I cannot think of anything more aggravating than spending hours upon hours constructing and booking an award reservation only to find the tickets were issued incorrectly and the prospects for correction are slim.
I have been working all week on a complex Continental Airlines award reservation for four people from the East Coast to a city in Asia. The requirements were strict: narrow date range, four passengers, business or first class, everyone on the same flight.
While it took extensive research, I was able to piece together a nice outbound at the saver level that included Lufthansa First Class and Turkish Business Class. Finding four seats on the same flight, let alone four first or business class saver seats, is a tall task, but I succeeded and the clients were thrilled.
The return was even more difficult and in the interest of time, the clients elected to go with a Standard Award/Easy-Pass option.
With itinerary in hand (the outbound was too complex to book on CO.com), I called the airline and the agent found the flights. I gave him the OnePass numbers of the passengers and to confirm the names, I spelled out the name of each passengers as it appeared on their passports. He said he had everything recorded and issued the tickets.
The confirmation e-mail arrived a few minutes later and 3/4 of the names were misspelled–two of them royally misspelled. I immediately picked up the phone and called CO, but it was too late–the tickets had already been issued. I presented the problem to the reservations agent and she placed me on hold for over 30 minutes while trying to deal with it.
She came back stating she has been working with two supervisors and that my “best bet” was to stop by the airport and have them change the name. That’s ridiculous–I told her if the airport can change a name on a ticket, so could she. She argued that was not the case.
I floated the idea of changing the outbound to an “Easy-Pass” award on UA/CO metal and she put me on hold and came back agreeing to do so–but then she proceeded to tell me there no space at all on the flights I wanted. I had the computer in front of me and told her she was searching for Saver-Space, instead of Easy-Pass space. Nope–she replied that the flights I wanted were “completely sold out” in business class.
Referencing the computer screen in front of me, I told her there were plenty of Easy-Pass (i.e. revenue) seats available and that she should check again. She placed me on hold and came back stating she could only book “the higher award level” on Continental flights, not United flights. Again, not true.
She proposed a new routing through new cities with an economy connection to the destination. I knew that would be unacceptable so I refused. By now two hours had passed and I was tired of talking. I asked that the records be carefully documented and was urged once more to go the airport to change the ticket.
I called Continental back and got a guy who first said, “There’s no need to go the airport until the day of travel. They’ll be easily able to change it there–it’s noted in the reservation.” I did not buy it and stated, “But the first operating carrier is US Airways and they won’t be able to see the CO notes on the reservation.”
Silence, then more silence. I proposed being moved to a Easy-Pass award on the outbound at the Saver-Pass level and was told that wouldn’t be possible “because the names aren’t off by that much.” Actually, they were.
Placed on hold, at least the agent agreed to check with his supervisor. 25 minutes later he came back stating that the Easy-Pass award was not an option (apparently the last agent did not document that), nor was changing the name at the airport. “You’re right sir, if we can’t do it, they can’t do and anyways, US Airways is the first operating carrier.” Brilliant Holmes.
So I asked, “What do we do now?” More silence, then this: “Well, let’s wait a few days and see if that inventory goes back into first and business class.” I asked what he meant, because the tickets were issued and will not be cancelled until I have a solution. The agent had no answer. I actually knew what he meant: when you cancel an award, sometimes the award seats go back into inventory, but that is never a guarantee and in my experience does not happen on Lufthansa flights. And I was not about to cancel the award, on the slim chance that the space would returm.
In the end, the Continental folks had nothing they could offer me. I’ll keep calling and plan to stop by at the ticket desk tomorrow in Frankfurt, but I am really not happy about this situation nor optimistic about a positive outcome. I’ll probably be told that without passports, the agents cannot help.
But while I am not optimistic that the ticket in its current form is fixable, I am hopeful Continental will work with me to resolve this issue–even if takes hours on the phone.
The thing that makes me most angry is that I spelled out the names, yet the agent still misspelled them–both first and last on one poor guy. At the end of the last name on one reservation, he added the first four letters of one of the client’s first name. Such a sloppy error…
The point of this post is not to rip Continental, but as a warning to you: check, double check, and triple check names on awards before the tickets are issued, because once they are issued, it may be too late.
Let’s see how this one turns out. Stay tuned.
Oh Matthew, I feel your pain. First, How incredibly ridiculous, especially given you clearly spelled out the names. My main issue, actually (and I know you agree with me), is that our U.S. airline agents are so bloody hit or miss in their abilities and knowledge that it’s like playing Russian roulette every time you call. I already have a blog post coming regarding this, but your experience gives me more material supporting my view.
I’m so sorry. Best of success in getting it resolved.
I guess CO cannot correct the name on a ticket without cancelling and re-issuing?
What about they get in touch with LH and TK to correct it in their systems?
@Arun: I suggested this and was quickly rebuffed. Makes sense to me.
Someone must not like you. 😉 I had four tickets I bought for a friend and one of the names was spelled incorrectly when the email arrived. I promptly called and ten minutes later, the issue was resolved. The only difference was that my itin was an all-CO itinerary.
In theory, they should be able to change the name and reissue the ticket, unless of course there is some limitation when it comes to partner airlines.
This is unbelievable and quite scary that someone can run a business like that and still survive. Either they can’t do something as simple as changing a name (scary) or they aren’t willing to (also scary).
I seriously don’t know how they stay in business operating like this.
Wow what a mess. I really feel for you, I’d be going crazy.
Always amazes me how backwards the airlines are sometimes and how they state they are not able to do the most simple tasks.
“sorry sir, it’s impossible to change the spelling on the name”
“sorry sir, we’ll have to cancel and re-issue that ticket and charge you four $150 change fees”
It’s pretty much always a No with airlines. They can’t manage much.
Side note, and not to rub salt in your wounds – but I thought you can only book the saver level on star alliance partners (IE the low lever) the standard level (double miles) is only for continental isn’t it?
@Tim: Continental’s award website is actually pretty good, it just doesn’t include Turkish flights (or SQ, LX, and OS flights) in the search results, so I had to call in for this reservation.
CO’s award booking site does allow you to mix saver and standard awards and EasyPass/Standard awards are now available on both United and Continental flights.
@Fozz:
I think this is key, though it shouldn’t be. I honestly got the sense the folks on the other end were just too lazy to call up each of the carriers to make the change. I know it would be a time consuming and very difficult task, but I also know where there is a will there is a way.
I definitely feel your pain, Matthew. Sorry about what you’re going through – and hope you get it resolved soon!
But after encountering a problem like this a few years ago, I always – always – ask the agent to repeat back to me the spellings of whatever names I’ve given him/her. It’s just insurance. No matter how many times you yourself repeat the spellings of the names you’re giving, the agent could still hear “b” when you really said “d” three times. The only way to confirm is to have the agent repeat the spelling back to you.
Again, good luck!
@Jon: Believe it or not, I spelled the names phonetically–as I always do. True, I did not ask the agent to read back the names, but that should not be necessary (though I have now learned my lesson).
This agent added on four letters to the last name of two passengers. That wasn’t a comprehension issue!