BA - Should I complain?

[bizflyer]

Wanted to get some advice or just opinion from those in the know. This might seem like a petty gripe but I'm hacked off enough to wonder if I should try and get some satisfaction/apology from BA. I fly on business quite a bit, use whoever gets me where I want to be at the best price (that's business), but when possible I try to stick with BA. I'm also a member of the "exec club" and a small shareholder in the Company.

I booked a ticket online last week for what should have been an uneventful trip to Holland, thought I'd booked Gatwick - Amsterdam March 22nd, returning March 23rd. When I got to the Airport for the return leg, I realised (red face) that I'd booked the return leg for April 23rd - no excuses, cocked it up - my mistake. Much as a month in Holland sounds appealing it's not what I had in mind. I approached the check- in and explained to the nice man that I'd made a mistake and could he help me get home? Yes came the answer, he'd happily sell me another ticket. Slight problem here, I have a few Euro's left, enough for a paper and a coffee - and a credit card (maxed out - I'm sure I'm not the only one who treats their limit as a target). In short insufficient funds at that precise moment in time to buy another one-way ticket home at the quoted 230 EURO's.

Although nice man recognised it was a genuine error, he was in no position to assist me getting home and basically told me to buy a ticket from our Orange friends. Rang BA exec club to see if they could do anything, use their discretion/help me get a ticket using my air miles - answer sorry no joy mate. Trundled off and bought a ticket to fly home with Easy for 145 Euros (credit card shouldn't have worked but did) but sadly no nice sandwich and glass of wine to see me home. As it was I had a nice - on time - flight with smiling crew on shiny new A319 - not what I'd expected and perhaps the last thing BA would have wanted.

My question is, I realise I'm in the wrong and my case wasn't helped by holding a cheap non-flexible BA ticket, but I find it really strange that they were not willing to assist me, what if my card hadn't worked at the Easy counter? Would BA really have left me sitting in the terminal with no way home? What's the point in a loyalty program, when the reward for loyalty seems only to be the Airline selling your name on to credit card Companies for mailings but no help when you are - genuinely - in a fix? That said I think the exec club membership is neither here nor there, all it should have done was underline my status as a loyal customer -

Do I have any grounds to complain and if so to whom? Am I just a misguided fool expecting them to help me - I kind of assume if they could sell me a ticket as the flight was almost closed, they had an empty seat that I could have been in? As a passenger the attitude worries me, what happens if there is a next time, the more flights I take the more chances something like this could happen again. As an exec club member I just think, what's the point? and as a Shareholder I think, what is the Company doing turning away loyal customers to a competitor? As a business man I think, are they mad? Nobody was rude to me, I wasn't rude to them. Just confused and maybe a bit naive?

edited to remove duplicate in slf

[spork]

I went off BA quite a few years ago, and swore never to fly them again. To date I haven't, and I certainly don't miss them. I do appreciate all the extra money I retain in my bank account though.

Welcome to the real world - the future's Orange.

Oops - sorry, wrong advert...

[Crepello]

Sorry biz, I'm with BA on this one. The whole point of (conventional) cheap tickets is that they're inflexible. If airlines made more exceptions, there'd be lots of 'genuine' mistakes. And it's not the carrier's problem if you don't have emergency credit available. Hope this doesn't sound harsh.

The cheapest normally gets my business, but:
- Fly LCC if your schedule may change (EZY have done very nicely out of me over this!)
- Fly conventional if you prefer allocated seating
- Fly LCC if you want to buy crack from fellow passengers, seemingly... :rolleyes: :\

[Pax Vobiscum]

I don't imagine there's any serious grounds for complaint here - BA don't appear to have done anything wrong. That being said, what they did may not have been commercially sensible, if it drives a frequent flyer into the arms of the opposition. I wonder how high up the (many-too-many) layers of bureaucracy this would have needed to have gone, before reaching the level at which a 'free' ticket could have been issued - perhaps bealine or a colleague could tell us?

I can sympathize with bizflyer - I've almost done the same thing once. On-line booking is very handy, but the boys in Marketing will keep changing the web interface every few days (not knocking BA here, a general observation).

