Last night while making a booking on BA's website, somehow I made a keystroke error and entered the wrong outbound travel date.
I didn't realize the error until AFTER I had been charged.
I immediately called them on the phone to correct my mistake.
I was told that the because it was a special fare, my intended travel date and time wasn't available at the special fare, as a matter of fact I couldn't pay the difference which amounted to about 50 dollars to go when I really intended WITHOUT paying a penalty of over 200 dollars in addition to the difference.
I admit my error in the situation but in a heated battle with Virgin in this market, and as an Executive Club member, I'm pissed!
I insisted on speaking to a supervisor who repeated the same company nonsense.
She then offered to refund the entire trip but that can take up to six WEEKS to process.
My question to you all is this,
Should I rebook with BA when Virgin not only has my required day and time but beats BA by at least 20 bucks and that's not even a "special"
I have been a loyal BA customer and am really peeved they are being this inflexible.
Moderators: jsumali2, richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
-
- airjampanam
- Posts: 243
- Joined:
Steamed At BA
Suing is the new Lotto... if u wanna win u gotta sue!
-
- gordonsmall
- Posts: 2106
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
Just call up and threaten to cancel the whole trip and go on VS instead, they'll soon sort it out for you I'd bet!
Regards,
Gordon.
Regards,
Gordon.
Statistically, people who have had the most birthdays tend to live the longest.
-
- Sabena 690
- Posts: 6065
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
BA and VS have about the same fare classes ex-LHR.
The cheaper VS fare you are talking about will have the same restrictions as the BA fare.
That's the disadvantage of reduced fares: no refund! If you want to avoid this: book a flexible fare, and check your date twice
Frederic
The cheaper VS fare you are talking about will have the same restrictions as the BA fare.
That's the disadvantage of reduced fares: no refund! If you want to avoid this: book a flexible fare, and check your date twice
Frederic
RE: Steamed At BA
Someone else on the forum made a similar error when booking online with Aer Lingus, he rang EI immediately and they sorted it out for him with no hassle.
next flights : LHR-SOF BA, SOF-DOH-KAT QR, KAT-HKG KA, HKG-LHR VS, LHR-ATH-LHR BA, LHR-CDG-LHR AF, LHR-MAD-LHR IB/BA
-
- airjampanam
- Posts: 243
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
This involves LHR from JFK!
I did end up canceling and I am impatiently waiting for my refund.
I will probably end up on VS because of the testy exchange with the reservationista!
I did end up canceling and I am impatiently waiting for my refund.
I will probably end up on VS because of the testy exchange with the reservationista!
Suing is the new Lotto... if u wanna win u gotta sue!
RE: Steamed At BA
Sometimes they just can't be bothered or do not know the procedure for sorting things out. Just politely end the call and call again, you are likely to get another agent who knows what they are doing.
-
- airjampanam
- Posts: 243
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
I considered that as well Richardw, but the farther I got away from the time I made the error didn't sit well with me.
As I was being processed for my refund, I was making my VS inquiries.
Based on the accent of the reservationistas I realized I wasn't speaking with a brit who may have given more than 2 cents!
Watch this space for future BA bashings!
As I was being processed for my refund, I was making my VS inquiries.
Based on the accent of the reservationistas I realized I wasn't speaking with a brit who may have given more than 2 cents!
Watch this space for future BA bashings!
Suing is the new Lotto... if u wanna win u gotta sue!
RE: Steamed At BA
How many times did it ask you to confirm the dates? Twice? Three times? Four times?
No sympathy for those that don't pay attention..but RichardW is right...just call back until someone fixes it. I've never had an issue with online purchasing.
Face it, you're embarrased and feel stupid. BA didn't make the keystrokes...you did!
Good luck.
No sympathy for those that don't pay attention..but RichardW is right...just call back until someone fixes it. I've never had an issue with online purchasing.
Face it, you're embarrased and feel stupid. BA didn't make the keystrokes...you did!
Good luck.
-
- airjampanam
- Posts: 243
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
Actually Greg, I'm a little embarrassed, do I feel stupid?.. NO!
We all make mistakes and no system is perfect.
I was asked to choose a flight time after the date was entered, but didn't get a confirmation after that.
Clearly something out of the ordinary was happening either with my browser or keyboard etc.
But IM allowed to vent I think.
And if nothing else serves as a warning to other people to be extra careful when making online bookings.
