Complain about a product or service

Air France

Rachel of Montreal, QC June 5, 2009

It is my very first time booking my airplane tickets through Air France and I can say I was very disappointed by the service I received from talking to an agent and the superviser through the phone. Here is the incident: I have been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea requiring me to sleep with a CPAP machine. I have called Air France in order to verify if there was an electrical supply on board so that I could use my CPAP for my 12 hour flights. To my great surprise, disappointment and anger, the agent said that there is nothing they can do for me. There is no electrical plug whatsoever on board and they cannot install one just for me. The agent started to raise her voice seeming impatient to help a client. I was so upset to how this situation was handled by an agent from Air France. I than asked to speak to a superviser, whom the agent was reluctant to put on the line prompting me: why do you want to talk to a manager? It is about what issue? Finally the superviser was on the line which was even worst! I explained that I was not very happy not because there is no electrical plug on board but I was mad how the agent talked and addressed my issues. His tone was definitely not respectful and he said in a loud voice, "I have no idea what you are talking... I cannot accommodate you on board then". Clearly a lack of effective communication skills! There should never be shouting, lack of respect or irritability. Air France agents chose to work for the Air France company, they are deem to be meeting the standards of clientele services! I think in my situation, I clearly understood there were no electrical supply on board and I am not blaming them for that. But my situation should have been handled well and collaboratively find something that can be done for me. I am not asking for an electrical plug for charging my ipod. I also find it ridiculous that air planes do not have electrical plugs or batteries on board. Yes, I may have opted not to use my CPAP for my flights but it will to my disadvantage because I will experience severe headaches and increase sleepiness that would make me unable to function. On top of all this, I am also diagnosed with narcolepsy (excessive daytime sleepiness with paralysis while sleeping)! Me using the CPAP would greatly reduce the chances of experiencing paralysis (cataplexy) and suffocation during my sleep. I have paid 2000 for my trip all with Air France and I have never ever been treated by agents in other airlines that way.

PRINCE of johannesburg, South Africa May 29, 2009

I lost my luggage. everything was in inside. when i alive in Joohannesburg there were no sign of my luggages. i report to airfrance staff in johannesburg airport. they told me i will get my luggages at the end of the month. even now i've been up and down trying to get my staff but nothing promising. i lost everything

Andrew of Aberdeen, United Kingdom May 22, 2009

I am writing to complain in the most serious way with regard to my recent experience with your air line ground staff at Beijing airport on the 2nd of May 2009. Whilst checking in for flight AF5558 it was determained my baggage was over weight. I had just exchanged currency and had no money. That I fully understand. At this point a plastic bag was flung in my face and told to hurry or I would miss my flight.

I was rendered no assistance as the ground staff continued to raise their voice. I later realised I had half an hour to spare. I left two £2000 suits, my new coat for which they could of helped me with ! And many other personal items. I was panicked, they offered abbsolutely no help, yet went ransacking through my bag, seeing what I had left. I fell over on two occasions as they watched and laughed at me in my state of panic. After wathing me hobble to my fight they then ran me down and told me, not ask me, to sign a form with the disposal box allready ticked and emphasised again to hurry to my flight or I would miss it. A blatent lie !

I ask myself, why they would not help me with my brand new coat, or at least put my mp4 player in my pocket. All the time laughing, no doubt delighted with their windfall !!! This incident is not just poor customer service but tantamount to theft. I am absolutely horrified at this outrage.

Upon arrival at Aberdeen airport I was escorted of the air craft by ambulane officers due to ill health. I have since been diagnosed with a neurological disorder. Im sure that it would have been evident to your ground staff that I wasnt at full stregth, yet they still took advantage of my frail condition. Absolutely disgraceful. I am now recovered and as all ways will take to the skies as my job demands. I am booked on an Air france flight back to Beijing, frankly the prospect of flying with you again makes me sick. I demand you check the details Ive provided to you and bring these people to justice

Brian of San Francisco, CA May 19, 2009

On Tuesday May 19th my mother was delayed boarding her Air France flight in Vienna on her way to Paris for a connecting AF flight to Philadelphia. The Vienna airport based AF desk sent her on the next flight to Paris and told her she would be reaccomodated in Charles de Gaulle for the connection to Philadelphia.