[DishMan]

I booked a cheap on-line ticket for Mrs DM for AMS-TLS back in Feb. with KLM (They are the only airline who do a direct flight too!)
Muggins here got the departure date wrong and had her leaving on a Tuesday instead the Monday. Mrs DM was not amused when she received her e-ticket confirmation e-mail.
So I called KLM - OK it was within one hour of booking the ticket.
First guy - sorry - that's the electronic bookings dept. you have to talk to them but it is a lowest fare non-changeable non-refundable.....
Called number he suggested - no answer......shut.
Called someone else at Cus Help....not same guy....girl who says sorry it's impossible. But try this number...123456 whatever and so I called again, explained that Mr DM didn't fancy going home tonight unless I had sorted the problem which I had created. Got a laugh from the girl and "I'm sorry it really can't be changed. I'll have to speak to a supervisor."
8-10mins waiting...then back she comes.... "OK Mr Pascoe, <Exceptionally> it has been changed as per your request. Same ref E-ticket number we'll send another e-mail confirmation to your wife. Have a good trip...." ME profusely thankful and able to go home without fear of decapitation.

SO a little POLITE persistence, a little humour and I appealed to the culture that very often shrugs shoulders and points out it's my problem - tough. After all there are rules and I screwed it up. (It is clear on the web pages what is what.) BUT KLM have a happy customer and that's good 'cos I'll be commuting most weekends on that route (hopefully) from Sept!

:ok: KLM!

[lhrmk]

Sorry have to agree that you have no cause to complain.Think you will have to put it down to experience.Out of interested what level of Executive card to you hold?

[Runway 31]

While I agree that the passenger caused his own problems by making a mistake, I think that the interests of the customer and in the long terms the airline could have been looked after a bit better here. All this episode has done is driven a loyal customer to a competitor. Still I suppose that this is one of the reasons why BA is not doing so well.

I am a little puzzled with the following remark from Crepello !!!!

Fly LCC if you want to buy crack from fellow passengers, seemingly...

Good to know that LCC's are now being described as assisting drug dealers. I thought that I had heard everything from the high fare supporters. At least it is good to hear that nothing like that goes on in their flights.

[renfrew]

When e tickets first appeared the odd mistake was usually changed without fuss.
Now the airports are inundated with passengers who are trying to save some money by booking the "wrong" date.
It simply spoils it for those who have made a genuine error.

[Globaliser]

I think renfrew has hit it on the head. Too many "mistakes" are being made these days and too many pax are just plain dishonest about it. Ascribing fault to the web interface isn't really an answer because you are given the dates and times of the flights on so many successive screens during the booking process that you really shouldn't manage to overlook the fact that you're booking the wrong flights.

However, if the agent genuinely accepted that it had been a genuine mistake, and if there was genuinely an open seat on the aircraft and that it was not overbooked at that stage, then it is a bit inflexible for an exception not to be made. But inflexibility on these things is part of the delicate balance between revenue protection and customer service - and it's obvious that with BA's lower fares must come stronger revenue protection.

It's at this sort of time that frequent flyer status can work wonders (although never guaranteed). An entry level card probably won't get you anywhere - but I'd be surprised if this had happened to a BA Gold.

[chippy63]

Just wondering, can BA staff use your EC number pull up on their magical screens a history of complaining/milking the system, whatever you care to call it?
I understand from another thread that they can have some kind of weighting to see how important you are in terms of revenues: just wondering, is this adjusted for how far into your membership year you are? That is, 2000 points towards the end of your year is probably so-so, but the same score three months into the year is much more substantial.

[PAXboy]

Sorry Biz - no cause for complaint. Renfrew has hit a very plausible reason. I, too, made a similar mistake but realised after I had printed out the confirmation. Rang BA and it was changed at no cost but that was within ten minutes of making the mistake. Which mean that I did not have to spend a whole month with my mother ... :eek:

I dare say that BA would want to help loyal customers and the genuine mistake but the volume of traffic and the need to keep costs down mean that it is not possible to provide the level of service that we all grew up with. The LCCs will fall prey to this themselves as time goes by. It is a natural progression of commerce and human beings!

