The other day I got this text message:
IndiGo: Dear flyer, your flight 6EXXXX for PNR XXXX from BLR to KNU on XXApr2023 is cancelled due to operational reasons. Please click here https://bit.ly/xxxxx to get a refund. For any queries, ask Dottie https://bit.ly/xxxxx. We deeply regret the inconvenience caused. Regards, IndiGo.
I had booked two tickets for my NRI relatives. I was in panic because I had booked the tickets about 4 months before to ensure no hiccups in their journey. I immediately went to the airlines' site and tried to rebook another flight. Fortunately, I was able to secure two tickets, albeit at a much a higher price.
Then I proceeded to get my refund from the airlines. This is how the conversation proceeded:
Customer support: Good morning, I'm XXXX, how can I help you?
Me: Good morning, I wanted to get a refund for a cancelled flight.
Customer support: Can I get your PNR?
Me: XXXX
Customer support: Give me a minute. Sir, you have a balance of Rs 300/- to be paid for the meal you had ordered in the flight.
Me: Sir, the flight is cancelled. What are you talking about?
Customer support: Sir, the flight isn't cancelled. It has been assigned a new flight number.
Me: But your text message doesn't say that at all. It says, '...is cancelled due to operational reasons. Please click here https://bit.ly/xxxxx to get a refund.'
Customer support: Sir, there are 200 passengers in that flight. We can't write 200 different messages and text them separately.
Me: Are you kidding me? Just because there are 200 passengers you will send whatever message that you want?
Customer support: No sir. That's not what I meant.
Me: That is exactly what you meant.
Customer support: Sorry for the inconvenience sir. So, you want to cancel your ticket, do you?
Me: Yes. I have already purchased two fresh tickets because of your text message.
Customer support: Okay sir. There are two passengers in that PNR number. Do you want to cancel both the passenger tickets?
Me: The flight is cancelled for God's sake! What good will it do to me if I cancel only one ticket?
Customer support: Why I am saying this is because some of our customers want only part cancellation.
Me: Please cancel both the tickets! I say again, both the tickets!
Customer support: I got it. Give me a minute.
A pause of about 3 minutes.
Customer support: Sir, congratulations your tickets have been cancelled. You will get a full refund within the next 7 working days. Can I help you with anything else?
Me: No. Thank you.
Customer support: Have a good day!
Me: You too!
Aside to myself: Mine is ruined in any case.
5 comments:
Bad state of Customer Care responsiveness
Interesting , when the support guy says not cancelled, but assigned a new number. A ruse to make money with last minute higher cost tickets?
Interesting. General pattern of responses by many of the low budget airlines.
Interesting. General pattern of responses by some of the low budget airlines.
These call centre guys,working by parroted check lists really test one's patience but most of the time the customer is at the receiving end and can't do much.
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