“…would really be delighted if you could publish this one…
Thanks a lot !!
Paolo Tron
NIGHTMARE TRIP WITH BRITISH AIRWAYS
Before going on with my “travel story” a couple of simple considerations:
1) I am perfectly aware that as no human being in this planet can be sympathetic to every other human beings, too an overseas flight can be very pleasant or very unpleasant…
2) what happened to my son and me is very common, tragically common, but considering how facts happened, I am really keen of sparing this with you:
British Airways Flight # BA0279 London Los Angeles June 28th 2007.
With my son, Massimiliano, we arrive in L.A.X. at 1.30 pm – one hour wait for our luggages – when no more luggages go around in the tapis roulant a B.A. guy arrived and told us: “luggages did not get here but on the external B.A. office…you need to go out and ask at the desk”.
About 20 people follow his advise, step outside that area and, with another 20 people, start the line at this B.A. office/desk, with only two employees taking care of over 40 people involved with the problem – after another two hours wait they gave us:
a) a sheet with printed a code and a 1-800 number to contact B.A. and the website to check with the future situation …of the luggages….
b) in that very moment we understand the luggages did not made it through…
c) they assure us the luggages will be consigned within 48 hours…
d) they gave us a VISA Debit Card for the amount of 150.00$ (4008 3800 1504 9620) in order to buy the very first necessary items (underwear, toothpaste etc)
We are out of LAX at 5.20 pm…
We soon find a first shop and the mentioned card is declined….oh well ….surprise surprise….with the second we spend 78.00$ and it’s ok…from that point onwards the
Card is dead….always declined…
Of course I check every day the situation of the luggages in the B.A. website with the code they gave me….no news….never ever …..
I try to call the 1-800 number, expressly indicated to us ….it’s an automatic number…
with in the end “press 3” to talk to an agent…..NO WAY !! Never !!
NEVER EVER …..one day I have been waiting 68 mins….uselessly….and that was
during B.A. office opening hours….
In our luggages, besides the usual stuff, antibiotics that my son had to take for an epidermic infection under his left armpit …(he is 17) and he got very nervous when he understood he could not continue his cure – I could not find similar antibiotics around there… none with the same charachteristics….
Apart from that, in the luggages, 800 flyers, expressly realized for the San Diego Fitness Convention I had to attend…..
At the B.A. desk, fortunately (considering the complete lack of contacts) I gave a Hotel address near San Diego where they could, eventually, deliver the four luggages. This happened the 9th day of our stay in California.
I rushed to this Hotel in Solana Beach to get my luggages.
They were all totally wet – most probably they were left in London under heave rain.
Nothing inside was usable. Not clothes. Not the antibiotics.
Not the flyers…all destined to the garbish and the clothes to a laundry….
The day of our return arrives.
When approaching the B.A. Check-In desk in LA, I ask, nervously, some informations regarding all I went through… my vehemence was not appreciated.
I did not like that, either…..
My frustration was really to the limit.
A couple of B.A. guys made an effort to listen to me and said:
“ohu….you were very lucky…only 8 eight days, some other travellers got their luggages after three weeks….oh oh ah ah uh uh“….
Not nice to see someone laughing at you after all that….what do you think?
These persons at the B.A. check-in desk were unkind (not me), they never apologized to me, none of them tried to give me some information regarding a possible refund, they probably all forgot THEY made the mistakes and that I was the customer … it seemed I was asking for an ice-cream in the Sahara…
In the end, the manager of the check-in B.A. area, very upset for my frustrated attitude, handed me a card and said: “write to the Customers Service in London”….point !!
I must confess I was waiting for another behaviour from B.A….
In the end, I am a bit ashamed to share with you this “common” story….but I needed to write this, for future travellers who need to be a lot more careful than me and need to insure their luggages…..above all if they fly with B.A. …
Apart from that, I would like to know if there is a specialized lawyer among you, who could help me out for some refund….and some excuses….
In case please contact me to: info@tronpaolo.it
I thank you so much for your kind attention and I apologize for my poor English and for robbing some of your precious time for such un-interesting things.”
Paolo Tron – Milano
…would be really deligthed….if you could publish this one….Many thanks !!