On arrival in Paris the AF gate personnel informed her that because of the delay the original reservation had been canceled and that she would have to purchase a new ticket to continue on to Philadelphia. The reason given was that her original ticket was a nonrefundable fare with no changes permitted. If this delay and change was truly her fault Air France should never have allowed her to start her itinerary in Vienna only to be stranded later in Paris. My mother is 84 years old, broke her arm while in Austria and had a terrible, very painful and completely exhausting 3 hour experience in Paris with the CDG Air France representatives.

New roundtrip ticket purchase (ca 500 euro) 1 night hotel stay, several transatlantic cell phone calls and text messaging charges. A refund request was sent to the AF customer service department in Florida.

Kitty of Richmond, CA May 6, 2009

On April 3rd, I went to transfer my Amex points to my Air France account. I had 42,000+ miles on the account and with the transfer, I hoped to generate a frequent flyer reward so that I could offset the cost of tickets for myself and my family. I was under the impression that I had until April 30th to make the transaction without penalty. After logging into my flying blue account, my miles were missing. On another page of my account, there was a column that stated my miles were peremption. I called immediately, but they are not open for business on Sundays.

I then sent an email through the website on that date. I called the next morning on April 4th, and the representative told me that her system was down and to call back the next day. However, she also invited me to buy a Continental ticket to get the miles back. When I told her that I was being flown on Continental for something else already, she told me that ticket probably wouldn't count. In fact, she stressed that any ticket I bought with any your carriers wouldn't do. It had to be a specific price point and code. As per her instructions, I called back April 6th and spoke with Brandi who informed me that there had been a change by Air France in dates: April 30 was dropped and April 3 instated. She advised me to fax the company and tell them what I had been planning and that I needed to book the ticket asap. She said that they were evaluating exceptions on a case by case basis. On April 9th, I finally got a response to my email of April 3rd. In that email, Joana, another rep, told me to buy a ticket on Air France or its partners and that I would have 20 months instead of 36 to do so to get those miles back. On April 13th, I faxed a letter as recommended by Brandi. On April 15th, I called flying blue again to see what the status was of my request. On that date, the representative informed me that the case was open, but he couldn’t help me and would I please call back that afternoon or the next day? HE thought it would be settled then. I called again on April 17th, this time the representative said that she would speak to the person working on the case. Could I hold? She came back to tell me that the person working on the case informed her that he or she would contact me by phone the following week and not to call again. I was to wait for the phone call. When I asked if I should give my phone number to the agent, she said they had it already. No need.

On 4/21, I sent another email. This time Mattias told me that it would be another 5-7 days before they would fully process my case. Meanwhile, A week went by and no phone call. Surprise. On May 1, I called since I hadn't heard anything. The representative informed me that the case closed on 4/29 and that I was to buy a ticket with Air France before Sept 3 or with one of its affiliates in order to get my miles back. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, she said they were all at lunch. She asked if I could call back later. When I replied that this response wasn't acceptable, she recommended that I send another fax, detailing my dissatisfaction. I did send a fax on 5/1 doing just that.

Today, on 5/6, I logged on to my account to find that they had taken 500 more miles away from account! They had no reason for it except, "peremption." I was close to 50,000 miles and now I'm down to 860. When I called Flying Blue again, I was told by the rep that those remaining miles had expired even though it looked like they were punishing me for complaining about it.

