Tired of Latam pretending to be one airline!
Jun 15, 2017, 1:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: São Paulo
Programs: Latampass Black
Posts: 177
Tired of Latam pretending to be one airline!
I booked a return ticket for a client from SYD-GRU in J. Needed to change the dates on the return leg & called Latam (Which even in Brazil went to Lan call centre because I requested English). No problem, cost is US$259.
Tried to pay but they had a problem with their system accepting credit card payments.
Can you go to CGH "Latam" store I was asked? Sure, I replied, are they able to do it there, I know your systems are different.
No problem, I am told, I'll put notes in the case # & it will be fine.
So off I trot to the Latam shop at Congonhas, give them the details & am told that the cost is R$12,500 (US$3,850!). I tell them it should be US$259 & they check the notes. After 45 minutes of fluffing around, they tell me the best they can do is R$4,501.43 (US$1,380). They apologise because their system is different to Lan's & they simply can't access the same fare the call centre did! I refuse the cahnge & return home.
So it's 2 hours later, I call the call centre again and after another 40 minutes they manage to process the change at a cost of US$284.
Now, I wouldn't go to a Tam(or Latam) shop to change an AA flight, but Latam continue to insist that they are one airline when they clearly aren't. One uses Amadeus, the other Sabre. Their PNR's are different for the same flight. Their fares are different for the same flight.
I understand that I likely get the worst of it as I am based in Brazil so have to deal with Tam staff but regularly book flights from Australia which are issued by the Lan system, but that shouldn't matter. As someone who books over US$200K a year worth of flights to, from & within Brazil, I'm getting very tired of it.
Throw in that Qatar & Gol are still partnered & both now have points available to the business as well as the flier and I am getting very close to giving up on Latam.
Tried to pay but they had a problem with their system accepting credit card payments.
Can you go to CGH "Latam" store I was asked? Sure, I replied, are they able to do it there, I know your systems are different.
No problem, I am told, I'll put notes in the case # & it will be fine.
So off I trot to the Latam shop at Congonhas, give them the details & am told that the cost is R$12,500 (US$3,850!). I tell them it should be US$259 & they check the notes. After 45 minutes of fluffing around, they tell me the best they can do is R$4,501.43 (US$1,380). They apologise because their system is different to Lan's & they simply can't access the same fare the call centre did! I refuse the cahnge & return home.
So it's 2 hours later, I call the call centre again and after another 40 minutes they manage to process the change at a cost of US$284.
Now, I wouldn't go to a Tam(or Latam) shop to change an AA flight, but Latam continue to insist that they are one airline when they clearly aren't. One uses Amadeus, the other Sabre. Their PNR's are different for the same flight. Their fares are different for the same flight.
I understand that I likely get the worst of it as I am based in Brazil so have to deal with Tam staff but regularly book flights from Australia which are issued by the Lan system, but that shouldn't matter. As someone who books over US$200K a year worth of flights to, from & within Brazil, I'm getting very tired of it.
Throw in that Qatar & Gol are still partnered & both now have points available to the business as well as the flier and I am getting very close to giving up on Latam.
Jun 15, 2017, 2:19 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Brussels
Programs: DL Gold / Accor Gold
Posts: 105
Nothing strange for a Brazilian company. It would be strange if they worked well. Strange and scary.
That's why I never use the "Latão" (this is the right name
) for my trips, even in Brazil. I prefer to pay more to KLM or Delta and sleep well with everything.
Aerolineas Argentinas is not an option?
Saudações!
That's why I never use the "Latão" (this is the right name
) for my trips, even in Brazil. I prefer to pay more to KLM or Delta and sleep well with everything.Aerolineas Argentinas is not an option?
Saudações!
Jun 19, 2017, 7:28 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: USA
Programs: LATAM Black / IHG Platinum / Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 42
I understand the feeling, but reality is that it just doesn't matter how much you spend.
People from the call center do not know what do in 99% of the situation but to say sorry and come up with an excuse (which funny enough, you always pay more when they sorry....)
