Swiss call center [merged Mindpearl experiences]
Dec 21, 22, 10:10 pm
#92
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: MM, Krisflyer, QFF, VFF
Posts: 437
Call centre call drops
Anyone getting booted off calls after random times on hold or speaking with an operator? That is calling the direct Swiss and US numbers.
I've been trying 5 hours for a call to hold long enough to resolve an urgent flight reschedule, tried about 14 times and the CSR never calls back to complete the support resolution, even if they say they will call.
Doesn't help when you're at an outreach airport with no local Swiss support available and a phone call is the only support available, in this case not usefully available at all.
I've been trying 5 hours for a call to hold long enough to resolve an urgent flight reschedule, tried about 14 times and the CSR never calls back to complete the support resolution, even if they say they will call.
Doesn't help when you're at an outreach airport with no local Swiss support available and a phone call is the only support available, in this case not usefully available at all.
Jul 29, 23, 9:03 pm
#96
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 79
Anyone with a SEN/F number that can be reached outside Basel working hours? I need a ticket reissued for a flight change tomorrow but so far after 2h of trying the normal line / the online chat, this is too hard for them to get done.. would like to get it over with before Basel wakes up
Jul 29, 23, 9:12 pm
#97
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 10,655
Anyone with a SEN/F number that can be reached outside Basel working hours? I need a ticket reissued for a flight change tomorrow but so far after 2h of trying the normal line / the online chat, this is too hard for them to get done.. would like to get it over with before Basel wakes up
Jul 29, 23, 9:57 pm
#98
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 79
Yes, but without luck. Ended up in some call center with incompetent agents. Got one good LH agent which could put the right flights in the booking but not reissue the ticket trying again
Edit: when selecting the German dial, got LH HON folks which couldnt reissue the LX ticket, and when selecting the English dial, I got through random M&M call centers which were either incompetent or didnt want to touch a revenue booking. Waited 2am local time for me to ring the Basel team, they fixed my ticket in less than 5min for what I spent almost 3h trying with the regular line.
Edit: when selecting the German dial, got LH HON folks which couldnt reissue the LX ticket, and when selecting the English dial, I got through random M&M call centers which were either incompetent or didnt want to touch a revenue booking. Waited 2am local time for me to ring the Basel team, they fixed my ticket in less than 5min for what I spent almost 3h trying with the regular line.
Last edited by lxfc; Jul 30, 23 at 12:43 am
Jul 30, 23, 1:20 am
#99
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: PRN
Programs: LH HON* || HH Diamond || Accor Gold
Posts: 1,085
More or less same experience here: needed to change LX ticket but it was past 22:30, so BSL office was closed. Called Swiss HON line only to be transferred to LH HON agent two refused to touch 724-stock. When explaining that the flight departs in five hours and HON line is not open until 07:30 am, the response was "next time, please buy LH ticket: we are open 24/7". Then called DE HON line, got connected to a very competent agent who said "Oh, it is LX ticket, let me switch and relogin in the system..." Within 4 minutes, all was done and reissued. Now the ticket is on 220 stock though. But what I needed was done. Definitely will write to CCC.
Jul 30, 23, 1:31 am
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 10,655
More or less same experience here: needed to change LX ticket but it was past 22:30, so BSL office was closed. Called Swiss HON line only to be transferred to LH HON agent two refused to touch 724-stock. When explaining that the flight departs in five hours and HON line is not open until 07:30 am, the response was "next time, please buy LH ticket: we are open 24/7". Then called DE HON line, got connected to a very competent agent who said "Oh, it is LX ticket, let me switch and relogin in the system..." Within 4 minutes, all was done and reissued. Now the ticket is on 220 stock though. But what I needed was done. Definitely will write to CCC.
Aug 3, 23, 4:01 am
#101
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: PRN
Programs: LH HON* || HH Diamond || Accor Gold
Posts: 1,085
Another low from LX normal agents:
Booked a ticket on LX app. The system allowed me to enter my credit card details but would then freeze. The system would create a PNR that is displayed in the app. As it was after 22:00, LX CCC line was closed and rerouted me to LH HON who said that they cannot handle LX bookings and in fact, I reached LH HON M&M. And they dont have revenue bookings, even for M&M.
Called normal LX number in the US:
1. First agent: I need to cancel PNR and re-calculate because the system was wrong (how can a 3,000 EUR Z be wrong???). When asked why you cannot use existing PNR to check it, the response was maybe you made a mistake. I hung up.
2. Second agent: I need to charge you telephone booking fee of 30 CHF. When asking to waive it, I was told: if you dont want to pay for it, book online or on app. I hung up.
3. Third agent: We cannot issue tickets booked via the app.
I went to bed and let PNR expire. Next morning: the same issue with the app. But the ticket got 500 EUR cheaper. Called LX CCC aim Basel who used existing PNR, charged the card and waived the telephone booking fee.
The learning experience: dont book on LX app between 21:55 and 07:15, as LX CCC is open only between 07:30 and 22:00.
