Caa Customer Care!

[willby]

I would be very interested to know if there are any others out there like myself who experience regular difficulties in obtaining official postal communications e.g. exam sitting confirmation/exam results from the CAA.
When contacted it is suggested my postal service must be at fault. I doubt this is so however as I never seem to have "missing" post from any other source.
Willby

[Topgun 4122T]

Im passed my last atpl exam at the beginning of august and still have not received my official results : good old C A A .
topgun..

[Foz2]

Crap As Always

[Mooneyboy]

When I did my medical with them I thought they were extremely, efficent, helpful and polite. This was even the case when I sent off for my PPL license. I haven't though experienced what they're like with exams. One taxi driver did tell me that they call the building the Belgrano, because of the look and that everyone wants to sink it. I think this is overly harsh, they must have a tough job.

Mooneyboy

[willby]

Hi Mooneyboy'
As the initiator of this topic I feel I should reply to your post even though I suspect your "harsh" comment was directed at FOZ 2 rather than me. Though I experience regular difficulty with my postal communications with the CAA I refrained from making any derogatory remarks about them.
When I actually make contact with them and outline my difficulties re missing post I actually find them very helpful and they either email or fax me the missing documents.
However, I still feel there is a problem with their administrative procedures. I know from talking to others that I am not the only one to experience these difficulties.
Surely, in this advanced era of technology exam results should be available onlline and we should'nt have to wait on the postman!
If results go astray or have not been sent in the first place it costs £21 for reissue.......not an insignificant amount I'm sure you will agree.
Willby

[EGAC_Ramper]

Well in my communications I found the CAA very helpful and never missed any post.

The only complaint I'd have is when asked to send in my opticians report for the inital class 1 medical,they then phoned up 3 weeks later to ask for 3 years of opticians reports.So why didn't they ask for it in the first place and save me 3 weeks of anguish through waiting for a deviation to my class 1 licence.


Regards:ok:

[Mooneyboy]

Willby, sorry if a came over a bit strong. The CAA have a lot to do and yes I admit that there will be problems as there always are with big organisations. Also I wasn't directing my point to you just merely expressing my experiences of the CAA.

No hard feelings.

Mooneyboy:O

[willby]

Hi Mooneyboy,
No offence taken and you are right to give the facts as you yourself experience them.
I would likewise support your comments that in personal dealings with CAA personnel they are both courteous and co-operative. The problem is, trying to get past that dreaded automated phone system and actually speaking with someone when things go wrong.
Regards
Willby

[piper pervert]

I've had problems with their missing post just trying to book exams.I applied for resits and presumed they were weighed down with applicants so were slow getting confirmation out on time.After e-mailing and then phoning them (yes they were helpful and friendly when i got to speak to a human),i was told that confirmation had been sent to me 14 days earlier,oh no it hadn't.By this time i deemed it too late to be ready for them so re-scheduled.It cost me £21 to do this which i feel is a little harsh considering it was their postage/admin system at fault.In the larger scheme of things,£21 is nothing,but these things irritate.

PP

[willby]

Hi Piper,
My sentiments exactly.............sorry to hear that you experience difficulties similar to myself
Willby

[Alex Whittingham]

The CAA is generally staffed by nice people who do the best they can. Unfortunately, once you get away from dealing with individuals and start to deal with the system you realise the inherent limitations of a quango with a poorly defined remit and little accountability.

A case in point is the exam booking system, it is staffed by two thoroughly nice chaps who are completely snowed under with paperwork. The obvious solution is to have online exam applications. Oh no, we can't do that. Why not? Don't have the IT capacity. Can't you contract it out? Oh no, not allowed but er, what would it cost? About two grand. Can't afford it. But your revenue from ATPL(A) exam applications is over £1.5 million a year. Er.....

[BillieBob]

Don't have the IT capacity. Can't you contract it out? Oh no, not allowed.... Except that IT for the CAA is contracted out to, I belive, Steria. C'mon Alex, promise me you'll buck up!!

[Alex Whittingham]

Well I never. They gave me the very clear impression they had their own (small and overworked) IT department. Thank you for that piece of information, I'll get back on to them.

[willby]

Steria ? .....Outside IT contractors? Now that could explain some of the difficulties.
I could'nt agree with you more Alex re the exam bookings and results going online. Maybe if the schools like yours keep the pressure up it will happen.....sooner rather than later hopefully!
Willby

[Alex Whittingham]

I'm being a bit harsh. I've checked the written response to the proposal and it is:

At the moment this facility is not available as we are in the process of finding a replacement exam IT system but this is something we will be looking at. The new IT project starts soon, it will run in two stages:

• Booking and fees
• Examination presentation (on-line)

[GMIMA]

Ive always had a great service from Flight Crew Licencing - Always seem to have had all my bits of paper back on time - even very recently.

Mind u they have had loads of dosh out of me over the last 4 years LOL:}