Crappy Pathetic the caring airline

[Faldo]

CX in the news in the UK for refusing to refund ticket bought by Policeman who was shot at close range and almost blinded.
This really is some great airline we work for, customer service is now approaching the same level that it treats its staff to.

[Capt Toss Parker]

They illegally sacked 51 pilots

They illegally price fix with other airlines on cargo

They illegally intimidate people on sick leave

Nothing would surprise me :ugh:

[Ex Cathedra]

Michael O'Leary would be proud.

[squak7700]

Maybe he should have slap the handling staff or throw a tantrum like the HKG woman,definately they ll refund and upgrade him to business

[routetuner]

What! Not only did they refuse him a refund but they shot him as well? That's a bit OTT. don't you think!

[N1 Vibes]

The facts as they stand:

The Daily Mail, 20th Oct 2010

The police officer blinded by fugitive gunman Raoul Moat has was refused a refund on flight tickets by airline bosses after doctors advised him not to fly.
PC David Rathband, who was blasted in the face as he sat in his patrol car, was forced to abandon his family holiday to Australia because of ill-health.
But after asking for a refund, he says Cathay Pacific simply said ‘no’.

The father-of-two had hoped to visit his twin brother in Australia, but after advice from medics decided the 40-hour journey would be too much for him.
PC Rathband and his wife Kath, from Blyth, Northumberland, had been reconsidering their once-in-a-lifetime trip ever since he was released from hospital after being gunned down

He said: ‘I was really looking forward to going over to Australia and seeing my brother, but it's too much travelling. ‘I'm still getting used to my condition and doing simple things is very tiring.

‘They've said I can change the dates, but that's no good for me because I don't know when I'll be fit to go.’ PC Rathband says although he booked four cheaper non-refundable seats, at £2,895, he hoped his circumstances would make him eligible for re-payment. Instead he was told over the phone that wasn't possible.

PC Rathband says when he called British Airways to cancel connecting flights from Newcastle to Heathrow he was instantly granted a refund.

David said: ‘BA were fantastic. I called up and explained and they arranged it straight away.’ He says he is disappointed to be missing out on his trip, which was originally going to give the keen cricketer a chance to watch the Ashes.

Now the injured policeman, who is extremely close to brother Darren, says he hopes he will be able to find a way to welcome his brother to the UK for Christmas.

He has already paid for tickets once so his brother could be by his side in hospital.

Cathay Pacific have now said they are looking into the Rathbands' case and look forward to having the opportunity to sort out the issues over repayment.

A spokesman said: ‘PC Rathband approached customer services on the phone, who do not have ultimate power to grant a refund.
‘It is my understanding PC Rathband was asked to submit his claim in writing with all the appropriate details.

‘This is the system we always use and we believe it is the best way of ensuring the fairest treatment for all customers. We have been in touch and are looking into his case.’

Raoul Moat victim PC David Rathband refused refund on flight tickets | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322078/Raoul-Moat-victim-PC-David-Rathband-refused-refund-flight-tickets.html?ito=feeds-newsxml)

[jmp10]

That's shocking. The lack of consistency in what to expect and also experiences between and also with one airline makes me wonder if any are very reliable anymore.

A.

[freightdog188]

waaaaaaaait a minute here ...

1. whilst it is sad and tragic that this police officer got hurt in the line of duty I still think he has no right to a refund and should not be bitching about it in public!
Otherwise we'll be giving refunds to the rubbish bin collector who fell off his lorry and broke his ankle, the taxi driver who had an accident and the milkman who bent his willy in the line of duty, too ....

2. if he calls a regular customer service hotline and says "hey everybody, I'm the guy who was in the newspapers somewhere in a small country in Europe, please give me a refund" ... what do you expect?!?

I'm all for a good CX slagging when the situation is right, but this isn't it.
Crazywoman was a different story, I still can't believe this happened...

[OldChinaHand]

But thats where you are wrong Freightdog, CX is a publicity sensitive company when it comes to Passengers. I am sure there is much squawking in the chicken coop now. This resulted from a high publicity incident in the Uk drawn out over a week and the unarmed officer was shot during a manhunt, its fresh in everyones mind over there and elements of it are still in the news. It involved several deaths and serious injuries. The response of the CX spokesperson has already indicated the first steps of CXspeak for backtracking. Even the "arrogant airline" does not want to piss off a nation of some 61 Million prospective customers.

[Mr. Bloggs]

Sorry Fright dog, but a leopard never loses it spots.:{

[spannersatcx]

he booked four cheaper non-refundable seats that's why you take out travel insurance, if the medics say you can't fly then you claim off of your insurance, why should any airline refund a non-refundable ticket. I expect the BA tickets were of the refundable type.

[cxlinedriver]

When you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

What other response would you expect from our front line staff? Management give no latitude to the staff to think for themselves - if you follow the rules you won't get into trouble. Rule following also suits all of our staff who are a product of the crap HKG education system. Clearly this denial of immediate refund was going to blow up in CX's face - if the front line staff had educated minds, the ability to think outside the box and the trust of management to act in the best interests of the company and not always blindly follow the rules, this event would not have occurred.

It also does not help the front line staff that senior managers would sell their own grandmothers into the Wan Chai whore bars if it would help their bonuses.

[G_Orwell]

Clearly this denial of immediate refund was going to blow up in CX's face - if the front line staff had educated minds, the ability to think outside the box and the trust of management to act in the best interests of the company and not always blindly follow the rules, this event would not have occurred.Ok it's all clear to you!

