British Airways - more ground service incompetence

[Final 3 Greens]

I booked 4 x leisure tickets, for about £4K.

Got a call a couple of weeks ago, from BA, asking if i could check whether they had charged me.

That struck me as being rather incompetent, but I did phone my credit card company and then reverted to BA to say that they have not.

Imagine my surprise this morning, when I received my credit card statement and discovered that BA had charged the tickets on three separate occasions and credited once.

So, more time listening (at my expense) to canned music whilst waiting for a call centre agent and a promise to sort it out.

Pathetic.

This company needs to get its act together, the ground service is often incompetent.

[sg64]

Would it not have been better to call your credit card company (likely vastly cheaper) and leave them to sort it out?

[Final 3 Greens]

Wouldn't have needed to call anyone if BA had done a competent job, would I?

[Skipness One Echo]

Could you not just add this to one of the many other "I don't like BA" threads you have started? How many is that now?

http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/409724-british-airways-more-ground-service-incompetence.html

http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/406586-ba-cc-have-done-again.html

http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/398632-what-do-you-need-like-bas-product-service.html

http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/394898-ba-posts-record-loss.html

http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/384046-bye-bye-ba-so-long.html

http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/358085-ba-service.html

[Final 3 Greens]

Skipness 1E

Have you noticed the common relationship between all these threads?

They are fact based and derived from British Airways ability to screw up.

I have stated several times that the service in the air is usually acceptable or better, so it is not as simple as 'I don't like BA', I just have reservations (drawn from personal experience, not hearsay) about the ground service.

Come on, to invoice someone three times for the same ticket, on three separate days, is not a glowing recommendation, is it?

And then to only credit one invoice?

So no, I think this latest episode deserves a thread.

BA can stop threads such as this very easily, by doing things right, first time.

Is basic competence really too much to expect?

[Airclues]

Final 3 Greens

From one of your earlier posts;

So there goes my silver card now and its highly unlikely that I will bother to fly BA at all in the future.

So what changed?

[Final 3 Greens]

Airclues

I don't on business, the context of the other thread.

This is a leisure trip, where the schedule convenience was high.

[Skipness One Echo]

Dude seriously if they screwed me over like they hurt you I'd really not fly with them again. You're like a rubber ball, you keep going back !

Clearly pain is something you enjoy(!) It's entertaining listening to you rant though.

[Ancient Observer]

F3G just loves complaining. S/he also like to tell us about J travel. (I should be so lucky.)

However, without F3G and others complaining, will BA's service ever improve?

Long may S/he complain.

if you don't want to read F3G's complaints, move on to the next topic.

[PAXboy]

Also, if you are really fed up with a particular poster, you can place them into your IGNORE list and then you will never see any post from them when you log on under your regular name! If someone quotes them, you will then see a reference and the quote, of course.

[Final 3 Greens]

AO

S/he also like to tell us about J travel.

Not in this instance :-) This is W, a very pleasant way to travel on hols I reckon and excellent vfm if booked earlier.

£4K for 4 x return transatlantic flts on 24/31 December is a good deal.

[jethrobee]

F3G you are so unlucky with BA, in the thousands of flights I have booked with them over the years the only problems I have had have been caused by industrial action!

The main reason I have just booked my next 4 USA trips and my next months Australia trip with other carriers is purely based on I dont know when this industrial action mess will be solved.

I am currently in Rome, I was on one of the BA charters this morning, t5 was a joy, not empty, but not packed, the flight was just about on time, and they even moved it to counter the baggage handlers in Rome being onstrike.

I think that the airline and the good people that work there cant go out of their way enough to help. The only problem is the few trying to spoil it, and to be honest, you seem to always get bitten by one of the few.

I would hate to visit a casino with you!

[EESDL]

I'd suggest if anyone tried that to me I would be pressing charges for fraud.......you can blame incompetance or the 'computer' only so many times.....and is often used to hide behind.

More seriously though, they're out to get you and the pax list probably has an asterix next to your name to ensure bodily fluids are added to your inflight........make sure you change/swap seats with some other pax once onboard......now there's some sound advice!

Then again, if they are that incompetant, they'll probably sabotage the wrong passenger inflight and, knowing your luck, you'll probably swap seats with the unlucky pax!
:*

[jetset lady]

I hope he doesn't mind me mentioning this but by chance, I bumped in F3G at my local airport. Not only was he a very nice, if frighteningly intelligent gent but I have to say, he was also completely fair in his viewpoints.