If you are paying for your tickets then I use EZY, I live near LTN and have used them since they started and am very happy. If someone else is paying and you can get the Club Miles - go BA!

[SLF3]

This has happened to me several times, all genuine mistakes:
- Years ago, parents confused 8am and 8pm on the same day. BA carried them first flight the next morning, no charge.
- Checked in very early on a discounted ticket, (for business trips I always book the last flight home) asked for earlier flight, usually allowed to go earlier at no charge.
- Telephone e-ticket from SAS, right flight, wrong day. They took me.
- Airline took return portion of ticket on outward flight, so checked in without valid ticket. BA supervisor in Moscow moved heaven and earth to fix it, and apologised.
- Lost ticket. BMI said they could reissue it, but would cost £25. Said happy to pay, they waived the charge.
Changed flight on the phone via travel agent, checked in, right flight, wrong day. Flight overbooked, BMI captain overheard the discussion at the desk, came home on the jump seat. Awesome!

Perhaps I have been lucky: more cynically, I'm white, middle aged, have english as a first language, like to think I look respectable, and grovel a bit. Some of the kids who work for me have been a lot less lucky.

[spork]

The LCCs will fall prey to this themselves as time goes by. It is a natural progression of commerce and human beings!Don't really understand this "fall prey" comment Paxboy, as the LCCs already provide this service as a norm.

[slim_slag]

Globaliser,

Web based systems make mistakes, I once managed to book three single seats on three PNRs on the same BA flight. I maintain I only saw one confirmation screen. BA didn't make a fuss when I checked in, the guy seemed to think it normal. Anyway, if I book the same flight with the same credit card, the same name and the same FF number the system should NOT book three separate reservations on the same flight. Bad front/back end validation which that time BA resolved to my satisfaction.

Since then I had to change my return flight on a cheap ticket that was changeable for a fee, and a BA phone customer service rep made such a change for me. When I checked in the check in lady and her supervisor refused to accept the change and refused me boarding. The station manager told me I should realise that cheap flights are not changeable, yet she told me the CSR who changed my reservation was not expected to know the same. Final straw :)

Anyway, bizflyer, never accept the story that they can do nothing about it. They can if they want to, in your case they just didn't want to.

[bizflyer]

couple of points. I have a blue card - not silver/gold. I fly a lot but always book cheap seats (I own the firm therefore it's my money) so a blue card doesn't get you too far it would seem. Still, I do get regular upgrades from econ across the pond. I guess they are hoping one day I'll buy one!

I'm pretty confident there was no price advantage on the flights returning april 23rd over march 23rd, so they probably could have figured I wasn't trying to pull one.

I have had to change flights many times with BA, have always paid except on one occasion when I changed a return to london from new york to philadelphia - on the departure day, but could have/would have/expected to pay for that, just wasn't asked. On balance, buying a cheap seat non-flexible and paying extra on the occasions you need to change is still cheaper.

am sure that BA could easily have pulled my record from their system - as mentioned probably couldn't be bothered.

I didn't make a fuss at check in, maybe I should have but I'm not really that type.

I'll put it down to experience. Won't stop flying BA - I'll just be more careful next time - and will be more willing to give Easy a go. I'm going back to Holland 20th of April so being the tight fisted git that I am, will still manage to use my return leg after all. Actually, I'd probably have gone just to make sure I used it!

On balance I'm a bit of a git whinging about this, but figure it does say something about the BA system and their attitude when you're in a fix, I just would have thought there would be some duty of care toward a customer. You also wouldn't eed to be einstein to sort the one's trying it on from those who need a bit of extra customer care.

while I'm on here, a question for the Easy fliers, when I booked last minute with them, I paid what I guess was their upper end fare. Was it a coincidence that I was called in the first batch to board (therefore a choice of seat)?

[PAXboy]

Don't really understand this "fall prey" comment Paxboy, as the LCCs already provide this service as a norm. Sorry Spork if I did not make it clear, what I meant was that the LCCs will fall prey to 'not making a big effort'. Not making SURE that they look after the passenger. I agree that LCCs have been very smart about the re-booking fee.