But if she/he asked the policeman to submit his claim in writing, then she/he did a good job.
Yes he/she covered his/her ass in a bureaucratic way as cxlinedriver said, but usually that's the only safe way . That has nothing to do with "educational standards", but with the authority he/she has over non-refundable tickets, in this case.
You just insulted one of the persons that fills your flights based on what you read that happened in the UK.
Media can create commotion out of nothing and all in aviation should know this.

[Max Reheat]

cxlinedriver...

Don't you suppose the telephone agent he spoke to was at the London office? So, the probability of that person being a 'product of the local education system' is pretty low I'd suggest!

It is indeed unfortunate that he wasn't immediately offered a refund, but the story is in the Daily Mail, so anything worthy of print supporting CX would have been forgotten. That paper really must be the worst purveyor of jounalistic rubbish in the UK. Anything for dirt. It's what they revel in.

Don't believe everything you read in the papers and nothing you read in the Mail!

[olster]

Oh,I see -a poor chap gets shot in the face by a psychopath then loses nearly 3 grand on top -very fair.A little bit of compassion could go a long way and a sensible manager could bend the rules just ever so slightly and authorize a refund.For those who judge all actions in monetary terms it could actually be to cx's advantage in terms of good publicity.Yes,it is ever so trendy to denigrate the Daily Mail -what paper would you like to compare it to -the pravda-style,vested-interest propaganda rag that is the SCMP? Robotic staff managed by ruthless,amoral and useless managers -cx today -49-ers anyone?

[BusyB]

Apparently this had all been resolved in the passengers favour before the original incident was published in the Mirror. Strangely that isn't news though!!:eek:

[Toe Knee Tiler]

[[QUOTE]A spokesman said: ‘PC Rathband approached customer services on the phone, who do not have ultimate power to grant a refund.
‘It is my understanding PC Rathband was asked to submit his claim in writing with all the appropriate details.

So this poor PC is blinded by a shot in the face and they would like him to put in writing? good one PR dept.

[DCS99]

The PC committed suicide later.

[LongTimeInCX]

Indeed he did, about 4 years ago this month.

What is sad, is that looking back, you had an individual who was part of a big team ( sounding familiar?), who had the aviation equivalent of losing his employ due medical issues. Token support was given, but like PTSD sufferers, the amount needed versus what is available is never enough. Yes there were some other issues with this case, it was well publicised at the time, but most of us are cluey enough to see through where the real issues were with why he took his own life. All very sad, and quite possibly avoidable - if he had help, and/or mates.

We can not change the official help and support network, but I question where his mates and his peer support network was.

I only mention as we in aviation, CX/KA have a number of guys who through medical issues and loss of licence have been effectively been summarily ejected from their employ, and along with it, often their peer group.

Many of you know at least one of these unfortunate individuals who are now on the 'outside', so may I ask, can you see fit to maybe rekindle what may only have been one of many friendships you had, to take the guy out for a beer and lunch sometime, or even a phone call every month to see how they are going.

It is likely after a couple of meet ups or phone calls, you might find out how they are really doing, and for many, they are not doing too well. Feelings of worthlessness, being unable to provide, relationship problems, financial problems are often all there, but what is not, is the comraderie and friendships of old, as we are often all too busy with our own lives.

So if you have a few spare minutes or hours, get in touch with one, and you might be surprised how much it might eventually make you feel good too about helping someone else. You haven't got much to lose, but someone may have a awful lot to gain.

Hopefully many of you as you get to the end of this post, will have had the name of someone who they know, who is in that situation, and who if you are honest, you don't know how they are going. Has someone that you cudda/shudda/wudda kept in touch with if they were not so busy, come to the forefront of your mind?

You've got time to read Pprune, so go and pick up the phone, and make a good difference to someone else's life. Don't just try, do it!
You might need to persevere, as in general we're a proud lot, and we can see through a token call, the art is to make it genuine. Go on, you can fly a plane, chat to hundreds on the PA, sort out complex tech problems, helping a mate should be easy.

(Thank you)
.....and it does feel good:ok:

[Arfur Dent]

You're a good man Longtime. Well said!

[Shep69]

Extremely well said and spot on, Longtime. Thank you.

[BusyB]

Well said Longtime.:ok:

[frampton]

Not to detract from your justifiable complaints against the "dark side", it is heart-warming to read the humane sentiments expressed by "Longtime" which inflect a tone of humility and understanding. Longtime has probably achieved the most "crew-unifying" post on this forum for a very long time - pun intended.

[Hellenic aviator]

Well said, LongTime :D:D:D:D:D
Much respect :ok:

[LongTimeInCX]

Thank you for your extremely kind comments.

My post was not intended as a manifesto for elevation to Sainthood, for which I would never pass the first interview, courtesy of past exploits and indiscretions, but rather than to raise the issue of how we can all be guilty of leaving our fallen and injured behind.

I see two such ex flying colleagues. One of whom, sadly, is normally in the depths of depression. Two things of note spring to mind, the first was a passing comment made by his wife, that almost all of his supposed friends just drifted away when he had to stop flying, to the extent his wife remarked I was effectively the only one who had continued to keep in touch. How sad is that?

The second point was noticing a very recent and visible uplift in his spirits and general well being, and the only aspect his wife could put it down to, was a chance meeting he had with a colleague from his pre-CX days, who now comes round from time to time and takes him for lunch too.

It's humbling to see how such a simple gesture can mean so much to someone else.