“Well-known” customer service of British Airways
I recently had an experience with “well-known” customer service of British Airways. My wife – Nika Yavtushenko - traveled from Kiev to Shanghai with a connecting flight in London on September 27th, 2016.
She didn’t have Chinese visa, but had a written confirmation that she would get it on arrival to Shanghai. It was not her first flight to Shanghai, but the first one with British Airways. She didn’t have any problems at Borispol (Kiev) airport, but she was not allowed to board the plane. Airport employee at the gates told her that she didn’t have proper documents and that’s why she was not allowed to fly.
Also, the employee said she would call for manager. Meanwhile the plane took off without my wife. Finally, manager didn’t come and another employee informed my wife that they made a mistake. Also, they blamed employees from Borispol airport who didn’t put some kind of a stamp to my wife’s passport.
She was informed that they would arrange a flight to Shanghai in the morning and she could go to have a rest… Do you know where???? TO JAIL!!! She had to spend all night in JAIL without her belongings and luggage. My wife declined the offer and said that she prefers to spend the night at Heathrow terminal.
But they didn’t let her to do so as it violates human rights! So, it is ok to spend the night in jail without phone, laptop and it is not a violation of human rights? Finally, they forced her to go to jail. So, night at Heathrow jail can cost you $700.
Do you still want to fly with British Airways? But this is not the end of the story. I have tried to speak to the representatives of Kiev, Moscow and London offices about this issue and to find the answers on why it actually happened. They confirmed that this was a mistake.
I demanded to compensate my wife one day of her contract, the night spent in jail due to the mistake of the airport employees and the ticket cost. They promised me that would do an investigation. I have been trying to contact them and make them answer during 3 months. Finally, on November 15th Isma Khan, British Airways representative from the London office, have contacted me and asked me to send a copy of the invoice showing the cost of the ticket.
I thought this would be the end of the story. I emailed Isma Khan once a week asking about how the investigation was going. But nobody replied to my emails. My wife had a flight back to Kiev on December 19th.
I decided to email British Airways office to make sure that she would not have any problems on her way back. As she had a lot of stress before. I did even call Kiev office, and they assured me that everything would be fine. However, her ticket was cancelled 3 hours prior to her departure by Isma Khan!
My wife had to spend $1,200 for another ticket in the airport. So British Airways actually stole about $2000. Now I am going to sue British Airways.
I tried to contact them on social networks but they blocked me didn’t let me to leave any comments. You can find more detailed story by following these links: https://www.facebook.com/iavtushenko/posts/129778****620165 https://www.facebook.com/iavtushenko/posts/120712****685793
Reason of review: Bad quality.
Monetary Loss: $1900.
Preferred solution: Full refund.
British Airways Cons: All.
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Comments
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I looked at the photo you provided this site's Facebook page? There is a checkbox beside #7 that clearly says: "You have previously failed or refused to leave the UK when required to do so." That's on YOUR WIFE, not the airline. ANYONE would've detained her for deportation, because she's broken the law!
~Kotora
Yes the website might post that info but they called and were told somthing else. What conserns me though is why the 700 fine?Was she disorderly?There has to be a reason she was arrested....and she was..otherwise she just could have gone to a cheap hotel.
In all fairness, the website explicitly tells you what documentation you need to fly internationally. Your wife is at fault for not being prepared.
http://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/passports-visas-and-api?source=MNVINF3passports_visas
Things should get better and more efficient when the Ukraine again becomes part of the Russian empire. Just try to hold on until Vlad takes over from the sorry bunch of people you now have running that country.
I agree!