Open letter to Brussels Airlines !!!

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 23 Feb 2007, 18:18

Dear all,

I'm writing this topic as I encountered some serious problems with the customer service of Brussels Airlines.
I hope that someone from the company will read this and either react through this topic or send me a message in order to help me out !

I have some miles to spend and would like to book free flights in September 2007. The routing being BRU-FCO-BRU.

However before booking I would like to be sure that there are still available seats for free tickets on the dates of travel.

Therfore I went on www.brusselsairlines.com and logged into the privilege site. On the privilege site I went to the "seat availibility page". But there surprise, nothing is loading except the title of the page.......
Then I went to the "availability guide" and there again surprise I get the following message:

This page is expired.

We apologize for any inconvenience!

That's already very strange isn't it ???

I then had another idea, namely to go to the "book my free flight" section and do as if I want to book my fligts. Then I would certainly see if there are seats available for me.
However here again, SN doesn't seem to be able to give me an answer. Once I've chosen my dates of flights and push the button for the next step, I get after 5 minutes of waiting the following message:

There has been an error with your transaction. This may have been due to a session timeout, or network related issue. Please close this window and start again in a new browser window.

I started this operation many times but always came to the same answer. And this for several days

First conclusion: It seems SN isn't able to provide the necessary info on its website, eventhough the links to the pages which I need have been created, but not working !!!

Since the internet website of SN is suffering of major problems I decided to go the old fashion way and took the timetable of Brussels Airlines and called the privilege office... I called the following number: 02/710.62.69

Then came the big surprise. The phone number is printed in the timetable of SN as being the privilege office number. But when you call the number you apparently have called the number for travel agents and not the one for the privilege office..... Then you are kindly re-directed to the correct office. Or that's what you think it'll be..... Once the second person takes the phone, you are again told to be at the wrong department and are quickly re-directed to "the correct one".

Then comes the big surprise. You wait up to 15 minutes on the phone for the third person to pick up, but nobody answers the phone.

Those ohone calls were repeated several times as well and it's always the same story.....

All in all, a very dissapointing customer service from an airline profiling itself as being passionate about you !!! It seems they are passionate when you can spend your money but not when you get free tickets !!!

If this is the way they reward there customers, I will certainly NOT recommend this airline anymore.

I wish Brussels Airlines all the best in the future, but this is certainly not the way to do business.

If someone from SN reads this: Can you maybe help me out with my initial question ? And secondly you may tell the responsible person for the customer service that they need to change something in there way of handling those situations.

Kind Regards
Chris

Stij · Post by **Stij** » 24 Feb 2007, 15:02

Dear Chris,

my father wanted to book a flight with miles somewhere in May with SN to Naples: when you try this, the system says they don't fly the route. When you try to call SN, nobody picks up (he gave up after 30 minutes). He wrote an email and got an answer that they got his mail and that they would respond within a few days, well, we're still waiting.

I myseklf wanted to book a ticket in July, but couldn't book it either. I managed to reach them and got a (rude) response (in English after selecting Dutch) that tickets for travel after March 24 could only be booked with miles after March 24. In fact that´s rediculous, what if you want to fly on March 25? Good Luck!

Somebody there is really screwing things up there. I'm Belgian and I want a big home carrier so I can fly to a lot of destinations non-stop, so I support them, but they're really p*ss*ng me off. I hope they'll improve...

Kind regards,

Stij

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 24 Feb 2007, 15:09

Thanks for your contribution Stij !!

This is only making it worse !! I'm thus not an isolated case

eurofighter · Post by **eurofighter** » 24 Feb 2007, 16:52

The Privilege booking engine is not the best, I have to admit. Neither is their responsiveness to e-mails, simply never a response. I always get told, please fax, then we can help you more quickly. That is true. Luckily I have a fax in my work. But if you call the ladies they do help you efficiently and quickly.

Conclusion: fax and/or call. Forget about e-mail communication.

