Earlier this week, I flew to my favourite city - Dublin.
Book the tickets online as normal. Check-in at the Aer Lingus
self-service kiosk to get my boarding pass as normal.
My credit card isn't recognised. No problem. Just use my passport
instead. My passport isn't recognised. No problem. Just enter my name
instead. My name isn't recognised. No problem. Enter my booking
reference number. This isn't recognised either. As this is the first
time I have flown on Aer Lingus, I give up and queue up at the desk.
There is no problem. I am quickly booked on the flight and the pretty
lady checks my bag and hands me my boarding pass. As I turn away, she
asks 'Do you did book a ticket for a colleague ?'. 'Err, no' 'Oh - you
appear to have made two identical bookings'. She suggests that I
clarify the situation at the ticket sales desk.
Sure enough. For some reason, I have two identical return flights
booked so I cancel one. However, the tickets are non-refundable so I
am told to contact the travel agent who made the original booking.
So I call the corporate travel agent. I waste 15 minutes explaining
the problem. The customer agent doesn't understand why I booked two
tickets when I only wanted one. I explain it is an
human/computer/administrative error. I explain that I received a
single confirmation email. Then she doesn't understand why I need a
refund issued. Then she doesn't understand why the airline can't issue
a refund.
I explain that is absolutely imperative the customer is not billed as
a result of this error. It is even more imperative that I, personally,
do not lose the sum of £221. Finally, we understand each other
and she agrees to talk to Aer Lingus to see whether a refund can be
issued. Panic over. I board the short flight to Ireland with only a
slight feeling of unease and a mental note to investigate this more
fully on my return.
The following evening, I am returning to London. My credit card isn't
recognised at the Aer Lingus kiosk. No problem. Type in my newly
issued, confirmed, 100% correct booking reference. This isn't
recognised either. Sigh. People behind me in the queue aren't moaning.
They are smiling, chatting and laughing while they wait. Because they
are Irish.
I queue up at the check-in desk. Lots of frantic typing. Puzzled
expression. More frantic typing. The lady must be dying to look up and
say 'Computer says No' but resists. 'Sorry I can find your name and
booking but I can't allocate you a seat. Sorry but you'll have to go
over to ticket sales.'
I duly trudge over to the queue at ticket sales. Finally I reach the
head of the queue. A helpful Irish gentleman hears my story. He types
frantically and looks puzzled. He says 'Would you excuse me a minute
while I just ask the supervisor a question ?'
I wait patiently for the outcome but I don't need to. I know exactly
what he is going to say.
'Sorry for the delay Sir. There seems to have been some mix-up. For
some reason, your travel agent has cancelled your return flight.'