I hate to admit it, but certain areas of our ground service leave a lot to be desired, as I'm sure many can testify. Just ask 13Alpha! I've come up against it more than once, whilst trying to assist various people. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people working on the ground that do their all for customers but there are also enough of the other kind to make it a problem.

My wish for the future? We get all this Union rubbish out the way, Mr Walsh moves on to his next problem airline and we get someone in that is willing to go right back to the basics. Will it happen? Who knows but I can always hope!

[Final 3 Greens]

I'd suggest if anyone tried that to me I would be pressing charges for fraud.......you can blame incompetance or the 'computer' only so many times.....and is often used to hide behind.

You know, I don't think so. In a strange wya, it would be reassuring if it was.

JSL

Hi - hope things are well with you.

If BA had people like you and Glamgirl running the back office, I'me sure this would not happen.

Once again, my beef is not with the airline, but with the BA business, if that is not an oxymoron.

[13Alpha]

I hate to admit it, but certain areas of our ground service leave a lot to be desired, as I'm sure many can testify. Just ask 13Alpha!


Don't get me started ;)

I am currently on a one-man mission to drink BA's executive club lounges dry and eat all their shortbread before my silver card runs out in May...

13Alpha

[Bongodog1964]

Lets get this right:

By his own admission, the man gets a call from BA "have we charged you for the tickets" he says he checked with his credit card company then went back to BA and said "no you haven't"
Receives credit card bill and finds that he had been charged.

BA contacted the man as they realised they may have screwed up, when he said he hadn't been charged, of course they took the money.

The main charge of incompetence rests either with the card company or the client.

[Final 3 Greens]

Bongodog

I don't know what part of my post you had troubling understanding, but it is customary for companies to charge only once for providing a service.

Not three times.

How was I to blame, for being helpful and confirming the situation.

How was the credit card company to blame, for accepting three billings from a reputable merchant?

The blame on this lies entirely with BA for incompetence, there is no excuse.

Furthermore, as the company realised that they had overcharged and posted a credit (for only one overcharge), common courtesy would tend to suggest an email informing the client, as the credit could take a few days to go through and it might impact the client's credit limit (in fact it did and it didn't.)

Despite BA havng my email address, they didn't bother to let me know.

Just more bad practice from a company that needs to service it's clients very well in the present market.

[Bongodog1964]

So when they contacted you to ask if they had charged you, why did you give them the wrong answer ?

[Final 3 Greens]

I didn't. They called before making first charge.

[Bongodog1964]

If I was as unhappy with BA (or any other organisation) as you appear to be, I would never touch them with a bargepole, yet you have been moaning for years about BA and continue to let them have your money.

[Nick Riviera]

'I am currently on a one-man mission to drink BA's executive club lounges dry and eat all their shortbread before my silver card runs out in May'

So it's you who's nicking all the shortbread, you bastard!! I'm going to have to stock up a bit more when I'm in the lounge (you can have all the fruit cake if you prefer).

[PAXboy]

Bongodog1964 Perhaps my situation is similar to F3G and you may consider my actions equally 'confusing'.
I thoroughly dislike the biz practice of FR and would be glad not to use them ever again.
There are times when the ONLY field near my destination is served by FR and so I reluctantly use them. I have no fears about their maintenance and consider their air-manship to be the same as any other.
I thoroughly dislike the BA mgmt and would be glad not to use them ever again. They have not been my long haul carrier of choice since the dirty tricks effort.
I thoroughly LIKE the BA flight and cabin crews and have rarely been disappointed.
There are times when they are the best choice of carrier for route/time/money/FFM redemption etc.There are some carriers that I NEVER choose, irrespective of any factor.

[bealine]

I dislike the reference to "Ground Service" as, in aviation circles, that usually encompasses baggage handling and delivery, passenger boarding and coach operations, tugs, ground power, aircraft stairs and other things that go on "on the ground".

"Check In" is usually referred to as just that, "Ticketing and Reservations" another and "Lounge Dragons" yet another topic of conversation.

Final Three Greens latest complaint against big bad BA centres around "Tickets and Reservations" (or "contactba" as marketing have called it.)

Mistakes do happen, it's human - otherwise the manufacturers of "Tipp-Ex" would have shut up shop years ago.


BA can stop threads such as this very easily, by doing things right, first time.

Is basic competence really too much to expect?

Does any business live up to your exacting specification, FTG?

[Nick Riviera]

'Does any business live up to your exacting specification, FTG?'

Forgive me for answering this as it has been directed to FTG, but yes, many businesses that I use on a regular basis live up to these specifications. It is not actually that hard to do - deliver what you promise, or, if you can't, don't make the promise in the first place. The places that fulfill these terms are the ones that get my repeat business.

