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Yay! for QF and CX, Boo for Amex Corp Travel
I am about to take the second flight on my current DONE4 - BA28, HKG-LHR in a few hours. I have been at HKG since just before 6am this morning. I was originally booked on QF29 all the way from MEL to LHR, but work demands got in the way and I had to delay my HKG-LHR leg to the end of the day in HKG so that I could provide remote support for a demo and proposal presentation during the day today. So, on Sunday, I rang Amex Corporate travel emergency number and they change the flights for me. I get an updated itinerary - great, even get allocated 62K on the BA flight although I lost 16A on QF29 and ended up in 12F - oh well, you win some, you loose some.
When I checked in at MEL last night, they told me that they couldn't issue a BP for BA28, not sure why, perhaps because it was too far out (more than 24 hrs from my MEL check in time), I'll have to get a BP at the transfer desk when I get to HKG. No problem, I have done this before with CX - easily done. They did manage to check my luggage through to LHR via BA28, so at least I wont need to worry about that at HKG.
On arrival at HKG this morning (6am), there was no BA desk at the transfer area. hmmm. Ask at the QF desk - sorry, need to wait for the BA desk to open at 9:30am. Harrumph! Not happy. So much for a quick trip into Kowloon for some shopping before my conf call. Three and a half hours later, I wander over to the (now open) BA desk, anticipating 2-3 mins to get the BP and I'll be off through the transfer security check and in the lounge in 5 mins. "We're sorry sir, we can't issue you a BP, you don't have a ticket for BA28!". What!?
It turns out that Amex Corporate travel booked but didn't ticket the alterations to my itinerary.
This is the second time that Amex Corporate Travel have done this to me - the last time was on a TPE-ICN flight where CX actually checked me in, and then paged me in the lounge to tell me that I didn't have a ticket to travel!
I think I need to write a letter of complaint to Amex Corporate travel.
As for the CX and QF staff here at HKG - they were stellar. All of the running around to get the ticket re-issued - getting me to the lounge in time for my conf call - and QF honouring the itinerary and re-issuing the ticket for the re-issue price and taxes despite (I am sure) costing them a lot more than that. Well done QF and well done CX staff who did all the running around.
PS. I know a lot of folks complain about the inconsistency of the service on QF. I have to say that the service I received at check-in, in the MEL Flounge and on the plane was fantastic. All very personable without being intrusive.
PPS. I am not sure if I will do a trip report for this DONE4 - I am unsure if writing up the last one didn't cause all my bad luck with luggage on my last DONE4. Before anyone (Simongr) tells me to go hand-luggage only, that would be my preference, but I have too much stuff to take to England and to bring back from the US to cope with carry-on only.
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