Frequent flyers can attest to the fact that service in the airline industry can be mixed at times. Some airline employees are very 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- The most unprofessional service I have ever had from an airline employee is what I experienced on Wednesday. This was the worst customer service experience I have had in a long time. Let me tell the story. We flew from New York to Milan and then SWISS from Milan to Nice. If the airlines have an interline agreement, you can check your bags through to your final destination even if you aren't flying with a partner. The decision as to whether or not to allow it will be made by the airline that operates the first segment. We left enough time in Milan so that we could pick up our bags and check them out. The only people who could figure out how to check our bags were the contract agents at the airport. There's nothing to worry about. When we arrived at the lounge, there were actual employees who were willing to check our bags for us. Even though our bags were already checked in, they said the bags could easily be re tagged. The bags are re tagged after check-in. They did that because the bags were tagged correctly. The new claim tag numbers were written on the baggage claim card, which should be fine since they couldn't reproduce the actual claim tag in the lounge. All you have to do is have that code. The bags would be tagged from this point onward. As a passenger, you should give the connecting airline your baggage claim card as soon as possible, so that they can add it to the system and load the bag. If the passenger hasn't told the airline of their intent to check a bag, the bag may not be loaded. We had plenty of time to spare after arriving at the lounge. I gave the baggage claim cards to the agent after I was admitted to the lounge. The conversation was similar to this. Me: “The correct claim tag numbers are the ones written on the right, since the bag was retagged to be onto this flight.”Agent: “If you don’t have this, I can’t do it” (pointing to the stickers with the barcode)Me: “But this was all done by Emirates, and the bag is currently tagged to be on these flights. Can’t you just enter the number so this is noted in your system?”Agent: “No, this isn’t my problem, it’s Emirates’ fault.”Me: “To be clear, the bag is tagged to be on this flight, but if you can’t enter it into your system, how is it supposed to be loaded onto the flight?”Agent: “This is Emirates’ problem, talk to them.”Me: “Emirates can’t update the tag number in your system. We have the claim number and it just needs to be entered into the system.”Agent: “I can’t do anything. Maybe you can go to the gate 10 minutes before departure and ask them.”Me: “But I’d like to handle this situation now, because if our bags aren’t going to be on this flight, we’re not going to take this flight either, as we’d like to then solve the problem here.”Agent: “There’s nothing I can do.”Me: “Okay, so if I don’t do anything further now, what’s going to happen to the bags?” Agent: “You don’t have the right tag, I can’t do anything.”Our checked bags should have been a non-issue
Things go south at the Lufthansa Lounge Milan
I took a break to think about the best approach to take. I thought I would try to see if there was a transit desk at the airport. Sadly, there wasn't.
I asked if I could speak to the station manager, because I wasn't getting the help I needed, after returning and speaking to the same agent.
She picked up the phone after rolling her eyes at me and someone picked up on the other end. I didn't understand everything but I heard her say "Signore Schlappig" and "Franco forte."
She said that they would try. I replied that I heard you mention my last name and that the bags are checked in my husband's name. She picked up the phone and said "Zurich" and "Beckett"
The barcode thing only makes it easier for airline employees to enter information and there are no implications beyond that. If the passenger indicates that they want to check a bag, the bag will only be loaded at the end of the day. Both of those requirements were met.
We went to the check-in desk since the lounge agent didn't want to help us. At check-in, we were told that our bags had been checked through from the airline.
She added the claim tag to the system after we showed her the tag. The SWISS app showed our bags. She did what she was supposed to do and this should not have been a problem.
We had to wait to get back through security and there was a lot of people waiting. It was worth it to make sure our bag made it.
We went back to the lounge for a short time before boarding. I didn't tell the lounge agent that her colleague checked our bags without issue because I was afraid she would try to get us to leave.
I stopped at the desk as we walked out of the lounge.
Me: “May I please have your first name?”Agent: “Me? Why?”Me: “Because I’d like to complain regarding the service you’ve provided.”Agent: “Why, because of your bag?”Me: “Yes.”
Agent: “My name is Maura. Just so you know, I spoke with the station manager, and he told me you gave me the incorrect information and your bag will not make it.”
With a big smile on her face, she made that last comment. She never tried to find us the correct information, but she was happy to know we wouldn't have bags. Normally airline lounges are supposed to offer superior customer service to what you would find in the terminal, never mind that Lufthansa is one of the world's finest five-star airlines.
I apologize to you, but our bags did not make it.
I don't like to name and shame, but the least helpful airline agent I've ever had is at the Lufthansa lounge Milan. She told us at the end of our visit that our bags wouldn't make it, a level of vindictiveness I haven't seen from an airline employee in years.
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