Emirates problems - your help please
 

I am hoping you can help me. I have been trying to get in touch with Emirates for nearly five months now but have not had anything other than automated replies. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Here – in brief - is the problem: I took several flights in F last year, several of which were downgraded and one was delayed for 24 hours. My TA at the time contacted EK and was in negotiation (and according to his last message, close to coming to agreement) about compensation (most likely some UG vouchers). Unfortunately my TA got cancer and is no longer working or responding to emails (I fear the worst).

I contacted EK about the above through their website (complaints@) and received an automated reply saying it could take a month but that was 5 months ago. I have since 1) sent another message (same issue), 2) contacted my local EK office, who told me they can’t contact anyone different than me but would send a message to the same address on my behalf (no response), 3) called the EK office in UAE (same reply as the Auckland office).

I’m about to book my travel for the rest of the year and would like to use EK but really need to get a response from someone at the company.

I’m getting a bit desperate. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Call them.

Do you have any status with them ? You could try calling the Skywards number and raise a query via them. Alternatively, have you tried online chat ? Emirates is known for its excellent customer service especially when it comes to compensation/refunds :rolleyes:

Yes, that's the one I have been using. I am getting automated replies but never any real answers.

I tried the online chat too - they said they would 'forward my concerns' but I never hear back (I saved the chat log, not that it helps as I wouldn't know who to send it to, to show I haven't had a reply!).

Try DM'ing @EmiratesSupport on Twitter - they've been very helpful to me in the past.

No, that's one thing I hadn't done yet. thanks for the tip. Just tried that. Crossing my fingers!

I suspect that the TA is the problem. EK may well be communicating with the TA in response to OP's queries because that is who they have been dealing with and it is with whom they ought to deal with.

Problem is, of course, that EK's emails to the TA are likely going unanswered.

Was your TA a solo or are there others with whom he works? If so, I would call --- not email --- one of them and ask how your person's emails are being handled. Beyond that, I would try calling the TA. Email is a terrible way to handle this and it is fine to attempt to reach the TA.

If indeed the TA is dead or unable to work, call EK and start by explaining this.

I think you are right, Often1. I have been trying to call the TA but no reply since last year. He worked (I'm afraid the past tense is accurate here...) alone, so there are no colleagues I can reach.

Thanks to the tip from Metanoi (great handle, by the way!) I now have someone ('Jamal') who seems responsive. He has asked for the previous communication (via Twitter DM), which I have sent. Fingers crossed!

I'll update this thread when I have news.

Well, this is starting to become Kafka-esque...I followed the advice above and received quick replies and promises it would be looked into. Then after a few requests for information I received one that said I would be contacted. That didn't happen so I tweeted again asking them to follow-up. After several more days I received this bizarre message:

"Hi Hayo, Our Customer Relations team informed us that they’ve already addressed your concern. As they represent the main authority in handling customer complaints, I’m afraid I won’t be able to add any further comments from my end. I’d be more than happy to help you with any other queries you may have. <name deleted> Emirates Social Media Team"

I just replied saying I have never heard anything from anyone...

This is just becoming incredible.

If anyone has anymore suggestions I would be very, very grateful. It has now taken 8 months and I have still not been able to get a meaningful answer/information from anyone at EK.

Have you called? And when you do and they fob you off saying they'll contact you ask to speak to a team leader or supervisor as you'd like it addressed immediately since you've never been contacted after previous promises. Ask them if there is an internal ombudsman or industry body you can file a complaint with (mainly just to see if it leads them to take it a little more seriously)

One more thing, ultimately EK may still be communicating with the TA, so perhaps you can try some industry body for TAs or find another TA (bricks and mortar) and meet them in person, explain the issue, and ask if there's a way they can step in and take over those reservations (though they're in the past), you might have to offer to pay a nominal fee. No idea if this is in any way possible, but they may have a more direct way of contacting EK perhaps.

Thanks for the advice. I think I will try calling one more time and doing as you suggest. Someone PM-ed me and suggested I file a lawsuit in NZ (my country of residence). That is perhaps not as crazy as it sounds as the dollar value of what we are talking about here is in the thousands of dollars. I have so far been luck never to have been caught up in this type of crazy corporate maze...I guess it's my turn :-(

ps got a reply to my tweet 3 days ago saying they had asked 'the customer relations' team to resend their message to me but of course I haven't received anything...

Were the tickets purchased in NZ? Flights ex NZ?
If "yes" NZ consumer laws should apply.