Awful Qantas Business Class Check-In Experience for Ill Wife

[Heleigh]

Firstly may I send my heart felt feeling to you and your family; and that the treatment is successful.

I travel for two years with with aged mother who had a heart condition and mobility problems. The first booking made in J QF it stated no seat could be allocated, I wanted to know why so rang (then silver level later gold) got a great person who advise seating could not be allocated but they would put in a request for 1st row (in 2 years seated once in row 2 and row 3) and that I should contact the staff on way to airport to confirm wheel chair.

Most time the wheel chair was a hassle, there is a room as you enter turn left walk towards security lines the 1st door on left is where you find assistance for wheel chairs (3 1/2 years ago it was). Having said that I always left my mother on one of the entrance seats until I found some one there (most of the time they were out wheeling other people) then I head over to J Check in, checked in and request from there - if they requested her be there at counter I would state she couldn't walk that far and stressed they needed to contact the wheely guys.

On occasion when I thought the service terrible I forward a letter to them with the basic standard letter reply.

I understand your emotions, as you have stated your wife was flying international from BNE-MELB-SIN to which dom to international flight you have to check in at counter for int connection.

And as suggested you contact BA re all returning flights.

Helen

 

[Baysider]

Re: Awful BA/Qantas Business Class Check-In & Transfer Experience for Ill Wife

UPDATE:
Transfers were reasonably smooth thereafter through to Heathrow. By this time my wife was exhausted (30 hours travel) and in great pain. Now the saga started all over again:
(1) Flight BA 7309 arrived into Heathrow 45 minutes late at 5:45am and my wife had to wait for 3 wheelchair interchanges, and ended up missing the flight to CPH by 5 minutes!! Each time they changed over wheelchair and driver they lost about 10 minutes.
(2) Then flight BA 0812 took off from the furtherest terminal at Gate 48. When they went through security screening it came up that boarding had closed and that was at 6:35am for a 6:55am flight. The desk attendant agreed to hold it open if my wife and daughter could go straight there, but from there on they had to go up and down elevators, onto a train and through security screening a second time (taking shoes on and off). They got there at 6:50am (5 minutes ahead of scheduled departure) to be told "too late", the flight doors were closed and our bag had been removed. My wife was shattered.
(3) They were taken to the BA Club and were told that they would try and get them on the next flight at 9:20am, but it was pretty full and Business Class may not be available. It was now 7:05am. The attendant there was very helpful and did a lot of phoning around. My wife advised him that she would not make it until the 12'ish flight which had spaces as she would need to access furher painkilling medications by then. He then offered that my wife fly Business Class and our daughter go economy. My wife cannot get in and out of her seat without our daughter's assistance and stated that our daughter was her helper and she needed her in the adjacent seat.
(4) By the time they finished with the attendant it was 7:30am and he suggested that they go all the way back to Terminal 5. He also arranged for their suitcase to be held airside so that my wife could get some extra pain killer. They didn't get back to the A section until just after 8am (2-1/4 hours after landing) at LHR. My daughter had to buy water for my wife during all the messing about ("Z" class rather than Business Class).
(5) Next the wheelchair person got lost, and from having 3 hours they had just 15 minutes in the lounge.
(6) At the lounge counter they got my 17 year old daughter to sign something (remember this is my wife's booking that my under-18 daughter has no right to sign for) and they gave her a paltry 30 pound credit voucher for surrendering her LHR-CPH Business Class seat (and the price difference on the BA website is 322 pounds, plus BA would know that living in Brisbane the credit voucher will never get used, so the downgrade to Economy was effectively not compensated at all).
(7) Once on the aircraft no help whatsoever was offered between LHR and CPH, my wife had to shout down the aisle to economy when she needed my daughter's help.

Terrible, inexcusable, woeful treatment for long haul business class passengers. I wouldn't condemn my worst enemy to travelling with BA.

 

[serfty]

That's all very unfortunate, but I would NEVER book a sub 3 hour transit T3->T5 at LHR for myself (unless I was hoping to miss my flight). It's a real marathon doing the transfer. (Flyertalk - Transit T3 - T5)

Originally Posted by serfty
In June it took 70 minutes to get off QF31 to the T5 Galleries first.

Aircraft --> long corridors/escalators/stairs -> FCC (Straight though as had BP's) -> bus -> "Tarmac Tour" -> long corridor walk -> Passport Check (missed Fast track) -> used Fast track for Security (Emerald icon on card) -> T5 -> long walk down down across and up to Galleries First.

We did not procrastinate! Largest Queues at T5 Passport Check and Security.

I guess you were not to know this.

QF9 is scheduled to arrive at 5:25am 90 mins before BA812 is due to depart. I thought MCT for QF-> BA, T3->T5 at LHR was 2 hours?

Given your wife's mobility issues, booking the 12'ish flight in the first place would have been far more sensible. (FWIW I would have been rather uncomfortable with even the 9:20am flight).

