Innsbruck? Where’s that?!
Dec 10, 2023, 1:00 pm
#31
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 3,104
It is probably a little harder for Gatters based staff than LHR ones, as the destinations might be a little more obscure, and if you are generally not too hot on Central Europe and don't care much for skiing then you might indeed not have heard of Innsbruck, but as others have stated above the agent should be covering up their ignorance rather than highlighting it repeatedly and making the customer feel bad. Also I am surprised they put new starters (which is what I am assuming, maybe wrongly, this person was) on the premium desks.
Dec 10, 2023, 3:22 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,334
Many years ago I was going to Cuba and phoned my phone company to ask about roaming charges / would the phone work (we're going back to 2G days here). The lady on the phone said my phone wouldn't work as the only country on her list under "Q" was Qatar... A tricky moment then followed.
Dec 11, 2023, 1:37 am
#34
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 393
Had a similar experience in LHR’s First Wing in late 2020 when flying to ACE.
The lady checking me in would insist that they do not fly to Arrecife, she’s never heard of it and that I might be at the wrong airport or terminal. I ended up writing down “ACE” on a piece of paper which seemed to annoy her. Day was saved by one of her colleagues shouting across from another counter: “It’s in Lanzarroteeee”
The lady checking me in would insist that they do not fly to Arrecife, she’s never heard of it and that I might be at the wrong airport or terminal. I ended up writing down “ACE” on a piece of paper which seemed to annoy her. Day was saved by one of her colleagues shouting across from another counter: “It’s in Lanzarroteeee”
Dec 11, 2023, 2:11 am
#35
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 20,252
Had a similar experience in LHR’s First Wing in late 2020 when flying to ACE.
The lady checking me in would insist that they do not fly to Arrecife, she’s never heard of it and that I might be at the wrong airport or terminal. I ended up writing down “ACE” on a piece of paper which seemed to annoy her. Day was saved by one of her colleagues shouting across from another counter: “It’s in Lanzarroteeee”
The lady checking me in would insist that they do not fly to Arrecife, she’s never heard of it and that I might be at the wrong airport or terminal. I ended up writing down “ACE” on a piece of paper which seemed to annoy her. Day was saved by one of her colleagues shouting across from another counter: “It’s in Lanzarroteeee”
(Of course in 2020 you may be right that LHR-ACE exists)
Dec 11, 2023, 2:14 am
#37
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: London
Programs: BAEC, QRPC, Amex MR, World of Hyatt, IHG one rewards, Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, etc…
Posts: 749
Dec 11, 2023, 2:47 am
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,265
...
Things really must have changed since my initial training to be a BA telesales agent back in '76 at the old WLAT. Not only were we required to learn the codes (both city and airport/s) for all BA destinations (and many others) but also place them correctly on a blank world map.
Things really must have changed since my initial training to be a BA telesales agent back in '76 at the old WLAT. Not only were we required to learn the codes (both city and airport/s) for all BA destinations (and many others) but also place them correctly on a blank world map.
Dec 26, 2023, 11:30 am
#41
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: BA GGL, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 850
Dec 26, 2023, 12:16 pm
#42
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: LHR, SAN
Programs: BA GGL, AA PLT, VS-curious
Posts: 1,491
I remember reading about a woman who found an absolute bargain to the Caribbean so jumped on the price. She only discovered the importance of airport codes on finding herself in GRX, rather than GND.
Dec 26, 2023, 2:24 pm
#43
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,825
Flying to Seville from Gatwick recently, I wasn’t happy with the BA checkin person who attended to me at all.
There was only one counter open for First / BA Gold check in. The queue was building fast. After a long time, another agent opened a second counter.
He immediately beckoned my travelling companion and I to come to him. But halfway walking to him he lifted his hand and said, please wait, the system is rebooting. We walked back to rejoin the queue. Then why call us towards the counter before your system has completed its warm up?
Finally when he was ready, my travelling companion and I re-approached and we told him specifically there were 2 luggages to be checked in, and each one should be tagged to one person (we needed that for our individual travel insurance purposes). He acknowledged. But he absent mindedly proceeded to tag both luggages to one passenger (you’re both BA Gold, so either passenger can have up to 2 luggages - that was NOT the point!) and shrugged sorry, nothing he could do about it. Just idiotic.
There was only one counter open for First / BA Gold check in. The queue was building fast. After a long time, another agent opened a second counter.
He immediately beckoned my travelling companion and I to come to him. But halfway walking to him he lifted his hand and said, please wait, the system is rebooting. We walked back to rejoin the queue. Then why call us towards the counter before your system has completed its warm up?
Finally when he was ready, my travelling companion and I re-approached and we told him specifically there were 2 luggages to be checked in, and each one should be tagged to one person (we needed that for our individual travel insurance purposes). He acknowledged. But he absent mindedly proceeded to tag both luggages to one passenger (you’re both BA Gold, so either passenger can have up to 2 luggages - that was NOT the point!) and shrugged sorry, nothing he could do about it. Just idiotic.
Dec 26, 2023, 2:38 pm
#45
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Silver, VS Silver
Posts: 832
On New Year’s Eve 1999 I went to our local branch of Ulster Bank to be furnished with 900 Austrian Schillings for my school ski trip. A quick check on walking down the Main Street confirmed that 900 Australian Dollars had been issued. The branch were very grateful that we had returned when the error had been noted.
