British Airways treats Gold Card Members badly!. Review on British Airways

British Airways treats Gold Card Members badly! My recent experience with BA has been bad. Delayed Flight, Onward Flight not connected. Nobody to attend. Stranded at London Airport for the night without a Hotel & Bags.

Ashok M Saraf,

Gold Membership No 69196943

a) Inconvenience caused due to delay in flight & missing connection/appointment

b) Losses incurred due to missing connection

c) Bad treatment by BA staff

d) My Booking Reference: 2FNK2W

e) My colleague Dr Shailesh Twiari’s Booking Reference: 2URZQ5(Also in my Household Account)

f) My Gold Membership No 69196943

I was booked for the Mumbai-London-Paris-London-Mumbai, for travel on 6th October ’14 vide the above PNR. My return flights were as under:

9th October ’14 : Flight BA 327 Dep from Paris at 2045 Hrs Arr in London at 2055 Hrs Flight BA 199 Dep from London at 2155 Hrs

I. Chapter of Events

1 Flight BA 327 from Paris to London on 9th October ’14 was delayed by two hours and the website of BA started showing the delay since afternoon. Although I am a Gold Member, I was not contacted on phone or mail to convey this delay when BA knew about this all along

2 It was through a friend who was travelling on an earlier Flight BA 323 that day, did I come to know of this delay as he called to inform me that BA is displaying that Flight BA 327 is delayed by two hours and would reach London only by 2255 p.m. by which time my connecting flight BA 199 would have gone

1. When I came to know of this delay, I immediately looked at the website of BA and indeed it was true that there was a delay & I was shocked & taken aback. However, no one from BA contacted me to inform the delay, in spite of my being a Gold Card member

4.I contacted the BA Office in Paris but the phone only rang and a message was recorded in the answering machine & I was asked to leave a message which I did but no one called back

5.I then rang up the Executive Club through whom I had done the booking and spoke to Ms. Sargam Soharu. She said that she would check up and revert or someone from the Executive Club will contact me. However, I did not get any call from the Executive Club, in spite of my having booked my ticket through them. I was left with no choice but to call some BA staff in Mumbai who have been courteous and kind to me in the past.

6.I first rang up and spoke to Mr. Ashwin Manjeshwar, at  Mumbai and he said that he would check and ask Ms. Daisy Jesia to get in touch with me and she would help. Within a few minutes, I was on the phone with Ms. Daisy Jesia and she told me that I should immediately rush to the airport and try to take the earlier flight or request BA to put me on to an Air France Flight from Paris to London(which has many vacant seats) so that I could get the connection to BA 199 to Mumbai. She also promised to speak to British Airways in Paris, which she did and which I very much appreciate

7.I immediately rushed to the airport and went to the check in counter. Till such time there was no call from BA informing me the delay in flight.  Generally, whenever I travel from Mumbai to London, the BA Airport staff at Mumbai are so good, that if a flight is delayed, they immediately contact me and inform me that there is a delay in flight and I am likely to miss the onward connection.

1. I appreciate this concern of the BA Airport staff in Mumbai and had in fact, recently written to BA on 28th July ’14 about the quick action taken by them where the Mumbai-London flight was delayed and they were kind enough to put me on to a Jet Aiways Flight thereby avoiding my missing the onward connection. For your information, I am enclosing herewith a copy of my email of appreciation written and the reply received from Mr. Christopher Fordyce, Regional Commercial Manager, South Asia marked as Annexures 1 & 1(a)

2. When I went to the check in counter and met the Supervisor and conveyed to her that I should be given a ticket on Air France as I had to somehow take the connecting flight BA 199 to Mumbai so as to be in time for an important meeting in Mumbai on Friday, 10th afternoon over lunch. Initially she refused saying that there is no such possibility, but, on my insisting, she told me that she could put me on to an earlier flight, i.e. BA 323 which leaves from Paris at 1805 Hours and which was already delayed and would be leaving at 2000 Hours

3. My colleague Dr Shailesh Tiwari was also travelling with me and his ticket was paid for with my credit card. Dr. Tiwari is also in my Household AccountI requested the lady to give him also a ticket along with me. Again she initially refused and only after a lot of persuasion she agreed to give him also a seat on the same flight

4. It took us about 30 minutes to check in but could successfully check in for the Paris London Flight BA 323. We were given a Paris London boarding pass as well as the Boarding Pass for the London Mumbai Flight BA 199.