They are not one airline that is obvious even within Lan or Tam you have huge differences, if you ever been so unfortunate to fly Lan Peru or Lan Argentina.
Most people who fly regularly will spend easily that amount of money, that doesn't make them even blink their eyes.
I have stopped fighting and decided to treat them as they do it to me, make them suffer as they did to you.
I am trying to get out of onehole airlines for a long time now.....
ps Air New Zealand is a great choice for going to Australia.... check it out.
People from the call center do not know what do in 99% of the situation but to say sorry and come up with an excuse (which funny enough, you always pay more when they sorry....)
They are not one airline that is obvious even within Lan or Tam you have huge differences, if you ever been so unfortunate to fly Lan Peru or Lan Argentina.
Most people who fly regularly will spend easily that amount of money, that doesn't make them even blink their eyes.
I have stopped fighting and decided to treat them as they do it to me, make them suffer as they did to you.
I am trying to get out of onehole airlines for a long time now.....
ps Air New Zealand is a great choice for going to Australia.... check it out.
Jun 19, 2017, 2:33 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: São Paulo
Programs: Latampass Black
Posts: 177
The biggest problem with AirNZ is that even if you are able to fly on the days they do, any delay costs two or three days while you wait for the next flight!
Jun 22, 2017, 7:24 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: USA
Programs: LATAM Black / IHG Platinum / Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 42
Air NZ don't fly regularly enough & the connections in South America are terrible compared to Latam, unfortunately.
The biggest problem with AirNZ is that even if you are able to fly on the days they do, any delay costs two or three days while you wait for the next flight!
The biggest problem with AirNZ is that even if you are able to fly on the days they do, any delay costs two or three days while you wait for the next flight!
Jun 23, 2017, 1:06 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: São Paulo
Programs: Latampass Black
Posts: 177
For Brazil, you need to fly Aerolineas Argentinas, Gol, Latam or Azul from EZE. As Aerolineas Argentinas is the only one of those that is Star Alliance, you're left with two options for an Air NZ (arrive EZE 4:50pm) to Brazil connection - 8pm EZE-GRU (AR2242) or 6:20pm EZE-GIG (AR1294).
Any delay over about 2 hours on the Air NZ flight means 24 hours in BA waiting for the next flight to Sao Paulo. Any delay on the return means 2-3 days in BA waiting for the next flight to AKL.
Whilst LATAM are a nightmare, at least they have daily flights to AKL/SYD + the 6 Qantas flights to SYD per week. From October, they'll also have direct SCL-MEL so your choice will be OneWorld - 20 flights per week to Australia vs Star Alliance - 3 flights per week. I guess numbers like this are why being as crap as they are at the moment isn't hurting their business!
If Air NZ increase to daily flights & Aerolineas Argentinas add a few extra EZE-GRU flights, it might be doable, but for now, this is simply not a good option at the moment.
Jun 23, 2017, 9:30 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
Avianca only fly to Lima & Bogota from EZE.
For Brazil, you need to fly Aerolineas Argentinas, Gol, Latam or Azul from EZE. As Aerolineas Argentinas is the only one of those that is Star Alliance, you're left with two options for an Air NZ (arrive EZE 4:50pm) to Brazil connection - 8pm EZE-GRU (AR2242) or 6:20pm EZE-GIG (AR1294).
For Brazil, you need to fly Aerolineas Argentinas, Gol, Latam or Azul from EZE. As Aerolineas Argentinas is the only one of those that is Star Alliance, you're left with two options for an Air NZ (arrive EZE 4:50pm) to Brazil connection - 8pm EZE-GRU (AR2242) or 6:20pm EZE-GIG (AR1294).
None of the airlines you listed as flying from EZE to Brazil are in Star Alliance:
Nor are any of them on Air New Zealand's beyond-Star-Alliance partner list:
Jun 23, 2017, 9:54 pm
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
AR is a member of SkyTeam, not *A. GOL has bilateral partnerships with some SkyTeam airlines, including DL.