Made any travel mistakes lately?

[straitman]

The T&C's are fairly clear though I feel that you need to use it or lose it in its validity period.

So your complaint to AFCA is that you failed to realise when your credit expired?

Correct though in theist Amex have been known to extend by a few days. No harm in asking again.

 

[djkelly69]

There is a fairly significant difference between asking a company to do something out of the goodness of their heart and making a complaint to AFCA.

 

[Scarlett]

Not me making a mistake, but UL…

The family Scarlett are returning from Europe later in the month FRA-CMB-CGK (J) with UL. They just sent an email notifying that the CMB-CGK flight is cancelled and that helpfully they’ve put us on the flight the day before; which departs CMB 22 hours before we arrive there! On their connecting flight. On the same ticket. Doesn’t say much for their systems.

As their CMB-CGK flight the following day also appears to have been cancelled, I’ve suggested to them some helpful alternatives:
- CMB MAA KUL CGK (UL/MH)
- CMB SIN KUL CGK (UL/MH)
- CMB DEL HKG CGK (UL/CX)

A few more SCs will come in handy for other family members.

I’ve generally found UL to be quite good at responding in a timely manner so I wonder what they’ll say next? (this return flight is more than 14 days away so no EU261 implications)

 

[Flashback]

Not me making a mistake, but UL…

The family Scarlett are returning from Europe later in the month FRA-CMB-CGK (J) with UL. They just sent an email notifying that the CMB-CGK flight is cancelled and that helpfully they’ve put us on the flight the day before; which departs CMB 22 hours before we arrive there! On their connecting flight. On the same ticket. Doesn’t say much for their systems.

As their CMB-CGK flight the following day also appears to have been cancelled, I’ve suggested to them some helpful alternatives:
- CMB MAA KUL CGK (UL/MH)
- CMB SIN KUL CGK (UL/MH)
- CMB DEL HKG CGK (UL/CX)

A few more SCs will come in handy for other family members.

I’ve generally found UL to be quite good at responding in a timely manner so I wonder what they’ll say next? (this return flight is more than 14 days away so no EU261 implications)

There have been massive issues on the CMB-CGK route in the past few weeks, lots of last minute cancellations. At least you're getting some reasonable notice...... hopefully will give enough time to come up with something suitable.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not me making a mistake, but UL…

The family Scarlett are returning from Europe later in the month FRA-CMB-CGK (J) with UL. They just sent an email notifying that the CMB-CGK flight is cancelled and that helpfully they’ve put us on the flight the day before; which departs CMB 22 hours before we arrive there! On their connecting flight. On the same ticket. Doesn’t say much for their systems.

As their CMB-CGK flight the following day also appears to have been cancelled, I’ve suggested to them some helpful alternatives:
- CMB MAA KUL CGK (UL/MH)
- CMB SIN KUL CGK (UL/MH)
- CMB DEL HKG CGK (UL/CX)

A few more SCs will come in handy for other family members.

I’ve generally found UL to be quite good at responding in a timely manner so I wonder what they’ll say next? (this return flight is more than 14 days away so no EU261 implications)

There are still EU261 protections. While there is no €€ compensation, they are still required to reroute you and get you to your destination!

Unfortunately it’s not just UL that schedules flights to leave before others arrive. It’s just about all of them

This is actually where a bit of AI might come in handy! one day!

 

[Warks]