5. I was relieved and rang up my people in Mumbai and conveyed that everything was in order and I should be there for my afternoon meeting on Friday, 10th October, ’14 as I had a boarding pass for flight BA 199

6. To my surprise, the Paris London flight which was scheduled for 1805 Hours, was rescheduled to 2000 Hours and was further delayed and we landed in Heathrow London on Terminal 5C at 9.15-9.20 p.m. When we got out of the Flight, we could hear announcements being made for the London-Mumbai Flight BA 199 which was leaving from Terminal 5C. So we were relieved that we would get it., as we had landed in Terminal 5C, our flight BA 199 was to depart from 5C ad we though that security would be done at Terminal 5C only and BA staff would be there to receive us and take us to the gate faster as we were about 10-15 passengers

7. We were about 10-15 people from India who were scheduled to take the BA 199 as we were all returning from the CPhI Exhibition in Paris

8. To our surprise again the gate at 5C connecting to arrivals to security and then departure was locked and there was no one from BA to receive us, guide us and tell us as to what to do and where to go. We were forced, without choice to take the train from Terminal 5C to 5A and go to Security of Terminal 5A .

9. When we tried to check in before security, we were told that Flight BA 199 was about to go and we should go to flight connections & they would guide us

10. We immediately rushed to flight connections but there was a big queue. Since I was a Gold member, I went forward and met Mr. Baljit Hyre who took my boarding pass and spoke to someone for very long.  In the meanwhile I was continuously speaking to Ms. Daisy Jesia in Mumbai and she told me that she was also in touch with flight connections in London. She told me that the flight has not yet left & I was still on flight & if I make it to the gate, I will get the connection.  I connected her to Mr. Baljit Hyre and he spoke to her. However, Mr. Hyre was not willing to listen and was telling Ms. Daisy Jesia that she should put me on the next flight from Mumbai. I told him that Ms. Daisy Jesia is trying to help but she is at the airport in Mumbai and not in charge of booking or flight connections. After a long discussion, he said he could do nothing and I should wait in the queue

11. After waiting in the queue for about 35-40 minutes and still more people were coming and joining the queue, Mr. Baljit Hyre told us that they are going to close down the counter in spite of people being there in the queue. We were asked to go through immigrations and the go out of the airport to the 3rd floor and to the ticket counter where someone would be there to help us.  He even told us that there is a bigger counter there with many people manning it and our work would get done faster(Which turned out to be all lies, lies & lies!) We requested that as we were in the queue and have waited for so long, we should be attended to but he refused. This was really disgusting & frustrating as –

a) We did not have a ticket for the next flight

b) We did not have a hotel to stay the night

c) Our bags were checked in thru Mumbai

d) My colleague, Dr Shailesh Tiwari did not have a visa. He had only a transit visa

e) There was no one at BA who wanted to us or guide us or advise us except Mr. Baljit Hyre who wanted to drive away all the passengers

1. We went thru immigrations. I had a visa for entry in UK but my colleague, Dr. Tiwari had only a transit visa. After a lot of convincing, the Immigration Officer gave Dr. Tiwari a day’s visa and allowed him entry into UK.

2. As we did not have a ticket for the next flight, we went to the 3rd floor to the ticket counter where there was only one BA staff behind the counter and a big queue of persons. I was surprised why Mr. Baljit Hyre made us go there if there was only one person manning the counter

3. There was one BA staff giving out booklets of hotels, copy of which is enclosed as Annexure 2, as also a circular enclosed herewith and marked as Annexure 3 and telling us that we should fend for ourselves and find our own hotels. We were asked to come the next day and try & see which flight we can catch.

4. I being a Gold member who travels every month, was given such treatment, it was ridiculous. There was no senior officer present and there was complete pandamonia and chaos. I was literally folding hands and just short of falling to the feet of the only BA staff present, who ultimately agreed to help. He said that he would do one re-booking and I had to again persuade him doing the rebooking of my colleague Dr. Shailesh Tiwari too. He was telling me that he has a family and needs to go home and that he has been delayed beyond his normal working hours(As if we din’t have any family and did’nt have to go home)

5. We were booked on the BA 139 for the next day, i.e. 10th October ’14 but without any hotel. The booklet of the hotels given to us had the hotel names and numbers and when we rang up those hotels, we were told that they were full.

6. For two hours we were ringing up everyone thru an international roaming phone(We don’t know how much bill will come for these international calls that we made) when somehow we managed to get only one room for ourselves in London Heathrow Marriott Hotel, after getting confirmation from the hotel on phone which was guaranteed by my credit card. A copy of the Hotel bill is enclosed herewith and marked as Annexure 4. I have, never in any of my business trips shared a room with a colleague or for that matter even with my brothers because I do not want to loose my privacy. However, this time, BA has forced me to stay with a colleague, which has inconvenienced me.

7. We had to finally go down to the Departures again and stand in a queue to get a taxi. After waiting for about 30 minutes we managed to get a taxi and go to the hotel. A copy of the Taxi fare paid is enclosed herewith & marked as Annexure 5. After check in at the hotel we ultimately reached the room at 1.30 a.m. Just imagine, from 9.20 p.m. the time when we landed in London, we reached the hotel at 1.30 a.m. i.e. after four hours of mental tension!

