Flying to Naples: Horrible Customer Service Experience on Eurofly
Jun 20th, 2007, 04:00 PM
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Flying to Naples: Horrible Customer Service Experience on Eurofly
I just got back from 2 amazing weeks on the Amalfi Coast. I used this website to ask a lot of questions when planning my trip, and everyone was really helpful. I'm organizing some of the information I collected (transportation options, etc.) and plan to publish it online soon, so I can be helpful the way everyone was for me.
In the mean time, I really want to tell the following story. It's so rare to have a terrible customer service experience and for there to be an appropriate forum for venting about it.
I flew Eurofly from JFK to Naples (round trip). During the 2 weeks I was in Italy, my ticket was accidentally brought to the Naples airport by a family member who was flying home a week earlier than I was. The ticket was left it in the hands of a station manager (a Eurofly check-in-desk worker) who promised to get it to me the next week, when I was scheduled to fly home.
I wanted to speak with someone regarding this situation, rather than just show up at the airport with my fingers crossed that this person would be there, with my ticket waiting for me.
I spent 2 days and a ton of expensive international cell phone minutes dealing with a series of unhelpful and downright rude State-side employees at Eurofly.
When I called to try to get a number at the Naples airport for Eurofly, I was told rudely “There is no number”. (Dead silence, no offer to try to work around the problem, no hmm, “let me see what else we can do” kind of noises, just dead silence.)
When I tried to reemphasize my discomfort with just showing up at an airport with no ticket and no verbal confirmation that anyone knew about my situation, I was cut off with a rude “There is nothing I can do.”
Then I asked to speak with a supervisor, his name was Joe.
Joe may be the least professional, rudest and most patronizing customer service supervisor on earth. I re-explained my situation, and my hope that he could help me get in touch with someone at the Naples airport who I could confirm my unusual ticket situation with.
The conversation went something like the following:
“I can’t give you that phone number.”
“Why?”
“There is no number.”
“But I have the name of the person who has my ticket. When you call your employees in Naples, what number do you use?”
“We don’t have any employees in Naples.”
“But I have someone’s name, he has my ticket.”
“Yeah, well, they only think they’re employees, they’re really not.”
“Sir, do you understand my concern, that I would like to confirm that this person will be around with my ticket when I get there?”
“Ok, when exactly do you leave for Italy?”
“I am in Italy now. I fly home in three days. I want to speak with the person holding my ticket.”
“Why don’t you go to the airport now?”
?*!@%$
At this point, my cell phone cut out, and my brain liquefied.
Keeping my own frustration in check, I called back multiple times and asked questions. I tried to offer alternative solutions to my problem. I tried to get some explanation of why I needed the actual paper ticket, since I was on a flight manifest. Or, whether someone could email me or fax me a copy of the ticket. Or whether someone could email or fax me something (anything!) that showed that I did once have a ticket?
Each person I spoke with after this was ruder and and less helpful, usually speaking over me loudly, telling me in short rude statements that there was nothing they could do.
I gave up.
I went to the airport many many many hours early the day of my flight, in order to leave a window of time in case my fears were realized and my ticket was not on the scene.
Luckily my fears were not realized. The Eurofly employee (or not an employee?) who was holding my ticket (a very friendly and helpful Michele Fiorinelli) was there and I was able to check-in without incident.
That's is. That's my story. I won't fly Eurofly again ever.
In the mean time, I really want to tell the following story. It's so rare to have a terrible customer service experience and for there to be an appropriate forum for venting about it.
I flew Eurofly from JFK to Naples (round trip). During the 2 weeks I was in Italy, my ticket was accidentally brought to the Naples airport by a family member who was flying home a week earlier than I was. The ticket was left it in the hands of a station manager (a Eurofly check-in-desk worker) who promised to get it to me the next week, when I was scheduled to fly home.
I wanted to speak with someone regarding this situation, rather than just show up at the airport with my fingers crossed that this person would be there, with my ticket waiting for me.
I spent 2 days and a ton of expensive international cell phone minutes dealing with a series of unhelpful and downright rude State-side employees at Eurofly.
When I called to try to get a number at the Naples airport for Eurofly, I was told rudely “There is no number”. (Dead silence, no offer to try to work around the problem, no hmm, “let me see what else we can do” kind of noises, just dead silence.)
When I tried to reemphasize my discomfort with just showing up at an airport with no ticket and no verbal confirmation that anyone knew about my situation, I was cut off with a rude “There is nothing I can do.”
Then I asked to speak with a supervisor, his name was Joe.
Joe may be the least professional, rudest and most patronizing customer service supervisor on earth. I re-explained my situation, and my hope that he could help me get in touch with someone at the Naples airport who I could confirm my unusual ticket situation with.
The conversation went something like the following:
“I can’t give you that phone number.”
“Why?”
“There is no number.”
“But I have the name of the person who has my ticket. When you call your employees in Naples, what number do you use?”
“We don’t have any employees in Naples.”
“But I have someone’s name, he has my ticket.”
“Yeah, well, they only think they’re employees, they’re really not.”
“Sir, do you understand my concern, that I would like to confirm that this person will be around with my ticket when I get there?”
“Ok, when exactly do you leave for Italy?”
“I am in Italy now. I fly home in three days. I want to speak with the person holding my ticket.”
“Why don’t you go to the airport now?”
?*!@%$
At this point, my cell phone cut out, and my brain liquefied.