So my bank decided because I was using my phone banking app for the first time overseas it would disable my access to my accounts. Not a big deal as I travel on the credit card. However, I had to make a large payment of a bill due at home. So my bank has a free number to call if you are in Aus but a paid number if overseas. So I'm in Iceland trying to pay this bill and I have to get on the phone to them to unlock my accounts. I didn't have a local SIM but Telstra has their global roaming for $10 a day or whatnot. In any case I was on wifi in the hotel so I rang using WhatsApp (so I thought at the time).
Well the bank promised a wait of 10-15 mins but didn't offer any callback system to save on overseas phone calls for their clients. So I was on hold for 45 mins and then another ten mins to solve the issue. Banking was supposed to be back the next day. It wasn't. I rang again and this took 15 mins this time. Then it was okay. Paid the bill. Sorted. So I thought...
I get home and open my Telstra bill - oddly enough it's one of the only paper bills I still get and I usually don't open it as it's the same each month. Well there was the small matter of a charge of well over $300 for a couple of calls...
What was my mistake? I think what happened was that I must have pulled up the bank website when I was calling and next to their number a WhatsApp symbol appeared so I pressed that. In hindsight I realise that I probably didn't have my reading glasses on and it was an ordinary phone icon. Still it shouldn't have cost that much under global roaming... however, Iceland is NOT on the list of global roaming countries with Telstra.
Well there's a happy ending because I lodged a complaint with the bank for locking me out of my banking and making no effort to contact me. Also not offering a callback system. They took it all on board and paid my excess phone charge to me (having given them the evidence).

So we all learned something from that. Stupid mistake on my part for assuming something but the bank has vowed to put better procedures in place as a result. Remains to be seen of course.

 

[Lynda2475]

Did you notify the bank that you would be travelling before you left? Great that they reimbursed you, but shouldn't have happened at all if they knew you were travelling.

 

[SYD]

Did you notify the bank that you would be travelling before you left? Greta that they reimbursed you, but shouldn't have happened at all if they knew you were travelling.

I’ve been finding several “financial” apps not connecting well over wifi in UK/Europe on my current trip. With my VPN set to Oz they work. But I can imagine others might get locked out after repeated login fails.

 

[Warks]

Did you notify the bank that you would be travelling before you left? Great that they reimbursed you, but shouldn't have happened at all if they knew you were travelling.

No I didn't. I didn't think they were my mum.

 

[Lynda2475]

No I didn't. I didn't think they were my mum.

Well the travelling notification is usually done precisely to avoid them locking you out, so they dont assume it is a scammer trying to access accounts offshore. Takes 30 secs for extra peace of mind. But as always ymmv.

 

[Warks]

Well the travelling notification is usually done precisely to avoid them locking you out, so they dont assume it is a scammer trying to access accounts offshore. Takes 30 secs for extra peace of mind. But as always ymmv.

I did realise this could have been the issue but it sucks that they assume I'm a scammer straight away instead of making any effort to communicate with me. People travel all the time so I don't know how often others here have to tell their bank they are going overseas.
I did point out to the bank that if they want people to inform them of travel it would be nice if that was a regular statement they made in their communications and within their app and online banking.
Of course I will do it from now on. I did discover a hidden away place in my internet banking where I could click a button to notify them of overseas travel. Would've been handy to know about it earlier.

 

[docjames]

Pays to take your black leather belt to go with the black shoes required for your suit when travelling.

 

[gaz0303]

Took my running shoes on another trip with good intentions. Stayed in the bag again. They have some miles on them.

 

[Flashback]

Tried to use my Avios.

Gosh, BAs IT is just the worst. 1 hour to login, 30 minutes to do a search for the first option I was looking at .... then trying to book, good luck with that one.

 

[Seat0B]

Took my running shoes on another trip with good intentions. Stayed in the bag again. They have some miles on them.

I have the same issue with my running shoes on a lot of trips I take too

 

[Jurahn]