When I asked to speak to a supervisor, she told me that she had been instructed to not "escalate" the call. Whoever told her this, told her I was not to speak to a supervisor! She also repeated that I should buy another ticket with Air France. She also said that Flying Blue was going to send me a letter explaining the changes in their program after they had already taken the miles, i.e. after the fact.

matshediso of coon rapids, MN May 12, 2009

I was booked on an air france flight 995 from johannesburg to paris on may 6th 2009. This was a connection fro a regional flight so I hd to get my boarding pass from the transit desk. I arrived at the desk at 1825. The flight was scheduled to leave at 1940. Upon arrival at the desk there were no agents by the air france desk. I asked the virgin atlantic agent who was right next door if she knew where the agent was and she said she stepped out but that I should wait and she will be back.

After about 10 minutes I asked if there was a phone so I call their office because I am on the next flight, the reply was again that the agent would have to make the call. Finally the agent came back at around 1843. By this time there were 4 or 5 other passengers behind me in line. I handed her my tickets and passport and told her I was on the next flight she told me it was closed and moved over to help the people behind me in line. Mind you some of them were on a later flight than mine but she still helped them first. When she was done with everyone but me she sat down and just ignored me.

So I asked her what I was supposed to do now that I had supposedly missed the one hour deadline for closing of the flight, she rudely replied that it was up to me what I did, it had nothing to do with her. I asked if there was someone else who might be able to help me to which she replied she doesn't know what I want because she had told me the flight was closed and what i did was up to me after which she sat down and again disregarded my presence, she called someone on her cellphone and started having a conversation in afrikaans with me standing in front of her by the desk, she kept mentioning kafir (derogatory term used for blacks during the apartheid era). At that point I decided to call my travel agent in Botswana, by now it was almost 2000 and the flight was gome, I had been standing in front of that desk for an hour and half.

My agent spoke to Ms Kapp and must have scared her because she then decided to phone the ticketing office and the lady on the line helped get a flight for me for the next day. So I had to spend the night in johannesburg at my expense and got on a flight 24hrs later. People like her should not be working in the travel industry, the world has changed, if she hates black people its sad because we travel as well.

The rest of the air france was very very apologetic and helpful the next day. I made it to my final destination over 24hrs later.

Lee of Cambridge, MA April 21, 2009

My boyfriend (Adam) and I were traveling in France, and had planned to go from Paris to Provance during our trip. We were initially planning on driving and had made a car rental reservation prior to leaving the US. However, while we were in Paris, Adam found an Air France flight, round trip from Paris to Marseille that was very inexpensive (292.84 euros for both of us). The website was in French, so we asked our concierge to translate the website. The fare was inexpensive because it was a couples fare,? which she translated to mean we had to be a couple but not married. There was a disclaimer that we may have to provide proof of our relationship, but did not say exactly how we could prove it. The concierge had never heard of a fare and was not sure what sort of documentation we might need. We booked the fare and when we got to the Paris airport, they did not ask us for any documentation of our relationship.

On our return in Marseille, they did ask us for proof of our relationship. The ticketing desk stated that we needed to have proof such a something showing the same address or an insurance card. When we told them that in Paris, they had let us through without documentation, the Air France representatives would not admit that a mistake was made in Paris. They told us Air France had given us a gift? by allowing us to fly from Paris to Marseille, but if we wanted to return, we would have to pay the difference in the fares (for a non-couple fare) of 340 euros. We explained that it was Air Frances mistake to let us through in Paris, and had they not we would have gotten a refund for the fare and driven as originally planned. However, because of the mistake that Air France made, we not only had no other way to get back to Paris, but we had to pay an extra 340 euros to get on the flight.

They would not make an exception for their mistake and no one took responsibility for the mistake. There was a manager (a man the representative we were speaking to called his leader?) who appeared not to speak any English, but seemed to have the authority to let us through. He did not speak one word to us except no, and the representative we spoke to did not seem to be translating everything we said, and insisted that the leader? understood what was going on. It also happened to be a holiday, and everyone at the ticketing desk told us there was no one else who could help us. We also tried to explain that even an engaged couple may not have proof? of their relationship if they are not living together. The website does not give specific examples of what sort of documentation might be adequate and the Air France representatives had no answer for us as to what sort of documentation an unmarried couple might provide. The actual condition of the fare (while ridiculous) is not what upset us. It was the fact that if they always require documentation of a relationship, it was clearly Air Francs mistake to let us on the plane in Paris, and Air France did nothing to rectify the mistake.

