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An extraordinary, incredible example of customer service (yes, from an airline)

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Three times I tried to fill in my credit card details. Three times the site rejected them, insisting I should do the one thing no one wants to do these days: contact an airline's customer service line. Perhaps a couple of minutes went by, with no movement from the other end, when another call came in on my phone. I looked at my screen; it was a Portuguese number. (www.zdnet.com) More...

Bit Wonk
News junkiePromoter

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rowi
Rolf W. 0
>A fleeting moment of fantasy made me wonder what it would like if all airlines behaved this way, especially in the >US. Then I slapped my face and regained consciousness.

Not really better in Germany with Lufthansa. So sad that a major airline is not able to answer calls in any way when their anti-no-frills-website again doesn't do what it is supposed to.

So I'm still in the phase of slapping my face when waiting in the phone line again for hours just to hear that just in this time I call, the number of callers is extremely high.
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Flightdog
Roger Curtiss 4
Pretty sad that a report of receiving good customer service is considered to be "news"...but so it goes.
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user3956
user3956 1
Korean Air has been very good to me over the years. Whenever there is some sort of change they phone my number and leave a message describing it. They've also waived baggage fees for me when my bag was way over on weight, and they rescheduled me easily and without any charges when I missed a flight out of Manila. I'm always astonished by how well they handle these things, no complaints from me at all.
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chugheset
chugheset 4
It's a shame that good customer service has become such a rarity that when we actually receive it we feel compelled to shout it out to the world. If businesses recognized the value of a well-trained, properly compensated customer service staff, they would save millions on marketing gimmicks and/or compensation for poor treatment. This is a great story, thanks for posting it.
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joannindrieri
JO INDRIERI -1
Traveling to Cancun and return flights have already been cancelled, was able to book another return flight ! Is there a way to get information about flight cancellations through FlightAware?
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sprhvy
Dave Wilcox 1
Remembering the good old days with Continental. Give you an idea flew from Colorado Springs to Denver
in a DC3. Gee, they were all great people and treated a young Army guy with an incredible amount of niceness!
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wgromlich
Wes Gromlich 2
Recently completed PDX-HNL-PDX flight on Alaska Airlines and met the best flight attendant ever - Dorothy Daniels. Thank you for one of the best flights ever!
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stephenraustin
Stephen Austin 13
Delta in Colorado Springs set the high bar for customer service. An elderly woman with thick glasses had arrived from Phoenix and was looking for her dog. The baggage office found the dog but it was dead in its travel cage. The quick thinking manager texted the nearby pound and a suitable replacement was found. The dogs were swapped and presented to the woman. She gasped and asked "how did you do that?" The manager thought the jig was up but stayed mum. The woman continued "I was bringing my dog home to be buried and now he's alive and well!"
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CharlesMattina
Charles Mattina 3
Very similar story long ago on the NPR radio show CarTalk. This story may be morphing into urban legend.
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ukusa
Georgina Echols 1
I love this. Hahaha
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crc23
christine cain 2
I am laughing so hard! Love this! Thanks for sharing! 😂
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AZAFVET
Wayne Fox 7
Again, the small things and courtesy go along way with making long-term customers. Good on TAP and Andre.
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xairbusdriver
Jim Smirh 8
Dec 31, 2019; on a 'voyage' starting in Seam Reap, Cambodia. Wife gets sicker. Need to get back to U.S. ASAP! Go to Air Vietnam office. Cambodia will not allow them to accept CC, cash only!! Agent suggests using a local travel agent. 'Drives' me there on his motorcycle!! And returns on a couple of times to check on arrangements. Despite the American CC company shenanigans, we made it back to U.S. soil on Jan 1!! That agent is a bonafide Vietnamese Angel!!! ;+)
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xairbusdriver
Jim Smirh 6
Yes, the agent probably got a 'kickback' from the travel agency, but in my humble opinion, he earned it!! And the Agency earned their fees also!!
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[This poster has been suspended.]

adeej
Adrian Jenkins 1
My experience of Air New Zealand, as a New Zealander living in Auckland is not that good.
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bidrec
Richard Haas 2
Probably the indirect influence of David Neeleman.
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[This comment has been downvoted. Show anyway.]

ADXbear
ADXbear 9
It's a shame we are loosing the human to human touch so much than when it happens its time to print story and rejoice,
Companies should take note!
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godutch
godutch 7
Had booked myself in May on Delta to Cape Town stopping in Johannesburg. A month later, that flight was cancelled and my new itinerary had me stopping in Johannesburg with the Cape Town leg cancelled. When I tried to contact Delta, I was on hold for 2 hours and 23 minutes. I still have this time in my notes. I was assured they were hiring 'lots' of new agent by the agent that helped me rebook. Three months later, KLM cancelled the new routing from AMS to CPT and put me on the next day's AMS-CPT flight (meaning I would be stuck in AMS for a day). When I called to rebook, well, they HAD improved...from 2hr 23min to 1 hour and 20 minutes! Just wow! (Heavy sarcasm intended)
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ColinSeftel
Colin Seftel 20
I had a similar good experience with Qatar Airways in 2020. The day after my flight had been cancelled (due to COVID restrictions) a customer service agent called me to offer an alternate flight and routing, and after I accepted, he issued the new e-ticket intermediately.
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[This comment has been downvoted. Show anyway.]

rockingh0rse
Stuart Barkley 8
@avionik99,
How about we praise TAP instead?
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mikehe
Mike Hindson-Evans 7
Agreed. I remain convinced that there are more nice people in this world than the (*insert suitable derogatory term here*) who seem to grab the news - especially on "reality" (sic) television.

Just occasionally - like today's example of TAP Portugal - I see the underlying proof of my theory.
Happy New year all flightniks!
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serdyfsx12
JOE SERDYNSKI 16
wife and I have had a credit card for over 25 years, ask either of us who is the primary holder, we could not tell you . . . and really, don't think we would want to work for you . . .
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anav8r
Martie Williams 5
Joe, I was working lots of hours, my wife was a stay at home Mom when we moved to this house. so she made all the needed calls to get a phone, electric, water, etc.. She's also the one who made the application for credit cards for US, as they were becoming popular when we got married.
I discovered that NO ONE will talk to me when I wanted to change our contact phone number after we cancelled the land line recently. All of the online accounts I've set up with the CC companies tell me to get lost whenever I call about something. They will only speak to her, and now she is terminally ill.
I dread the situation I'll be facing down the road.As you've discovered, "joint accounts" aren't always that. In the meantime, I opened a couple of credit cards in just my name, and am migrating to them when I need to charge something.
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serdyfsx12
JOE SERDYNSKI 3
sorry to hear she is terminally ill, but she only needs to say it is alright for you talk and to have you put on the account, nothing really difficult, if she cannot talk, then you are on the right course, good luck
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ukusapkm07201942
Paul Miller -8
I wondered that myself Sir?
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