[Ancient Observer]

I agree with Nick. It can be done correctly, first time, every time.

When it's not, we need F3G et al to moan/complain and get the Co concerned to get it right.

As to why one keeps flying with the less than brilliant BA, see the last para of Clarkson in the Sunday Times this past Sunday. Spot on for me.

[bealine]

I agree with Nick. It can be done correctly, first time, every time.

Please divulge what private company out there, in any field, achieves this?

[sixmilehighclub]

FTG
My first thoughts are that BA are dealing with a high number of downgrades, cancellations, rebookings and trying to get the operation stable as possible. I believe though not intentional, they may be sending generic letters, possibly without having thought through the scale of compensation to actual loss in your pocket. Every case is different. I think they may be concentrating on getting everyone from A to B as priority and maybe your claim and content of complaint was overlooked.

I would suggest writing again to the Exec club. Maybe after allowing the dust to settle a week or so as there must be numbers more with the same concern. The more who complain with dissatisfaction, the more likely they may realise the unfairness of the solution and offer a fairer recompense.

I think in the rush to get everyone on flights, they may have overlooked the Club Europe customers. Were there many of you do you know?

I once operated a flight on behalf of Virgin Express routing STN-LHR-BRU-BCN and back, and we were a wet lease (aircraft & crew supplied) with a single class aircraft. We had passengers booked in their upper class. All nine of them refused the premium food, champagne and other items loaded for them. They hadn't been told the flight was being operated by us.

I also was a positioning crew member on a Titan flight (oddly I used to supply staff to them) which had been laid on to replace a BA flight. They found the service difficult and myself and another positioning crew got up to help. Unfortunately, the wet leased crew do not always receive prompts on how the service shall be.

They may have had the product onboard but not made aware, or not known who it was for. The seating difference regrettably is unavoidable.
It is also possible that your J ticket was included into a total figure of seats sold. Seats sold unfortunately are all economy on the new flight. Not acceptable but its a possibility.

Sorry you didn't enjoy your flight and paid over the odds for it. But pleased you got to where you are going. Don't give up.

Six

[Final 3 Greens]

Does any business live up to your exacting specification, FTG?

Bealine

With the very greatest of respect, I don't regard doing things right first time as being 'exacting.'

And yes, lots of businesses do this, day in, day out. Ryanair springs to mind, although I don't use them much (only 60-70 flights over the years) and don't like their product, they get it right first time.

sixmilehighclub

I think you may have confused me with Radeng on another thread.

My experience was that I booked tickets with BA with a price of £4K, BA invoiced me for £12K and then only refunded me £4K, until I noticed and chased them.

A black and white case of incompetence and very bad customer service by leaving me to discover it, rather than emailing me, letting me know there was a problem and that they had resolved it.

[bealine]

Ryanair springs to mind, although I don't use them much (only 60-70 flights over the years) and don't like their product, they get it right first time.

Now I know this is taking the mickey!

[Final 3 Greens]

Stay in denial mate, it eases the pain.

Ryanair does exactly what is says on the tin and does it right, first time, every time.

You may not like what is in the tin, but then don't buy it (and I do not, unless I have to.)

And that is from a non fan, consistently anti Ryanair corporate culture on this forum for the past 10 years.

A look at relative business performances of BA and FR over the past 10 years tells its own story.

[Seat62K]

I agree.

As someone who flies with both Ryanair and BA, I find the latter fails to deliver much more frequently than the former.

Now people who work for BA may have a view that their product is superior but from my perspective as a customer, and all things considered, I prefer Ryanair to BA for my short-haul flying these days.

(Long-haul is a different matter and for these flights it's always Club World - that is, until all my Miles have been spent!)

[Final 3 Greens]

Seat 62K

Now people who work for BA may have a view that their product is superior but from my perspective as a customer, and all things considered, I prefer Ryanair to BA for my short-haul flying these days.

There is a strong need to provide a product/service with the right grade of quality, that is fit for use.

Ryanair may be low grade, but it is fit for use as it is consistently delivered and meets a need.

BA is (in theory) high grade (but decereasing due to cuts), but is often not fit for purpose as it is inconsistently delivered and to save any BA people typing, I really don't care if you are constrained by Heathrow, that is BA's problem not mine.

I agree that Club World is still a good product and contrary to some of the stories on here, I find the service in the air acceptable (i.e. it meets the specification) to good (exceeds it.)

