of someone who might want upgrade with Avios and the availability of that? If you are unable to help that's fine I can hang up."

So he did go ahead (or pretended to ) and price it up, the quote ended up twice as much as AA. Needless to say I just booked with AA and kept my points.

Very cheeky and unprofessional customer service. I've had very helpful and knowledgeable CS agent in the pass when calling the gold line. But this is what I got from calling the number read off google.

chistery

I've just been honest about why I'm booking specific flights, they don't really care, they are just trying to pass some time whilst they tap away and wait for their computer usually. I don't see a problem here.

nufnuf77

I think the agent was just trying to be nice and have some fun chat about TPs, rather than being nasty or uncooperative, but that is just speaking from personal experience.

Schwann

Sounds like you had a sense of humour failure to me... that or you just missed the humour.

evacboy

Agreed, I think the agent was just making some light humour

crazyarmadillo

i would also suggest that this was merely the agent passing the time and/or just having a chat.

But, maybe in your case, the agent was having a bad day - and as you say he/she was, then that is just wrong anyway as you are not cheating anything.


Although, we dont book via BA normally for multicity trips (find AA.com so much easier), when speaking with AA about the reservations at any time, they often ask why we choose those flights and not just direct. But its always just in a chatty friendly way and whether its a mileage run. Some are passing the time, some are being customer friendly and some just intrigued.

Normally the conversation ends up with me boring them about flying and different airports. I once spoke to an agent and I started moaning about Charlotte airportt, only to find out that her family works there! Quite embarrased I was!

kinchai

Thanks everyone for sharing their experience. This is only my 2nd time needing to book BA flights calling BA. Other occasions are for Avios upgrade or missing Avios. Next time I'll reply with a joke.

aceman

Agree, op sense of humour failure.

What do you think would have happened if you'd just said, "yes" ?

the_real_a

I have always found the agents a "cut above the usual" call center. They often engage in off script conversation, so i'm betting the guy was simply being a little cheeky.

CrazyJ82

I suspect this is a version of an issue that's come up in the past about BA and humor. Without this becoming "that kind" of thread, British posters should remember that the British sense of humor is frequently inscrutable to the rest of the world. If the agent was indeed joking around, it wouldn't have been obvious to me that s/he was if I'd been on the receiving end of what OP describes.

I guess it's a hazard of being a global business originating in a country with a unique culture when it comes to humor.

perthflyer

^

Same experiences for me when calling up to book itineraries. I've always found agents surprised/appreciative that I know exactly what flights I want to book.

switch007

Why do people often assume that OP can not detect tone during a conversation? I mean, they've come as far as posting on a forum about the situation.

To me "Sir, are you trying to cheat the system for more TPs?? You know we have a direct flight to PHL from London" doesn't sound like pure jest. It sounds like a reprimand. But like the other posters, I wasn't privy to the conversation...

I would have expected more like "Oh I see you're taking the long way round. I guess you'll enjoy all the extra TPs that way!"

LUFTY

I agree I have yet to speak to a bad agent on the Gold or GGL line.

Indeed they love the creative routings I often give and are amazed at the fares that are sometimes available.

On occasions I have helped the agent with their own personal travel plans.

nufnuf77

I opened my post saying 'in my personal experience', not suggesting the OP is wrong or unable to detect the tone of the voice.

To me "Sir, are you trying to cheat the system for more TPs?? You know we have a direct flight to PHL from London" sounds like an invitation to a fun conversation, almost like when I call some flight attendant 'naughty boys'. (Reference to Basil Fawlty, for those not familiar with British humour)

crazyarmadillo

which is why you will find a number of qualifications in peoples replies. In my case, I mentioned that in OP case maybe that the agent must have been having a bad day and that the agent was wrong.

I would have bored the agent within a minute Im sure if they got me going