So my bank decided because I was using my phone banking app for the first time overseas it would disable my access to my accounts. Not a big deal as I travel on the credit card. However, I had to make a large payment of a bill due at home. So my bank has a free number to call if you are in Aus but a paid number if overseas. So I'm in Iceland trying to pay this bill and I have to get on the phone to them to unlock my accounts. I didn't have a local SIM but Telstra has their global roaming for $10 a day or whatnot. In any case I was on wifi in the hotel so I rang using WhatsApp (so I thought at the time).
Well the bank promised a wait of 10-15 mins but didn't offer any callback system to save on overseas phone calls for their clients. So I was on hold for 45 mins and then another ten mins to solve the issue. Banking was supposed to be back the next day. It wasn't. I rang again and this took 15 mins this time. Then it was okay. Paid the bill. Sorted. So I thought...
I get home and open my Telstra bill - oddly enough it's one of the only paper bills I still get and I usually don't open it as it's the same each month. Well there was the small matter of a charge of well over $300 for a couple of calls...
What was my mistake? I think what happened was that I must have pulled up the bank website when I was calling and next to their number a WhatsApp symbol appeared so I pressed that. In hindsight I realise that I probably didn't have my reading glasses on and it was an ordinary phone icon. Still it shouldn't have cost that much under global roaming... however, Iceland is NOT on the list of global roaming countries with Telstra.
Well there's a happy ending because I lodged a complaint with the bank for locking me out of my banking and making no effort to contact me. Also not offering a callback system. They took it all on board and paid my excess phone charge to me (having given them the evidence).

So we all learned something from that. Stupid mistake on my part for assuming something but the bank has vowed to put better procedures in place as a result. Remains to be seen of course.

CBA was it? They don't offer a callback service of any kind, no matter what the customer's circumstances. They also still have listed on their website "you can call this number reverse charge from overseas, just contact the international operator in the country you're calling from ...." Problem is, in this day and age, there's not really any such thing as an international operator any more. I tried finding information on that for Mr J who headed off to Sweden recently (and will also be going to Iceland!), but couldn't find info anywhere on how to make a reverse charge call back to Australia (apart from old posts on some discussion boards) - and in the case of the bank, the call HAS to be made from a landline, not a mobile number.

He tried using Wifi calling on his mobile from his hotel in Sweden, but the call wouldn't hold up, it kept switching to mobile data and used up his travel credit.

If it was CBA, don't hold your breath expecting them to actually implement any changes. The customer complaint forms they lodge are effectively a box-ticking exercise to meet their reporting and KPI requirements, I never saw anything come out of them during the time I was there. Glad they reimbursed your phone charges though.

 

[tdimdad]

Took my running shoes on another trip with good intentions. Stayed in the bag again. They have some miles on them.

My hiking shoes often don't need any clean before returning back to Australia. Go figure...

 

[tdimdad]

I did realise this could have been the issue but it sucks that they assume I'm a scammer straight away instead of making any effort to communicate with me.

I actually like that they are erring to being a little overprotective of your money instead of letting all kinds of transactions through and you then to sort them out after the fact.
I've told my credit card providers for eons when I'm travelling: "I'll be travelling 1/7 - 18/7 and you may see transactions from countries A, B, C and D". A simple online banking message a few days beforehand has usually sufficed for that.

 

[Scarlett]

There have been massive issues on the CMB-CGK route in the past few weeks, lots of last minute cancellations. At least you're getting some reasonable notice...... hopefully will give enough time to come up with something suitable.

To follow up on this issue:
UL have offered us a delay of two days in Frankfurt and then take the same planned flights FRA-CMB-CGK.
We can make this work but I have told them they either need to book us a hotel in Frankfurt for those two nights or agree to reimburse us if I book a hotel for the two nights.
The travel mistake (well, not really - just a 1WP (first world problem)) now is that the CMB-CGK has changed from A330 lie-flat to A320 standard recliner. Here’s hoping that the problems with that sector indicated above, don’t materialise.

 

[Flashback]

To follow up on this issue:
UL have offered us a delay of two days in Frankfurt and then take the same planned flights FRA-CMB-CGK.
We can make this work but I have told them they either need to book us a hotel in Frankfurt for those two nights or agree to reimburse us if I book a hotel for the two nights.
The travel mistake (well, not really - just a 1WP (first world problem)) now is that the CMB-CGK has changed from A330 lie-flat to A320 standard recliner. Here’s hoping that the problems with that sector indicated above, don’t materialise.

Hmm, it's been an A320 on that route for at least the past 3 to 4 years or so. A330 disappeared a long time ago and flies by exception rather than the rule.