However (and Bealine may wish to argue industry semantics, but I dont care as a passenger) the ground experience (end to end, from booking to leaaving the destination airport) is highly inconsistent and sometimes (e.g. my delightful experience of being debited £12k for a £4k ticket) just plain incompetent.

I won't repeat Paxboy's hypothesis, but I believe it is well formed.

[ManAtTheBack]

Quote:
I agree with Nick. It can be done correctly, first time, every time.

Please divulge what private company out there, in any field, achieves this?

Pret a manger

Consistent (high quality) sandwiches and friendly staff.

Consequently, I spend more on my lunches than I budget for.

[Rusland 17]

Even Pret a Manger does not get it right every time.

I call in every morning for coffee and porridge and although it is spot-on 95% of the time I do occasionally get to work to find that they have given me the wrong coffee, or the wrong topping on my porridge - and even, on one occasion, insufficient change. The service depends very much upon the store you go to - the branch across the road from my office is superb, whereas the service in the one around the corner leaves a great deal to be desired.

No-one gets it right every time but, to bring this back on topic, in all my years of travelling BA has been one of the most consistent of all airlines in delivering a good product. I have had such dreadful experiences with Lufthansa, Air France and SAS that I will not use them again, whereas my sub-optimal experiences on BA have been rare (and resolved quickly and courteously when they do happen). As a result, BA is still the website I go to first when I want to plan a journey.

[TSR2]

No-one gets it right every time

Well I hope this does not apply to Parachute Packers :ok:

[PAXboy]

As it happens, in my job, I am expected to get it right every time. If I might a big mistake - people will remember it for the rest of their lives.

On Monday, I mispronounced a name - that's all - it caused a stir amongst those most closely involved such that I stopped to check what it was that I had done wrong, and then corrected myself. Afterwards, I apologised again. Then my client pointed out one other word that I got wrong, it was part of the address of a house and I made a small mistake in the name of the road ('Gardens' instead of 'Cottages'). But I got it wrong and I apologised. He was not upset and was pleased overall with the work I did for them - but needed to point it out to me.

What if a surgeon gets it wrong a few times??? What if your dentist slips and digs out a chunk of your gum? Some jobs have to be right and we might as well all aim at getting it right first time. I don't - but I aim to - because just like in Hollywood, you're only as good as your last picture/flight.

[Seat62K]

With me, the anticipation of problems when flying BA became something I could have done without.

Would I be flying out of Gatwick on a tatty old 737 with a seat cushion so disgracefully worn that I could feel the metal beneath the seat cushion pressing into my legs and backside, I wondered?

Would I, yet again, be ignored during the drinks service when occupying a Club World window seat?

Would OCLI be suspended because of over-selling?

[Chuchinchow]

However (and Bealine may wish to argue industry semantics, but I dont care as a passenger) the ground experience (end to end, from booking to leaaving the destination airport) is highly inconsistent and sometimes (e.g. my delightful experience of being debited £12k for a £4k ticket) just plain incompetent.


As you so clearly display your near-pathological hatred for British Airways in almost every message you post here, may one ask why you continue to fly with that company?

Is that you like complaining - or perhaps you are some sort of compulsive masochist?

[Capetonian]

Chuchinchow

You may choose to call criticism a near-pathological hatred but that's your interpretation. I, and clearly others who use this forum, also have what you would call a near-pathological hatred for BA, after a series of incidents during which we were mistreated, lied to, and severely inconvenienced, by ground staff and a sales manager.

Their service in the air, before I decided to stop flying with them, varied from generally good to very mediocre, and the state of some of their aircraft on which I had the misfortune to travel would have been a disgrace to many third world carriers.

As to why people continue to fly with them, it may be that there is sometimes no choice, as happened to me a couple of weeks ago when I needed to fly on a route that only they served. As it was, they announced the strike before I made my booking, and did me a huge favour. The flights I would have booked on were cancelled. Any last chance they might have had of winning me back has been scuppered, for ever. One might argue that the strike is not BA's fault, and whilst there is some validity in that, if their so-called management had taken a different line with the rabble-rousers at an earlier stage, the strikes may well have been prevented.

[routem]

What we need in Britain is a lot more F3G's. I too complain when I suffer bad service from any company. The standards of customer care have generally gone down in the last few years mainly due to company cost cutting but thats not a reason for those of us paying for a service to accept it.

I've always found F3G's comments, about BA or others, to be eloquent, comprehensive and reasoned. So, Bongo and Chewchinthingy, maybe try reading the WHOLE thread before you make inappropriate comments !!!