Monday, August 31, 2009
Emirates has bigoted booking policy
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: papaleblanc@netzero.com <papaleblanc@netzero.com>
Date: Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 6:01 AM
Subject: Emirates has bigoted booking policy
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu
I recently tried to book a flight on-line from SFO to ADD but was rejected for on-line payment as my destination was Africa. I called their customer service & was told that was their policy, but if I wanted to book for Europe, I could pay on-line. The customer service rep, bless her for her honesty, then informed me I could go to SFO & pay with my card in person. The next day, I spent my lunch time & paid $8 to find out it wasn't true. I complained to SFO customer service, who were very responsive, especially after I explained the reason for being at the airport was due to Emirates racist payment policy. The airport customer service manager, Mr. Birch, connected me to an employee of Emirates, "Samai," if I am spelling it correctly & she confirmed that travelers with African destinations have to pay in person, no telephone or internet credit card charges. Apparently, she was willing to show up & sell me a ticket, but after I explained my lunch break time was nearly up, she put me on hold and left me there. After 3 minutes, I just hung up. She never called back. I phoned Mr. Birch & related my experience with her to him & he was astonished she never bothered to call me back. His suggestion was a complaint letter, not an email, to the US Dept. of Transportation at:
Aviation Consumer Protection Division, C-75
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590
If you must email, the web address is http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm. There is a link for email.
The DOT does track complaints & posts the numbers.
James
San Jose
____________________________________________________________
From: papaleblanc@netzero.com <papaleblanc@netzero.com>
Date: Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 6:01 AM
Subject: Emirates has bigoted booking policy
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu
I recently tried to book a flight on-line from SFO to ADD but was rejected for on-line payment as my destination was Africa. I called their customer service & was told that was their policy, but if I wanted to book for Europe, I could pay on-line. The customer service rep, bless her for her honesty, then informed me I could go to SFO & pay with my card in person. The next day, I spent my lunch time & paid $8 to find out it wasn't true. I complained to SFO customer service, who were very responsive, especially after I explained the reason for being at the airport was due to Emirates racist payment policy. The airport customer service manager, Mr. Birch, connected me to an employee of Emirates, "Samai," if I am spelling it correctly & she confirmed that travelers with African destinations have to pay in person, no telephone or internet credit card charges. Apparently, she was willing to show up & sell me a ticket, but after I explained my lunch break time was nearly up, she put me on hold and left me there. After 3 minutes, I just hung up. She never called back. I phoned Mr. Birch & related my experience with her to him & he was astonished she never bothered to call me back. His suggestion was a complaint letter, not an email, to the US Dept. of Transportation at:
Aviation Consumer Protection Division, C-75
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590
If you must email, the web address is http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm. There is a link for email.
The DOT does track complaints & posts the numbers.
James
San Jose
____________________________________________________________