With a 6 hour transit, none of those situations would have been as much of an issue as they ended up. Your wife would have had plenty of time to obtain painkillers, go to the Club lounge for breakfast and a shower and generally relax before heading off.

I suggest checking the connection times for the return as it can be just as frustrating transferring from T5 to T3. Allow 4 hours at least if you can.

 

[serfty]

... QF9 is scheduled to arrive at 5:25am 90 mins before BA812 is due to depart. I thought MCT for QF-> BA, T3->T5 at LHR was 2 hours? ...

OK, it is indeed ninety minutes, but in who's dreams.:shock:
Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Connecting Cities:
Connecting at LHR
Incoming airline QF
Outgoing airline BA
Flight type International to International

STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE    .45  1.15  1.15  1.30
OFFLINE   .45  1.15  1.15  1.30
** OR * ARE ALL
...
QF-** II  1.30 TRM 3  - 5  
...

QF9 indeed landed 22 minutes late according to this:
Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Flight Status Search:
Departing on 13/12/11
Flying QF flight 9

Flight   Status           Depart Location  Depart Date                   Reliability  Arrive Location  Arrive Date

                          SIN              Scheduled: 13/12/11 11:15 PM               LHR              Scheduled: 14/12/11 5:25 AM
QF 9     Landed           Term: 1          Estimated:                    60% / 32m    Term: 3          Estimated: 14/12/11 5:45 AM
                          Gate: C25        Actual: 13/12/11 11:40 PM                  Gate:            Actual: 14/12/11 5:47 AM

It would have been difficult enough to make BA812 even if QF9 has been on time - no way with ANY delay.

---

As a long time member Baysider, you would know this site has many members with a lot of experience who are only to happy to give advice; a quick query here before booking/travel may have attenuated/avoided most of these issues.

Also, may I express my heart felt hope to you and your family that the treatment is successful and further travel has no more of the type of issues that have so far been experienced.

 

[Baysider]

OK, it is indeed ninety minutes, but in who's dreams.

Unfortunately I was away when she booked and she accepted what BA offered.

 

[GladstoneTim]

For whatever it counts, my experience in Brisbane for special assistance with QF has been top notch. Admittedly I did ring beforehand and get the lowdown, as well as checking in person on a prior rip with checkin staff. Basically, you can park in a special disabled area on the roadway across from the terminal, have the able-bodied person approach staff inside the terminal and they will send someone to the car with a wheelchair. From then on it has been five star, faultless care very time.

Just my two rupees worth.

 

[Storyteller]

I imagine your lives must be very intense right now.

Some folk who are markedly limited in mobility with severe pain needing narcotics would be traveling with medical assistance, rather than a young daughter. They are both brave. You too, to be waving them off into the unknown.

Special assistance possibly doesn't convey the severity of your wife's situation, nor her frailty.

Thankfully there was no emergency of a medical nature during their trip, otherwise your daughter would have had a steeper learning curve than she has already experienced in recent times. Your wife would have gained medical clearance to fly, & travel insurance people aware, but stuff sometimes still happens.

I would be phoning & asking for concierge type assistance for every aspect, right from time of booking, so everyone is well aware of the situation. I guess airlines don' t expect to have someone whose needs are so great, on foot in the airport & on the plane.

Several folk I know break a long trip like that up and do it over a number of days, as well as phoning up frequently beforehand to make sure all assistance arrangements are well and truly in place. This is one of the big things that a good travel agent does. Micro management.

Hope it all goes well from now on in, and she does as well as she can. You and your daughter too.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Certainly not acceptable service.
However a ring to customer service would probably have helped as soon as you couldn't select seats online.
I also dont think this is always BNE's level of service.The last time I was checking in at BNE domestic things were fine.I walk now with a pronounced limp.A QF employee came over to me as soon as I walked in the door asking if they could be of assistance and though I said I was OK proceeded to take down the barriers so I could get to bag drop quicker.

Yes i took my elderly parents to the airport (they fly Y), they were ushered to J checkin and processed in under two minutes. That was a few years ago in Perth.

I goes to show how it always gets down to people setting the tone and mood........

 

[Sprucegoose]

Re: Awful BA/Qantas Business Class Check-In & Transfer Experience for Ill Wife

UPDATE:

Terrible, inexcusable, woeful treatment for long haul business class passengers. I wouldn't condemn my worst enemy to travelling with BA.

I guess that gets poor old Qantas off the hook.......

I know a woman who just does medical transfers, has to travel globally taking people to and from countries with all sorts of conditions. she would have sorted this lot out quick smart. I am not sure of the costs but it wouldn't be cheap.

Something to bear in mind on the return journey.

 

[Simo]

My mother is a very nervous flyer to the point that she has to take a sleeping tablet so she can settle on a flight.

J class does nothing for her either.