Any large company will - somewhere - just be too big. The person at the front desk/phone will not know all the rules (as per examples above) and another will not be motivated to ensure that the customer still thinks the company are the best. Whether you are selling fish paste or airline seats, you will - eventually - get too big to care.

The interesting thing is what happens then? i.e. Does the company realise what has happened and pull back, regroup and continue to improve or does it just slide down the other side of the growth parabola?

[BRUpax]

I find that one of the common problems today is that both sales and check-in personnel are given minimum training and seriously discouraged from using any initiative. A far cry from the long past. I often find that I am more knowledgeable than the airline people I have to deal with.

[Crepello]

Biz, sounds like you booked late but checked in early - boarding priority's first come, first served - no reflection of the price.

I guess the point here is that there is no duty of care, just an opportunity for an airline to show some good customer service and win a friend for life. A pity they missed it.

RW31, that wasn't what I was saying, as I think you well know :rolleyes:. My point was that LCC pax sometimes span a 'broader section of society', ahem.

[Animalclub]

Many, many years ago I used to be a check-in chappie and had to deal with this type of problem. It was easy... explain the rules and offer to get the pax away on the next available flight.

No, you can't get a confirmed seat (until you're on board and the door closed AND THE AIRCRAFT IS TAXIING), but the airline that I worked for obviously realised that a seat is perishable (you can't sell it after the flight takes off) and any revenue is better than none.

Note... this was done at the airport face to face with the passenger at the information/standby counter with the passenger ready to travel - not over the telephone.

[SLF3]

Last point is well made: you will only get flexibility at the coal face, ie, with the airline concerned at the airport check in desk.

Forget alliances: they are as much use as a chocolate teapot when something goes wrong.

For a SAS flight with a problem ticket, I went to check in at the Star desk at Paddington. Can't help. Called SAS customer services (from whom I'd bought the ticket). Wouldn't help. Went to Heathrow on spec, with 40 minutes to flight time, no problem. Have had similar experiences with OneWorld.

Second handy hint: keep a record of your ticket number / locator separate from the ticket. My experience is if you lose the ticket, and don't have these details, you have to get the credit card out.

[spork]

On balance I'm a bit of a git whinging about thisNo you’re not bizflyer, you’re just looking for “that little bit extra” that differentiates one company from another. BA failed to give it. It’s not pursuable in law, but the positive PR they’d have got should help their image surely? Instead of that, you’ll mention this incident to a lot of travellers you meet, possibly for quite a few years to come. I never shut up about the poor service I receive. Yeah… Norwich Union Direct! Oops! Wandering a bit there…

a question for the Easy fliers, when I booked last minute with them, I paid what I guess was their upper end fare. Was it a coincidence that I was called in the first batch to board (therefore a choice of seat)?Agree with Crepello here that it’s check-in order that gets you through earlier, apart from the passengers with special needs who get priority. My experience of Easyjet is 110% perfect service. I don’t think the UK TV series does them any favours though, as obviously satisfied happy customers don’t make good television. I just wish that their gate staff would stop letting parents of huge “infants” (8, 9, 10 years old?) get on first, They often have an entourage as well, which is a blatant abuse of their boarding system. They should define the infant age limit when they make the announcement.

LCC pax sometimes span a 'broader section of society', ahem.Yes of course Crepello, being able (or stupid enough) to pay a larger airfare ensures that you are an upstanding, decent member of society. :rolleyes:

[Crepello]

My experience of Easyjet is 110% perfect service

Mine too. But experience suggests that on LCCs, you generally encounter more noisy, obnoxious oiks in shellsuits. Ok, this mightn't be very PC. Tough.

2am edit: Fair point about what makes good TV, but I've always been impressed with EZY's ground staff, dealing with oiks, ne'er do wells and the downright unlucky, with a level of professionalism I can only take my hat off to. And don't get me started on Ms Boulton... :ok:

[bealine]

On behalf of my colleagues at British Airways, I must just enter my twopennyworth!

Slim slag was quite right. In the good old days, we (the ground staff) were given a certain amount of discretion to make allowances for passenger error, "foreigner" problems (eg went to the wrong airport) etc. Unfortunately, the bean counters in their quest to Cut Costs have removed any initiative from us. Woe betide the agent who misses a change fee or excess baggage collection! In the present climate, the threat of disciplinaries or dismissal is a constant threat!

