Thursday 3 January 2013

Putting profits before people !

Morning. Have I got a story to tell.
Putting profits before people is when the very people that support your business are ignored, overlooked or taken for granted. In some instance such as my story, the client does not rate at all. The business has become immune to its service responsibility and client obligations.
In over 30 years of working in retail and hospitality I have never had to resort to calling the police on a customer and yet today I was threatened with the police when I demanded some better service!

I purchased an online ticket for my daughter aged 12 to fly to Chch. It wasn't a super cheap seat but it was not a full price fare either.
We arrived in plenty of time to board only to be told that my daughter could not board her flight as she was an unaccompanied minor. Ummm show me that in writing?
At no time during the purchase nor on the printed ticket was any warning about unaccompanied minors.

I was able to purchase my ticket but not use it.
So I asked for an immediate refund to correct the error so I could choose another carrier.
I was told that a refund would be made available through the flight centre and to contact them.

But I booked online, take some responsibilty please.

These are your airline rules and yet you are NOT advising passengers until it is too late!
I then said if you will not fly my daughter , and you have already flown her twice already this year then refund my ticket now so I can purchase another ticket today. Why should I be penalised for your failure to notify!!!

I was expected to leave without a piece of paper even confirming my refund.
I got more than angry at this stage and said NO!
I am not leaving this counter without some sort of acknowledgment that my money will be returned immediately. I asked to see the manager and a young fair haired man appeared.

I said there is a solution to be had here but you won't even look for an answer to the existing problem.

He then told me to leave the counter. I said NO way! I am not leaving without some proof of purchase and a refund in writing. Otherwise it would be easy for you to say I was too late , missed my flight and too bad.

While I was holding up the line trying to get some service a woman with a child asked to check in. she was on the same flight and I said look here is the solution. "My daughter can travel with her and her daughter and then she is not alone."

But now the flight had closed and the woman and her child were asked to purchase new tickets for the next available flight. So now 3 customers got no service and no flight and all had to pay for another flight.

Once again the opportunity to help people get to their destination was not their concern. The people were treated badly and the only reason would be to ensure the airline makes its profit.
What sort of business sells and item that is unusable once purchased???
What sort of business fails to advertise the fact clearly that tickets purchased are worthless and that your flight plans are of no concern to us. We got ya money!

The manager refused to print out anything in writing or even give his last name. That doesn't seem right.

Finally I did get my letter and it stated that it would be taking two weeks before I got a refund.

We walked a short distance to another airline.
The man there was helpful and polite and we were able to buy a new ticket and get on a plane at the other carrier.

Wish I went to AIR NEW ZEALAND first and I promise. I will never book a flight or fly Jetstar ever ever AGAIN!!!

I am contacting Fair Go .

No comments:

Post a Comment