We all make mistakes and no system is perfect.
I was asked to choose a flight time after the date was entered, but didn't get a confirmation after that.
Clearly something out of the ordinary was happening either with my browser or keyboard etc.
But IM allowed to vent I think.
And if nothing else serves as a warning to other people to be extra careful when making online bookings.
Suing is the new Lotto... if u wanna win u gotta sue!
RE: Steamed At BA
It's simple carlessness...not any condemnation. No insult meant..I'm just being an armchair psychologist.
You are right...you have every right to vent..particularly on an airline forum!
But in the same spirit, some folks (such as myself), may it was not necessairly BA's mess to correct.
I do about 300K annually on BA...I've always found their res agents to be exceedingly cooperative (not a gloss..but a fact).
Maybe you should stay off of E-Bay as well!
You are right...you have every right to vent..particularly on an airline forum!
But in the same spirit, some folks (such as myself), may it was not necessairly BA's mess to correct.
I do about 300K annually on BA...I've always found their res agents to be exceedingly cooperative (not a gloss..but a fact).
Maybe you should stay off of E-Bay as well!
-
- airjampanam
- Posts: 243
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
Ebay?
Never been there!!
Are the beaches nice?
Never been there!!
Are the beaches nice?
Suing is the new Lotto... if u wanna win u gotta sue!
RE: Steamed At BA
Greg: 300K a year on BA = Super Deluxe Titanium Platinum FQTV status.
Of course BA are nice to you, they love you and want to have your babies ! They will tongue-wash the tar residue off your Porsche - and certainly NEVER give you hassles no matter what you want done to your booking.
The story for those of us without this exalted status (which you richly deserve as a valuable paying customer), is a little different. BA's web products are universally acknowledged to be diabolical (having been developed in house and with some VERY odd business processes behind them). It doesn't surprise me that people have the odd difficulty with them.
Of course BA are nice to you, they love you and want to have your babies ! They will tongue-wash the tar residue off your Porsche - and certainly NEVER give you hassles no matter what you want done to your booking.
The story for those of us without this exalted status (which you richly deserve as a valuable paying customer), is a little different. BA's web products are universally acknowledged to be diabolical (having been developed in house and with some VERY odd business processes behind them). It doesn't surprise me that people have the odd difficulty with them.
Young and beautiful and thin and gorgeous AND BANNED ! Cya at airspaceonline.com, losers
RE: Steamed At BA
No sympathy at all. Not only were you presented with at least two opportunities to confirm your dates, you also checked the box agreeing to the fare conditions. Only yourself to blame, next time pay more attention to what you are doing.
-
- Guest
RE: Steamed At BA
I just had the same thing happen to me with AF. At 2 in the morning when I was booking my trip, LHR-CDG-MAD and MAD-LYS-LHR for next month, I made an error with the dates and didn't spot it (tired eyes and exhaustion). As soon as I had pressed confirmed I realised what I had done, but there was no answer on the phone (being 2am) so I awaited the next day.
When I called, after my early morning meeting, a nice french lady informed me that as I hadn't called right away and they had already printed the ticket there was nothing they could do (no e-tickets available on this sector choice). They wouldn't even let me pay for my mistake, as I was quite willing to, and change the return date by one day.
I did point out that their phone isn't answered in the early hours, but it made no difference. As it was a non-flexible flight, I was rogered.
So, to cut a long story short, I just bought a cheap BMI (48 Euros) one way MAD-LHR and I won't be flying AF again, clean or dirty a/c.
Nobody is perfect and we all make errors. I was willing to pay £50 to redo the mistake, but I ended up spending that with BMI and AF will have an empty seat. Who's the looser?
When I called, after my early morning meeting, a nice french lady informed me that as I hadn't called right away and they had already printed the ticket there was nothing they could do (no e-tickets available on this sector choice). They wouldn't even let me pay for my mistake, as I was quite willing to, and change the return date by one day.
I did point out that their phone isn't answered in the early hours, but it made no difference. As it was a non-flexible flight, I was rogered.
So, to cut a long story short, I just bought a cheap BMI (48 Euros) one way MAD-LHR and I won't be flying AF again, clean or dirty a/c.
Nobody is perfect and we all make errors. I was willing to pay £50 to redo the mistake, but I ended up spending that with BMI and AF will have an empty seat. Who's the looser?
