Horror-stories about on-line booking

See this link for some disturbing UK experiences:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/consumer/s...177222,00.html

On 25 Mar 2004 08:59:56 -0800, (david) wrote:

See this link for some disturbing UK experiences:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/consumer/s...177222,00.html



Disturbing?

Most of the incidents quoted involve Lastminute.com, who are renowned
for incompetence in the UK, they have been featured several times by
consumer programs/organizations, no-one in their right mind would
entrust their bookings to them. Then we have Ryanair, famous for
despising their own customers. There is the passenger who booked: "but
then realised he had got his dates wrong", and the simply ludicrous
comment that: "One nervous tic can commit you to eight singles to
Alaska".
--==++AJC++==--

"AJC" wrote in message
...
On 25 Mar 2004 08:59:56 -0800, (david) wrote:

See this link for some disturbing UK experiences:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/consumer/s...177222,00.html



Disturbing?

Most of the incidents quoted involve Lastminute.com, who are renowned
for incompetence in the UK, they have been featured several times by
consumer programs/organizations, no-one in their right mind would
entrust their bookings to them. Then we have Ryanair, famous for
despising their own customers. There is the passenger who booked: "but
then realised he had got his dates wrong", and the simply ludicrous
comment that: "One nervous tic can commit you to eight singles to
Alaska".
--==++AJC++==--

Today I was advising a friend on how to go about starting to sell on eBay. I
kept having to remind him how simple to make things as the public seem to be
particularly stupid.

It's not easy to make a mistake booking online. You have to review the trip
details, you can't commit until you've entered credit card details, and even
then if you are entereing such details, READ what you are buying!

Res

In message , AJC
writes
On 25 Mar 2004 08:59:56 -0800, (david) wrote:

See this link for some disturbing UK experiences:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/consumer/s...177222,00.html



Disturbing?

Most of the incidents quoted involve Lastminute.com, who are renowned
for incompetence in the UK, they have been featured several times by
consumer programs/organizations

"When he and his wife arrived at check-in, however, only one
e-ticket was on the computer system and there was no record of
the second. Lastminute.com could not be contacted by phone so
Smith had to buy a replacement ticket and contact the company
for a refund on his return.

Lastminute's explanation was that Smith's wife's name was "too
long", and her ticket could not be issued. Three months later he
is still chasing for a refund - or even an apology.

Yes, it really does seem that unreasonably long names disqualify
you from holding an e-ticket. Smith's wife's name, says the firm
reprovingly, is more than 21 letters and therefore confounded
the computer system. Instead, a conventional paper ticket was
issued, only no one thought to inform Smith of this.

There's something here that doesn't add up. If a paper ticket was
issued, even if not *sent* to Smith (how else would one "inform" him
about it??) it would surely be in the airline's computer for the flight.
All they'd need to do is send his wife off to the ticket counter to
collect a copy.

--
Roland Perry

My favorite problem is having to beat myself to be careful of
european/US style dates in the early part of the month in the spring.
Just when is 05/04/2004?

resenär wrote:

"AJC" wrote in message
...

On 25 Mar 2004 08:59:56 -0800, (david) wrote:


See this link for some disturbing UK experiences:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/consumer/s...177222,00.html



Disturbing?

Most of the incidents quoted involve Lastminute.com, who are renowned
for incompetence in the UK, they have been featured several times by
consumer programs/organizations, no-one in their right mind would
entrust their bookings to them. Then we have Ryanair, famous for
despising their own customers. There is the passenger who booked: "but
then realised he had got his dates wrong", and the simply ludicrous
comment that: "One nervous tic can commit you to eight singles to
Alaska".
--==++AJC++==--


Today I was advising a friend on how to go about starting to sell on eBay. I
kept having to remind him how simple to make things as the public seem to be
particularly stupid.

It's not easy to make a mistake booking online. You have to review the trip
details, you can't commit until you've entered credit card details, and even
then if you are entereing such details, READ what you are buying!