When ever Mum flies we always ring the airline and let them know and they have alway accommodated her needs but we always follow it up with an e mail as well to there customer service contact centre. We also have a copy of the e mail with us aswell.

Mum is generally the last to board so she is not sitting there any longer than she has to.

We let the FA's know at check in gate that we will be last to board and they have taken luggage and placed it in overhead lockers for us a few times.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Advance human contact and constant communication throughout the process has a higher chance of working than a website interface. Supervisory input maybe be necessary, so call them them.

 

[thewinchester]

I'm just wondering if anyone at Qantas has reached out to you as yet, and if so - what if anything has come from this or been offered to try and make up for the issues at BNE/MEL?

 

[Baysider]

I'm just wondering if anyone at Qantas has reached out to you as yet, and if so - what if anything has come from this or been offered to try and make up for the issues at BNE/MEL?

Yes, I had a PM from Red Roo who offered to make calls ahead and ensure that the rest of the journey was as smooth as possible. This was indeed the case for the remainder of the Qantas operated legs. Things fell apart again when responsibility shifted totally to BA at Heathrow.

I did submit a complaint to Qantas about Brisbane check-in, but have had no response bar the automated acknowledgement.

 

[JohnK]

It is really sad to read stories like this one. If ever was the time for the dots to line up this would have been the time. Not delays and poor customer service.

Anyway hope the treatment is successful.

 

[aoz48x]

Going back to your original post where you blame QF for not being able to OLCI for the flights BNE/MEL/LHR/CPH. You failed to mention a point that you highlighted in later posts. You booked your tickets on QF BNE/MEL and then BA7309 MEL/LHR and BA LHR/CPH. Even though the flight was physically operated by QF on the MEL/LHR flight you were booked as a BA customer so OLCI with QF would never have been offered. Regardless that the flight was operated by QF the BA7309 could have on any airline BA has a codeshare agreeement with so you cant blame QF for that one. As serfty has indicated earlier some homework on your end woud have found this out before the airport. Also you had the option to contact BA reservations at anytime before you travelled to arrange seating, special requests or not, and have them confirmed before you arrived at BNE airport. So while QF has it's faults, and many of them, you need to ensure that the problems you want to raise in your complaint letter werent a result of your own doing.

Again like others I empathise with your wifes situation however if all the requests you raise were of utmost importance you should have made more effort to highlight these to the airlines concerned well before travel, and also more than just WCHR required. Had this of been done QF have a special area which handles medical passengers travelling with such conditions to ensure a smooth travel experience.

 

[serfty]

Actually, one would ordinarily be to OLCI for BNE-(QF)-xMEL-(QF*BA)-LHR!

Qantas and QantasLink Online Check-in Eligibility Table

However different things can happen with special needs:

Please note the following restrictions on online check in:

• Unaccompanied minors must check-in at the airport.
• Customers who have specific needs can use Online Check-in, however in some instances a boarding pass will not be issued until you arrive at the airport. See our Specific Needs Frequently Asked Question for more information.

 

[Baysider]

However different things can happen with special needs

However when seats were finally allocated at check-in, they took absolutely no account of Special Needs. Online seat selection would have enabled far better seats to be chosen than the seats the "system" facilitated.

 

[Baysider]

Exactly 1 week after lodging a complaint with BA, I received an answer tonight as follows:

Dear Mr Baysider
Thank you for contacting us.
Under the Data Protection Act, we cannot discuss passenger’s issues with a third party, without the permission of the passenger himself. This also includes family members and friends.
Please ask your wife to contact us directly or send a duly signed letter, authorising you to deal with this matter on her behalf.

Our address is:
British Airways Customer Relations (S506)
PO Box 5619
Sudbury
Suffolk
CO10 2PG
UNITED KINGDOM

Do mark our Customer Relations reference number on your next correspondence.
I know you did not expect this delay in resolving your issues and hope that you understand our position in this matter. Thank you once again for taking the time to write to us.

Best regards
K.... G....
British Airways Customer Relations​

It took BA a full week to come back and say sorry we won't discuss it with you without your wife's written permission.

 

[Baysider]

You booked your tickets on QF BNE/MEL and then BA7309 MEL/LHR and BA LHR/CPH. Even though the flight was physically operated by QF on the MEL/LHR flight you were booked as a BA customer so OLCI with QF would never have been offered.

The Qantas website would not allow selection of Copenhagen as the final destination, and despite BNE-MEL-SIN-LHR being entirely QF operated, a return trip just as far as LHR was considerably more expensive on the same aircraft with QF than with BA including the Copenhagen leg.

 

[Baysider]

Re: Awful Qantas/BA Business Class Check-In Experience for Ill Wife

Qantas has responded by offering to upgrade my wife and daughter to First Class for the return LHR-SIN-SYD trip. Much appreciated Qantas

Meanwhile BA elects just to argue that they can't discuss my wife's travels with me, though they happily took the payment for the 2 return business class airfares from me