Booked a ticket on LX app. The system allowed me to enter my credit card details but would then freeze. The system would create a PNR that is displayed in the app. As it was after 22:00, LX CCC line was closed and rerouted me to LH HON who said that they cannot handle LX bookings and in fact, I reached LH HON M&M. And they dont have revenue bookings, even for M&M.
Called normal LX number in the US:
1. First agent: I need to cancel PNR and re-calculate because the system was wrong (how can a 3,000 EUR Z be wrong???). When asked why you cannot use existing PNR to check it, the response was maybe you made a mistake. I hung up.
2. Second agent: I need to charge you telephone booking fee of 30 CHF. When asking to waive it, I was told: if you dont want to pay for it, book online or on app. I hung up.
3. Third agent: We cannot issue tickets booked via the app.
I went to bed and let PNR expire. Next morning: the same issue with the app. But the ticket got 500 EUR cheaper. Called LX CCC aim Basel who used existing PNR, charged the card and waived the telephone booking fee.
The learning experience: dont book on LX app between 21:55 and 07:15, as LX CCC is open only between 07:30 and 22:00.
Sep 1, 23, 12:37 pm
#102
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BRS (Bristol, UK)
Programs: LH SEN/*G
Posts: 1,236
I had a terrible experience of the LX (and LH) English-speaking call centre today. A flight on my itin was cancelled due to WX, so I needed to re-route/re-book.
I can honestly say I spent cumulatively 3 hours dealing with agents with poor comprehension, poor competency or absolute disinterest. A simple re-route/re-book should have taken ~10 minutes, but after 3 hours, I had an absolute mess of a PNR and no reissued ticket.
I finally decided to exercise my (weak) German and call the German LH SEN number, and a very able and polite agent understood the problem, offered excellent rebooking options and cleaned up the PNR in less than 10 minutes, and spent herself 5 minutes on hold to ticketing to get the ticket reissued quickly (I was flying in a few hours).
So here's the thing. 3 hours of "cheap outsourced" agent time, which achieved nothing and made me extremely frustrated and annoyed with LHR, versus 15 minutes of time from a competent and engaged agent. Something tells me there's a false economy in that process that isn't being understood in the board room.
I can honestly say I spent cumulatively 3 hours dealing with agents with poor comprehension, poor competency or absolute disinterest. A simple re-route/re-book should have taken ~10 minutes, but after 3 hours, I had an absolute mess of a PNR and no reissued ticket.
I finally decided to exercise my (weak) German and call the German LH SEN number, and a very able and polite agent understood the problem, offered excellent rebooking options and cleaned up the PNR in less than 10 minutes, and spent herself 5 minutes on hold to ticketing to get the ticket reissued quickly (I was flying in a few hours).
So here's the thing. 3 hours of "cheap outsourced" agent time, which achieved nothing and made me extremely frustrated and annoyed with LHR, versus 15 minutes of time from a competent and engaged agent. Something tells me there's a false economy in that process that isn't being understood in the board room.
Sep 25, 23, 4:35 pm
#103
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: SIN and Medway, UK (so... LCY/LGW/BRU)
Programs: A3 *G, BA OWS, IHG Diamond Amb, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 689
Gonna drag this up but the complete jobsworth on the line told me to call AirBaltic to change my flights?
UUUUGH.
Edit: and you know what's the funny thing? It wasn't an AirBaltic wet lease, but an actual LX-operated flight! Thank goodness for HUACA.
UUUUGH.
Edit: and you know what's the funny thing? It wasn't an AirBaltic wet lease, but an actual LX-operated flight! Thank goodness for HUACA.
Last edited by MeltingAlf; Sep 25, 23 at 4:56 pm
Sep 25, 23, 5:03 pm
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 10,655
Sure, lots of trainees in the call centre's since they laid off too many employees during the pandemic .. just hang up and call again but just imagine how many pax do not realise they are being told rubbish.
Sep 27, 23, 11:36 pm
#105
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: GVA / ALA
Programs: Miles & More SEN, ALL Platinum
Posts: 80
When dealing with LX I always try and call during Swiss opening hours and ask to be connected to a French speaking agent. I'm yet to have a bad experience with them. Recently had to clear up a mess due to flight cancellations in December and the lady on the phone was brilliant! Got everything sorted in no time, while being super friendly, nice & funny. To the point that I wrote to LX & MM to commend her.
Then yesterday I had to call the LH SEN line and ended up in the Philippines. The agent kept insisting that rebooking to a different class had to be done through an upgrade. I almost felt I was on the phone with TK customer service, it was bad. 10 minutes of my life wasted. Hung up, called again, ended up in India I think and they were fairly efficient.
Then yesterday I had to call the LH SEN line and ended up in the Philippines. The agent kept insisting that rebooking to a different class had to be done through an upgrade. I almost felt I was on the phone with TK customer service, it was bad. 10 minutes of my life wasted. Hung up, called again, ended up in India I think and they were fairly efficient.