RE: Steamed At BA
Sorry, this is entirely your fault not BA's! Their booking process shows you the dates, times and flight numbers several times as you "build" the booking. And then it asks for confirmation before payment too. Also, it lists the detailed fare conditions where you'd find it would have told you no refunds/upgrades/exchanges/etc. - the fact they offered to refund at all is (probably, if it was the cheapest of cheap tickets) more than they have to. I'd be grateful for that.
"They" are not "being this inflexible" to annoy you, it's the ticket you paid for and agreed to which is inflexible. If they just caved in and did whatever it takes to placate you, it would kind of make a mockery of having ticket restrictions (IMHO).
I say just suck it up and put it down to experience! I bet you don't make the mistake again...on either the VS or the BA site, whatever you decide
Phil
"They" are not "being this inflexible" to annoy you, it's the ticket you paid for and agreed to which is inflexible. If they just caved in and did whatever it takes to placate you, it would kind of make a mockery of having ticket restrictions (IMHO).
I say just suck it up and put it down to experience! I bet you don't make the mistake again...on either the VS or the BA site, whatever you decide
Phil
-
- BA001Concorde
- Posts: 94
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
There is no way that you can blame BA, or anyone other than yourself.
If you decide that purchasing your ticket via BA.com is the only way to go, that's fine (BA would rather you purchase online anyways). However, when "you" make a mistake, you have no one to blame but yourself. You typed in the wrong flight and agreed to it, not the travel agent, reservations agent, reservations supervisor, or Lord Marshall (BA Chairman).
When you book online, it shows you the flight details no less than three times before you get a RLOC. It also asks you to "check" the box so that we know you read and understood the fare rules before you entered your credit card information. I think that would be a perfect time to verify one more time that your dates and flight numbers were correct.
Why should BA not hold you to those terms and conditions. From what it sounds like your saying, because another airline flies that same non-stop route, BA should waive the change fee and ADDCOL. If any airline did that, these markets would not be very competitive because half of the airlines would be bankrupt.
If your going to avoid BA because of this, then you will probably never be truly happy with any airline that you fly.
Rgds,
BA001
... Also, do you know how many times pax call to say they have booked the wrong flight online and want it changed FOC. All the time.
If you decide that purchasing your ticket via BA.com is the only way to go, that's fine (BA would rather you purchase online anyways). However, when "you" make a mistake, you have no one to blame but yourself. You typed in the wrong flight and agreed to it, not the travel agent, reservations agent, reservations supervisor, or Lord Marshall (BA Chairman).
When you book online, it shows you the flight details no less than three times before you get a RLOC. It also asks you to "check" the box so that we know you read and understood the fare rules before you entered your credit card information. I think that would be a perfect time to verify one more time that your dates and flight numbers were correct.
Why should BA not hold you to those terms and conditions. From what it sounds like your saying, because another airline flies that same non-stop route, BA should waive the change fee and ADDCOL. If any airline did that, these markets would not be very competitive because half of the airlines would be bankrupt.
If your going to avoid BA because of this, then you will probably never be truly happy with any airline that you fly.
Rgds,
BA001
... Also, do you know how many times pax call to say they have booked the wrong flight online and want it changed FOC. All the time.
Fly with a veteran, not a "Virgin".
RE: Steamed At BA
"Watch this space for future BA bashings"???? Knowing you are saying this, I can only imagine your tone to the agent over the telephone. I understand the reason for venting, but I agree with the others advise saying that you should remain calm and try making another phone call. Also quoting you, "BA is being this inflexable"...just remember you didn't buy a flexable ticket, hence the very low price.
RE: Steamed At BA
At least you realised your error before you attempted to board, unlike myself who made the same mistake with an online rail ticket booking and was made to look a complete idiot when arguing with the person occupying "my" reserved seat.............d'oh! I now check online bookings about a dozen times before I confirm them especially when using drop downs rather than typing in the dates.
-
- BA001Concorde
- Posts: 94
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
BY188B: "Someone else on the forum made a similar error when booking online with Aer Lingus, he rang EI immediately and they sorted it out for him with no hassle."
Richardw: "Just politely end the call and call again, you are likely to get another agent who knows what they are doing."
It's just not that simple. If the same class of service was available (I am betting it was V class) it could just simply be revalidated and no one would ever know. It sounds like the flight you want does not have anymore V class available. That is much different. The ticket would have to be re-issued, there is no way it can be revalidated for a different class of service.
