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I had cause to complain to BA about the very poor service I received on a flight to Kos operated for BA by Avion Express. I made the complaint during my holiday and submitted it on or around June 22nd. However, despite sending a reminder that a response to complaint is still outstanding, I have still to receive a reply. How much longer is it likely to be before I receive a response, if any, and what should I do if I receive no response? Any advice welcome.
I still have one complaint from May and two from June awaiting a response from BA. Great complaints process!
You can take it to CEDR arbitration after 8 weeks of silence I believe if necessary.CEDR is not suitable for resolving every complaint.
It very much depends on what the complaint is about and how complex it it as to how long BA takes to resolve.
And indication from Paul on what the issue is will get a much better response on how to proceed.
I made a complaint on 12 April and got my first response on 20 July. My complaint is still not resolved so I’ve included a bit more detail below in case it helps with how much effort to put in, though obviously depends how bad the service was.
Mine was about not being allowed in the lounge at Alicante on a Euroflyer flight, which apparently was a known issue in early April and passengers who went to check in were given a letter to explain and offer of a voucher. I checked in online and was HBO so was refused entry to the lounge and only found out about the letter from the person sitting next to me. I asked for the value of the voucher or avios equivalent as a resolution, and offered to send a photo of the letter.
There was an aircraft change to a plane with not enough seats so boarding was a zoo and we left late. My seat was swapped and so the first reponse to my complaint didn’t mention the lounge issue and apologised for the seat change. I replied to say they hadn’t addressed the lounge issue and got a response on 10 August which said that lounge access isn’t guaranteed for gold or silver members travelling in Club Europe. I replied again to reiterate it was a known issue and I quoted the letter so will see what they say. If I don’t get a satisfactory response this time, I will just let it go as it’s not worth any more effort.
Thank you to those who responded to my post. I was traveling in Club Europe, but the service was provided by Avion Express using their plane and crew. The basis of my complaint was the shambolic service provided. It started when we were invited to board. On getting onto the air bridge the crew were not ready to receive passengers and we had to stand for 20 minutes, which some of the more elderly passengers found very uncomfortable if not distressing. On boarding the aircraft it clearly had not been properly cleaned. moreover, the seats did not recline and were uncomfortable. The service provided was chaotic, made worse by the meal trays not fitting onto the tray tables. These slanted to towards the passenger which meant you had to hold your meal tray to prevent it sliding off, something that happened to one passenger.
It was all the above incidents taken together that resulted in a totally unsatisfactory experience. If one of these problems had occurred in isolation I would not have complained but taken together I was incensed that BA could provide that level of service in their premium short haul cabin
Unfortunately both of the complaints recounted above would fall very low down the priority list to be dealt with and if everyone with similar issues complained, the customer relations team would be inundated. That’s why they haven’t been addressed very quickly when we have already seen BA complaints/claims relating to July disruption paid.
The provision of lounges is not contractual and the fact that those who went to a desk were offered an alternative won’t cut much ice.
Re the second complaint, it is totally standard to start the boarding process and have people waiting on the jetty actually to board only when the crew is ready. If that weren’t routine, people would be complaining about delays, so they can’t win. Neither BA, nor many other European airlines clean the aircraft between flights on short haul flights; they just do a general tidy, so Avion isn’t expected to do more. Reports re seats on Avion vs real BA seem to vary, but in general seats are remarkably similar and as for sloping tables that’s not exactly uncommon. The use of the term “incidents” doesn’t seem commensurate with some minor shortcomings.
Air bridges are just that, bridging between the terminal building and the aircraft, they aren’t passenger holding pens and should not be used for this purpose.
It’s been a problem for years if not coming up to 2 decades. It’s one of the regular experiences that has made travel by plane become unpleasant.
I’ve always had the impression the ground staff want to hurry off to another gate and send off their next flight, so as soon as they can they push the passengers through onto the air bridge if the plane is connected to it even if the plane won’t be ready for boarding fot a whie yet.
I have nearly suffocated standing in that metal confined area for regularly up to 15 mins or even more packed in like sardines, no air, a whole planeload of about 200 people, horrible especially in high temperatures. And I’m usually at the front so getting the benefit of any air coming from the plane end of the ramp. Unlike the 200 people in the narrower metal tube behind me.
At some airports they stop ypu halfway down the ramp and hold you much longer but if equipped you might be able to sit on the floor during the wait.
It started with shorthaul LCC’s and seems to have spread as a practice at airports.
I had a cancelled flight in April 23 and am still awaiting any response to my compensation and expenses claim. 4 months and counting…
I’ve been chasing a complaint through BA call centres and then the official complaints process since mid-June. On the first day of multiple calls one of the India-based managers advised me to submit a chargeback but I persisted in trying to resolve officially.
I submitted my official complaint on July 21st, after BA had spent a month not delivering what they had promised me on June 21st on the phone.
How much longer would you wait before submitting the chargeback? Or am I already being too patient with them.
I’ve been chasing a complaint through BA call centres and then the official complaints process since mid-June. On the first day of multiple calls one of the India-based managers advised me to submit a chargeback but I persisted in trying to resolve officially.
I submitted my official complaint on July 21st, after BA had spent a month not delivering what they had promised me on June 21st on the phone.
How much longer would you wait before submitting the chargeback? Or am I already being too patient with them.
If your complaint relates to a refund which it sounds as though it dora if you are being advised by BA to do a chargeback, I wouldn’t hang around, just file the chargeback. If BA subsequently pays, you need to close the chargeback dispute.
Compare and contrast to VS. Delayed flight back from Seattle on Friday (arrived 3.5 hrs late), claim raised on Saturday, fully settled today.
Appreciate BA is a much bigger bigger beast and has a greater volume to deal with, but some of the delays being described are unacceptable.Compare and contrast to VS. Delayed flight back from Seattle on Friday (arrived 3.5 hrs late), claim raised on Saturday, fully settled today.
Appreciate BA is a much bigger bigger beast and has a greater volume to deal with, but some of the delays being described are unacceptable.Have you heard about the CEDR delays of 90 days?
BA got back to me with unexpectedly high compensation as an evoucher yesterday, 8 days after I complained. So it seems to be a very random process…
BA also got back to me on Sunday and awarded me Avios for my complaint. It took over 4 months to resolve, which is fine because I get that not being allowed in a lounge is fairly trivial, and I am happy with the outcome.
I too have made a complaint to BA re Avion Express. Having paid for Business Class return to Paphos in Cyprus our outgoing flight was as normal BA Business Class on Short Haul but our return was via Avion Express that BA had changed us too. The return flight was not in accordance with BA Business Class standards, no middle table, no reclining seats, food un eatable so I complained on 9th June, got an immediate response with reference number and that was it!. Nothing since in spite of a follow up i sent, then a letter to head office 17th July and now 9 weeks later still nothing! Having seen some of the other queries Im not holding my breath!
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