You've probably read in the news that Rod Eddington is appalled at sickness levels - 16.7 days sick per annum is the "average" that the bean-counters have thrown at us. Now, in any business there are lead-swingers, but by far the majority of my colleagues would only ever "no-show" if it was absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, the nature of our business means (a) we have far more contact with people than those in other occupations, exposing us to unfamiliar microbes and (b) Flying crew have to be grounded for seemingly minor malasises - earache, common cold etc (Because of the high-risk of ear drum perforation). This obsession with absenteeism (wield a big stick instead of a carrot) shows a management totally out of touch with the front-line troops!!! Welcome to the 21st Century!

It is, however, this inflexibility and adherence to the "rules" that probably makes BA one of the safest carriers with which to fly - you can rely on the fact that everybody from the guy who sweeps the hangar upwards will follow the correct procedures to the letter when things go wrong!

I am indeed sorry to see an airline in which we had a real pride being slowly turned into a LCC with a few bolt-ons!

[spork]

I went off BA long ago, and I could of course reiterate what I've said about that "little bit extra” that differentiates one company from another. However, from all that I've read on this thread, there's nothing that makes me feel like EVER giving BA another chance - whatever the ticket price. The 2003 Heathrow strike episodes reinforced that feeling, as I hate companies that shaft their staff.

One thing I have noticed from the Easyjet TV prog is that the genuine mistakes get VERY fair treatment from the desk staff. But maybe I should buy a shellsuit and look for the crack dealers to satisfy Creps little fantasy...

I ain't seen a shellsuit for decades Creps - do you get out much?

[Crepello]

:confused: Not sure how I rained on your parade, spork, but this isn't the place for a spat. Check your PMs.

[bealine]

This obsession with absenteeism (wield a big stick instead of a carrot) shows a management totally out of touch with the front-line troops!!! Welcome to the 21st Century!

Well - I'm gettin' indigestion through an overdose of humble-pie! We're being offered a £150 bonus if we report for duty without any sickness or "Failing to Join" (reporting for the wrong shift, getting your days on/off confused etc) between now and 12th April. (The flights are particularly busy and we've got Flightswitch at LHR underway and Gatwick High-Utilisation initiative - both of which will cause a bit of stress and pain to the Ground staff!)

Apologies to BA management - looks like the messages about carrots and sticks are getting home!!!
:O

[Animalclub]

When all is said and done if a passenger wants to travel BEFORE his flight sector expiry date - and there is a seat available when the passenger attempts to check in - surely it makes sense to let the passenger travel... on any fare.

It does any airline no good if aircraft are flying around with empty seats... and you can soon pick out the people that do it regularly and put a stop to it.

Just like the people who book P/F then when they come to ticket say that they booked Y hoping that Y is full!! And then I don't think I've seen it all the attempted frauds!!

[PPRuNe Radar]

Apologies to BA management - looks like the messages about carrots and sticks are getting home!!!

But they don't read PPRuNe ... so they say ;)

[spork]

If you were BA management, how much would you pay to stop headlines appearing over Easter like those during the last "strike"? £150 per head to the most wage exploited staff sounds like quite a reasonable price to pay in attempting to rebuild BA's shattered image. Just me being cynical I suppose...

[Animalclub]

Please forgive me, but I still don't understand why you have to bribe employees to turn up for work - the 150 pound business - not the "one cabin crew down" business.

You accept a job at a certain wage for which you have agreed to carry out certain duties. Have I missed something?

[bealine]

Old Boy, this subject (and the crew pay supplement) is being strangled to death at:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=124412&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

[Animalclub]

Bealine

I see your point about it being done to death... sorry, but I still don't understand it.

Old boy? My girl friend doesn't think so.

[reverserunlocked]

I made a bit of a bodge booking a ticket with 'Airline Network' from London to Malta via Milan with Alitalia.

I somehow ended up booking the only flight that required a mad cross-city dash! The outgoing flight landed at Milan Linate at 10am and the-Malta bound flight departed from Milan Malpensa less than three hours later.