Not only did they not rectify the mistake, they would not even admit they made a mistake. The mistake Air France made cost us 340 euros. If they had prevented us from boarding in Paris, we would have understood. Once Air France made the mistake, however, we should have been allowed to travel on the return flight without further penalty. To top everything off, the representatives we spoke to refused to give us their names and only the leader? would give us his name (which I am not actually able to make out well, the best I can make it out is JC Blasco, Leadr Raspaf). They also could not give us a phone number to customer service but rather handed us an envelope. We are writing to Air France to request a refund of the 340 euros extra that we had to pay for the fare.

Sherif of Brossard, QC April 16, 2009

After using the Air France for more than 5 years I am very deceived and shocked by service quality which did not reach the expected standard and totally opposed to what I knew about Flying Blue. First I had a flight to Egypt in October 2007 which -I discovered by coincidence- has not been added to the balance of my miles though it was shown in the e-ticket. Second I received a very short notice regarding my miles expiry date, as I received [their] letter mid February 09 telling me that I have only till April 09 to use my miles. Third After calling customer service representatives to check the availability for the miles exchange in the month of March 09 I was wrongly informed that I have till end of April 09 to do that.

On April 13, 09 I called to make the necessary arrangements to exchange my miles, I was informed that I lost my miles on the 3rd of April as the company changed the regulations without prior notice! Also, since I was surprised by this action, the flying blue representative mentioned that I will find in the flying blues general conditions, a condition stating that the company has the right to change the dates without any prior notice. Even though, I found this statement not fair to the customer, The flying blue representative guided me via the web to the general conditions where we couldnt find this rule anywhere. He ended the conversation by saying: Sir, it is here somewhere and I wont stay and argue with you.. Now I need a quick curative action for my current situation as I am a loyal client for Air France and intend to be for the future unless Flying Blue doesnt really care about its clients and its reputation.

Mr A.j. Peterson of Pretoria, GA March 30, 2009

Upon arrival in Bangui I was told that my suitcase containing all my clothes and some food was left acciudently in Paris and that it would arrive only the following THursday, ie 7 days with only the clothes I had on.

I was told by AF in Bangui thatthe policy of AF has changed and that they no longer compensate any passenger. I was totally disadvanteg by AF and I had to suffer the consequences for 7 days without any clean clothes. Needlerss to say I had to spend extra money on food and a pair of sandals which I eventually gave away. The point of the matter is that AF seemed to have no problem whatsoever in telling me that there was absolutely nothing they could do to compensate me whilst in Bangui for their mistake/carelessness and I feel let down and want to warn future flyers that the same will happen to you.

Gabriela of Wirral, OTHER March 23, 2009

We noticed that my name in email ticket had my surname missing and only included for my name and middle name. My auntie and I phoned Air France the day before travelling at Manchester, but they stated that the name had to be changed in Venezuela where the ticket was bought. We were 20 miles from Manchester yet unable to make the change! We made calls to relative in Venezuela who subsequently made the changes and confirmed though not by emails.

The next day at Manchester airport, my auntie ended up buying for me, an extra ticket at the airport to be able to travel. Air France did not accept that a call was made (though they admitted the call had been logged) the day before to correct the error on missing surname. The electronic ticket stated that any air france ticket sales could be called which we did. In December 2008, my auntie had telephoned Air France in Manchester to change an error on my cousins tickets who had their name and middle name swapped without any problem. We were all travelling together to Venezuela on the 6 Feb 2009 for 3 weeks to visit our family there.

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