Res Agent shenanigans
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,302
Res Agent shenanigans
I'm taking the family to Bozeman this summer booked two tickets with cash and two tickets using my Amex companion pass. We booked slightly less than optimal schedules, because it saved us almost $300 combined.
This morning, we got an almost-two-hour schedule change so I was looking forward to using the schedule change to get on the flights I'd wanted from the beginning. And I was doubly motivated because taking a 3-year-old and 6-month-old on an 8 p.m. flight didn't strike me as fun (it had moved from a 5:45 departure to a 7:40 departure).
Called in, and the first agent tried to tell me I was not eligible for a new flight unless the change was more than four hours. I pressed very gently ("I thought it was just one hour?") and was firmly rebuffed. Fine. I know how this is going to go. ("Well, I guess I was mistaken. Thanks so much for your help. Click.")
Call back five minutes later and get a lovely agent who processes my request within 5 minutes.
I know I'm not the first, and won't be the last, FTer to encounter incompetent airline reservation agents, but I still don't know how it happens. How do these airlines tolerate it?
This morning, we got an almost-two-hour schedule change so I was looking forward to using the schedule change to get on the flights I'd wanted from the beginning. And I was doubly motivated because taking a 3-year-old and 6-month-old on an 8 p.m. flight didn't strike me as fun (it had moved from a 5:45 departure to a 7:40 departure).
Called in, and the first agent tried to tell me I was not eligible for a new flight unless the change was more than four hours. I pressed very gently ("I thought it was just one hour?") and was firmly rebuffed. Fine. I know how this is going to go. ("Well, I guess I was mistaken. Thanks so much for your help. Click.")
Call back five minutes later and get a lovely agent who processes my request within 5 minutes.
I know I'm not the first, and won't be the last, FTer to encounter incompetent airline reservation agents, but I still don't know how it happens. How do these airlines tolerate it?
#2
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,245
Because the majority of the changes these agents deal with are likely simple and can be done following a simple web app that was probably available to the customer calling in. From the airline's perspective, the particular agent is likely still meeting productivity goals and doing most of their work correctly. They can hire people off the street with no specialized education, who may or may not have finished high school, to process the majority of their changes and it is cheaper for them to do so. Occasionally they will need to do something more advanced (but still relatively simple) such as your situation. Ideally they should be trained appropriately to deal with situations like yours, but you can only teach so much to some of their employees, that is especially "low-yield" in the grand scheme of things. If it is really an issue the customer wants resolved, then it will usually get taken care of due to HUCA.
Is it annoying and inconvenient that you don't have the same level of service from every agent? Yup.
Is it going to change? Nope, because to ensure high quality agents for every interaction would require paying them more to acquire & retain talent which is not necessary for the majority of customer interactions.
Is it annoying and inconvenient that you don't have the same level of service from every agent? Yup.
Is it going to change? Nope, because to ensure high quality agents for every interaction would require paying them more to acquire & retain talent which is not necessary for the majority of customer interactions.
#3
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,411
In any case, this is excellent handling of the situation. Much stress and frustration could be prevented if more people followed this simple process.
Last edited by jdrtravel; Feb 25, 2018 at 2:20 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
Called in, and the first agent tried to tell me I was not eligible for a new flight unless the change was more than four hours. I pressed very gently ("I thought it was just one hour?") and was firmly rebuffed. Fine. I know how this is going to go. ("Well, I guess I was mistaken. Thanks so much for your help. Click.")
Call back five minutes later and get a lovely agent who processes my request within 5 minutes.
I know I'm not the first, and won't be the last, FTer to encounter incompetent airline reservation agents, but I still don't know how it happens. How do these airlines tolerate it?
Call back five minutes later and get a lovely agent who processes my request within 5 minutes.
I know I'm not the first, and won't be the last, FTer to encounter incompetent airline reservation agents, but I still don't know how it happens. How do these airlines tolerate it?
#6
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
This is a case where I would have asked for a Supervisor because OP was clearly in the right and there was no grey area. It also is nice educating that agent to then lift DL's communal agent standards.
I HUCA if there is a grey area...like the former SDCs from F to domestic D1...but this would have been resolved with either referencing the CoC to Agent #1 or asking for Supervisor or Reissue Desk.
Giving the dumb agent a 1 also helps because they shouldn't be so uneducated.
I HUCA if there is a grey area...like the former SDCs from F to domestic D1...but this would have been resolved with either referencing the CoC to Agent #1 or asking for Supervisor or Reissue Desk.
Giving the dumb agent a 1 also helps because they shouldn't be so uneducated.
#7
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Formerly at PIT, now planted near MSP.
Programs: No flights since April 2019 (Medical Issues). Lost all my status.
Posts: 1,483
#8
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Melbourne MEL Calgary YYC
Programs: UA1K, QF Plat, *A & Marriot Gold, OW Emerald, Hyatt Hertz PC CanPass Nexus APEC Global Entry
Posts: 468
If it is any consolation the agents on the UA call system have the same issues, politely finish the call and call back in 5 minutes. You did what you should have.
#9
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Probably the first agent didn't want to bother with having to reissue 4 tickets due to the schedule change so they made up a 'rule'... unfortunately this does happen occasionally.
#10
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 3,996
Yeah, best thing to do here is let the agent hang up and then give them a 1. Only way DL will know that the agent is incompetent.
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,302
And duly noted to everyone who said I should just give her a 1. I was just trying to move on.
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
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Posts: 10,263
While Ive used HUCA many times with DL, one thing about the strategy is its great if you can call an elite line and be through in no time. Not so much when youre flying with an airline you have no status on and HUCA means another extensive hold time.
#13
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: CHS
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 508
"More advanced" because it involved 2 reservations. That's also why the OP likely would not want to use the website to make a change...there is no way to know after changing the first reservation online whether or not there will still be seats available on the same flights to change the 2nd reservation. Easier, for the pax, to call in this situation, and ensure from the outset that everyone can be rebooked together.
#14
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Melbourne MEL Calgary YYC
Programs: UA1K, QF Plat, *A & Marriot Gold, OW Emerald, Hyatt Hertz PC CanPass Nexus APEC Global Entry
Posts: 468
yes , you have a good point, I call in on the 1K line so it is a quick procedure, I can see blood boiling waiting on hold, told no, waiting on hold.....
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 22,887
Were the new flights earlier on the same day, or on a different day (next morning, for example)?