8. Many of the other Indian passengers took a taxi and went to the hotel saying that they have informed their travel agent and their travel agent will get them a seat on the next flight. But what could I do – I did’nt have a travel agent and had booked my ticket thru the BA Executive Club and BA Executive Club was my travel agent – Unwilling to help. Sometime they are available and sometime not. When they are available they don’t help. They promise to call back but never do. I was still waiting for someone from BA Executive Club to call as promised by Ms. Sargam Soharu.

9. During this period no one from BA Executive Club, India, contacted me or spoke to me. They were aware of my problem as I had already informed Ms. Sargam Soharu, the Business Manager

10. On the other hand, I was constantly in touch with Ms. Daisy Jesia who was at the Mumbai Airport, and counseling me and helping me but Ms. Soharu, Executive Club Manager did not bother to do anything.

11. I wonder how two different sets of staff of BA behave so differently

a) One was the Executive Club Manager, Ms. Sargam Soharu, whose Department had done my booking and was not willing to help or even contact me herself or any of her staff

b) The other were the people at Mumbai, who had nothing to do with my booking on a day to day basis but were constantly helping me, ringing me up and speaking to me at the other end of the world

1. Next day morning, i.e. 10th October, ’14, we went to the airport. My ticket was in Premium Economy World Traveller Plus, to be upgraded to Club against redemption of Avios(The Avios had already been debited). I have written many times for the upgrade but was told that they are not available. There were many Club seats available in the aircraft but BA does not upgrade because BA is only looking for revenue and don’t consider Avios as revenue which is shocking and surprising

2. When it comes to marketing the Avios, BA sells Avios and convinces customers and passengers to buy them. One such mail dated 3rd October ’14 received from Mr. James Hillier, is enclosed herewith and marked as Annexure 6. Once people purchase these Avios and try to redeem them, they become not useful and are considered non revenue passengers – the logic which I do not understand and it really baffles me.

3. I requested the Executive Club for a bulk head isle seat but was not given one. I then contacted Mr. Ashwin Manjeshwar at Mumbai and he was kind enough to put me on to Mr. Vikar. Mr. Vikar called me and tried to help me out. I sent an email to Mr. Derek Gonsalves and he forwarded my email to Ms. Lynda Dyer who could find out the details and come back to me by an email, which she did, and which I very much appreciate

4. I rang up Ms. Sargam Soharu at the Executive Club but she kept telling me that someone will call but no one called. Ultimately Ms. Shikha Madaan called but gave only lip service. She said that they are not getting an upgrade as there is only one seat available. I again requested her and she said that she would check up and come back to me in 15 minutes or at least give me a bulk head aisle seat. She  did’nt call in 15 minutes and finally called when I was already in my seat and the flight was bout to take off. She still kept telling me that she is trying. I told her – Stop bluffing me! What are you trying when I am already in the aircraft and the flight is going to take off!

5. All that the Executive Club did was to give only lip service. In fact I salute the BA Mumbai Airport team –

a) Mr. Ashwin Manjeshwar

b) Mr. Derek Gonsalves

c) Ms. Daisy Jesia

d) Mr. Vikar

e) Ms. Lynda Dyer

f) Mr. Manan

They all went out of their way when I was in the other part of the world they made herculean efforts to help, answered called made to them, unlike the Executive Club persons who did not do anything.

1. Even a person like Mr. Hemant Sethi, who is in charge of sales, was not responding and was not of any help. How will the sales of BA improve if persons like Mr. Hemant Sethi who is in charge of Sales is not willing to help or even answer calls made. I did speak to him but it was of no use

2. Ms. Aparna Malhotra, Corporate Relations Manager, South Asia, never answers calls but sends emails/SMS and that too after the event. I am enclosing herewith a copy of an email dated 10th October ‘14 sent by her, copy of which is enclosed and marked as Annexure 7, in which she indicates that she has done a favour but putting me on to the next day’s flight. If due to a delay in flight of BA from Paris to London, my London Mumbai flight connection is missed, it is the duty of BA to put me on to the next flight. Where is the favour in that? She feels that she has done a favour to a Gold card member who travels every month. Let me tell you, my return journey from London to Mumbai was a nightmare! Please see her email reproduced below and my comments:

3. However, on my arrival in Mumbai, I was delighted when my name was announced in the aircraft and a lady deputed by Mr. Ashwin was there to receive me and understand my problems. She noted all my problems.

4. In this whole exercise what hurt me most was the attitude and behavior of some of the BA staff. It is high time corrections are made by BA in their staff behavior.

5. I was in Paris to attend the CPhI Exhibition where there were many Indians coming for the show. They were all asking why I was flying BA as they were many other options from Paris. They were travelling either Jet Airways or Air France or Air India which fly directly from Paris to London and they were sort of ridiculing me for my loyalty towards BA. I could have flown directly from Paris to Mumbai and reach here and save nearly a day. I sometime wonder why I still fly BA in spite of all the problems.

6. Some of the unresolved problems that I am facing are as under.