I didn't even notice this until the tickets had arrived. A quick call to the said bucket shop to ask whether the transfer was possible resulted in me being told that the time between the two was 'an hour'. Mmmm, fighting through Monday morning rush hour traffic between two airports at my own expense. Great. I've seen the Italian Job, this wasn't gonna be fun.

Thankfully on check-in the agent frowned at my ticket and said 'they shouldn't have issued this' and put us on the Malpensa flight, which departed just a few minutes before the Linate. Phew.

By the way, the term for 'dubious, shell suited oiks' is now accepted as 'chav'. Find a tongue in cheek guide to 'Britain's burgeoning peasant underclass' here (http://www.chavscum.co.uk)

[spork]

You accept a job at a certain wage for which you have agreed to carry out certain duties.If I remember rightly, the whole point was that new conditions were being forced onto existing staff. The strike thread is still there Animalclub if you want to refresh your memory.

[Animalclub]

Spork
Agreed... if duties and conditions are changed down the track it's a brand new ball game.

[10forcash]

Just my two penneth worth.....
On two seperate occasions I have been able to change my return ticket with BA, one long haul, one from europe, not only for myself but for the rest of my family. The reason? I received a 'phone call during my holidays that meant I had to return to UK to support UK military deployments, other than passport and driving licence no ID or proof. however, the BA desk attitude was that 'we will do anything we can to help British military and their contractors'
no problems, no fuss (no upgrades either....). OK, I admit i'm a sad ba$tard for taking 'phone calls on holiday BUT, it pays the wages... and, although an infrequent paying pax, i'll fly BA where possible, the foods got better too....:yuk:
Cheers,
10forcash

[Lost_luggage34]

I admit to only seeing part of this thread. However. I have read the original post.

You made a mistake. As many Airmiles as you may have accrued, it is YOUR mistake.

We have all done it. Live with it.

You had an unflexible ticket which you personally purchased and therefore were bound by the terms and conditions.You agreed to those terms and conditions at the time - perhaps you didn't read them ?

To me, this thread smacks of BA bashing and/or someone who has a grudge.

Why should BA or any other airline pick up the pieces ? Was there a TV crew around making another series of Airline at the time ?

Totally pathetic.

[spork]

Perhaps you could read the whole thread (which isn't that long) and then see if you still feel the same.

[bizflyer]

left_your brain behind

Thanks for repeating everything I said in my original post, it'll help those like yourself who don't bother reading the whole thread but somehow find the time to express an opinion.

If you read my posts in this thread you'll note that I point out myself that I booked a ticket, cocked it up, my mistake etc etc... what's your point exactly? I'm not bashing BA, normally I'd do quite the opposite, I was simply asking for opinion, seeing if I might have handled the situation differently, could there have been a different outcome? From a customers point of view should there have been a different outcome?

I'm a BA passenger, shareholder etc etc. But just in case you are a bit confused, BA is a commercial business, owned and used by people like me, it is NOT some form of holy grail which thou shalt not speak against. The attitude of 'you made a mistake booking your ticket so put up or shut up' is rather endearing and terribly 'English' but just doesn't cut it when the airline is competing for my money against other carriers and the only thing you can shove between them is a.....? Well, I guess that's my point.

I take your point about the ticket price (another point I made myself in the original post).

It's the opinion of people like me - a customer - that help define the service levels provided by the business - a supplier.

What's so 'pathetic' about that?

The idea of debating an issue is to have a discussion, a 'forum' is presumably the best place to do that. (That's 'forum', you might like to look that one up in a dictionary, or even an encyclopaedia should you own one).

By the way - thank's for bringing the thread back on topic.

[Final 3 Greens]

I am indeed sorry to see an airline in which we had a real pride being slowly turned into a LCC with a few bolt-ons!
Unfortunately, that's what the market wants at the moment and BA have to react to it. Look at the easy and Ryans growth rates over the past few years.

Maybe in the future, things will change again and full service will be valued, until then, if people wish to pay £69 return to Nice, they have to accept the downsides and full service isn't part of the deal.