Maybe with the EI (Aer Lingus) situation, the same class was available and they just simply revalidated the E-Tkt.
It's not that the people don't know what they are doing, the fact is that the seat on the flight you want is more expensive. V class on the flight you want may not be available (ie, a change fee plus 50USD).
BA001
Richardw: "Just politely end the call and call again, you are likely to get another agent who knows what they are doing."
It's just not that simple. If the same class of service was available (I am betting it was V class) it could just simply be revalidated and no one would ever know. It sounds like the flight you want does not have anymore V class available. That is much different. The ticket would have to be re-issued, there is no way it can be revalidated for a different class of service.
Maybe with the EI (Aer Lingus) situation, the same class was available and they just simply revalidated the E-Tkt.
It's not that the people don't know what they are doing, the fact is that the seat on the flight you want is more expensive. V class on the flight you want may not be available (ie, a change fee plus 50USD).
BA001
Fly with a veteran, not a "Virgin".
RE: Steamed At BA
I'd go with VS, they are simply the better airline period.
-
- SafetyDude
- Posts: 3654
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
She then offered to refund the entire trip but that can take up to six WEEKS to process.
I think that this is a very fair and nice offer since you are not being charged at all.
Remember, it's no more your mistake than it is VS'.
-Will
I think that this is a very fair and nice offer since you are not being charged at all.
Remember, it's no more your mistake than it is VS'.
-Will
"She Flew For What We Stand For"
RE: Steamed At BA
I, too, made a mistake booking with BA online. I accidently put in the wrong outbound date. I had intended to leave a day earlier but accidently put my departure date as the date I had planned to arrive in Edinburgh. Oops! I caught the mistake when my tickets arrived (this was 1999 and the idea of e-tickets to me was still foreign). I called BA but there was nothing to be done. Oh well. Can't cry over spilt milk, especially when it was my fault.
It's not the airline's responsibility to be flexible in these sorts of situations. Like BA001 said, it's fairly simple to rebook a ticket if the same fare class is available but if not it's a much more complicated procedure fixing that. If you wish to blame BA for this, that's your perrogative. I can only hope that you'll be a bit more careful in doing this in the future. Oh, and believe me. VS or any other airline would be just as unhelpful in these sorts of situations. Airlines are companies and companies don't make money fixing the mistakes of others.
LH423
It's not the airline's responsibility to be flexible in these sorts of situations. Like BA001 said, it's fairly simple to rebook a ticket if the same fare class is available but if not it's a much more complicated procedure fixing that. If you wish to blame BA for this, that's your perrogative. I can only hope that you'll be a bit more careful in doing this in the future. Oh, and believe me. VS or any other airline would be just as unhelpful in these sorts of situations. Airlines are companies and companies don't make money fixing the mistakes of others.
LH423
« On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux » Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
-
- daumueller
- Posts: 687
- Joined:
RE: Steamed At BA
I made a mistake (mixed up the dates) by booking a LH Flight two years ago (non flexible Y-Class). At that time, I did not have any status (by now, I'm a Senator so they do everything to keep me smiling ) but I just clicked the callback-button on their website, my phone rang 2 minutes later, I explained what I did and another 2 minutes later, the booking was canceled without any charge.
) but I just clicked the callback-button on their website, my phone rang 2 minutes later, I explained what I did and another 2 minutes later, the booking was canceled without any charge.RE: Steamed At BA
I did the same thing with US Airways....I called them immediately and was informed there is a 24 hour "grace period" to correct mistakes like that. They cancelled the erroneous booking and I then made the correct one. Mistakes happen to everyone at some point. I call that good customer service on US's part. I think United has the same policy, although I am not 100 % certain. Not a bit surprised that BA doesn't.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: 9Patch, Aaron747, airish, AMALH747430, AZORMP, B6FLL954, BA744PHX, BEG2IAH, CATIIIevery5yrs, Cboyle, Chuska, CMHtraveler, ddjerdji, FARmd90, FlyingViking, Galore, gdavis003, GFB, Google Adsense [Bot], hayzel777, ikolkyo, iuwnaa, jaybird, jeffrey0032j, johnboy, Kent350787, Kviator, MavyWavyATR, qf789, ram789, Rifitto, rnav2dlrey, Runway28L, SCFlyer, skennedy, SKYWALKZ, topguncnod, UA857, unusualattitude, wjcandee, Wneast and 338 guests