Stij · Post by **Stij** » 24 Feb 2007, 17:15

Dear Eurfighter,

it's not just the booking engine or the "response" to e-mails, it's the impossibility to book beyond 24/3/2007, the waiting times when you call, the inability to speak dutch, the problems to get all the miles to your account etc. etc.. Pretty frustrating for a tool that was invented to retain customers. For the moment they're more chasing them away!

Cheers mate,

Stij

website-info · Post by **website-info** » 24 Feb 2007, 21:07

Guys,

Guess it must be you

I managed to book a BRU-LGW-BRU for Apr3 on Thursday, took me 30 secs or so.

But then again I was just trying to use up my mileage as I dont / wont fly SN or whatever they will be called due to very bed experiences in teh last 6 months or so................... and again not one answer on customer service.................

going going ...................... Easyjet, Air Berlin

T

hakan · Post by **hakan** » 24 Feb 2007, 23:06

Let's fly with another company. You have the money, you are the customer. If they can't look after you you should fly with another company. Simple is that!!!

Thanks for the reports..

regi · Post by **regi** » 25 Feb 2007, 00:20

Try to call them and speak Urdu or Hindi. Might work.

avi8tor · Post by **avi8tor** » 26 Feb 2007, 08:52

Hi all,

Very disappointing to read all these negative comments on the (OBVIOUSLY) SN commercial department... Hope they won't drag VEX into the same mess then. People can say whatever they want but VEX has been a very good company these past years: hardly any delays, technical problems and a smoothly ran operation. Never seen an aviaton company this professional and well organised in Belgium like they are!
Let's hope they'll teach SN how things need to be done for Brussels Airlines' sake.

Fly'em!
Avi8tor

Stij · Post by **Stij** » 26 Feb 2007, 09:39

regi wrote:Try to call them and speak Urdu or Hindi. Might work.

It's funny because it's true!

Cheers,

Stij

regi · Post by **regi** » 26 Feb 2007, 16:11

I had once a so called investor on the line, wanting me to give him 10,000 US to prove he could make a big profit ( for me...) . This is known as boiler room scams - very active from Bangkok.
I asked the guy if he could look out of the window.
"Yes"
I asked him if he could see the Baiyoke Tower. He said "Uh, how do you know?"
I said "I am watching you, I am on the 44th floor"
Conversation stopped right there.

burner737 · Post by **burner737** » 26 Feb 2007, 18:35

Some problems aswell here with privilege ... they won't add my miles from my last flight ...

Regards Tim

sn-remember · Post by **sn-remember** » 27 Feb 2007, 13:37

avi8tor wrote:Hi all,

Very disappointing to read all these negative comments on the (OBVIOUSLY) SN commercial department... Hope they won't drag VEX into the same mess then. People can say whatever they want but VEX has been a very good company these past years: hardly any delays, technical problems and a smoothly ran operation. Never seen an aviaton company this professional and well organised in Belgium like they are!
Let's hope they'll teach SN how things need to be done for Brussels Airlines' sake.

Fly'em!
Avi8tor

Couldn't agree more !!
It 's a real shame for SNBA such unlikeable (and unprofessional) practice !!!

And I share your fears that sadly the well reputed VEX business practices could easily deteriorate under the snba leadership

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 27 Feb 2007, 14:55

hakan wrote:Let's fly with another company. You have the money, you are the customer. If they can't look after you you should fly with another company. Simple is that!!! Thanks for the reports..

Yes, exactly hakan.
I too go the opposite way, where my money goes.

I want a max, and pay a minimum, because I do not longer count on airline service. I'm already happy with a fair treatment.

When I want nice food, I go to the place where they sell nice food: there I want a max, and pay a minimum.
When I want a nice bedroom, I go to the place where they rent nice rooms: I want a max, and pay a minimum.
When I want a clean safe aircraft, well where do I go: there where I pay a minimum for a max of that.