I regularly trash intra European tickets (at my clients expense), because a meeting date changes or I need to extend a visit. The airlines have every right to refuse changes on a non changeable ticket, after all Caveat Emptor is a salient principle of UK law.

I also travel mainly business class outside Europe and receive very high levels of service, so you truly pay for what you receive.

Those who think that airlines will treat them as premium pax, because they buy lots of cheap tickets are really engaging in self delusion, since this purchasing habit is sending a message of buying on price grounds - why provide expensive service to someone who will make the next decision based on price, not quality?

Michael O'Leary understands this principle very well, if you listen to his interviews. I don't warm to his style, but the logic and message is clear.

Bizflyer

I have been a FQTV for over 20 years and the thought of leaving home with a maxed out credit card leaves me feeling very cold, since all kinds of disruption can occur and require payment. Sure, some of it may be covered by insurance afterwards, but you still need to pay up front in many cases.

I'd really suggest that you try and get a separate credit card, keep it empty and be reassured that you can always get home.

Do you have a complaint against the airline? No.

Would they have left you at the airport if you hadn't booked easy? - No, they would have honoured their contract with you and flown you home on the agreed date.

[ExSimGuy]

Not always that easy to recognise - I have had an airline ask me for a "change fee" ($50 or so I think, transatlantic) and other times I have frequently changed my return date with no comment or charge.

Can't find an old ticket at the moment but the only obvious indorsements are usually "valid (carrier name) only".

Years since I was involved in the ticket booking business, and I'm bothered if I can remember the difference between Y/A, Y/C, etc, etc.

How is the average erk in the street suposed to know he has bought a non-changeable ticket? Perhaps he should have asked the travel agent? Wouldn't it be easier if the ticket was clearly endorsed?

Just a thought!

--------------------------------------------
Martin Baker - the only way to fly ;)

[Globaliser]

You should get told before you buy the ticket that it's not changeable, or not changeable except on payment of a fee, and/or that it's not refundable. I've often seen the notes in my bookings made by telesales staff confirming that they've read over the key conditions before purchase, and websites usually make you actively tick a box or similar to show you've read the conditions before you can buy the ticket.

[sixmilehighclub]

In passenger carriage regulations, the ticket you buy is not even a guarantee of being on that flight you have booked. The airline only has to guarantee you get from A to B. It doesnt have to be on that date even, or direct. (although it doesnt do them favours in the consumers market) But could you imagine how many times theyd be sued if the aircraft was an hour late leaving, due to air traffic control or strikes, etc??? The lo-cost airlines would be history as ticket prices would cover the court costs!!!

Check your ticket. Did you book non-changeable, non-refundable, or fully FLEXIBLE??

To balance between being a good service provider and to protect their business, airlines operate a discretionary policy.

Unfortunately there has been an increasing number using air travel, and so an increasing number of passengers trying to fiddle the system and change their flights as they feel like it (because they met the hottest person lastnight in that club, got very drunk and thought it rude to kick them out this morning just to make their flight) so unfortuantely discretion and flexibility have been spoiled for those who make honest mistakes.

As an airline it is very difficult to balance between being supportive to one customer and bending the rules, then denying the guy behind him, causing uproar.

I have been lucky enough to negotiate so many times in other areas to win over a situation, (such as refunds on clothes, bad restaurant meals, etc ) so rarely when I dont get my own way, I am annoyed. Until someone points out the rules or terms of what I originally purchased. Its fair.

Some customer service policies in some companies are amazing , but the con people realise this, see it as a quick earner and bleed it dry, meaning these companies have to toughen up on rules.

BA? Aviation and holidays is all they do. If they lose money in one area, they dont have an internet cafe division, a car hire division or a foreign currency division, etc.. to fall back on to survive. Aviation has gotten tougher and so has the competition, they are all out there to survive, unfortunately forcing you to use another airline is not what they think is happening. After all, management may still beleive BAs reputation is still intact and that people wont fly with anyone else, and you'll pay the fare (...and I am price williams future wife!)

If you feel so strongly, by all means write in, point out just at how dissapointed things have changed. You never know if everyone did, the managers may have a rethink! (...and I'm going to be prime minister next year...!)