LHR Flounge Customer Service Chaos
Aug 11, 2022, 9:42 am
#77
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Lemonia. Best Greek ever.
Posts: 2,274
This whole saga is so sad. Years ago, I had no problems with slightly complex bookings on BA. They were expensive, (business travel), but BA also serviced the customers better than most.
Now, I will not book any complex itineraries with BA. Even to Asia, where I used to nearly "commute" with BA.
Point to point, maybe.
Now, I will not book any complex itineraries with BA. Even to Asia, where I used to nearly "commute" with BA.
Point to point, maybe.
Aug 11, 2022, 2:09 pm
#78
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,061
When the ticketing staff were removed, a centralised function in a T5 back office was created (ARC) for all front-line agents to call if a customer needed reticketing. ARC agents are very good, incredibly helpful and have a lot of options available to them… on paper it wasn’t quite as bad an idea as it sounded as it did bring efficiencies. But what’s happened (it seems) is either that frontline agents for whatever reason don’t call through, or the back-office team has since suffered reductions themselves and can’t handle the volume. I don’t know which it is, but in any case it’s very sad that customers are suffering as a result.
Aug 13, 2022, 5:27 am
#79
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: E14, LON
Programs: Virtuoso TA; SELECT TA; BAEC Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond; IHG Plantinum Amb
Posts: 239
By way of comparison I had great experience with AerLingus lounge staff today - and glad I chose to fly with them LHR to DUB for the first time in about 10 years, primarily because they had such a cheap AerSpace fare and a better timed flight for me after all the BA cuts.
On arrival at the lounge the agent told me the aircraft had been downgraded - no AerSpace (not great) but reminder me to claim EU downgrade compensation and offered to move me to the earlier flight if I wanted as the original flight was showing a slight delay. 2 seconds of tapping and everything effortlessly sorted and leaving me feeling I’d had great service even though I ended up at the back of the plane!
On arrival at the lounge the agent told me the aircraft had been downgraded - no AerSpace (not great) but reminder me to claim EU downgrade compensation and offered to move me to the earlier flight if I wanted as the original flight was showing a slight delay. 2 seconds of tapping and everything effortlessly sorted and leaving me feeling I’d had great service even though I ended up at the back of the plane!
Aug 13, 2022, 9:17 am
#80
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,534
Publicly available seats are exactly what airline staff use to rebook, even in invol situations. There is no hidden availability that agents use. If there was no visible availability, then agents are unable to process any rebooking.
With regards to other carriers, there are agents who would assist in doing this, either in advance or to assist front line staff via telephone.
With regards to other carriers, there are agents who would assist in doing this, either in advance or to assist front line staff via telephone.
Aug 13, 2022, 9:30 am
#81
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,534
Chaos both in the main T5 terminal and in the Flounge this morning. Misconnect (following a late transatlantic arrival) to LHR/BHD. In normal times, a simple rebooking on the next available BHD (EI or BA) would have been done without question. I stood first in the line in the main terminal and then at the customer service desk in the Flounge from around 7.25 to 11.10am, throughout which time staff refused to rebook me on EI, alleging that wasn't possible, and also refused to rebook me on the only other LHR/BHD that day (roughly 11 hours later), on the basis that it's not available for public sale. They seemed to be quite unable to distinguish involuntary and voluntary rebooking. With a (temporary) injury that (temporarily) limits my capacity, I requested assistance, which was denied. Beside me, in tears, was an elderly lady in a wheelchair who had been asked to wait "over there" by Flounge staff for someone to take her to the Glasgow aircraft, no one did so and no one checked that it had been done, she missed her domestic flight as a result, and who was rebooked around 10 hours later. Also beside me was a couple who had been asked to wait "over there" for a few minutes while something was sorted out. They checked back at the Flounge desk at hourly intervals for the 3 + hours I was there, and on each occasion was directed to "over there" with no substantive assistance offered. Nothwithstanding that there are plenty of seats available on three EI LHR/BHD flights and also on the only other BA LHR/BHD flight today, I was directed from LHR to City Airport by train to take a LCY/BHD flight- with reduced mobility - because no BA LHR staff member could be bothered to rebook or offer any other assistance.
I must say that on the 10th the terminal and CCR were dead. I did see some people at the entrance to the lounge but cannot recall a wheelchair. When I headed for my flight around 8:20 it was similarly quiet but to be fair, my attention was taken up with a degree of panic, when I realised my trip to Paris involved me walking most of the way as the gate was C53!!
The lack of ticketing staff in the terminal is frankly outrageous!
Aug 24, 2022, 2:21 pm
#82
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 368
Chaos both in the main T5 terminal and in the Flounge this morning. Misconnect (following a late transatlantic arrival) to LHR/BHD. In normal times, a simple rebooking on the next available BHD (EI or BA) would have been done without question. I stood first in the line in the main terminal and then at the customer service desk in the Flounge from around 7.25 to 11.10am, throughout which time staff refused to rebook me on EI, alleging that wasn't possible, and also refused to rebook me on the only other LHR/BHD that day (roughly 11 hours later), on the basis that it's not available for public sale. They seemed to be quite unable to distinguish involuntary and voluntary rebooking. With a (temporary) injury that (temporarily) limits my capacity, I requested assistance, which was denied. Beside me, in tears, was an elderly lady in a wheelchair who had been asked to wait "over there" by Flounge staff for someone to take her to the Glasgow aircraft, no one did so and no one checked that it had been done, she missed her domestic flight as a result, and who was rebooked around 10 hours later. Also beside me was a couple who had been asked to wait "over there" for a few minutes while something was sorted out. They checked back at the Flounge desk at hourly intervals for the 3 + hours I was there, and on each occasion was directed to "over there" with no substantive assistance offered. Nothwithstanding that there are plenty of seats available on three EI LHR/BHD flights and also on the only other BA LHR/BHD flight today, I was directed from LHR to City Airport by train to take a LCY/BHD flight- with reduced mobility - because no BA LHR staff member could be bothered to rebook or offer any other assistance.
Now, two weeks later, the usual meaningless template apology from Customer Services, with 10,000 Avios. I'd have preferred 10 hours at home instead, and 10.000 Avios isn't nearly enough for preventing that, but BA service (and post-travel Customer Service) is often now derisory so arguing would just occupy more time and achieve no more than another template reply. When I want to pay for comfort and good service, I pay for QR J. And when I don't, it's Ryanair or Easyjet. BA fits neither.
Aug 24, 2022, 3:18 pm
#83
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Lisboa
Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire, Easyjet Flight Club
Posts: 452
#
Now, two weeks later, the usual meaningless template apology from Customer Services, with 10,000 Avios. I'd have preferred 10 hours at home instead, and 10.000 Avios isn't nearly enough for preventing that, but BA service (and post-travel Customer Service) is often now derisory so arguing would just occupy more time and achieve no more than another template reply. When I want to pay for comfort and good service, I pay for QR J. And when I don't, it's Ryanair or Easyjet. BA fits neither.
Now, two weeks later, the usual meaningless template apology from Customer Services, with 10,000 Avios. I'd have preferred 10 hours at home instead, and 10.000 Avios isn't nearly enough for preventing that, but BA service (and post-travel Customer Service) is often now derisory so arguing would just occupy more time and achieve no more than another template reply. When I want to pay for comfort and good service, I pay for QR J. And when I don't, it's Ryanair or Easyjet. BA fits neither.
Aug 25, 2022, 8:09 am
#85
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London
Programs: Sir Ratechaser Seigneur de la Patience d'un Saint (Mucci), BA Silver, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 2,563
