Questions and Answers

Hi Ben

I’m really stuck in a dilemma here. Without putting names (besides yours) I am a so called elite member of an airline (above gold and attained based on paid revenue) but this airline really has no respect when addressing customer concerns

Recently they made alterations and cancellation to one of my booking and I was really upset and called them to complain. While the booking issue was resolved the concern on how they could make changes and cancellation to my booking and what the organization was going to do to ensure this would not happened again was ignored. I keep contacting them to seek an answer but they kept ignoring me and even slam the phone on me when I demanded an answer from their management to address my concerns.

Honestly what should I do? Yes stop patronizing the airline is probably the best answer but where I am I don’t really have much options.

Based on my discussion with them, the fact that I was able to fly is all that matters and that other issues besides me catching my flight is moot. When purchasing tickets (especially in J) is catching the flight to only concern and everything else outside the flight (e.g. customer service) a non issue?

Would like to hear your opinion on this

I think it depends on what was changed and/or cancelled and why. While you wish to remain almost anonymous, can you elaborate a bit more on the situation? As in – was the entire flight cancelled, or did the times of the flight change and cause a misconnect on the itinerary as a whole? Are there partner airlines involved?

If there are schedule changes that cause a misconnect, I think airlines sometimes automatically rebook passengers. The same goes for cancellations in advance. If partners are involved. the airline issuing the ticket doesnt have much control aside from rebooking.

If your ticket was changed or cancelled but the original flights are exactly the same, then there might be a different issue.

While it is frustrating when an airline makes changes to a reservation it is important to remember that this is neither arbitrary nor personal. The airline is usually doing this for some operational reason. When this happens to you your priority should be in getting transportation options that are a reasonable substitute and acceptable to you. Once that has been accomplished you are unlikely to get additional satisfaction by trying to change the airline’s operational processes and haranguing front line staff. If you free strongly write a letter to the executive team but again, I wouldn’t hold out hope for much more than a boilerplate response.

Well guys it’s not an alliance or partner flight. It’s all on one airline and booking on their metal. they made changes in a confirmed booking so that I can use a voucher. I know everyone will tell me the end result is I got the flight and that’s it.

My situation however is a bit different. The airline called to say I cannot use the voucher and that was managements final decision and case closed. Then they went to the backed end and altered the booking without my knowledge or approval as after they said no I planned the use of the voucher for another trip instead.

This to me is the airline making changes to my booking without my knowledge and already telling that the final answe is no then go ahead to try to redeem my voucher which I had other intentions already.

My concern is with their approach by going behind my back to ‘try’ to be helpful which is of no help since my intentions changed after they said no and final. The ends don’t justify the means and how can they change a firm booking without my knowledge that impacts payment revenue ? Once confirmed should they be allowed to make alterations to the charges and play roulette in my credit card all without my knowledge or authorization? And then when I do call them their reply is this is the way the do things and I should accept it

This is the arragont behavior I’m talking about

Hi [USER=2564]@A.Lian[/USER]

(Playing devil’s advocate here) Unfortunately at the most basic level, all airline’s contract of carriage requires them to get you from point A to point B. I think every major airline reserves the right to make changes, without notice, to a reservation. They are required to then compensate you, if appropriate, but at the end of the day, they are still allowed to make those changes.

I’m confused about this voucher though. They refused to let you use it? It sounds like you wanted to apply the voucher to an already confirmed flight? I don’t think you can change the form of payment once you’ve paid…

If you are comfortable sharing more details, I’m sure everyone would be happy to help. Right now, we’re all kinda speculating…

Agree with [USER=477]@rickyw[/USER]. To get the best advice it would be helpful if you shared clearly what happened so that we can respond appropriately. Otherwise we’re just guessing and wasting time.

I would just call in a couple of times or a couple of hundred times depending on your personality and yell your frustration out on these poor reps. The louder, the better. Trust me, it helps more than this forum. I do it all the time.

Guys thanks for all your inputs. As I’m thinking of going legal on this issue I’m really not at liberity to put names.

My concern is the preflight so the part of the carries taking me from a to b is separate. It’s the process of booking in question

The voucher I’m referring to allows me 50% discount.

The story is
I made an original booking and then wanted to use the voucher. So I called the airline but was informed that since made the booking already I could not use the voucher. So I let it be and decided to use the voucher on another trip which would have better value.

The next day I found out the staff changed my booking to attempt without confirmation to use the voucher. Firstly they told me I cannot use my voucher and that was firm and a final no and I accepted it and made other plans to use my voucher then they behind my back went to change my booking to use the voucher and when I complained to them they cancelled my booking totally. I called them again and they said that now since someone cancelled my booking I can use the voucher now. I told them to them off that this is not what I wanted anymore after they said no and I had other plans for the voucher. They replied this is the way they operate and I should accept

Aside from carriage terms let’s look at customer rights and data protection and ethical perspective here. I don’t think this is a case of rightful change as there was no right in this case to change and I feel they access my data unethically and they handled it poorly.

A points to note while not sounding arragont or self entitled. I spend a lot on this airline every year. About $30k USD with about 15 trips mainly in J which puts me in their revenue elite status and that’s how I get theses vouchers etc but really I’m so disappointed in them. The airline has great inflight service but the admin side is horrible and in all honesty paying so much and get treated like I’m on LCC I’d rather fly lcc than pay premium