Res

"Frank F. Matthews" wrote in message
...
My favorite problem is having to beat myself to be careful of
european/US style dates in the early part of the month in the spring.
Just when is 05/04/2004?

resenär wrote:

"AJC" wrote in message
...

On 25 Mar 2004 08:59:56 -0800, (david) wrote:


See this link for some disturbing UK experiences:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/consumer/s...177222,00.html



Disturbing?

Most of the incidents quoted involve Lastminute.com, who are renowned
for incompetence in the UK, they have been featured several times by
consumer programs/organizations, no-one in their right mind would
entrust their bookings to them. Then we have Ryanair, famous for
despising their own customers. There is the passenger who booked: "but
then realised he had got his dates wrong", and the simply ludicrous
comment that: "One nervous tic can commit you to eight singles to
Alaska".
--==++AJC++==--


Today I was advising a friend on how to go about starting to sell on
eBay. I
kept having to remind him how simple to make things as the public seem
to be
particularly stupid.

It's not easy to make a mistake booking online. You have to review the
trip
details, you can't commit until you've entered credit card details, and
even
then if you are entereing such details, READ what you are buying!

Res

That is a point to consider, but most UK booking sites are in UK date
format. The good sites will also tell you the day of the week, just to make
extra certain.

Res

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...


There's something here that doesn't add up. If a paper ticket was
issued, even if not *sent* to Smith (how else would one "inform" him
about it??) it would surely be in the airline's computer for the flight.
All they'd need to do is send his wife off to the ticket counter to
collect a copy.

I wondered about that myself. The worst outcome would have been GBP25 or so
lost ticket replacement fee.

The only advice I can give about people who are unsure of the status of
their booking is to speak DIRECTLY to the airline and ask if they have a
confirmed, paid booking in the airline CRS. Get the *airline's* PNR. Then,
for at least some carriers, they can view their booking online.

BTW, the often-maligned ebookers.com recently issued my in-law's tickets to
Oz without fuss, incident or cock-up.

I've used ebookers, albeit only one and a couple of years ago but I had no
problems with them.

Colin.

--
Remove the 'old' to reply to me.

Watashi no tsuma wa nihon-jin desu!
Watashi no tsuma wa kawaii desu!
"Traveller" wrote in message
...
"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...


There's something here that doesn't add up. If a paper ticket was
issued, even if not *sent* to Smith (how else would one "inform" him
about it??) it would surely be in the airline's computer for the flight.
All they'd need to do is send his wife off to the ticket counter to
collect a copy.

I wondered about that myself. The worst outcome would have been GBP25 or
so
lost ticket replacement fee.

The only advice I can give about people who are unsure of the status of
their booking is to speak DIRECTLY to the airline and ask if they have a
confirmed, paid booking in the airline CRS. Get the *airline's* PNR.
Then,
for at least some carriers, they can view their booking online.

BTW, the often-maligned ebookers.com recently issued my in-law's tickets
to
Oz without fuss, incident or cock-up.

On Thu, 25 Mar 2004 18:41:15 -0000, "Traveller"
wrote:

BTW, the often-maligned ebookers.com recently issued my in-law's tickets to
Oz without fuss, incident or cock-up.

as they do in the vast majority of their sales. Their problem also lies
with customer service if something goes wrong.

All these services are set up to sell at rock bottom prices, because
that seems to be all the vast majority of buyers use as their criteria
for a purchase. Rock bottom prices do not pay for even a reasonable
customer service.

--
Lansbury

"Lansbury" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 25 Mar 2004 18:41:15 -0000, "Traveller"
wrote:

BTW, the often-maligned ebookers.com recently issued my in-law's tickets
to
Oz without fuss, incident or cock-up.

as they do in the vast majority of their sales. Their problem also lies
with customer service if something goes wrong.

All these services are set up to sell at rock bottom prices, because
that seems to be all the vast majority of buyers use as their criteria
for a purchase. Rock bottom prices do not pay for even a reasonable
customer service.

--
Lansbury

Kuoni customer service were fantastic when I recently had to cancel a
holiday.

The fact they kept 90% of the funds must help support such service levels
though!

Stephen