Innsbruck? Where’s that?!
Dec 9, 2023, 5:27 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2019
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 6
Innsbruck? Where’s that?!
Mods - please merge if this is a duplicate theme or in the wrong place. Apologies.
Anyway, yesterday at Gatwick - Club/Silver check in desk:
Hello
I’m flying to Innsbruck.
Do you have your passports? (with a slightly perplexed look)
Sure. Here is the PNR too
Where are you going?
Innsbruck
Where?
Innsbruck
Where?
Innsbruck?
And so this continued to the point of complete farce. Circa 5 times.
Where’s that?
Innsbruck in Austria
Never heard of it.
At which point an embarrassed fellow agent who was serving another customer said “it’s INN”
Cue more awkward stares/glares from LGW premium/gold/silver agent. Perhaps she thought I was with a different airline in the wrong queue?
I was made to feel like a right lemon, anyway.
Admittedly, the first service of the season but not really acceptable in my view that the check in agent had no idea where the hell Innsbruck is. And indeed still probably doesn’t.
Eventually checked in, but made to feel like a complete cretin.
Is it really too much to ask that BA check in agents know the destinations to which they are flying? Or am I asking too much?
Anyway, yesterday at Gatwick - Club/Silver check in desk:
Hello
I’m flying to Innsbruck.
Do you have your passports? (with a slightly perplexed look)
Sure. Here is the PNR too
Where are you going?
Innsbruck
Where?
Innsbruck
Where?
Innsbruck?
And so this continued to the point of complete farce. Circa 5 times.
Where’s that?
Innsbruck in Austria
Never heard of it.
At which point an embarrassed fellow agent who was serving another customer said “it’s INN”
Cue more awkward stares/glares from LGW premium/gold/silver agent. Perhaps she thought I was with a different airline in the wrong queue?
I was made to feel like a right lemon, anyway.
Admittedly, the first service of the season but not really acceptable in my view that the check in agent had no idea where the hell Innsbruck is. And indeed still probably doesn’t.
Eventually checked in, but made to feel like a complete cretin.
Is it really too much to ask that BA check in agents know the destinations to which they are flying? Or am I asking too much?
Dec 9, 2023, 7:23 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emerald), TK Elite (*A Gold)
Posts: 591
I've always wondered the purpose of this question - surely they scan your passport and it brings up all the details including destination on the screen? I assumed it was some sort of security 'test' to make sure you weren't trying it on with someone else's booking. I always mention the country rather than the city though, as I've learned general geography knowledge isn't as strong as it probably should be.
Dec 9, 2023, 7:33 pm
#3
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 20,220
CX chat agents (our equivalent of the India call centre) struggle with Vienna CX can make it really hard to be a customer
Dec 10, 2023, 1:11 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: GLA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 3,033
When I were a student, I worked in a bureau de change. A woman came and asked what currency she needed. I asked where she was going. "Puerto Rico" she said. I was halfway through innocently selling her US$ until a colleague pointed out that there is a town called Puerto Rico in Gran Canaria, and that she probably wanted pesetas!
I, of course, blame her!
But yeah, not knowing Innsbruck (one of only how many LGW destinations?!?!) is pretty bad.
I, of course, blame her!
But yeah, not knowing Innsbruck (one of only how many LGW destinations?!?!) is pretty bad.
Dec 10, 2023, 1:21 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: London (née Melbourne)
Programs: Qantas Platinum (Oneworld Emerald)
Posts: 1,093
I've always wondered the purpose of this question - surely they scan your passport and it brings up all the details including destination on the screen? I assumed it was some sort of security 'test' to make sure you weren't trying it on with someone else's booking. I always mention the country rather than the city though, as I've learned general geography knowledge isn't as strong as it probably should be.
Dec 10, 2023, 1:42 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 133
Many years ago I was going to Cuba and phoned my phone company to ask about roaming charges / would the phone work (we're going back to 2G days here). The lady on the phone said my phone wouldn't work as the only country on her list under "Q" was Qatar... A tricky moment then followed.
Dec 10, 2023, 2:23 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: MME (midway between NCL and LBA)
Programs: BA Gold, AF/KL Gold, Hilton Gold, Nordic Choice Gold
Posts: 753
Years ago I was chatting to an employee at NCL after my direct flight to CPH had been cancelled and was looking at a long wait followed by an indirect flight via LHR or AMS. I was asked why didn’t I take the train instead?
Dec 10, 2023, 2:55 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, Diamond Status & on the Supreme Council des Conseillers, BA Ag, Bonvoy GFL/Plat, xVS Au
Posts: 843
Mods - please merge if this is a duplicate theme or in the wrong place. Apologies.
Anyway, yesterday at Gatwick - Club/Silver check in desk:
Hello
I’m flying to Innsbruck.
Do you have your passports? (with a slightly perplexed look)
Sure. Here is the PNR too
Where are you going?
Innsbruck
Where?
Innsbruck
Where?
Innsbruck?
And so this continued to the point of complete farce. Circa 5 times.
Where’s that?
Innsbruck in Austria
Never heard of it.
At which point an embarrassed fellow agent who was serving another customer said “it’s INN”
Cue more awkward stares/glares from LGW premium/gold/silver agent. Perhaps she thought I was with a different airline in the wrong queue?
I was made to feel like a right lemon, anyway.
Admittedly, the first service of the season but not really acceptable in my view that the check in agent had no idea where the hell Innsbruck is. And indeed still probably doesn’t.
Eventually checked in, but made to feel like a complete cretin.
Is it really too much to ask that BA check in agents know the destinations to which they are flying? Or am I asking too much?
Anyway, yesterday at Gatwick - Club/Silver check in desk:
Hello
I’m flying to Innsbruck.
Do you have your passports? (with a slightly perplexed look)
Sure. Here is the PNR too
Where are you going?
Innsbruck
Where?
Innsbruck
Where?
Innsbruck?
And so this continued to the point of complete farce. Circa 5 times.
Where’s that?
Innsbruck in Austria
Never heard of it.
At which point an embarrassed fellow agent who was serving another customer said “it’s INN”
Cue more awkward stares/glares from LGW premium/gold/silver agent. Perhaps she thought I was with a different airline in the wrong queue?
I was made to feel like a right lemon, anyway.
Admittedly, the first service of the season but not really acceptable in my view that the check in agent had no idea where the hell Innsbruck is. And indeed still probably doesn’t.
Eventually checked in, but made to feel like a complete cretin.
Is it really too much to ask that BA check in agents know the destinations to which they are flying? Or am I asking too much?
Dec 10, 2023, 2:58 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+, BAEC Silver
Posts: 3,784
Dec 10, 2023, 4:02 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: Mucci Chevalier des Internautes Amables; BAEC
Posts: 1,007
It seems like BA684 had the same problem yesterday. After repeated circles and a go-around at INN due to visibility it diverted to MUC. Apparently it was the most watched flight on FlightRadar yesterday.
Dec 10, 2023, 5:49 am
#15
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bombay
Programs: EC Blue, EB Silver, FB Gold
Posts: 551
A few years ago, one of the contestants in Miss Universe ended up in the wrong Panama City, and a former colleague of my dad was going to Maputo but ended up in Boston. Things happen.