Transit Trauma Continued
While I’ve been frolicking with the mosquitoes in the swamp, my husband has spent two solid days on the phone to Lastminute.com’s customer service with regard to my transit trauma and the rapidly approaching return flights.
VA have come up with an official email stating that they indeed have no agreement with BWIA re. baggage transfer and have (twice) recommended that I get in touch with the booking agent asap.
Lastminute.com—after making several misleading claims which indicates that they have no idea what sort of agreements exist between the airlines for which they act as booking agents—is trying to fob me off to BWIA (giving me their number and telling me to change the booking and pay for the booking fee and the overnight stay in Barbados).
Here is their original claim:
The minimum connecting time for your return flight is one hour fifty five minutes and you have almost 2 hours in hand, to take the connecting flight. As per the airline you will have sufficient time to go through the immigration formality and take the connecting flight. There will a through check-in of your luggage, you do not have to manually carry your luggage to the connecting flight.
If you want you can check-in online through the Virgin Atlantic website, 24 hours prior to departure. The information you require to check-in online are as follows:
[…]
Should you need any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
This has been going on since January 5th, when they replied to the query I submitted on January 3rd. The final comment they made is this (on January 8th), essentially admitting their own incompetence:
Response (Shally Sabharwal) 08/01/2009 02.46 AM
Dear Dr. Schnapp,Order Number: […]
Thank you for your email.
I can understand your concern with regard to your flight booking. I request you to contact the airline directly on US toll free number 1800-862-8621 regarding compensation, accommodation and other expenses.
I also understand your disappointment over the matter and your expectations from a service organisation as a customer. If you wish to complain, you can send an email at the below email address:
customerrelations@lastminute.com
Our team of experts will investigate the matter and get back to you with a fair resolution.
I am sorry to re-iterate that we would not be in a position to help you any further in this regard as we have our limitations, which bind us in our efforts to help you.I appreciate your understanding and co-operation in this matter.
Kind regards,
Sanjay
Customer Services Team
Needless to say, I will not be booking through them again. In the meantime, I will retrieve my tent in Bridgetown and camp out on the airport lawn until somebody flies me home.
Then we’re going to go after Lastminute.com.
Tags: Americas, Barbados transit, BWIA, Lastminute.com, Travel, Virgin Atlantic, Tag Index
Denni