Keeping my own frustration in check, I called back multiple times and asked questions. I tried to offer alternative solutions to my problem. I tried to get some explanation of why I needed the actual paper ticket, since I was on a flight manifest. Or, whether someone could email me or fax me a copy of the ticket. Or whether someone could email or fax me something (anything!) that showed that I did once have a ticket?
Each person I spoke with after this was ruder and and less helpful, usually speaking over me loudly, telling me in short rude statements that there was nothing they could do.
I gave up.
I went to the airport many many many hours early the day of my flight, in order to leave a window of time in case my fears were realized and my ticket was not on the scene.
Luckily my fears were not realized. The Eurofly employee (or not an employee?) who was holding my ticket (a very friendly and helpful Michele Fiorinelli) was there and I was able to check-in without incident.
That's is. That's my story. I won't fly Eurofly again ever.
Jun 21st, 2007, 12:04 PM
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You shouldn't complain. You received your ticket-that's the bottom line. People should take responsibility for their action, and not pass the blame on anyone else. You goofed, and luckily someone bailed you out. Be happy!
Jun 21st, 2007, 12:44 PM
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I also don't see what the big deal is. Most airlines will be reluctant to give out employee's phone numbers. And Eurofly probably really doesn't have their own employee at NAP, with their few times a week schedule; only contract workers.
And like Waldo says, they did OP a small favor, and she got your ticket. Not sure why OP was so upset.
And like Waldo says, they did OP a small favor, and she got your ticket. Not sure why OP was so upset.
Jun 21st, 2007, 12:51 PM
#5
Aaper ticket is like money - you lose it - you lost it. IMHO you were VERY lucky to get it back. All the phone calls may have been frustrating - but I think they went above and beyond to be sure you got the ticket. Who was the nitwit relative who took your ticket in the first place? S/he is who you should be angry w/.
Jun 21st, 2007, 01:00 PM
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To JerryS--You just don't get the point. Leighmaida was CERTAINLY complaining about Eurofly. Read her entry. She said they were horrible. She should kiss the ground that her ticket was saved by someone from Eurofly after she made a mistake. I don't know about you, but if my ticket was in the hands of someone I had never met, didn't know who they were,and I had absolutely no control of the situation, I would go bananas. Be real- accept the blame for the predicament in which you had placed yourself. Don't pass it off and then complain about it.
Jun 21st, 2007, 02:15 PM
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There's no excuse for the attitude & smart alecky answers from the so-called customer service reps. They are probably the ones who are not really employees of Eurofly - probably work at an outsourced tele-center. Management is all in Italy if you want to find someone to complain to. Check the UK or Italian version of company website to find a link to an org chart.
Jun 21st, 2007, 02:28 PM
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I think you are very lucky to have someone at the airport hold your ticket for a while just because you or the relative took the wrong ticket. I wouldn't trust that and think you should have gone to the airport to get them back from them.
Actually, if you read the US Eurofly responses neutrally, they aren't that smart alecky at all. They just said there was no number at the airport to give them, they didn't have employees right there with a phone number (which doesn't surprise me) you can reach them, the employees think they are but are not (which sounds like they are contract workers, and not employed directly by Eurofly, why is that so surprising) and why don't you go to the airport now to see what you can find? I don't think any of those responses were smart-alecky in the slightest, and were fairly good advice, actually. Really, some customer is careless and gives their ticket away to a relative who takes it somewhere else, and this is Eurofly's fault?
Actually, if you read the US Eurofly responses neutrally, they aren't that smart alecky at all. They just said there was no number at the airport to give them, they didn't have employees right there with a phone number (which doesn't surprise me) you can reach them, the employees think they are but are not (which sounds like they are contract workers, and not employed directly by Eurofly, why is that so surprising) and why don't you go to the airport now to see what you can find? I don't think any of those responses were smart-alecky in the slightest, and were fairly good advice, actually. Really, some customer is careless and gives their ticket away to a relative who takes it somewhere else, and this is Eurofly's fault?
Jun 21st, 2007, 05:02 PM
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Agree - you're very lucky the ticket was there - and should be mad as hell at the idiot relative that took it with them. And why did they leave it at the airport? They should have arranged to get it back to you (if they had a week before you were returning there had to be several choices - express mail, FedEx or similar - so you would have the ticket in your hand - and not have to trust to the good graces of people who are just contrct workers with the airline.)
What your relative did was the equivalent of seeing they had your wallet by mistake and leaving it with the checker in the supermarket for you to pick up at some later date - instead of dropping it off at your house - or FedExing it to you. Then - you call the Manager - who has no idea what you're talking about, and start asking for the home phone numbers of the checkers. See - it doesn;t make sense! He did;t cause the problem and doesn;t want to give out confidential info - why should he?)
What your relative did was the equivalent of seeing they had your wallet by mistake and leaving it with the checker in the supermarket for you to pick up at some later date - instead of dropping it off at your house - or FedExing it to you. Then - you call the Manager - who has no idea what you're talking about, and start asking for the home phone numbers of the checkers. See - it doesn;t make sense! He did;t cause the problem and doesn;t want to give out confidential info - why should he?)
Jun 21st, 2007, 07:51 PM
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Let's see if I got this right.
Instead of Fed-Exing your ticket to your hotel, your relative left it with a really nice man who probably broke the rules to get you your ticket.
Then you call and expect the whole airline company to bend over backwards to help you.
Why do you think that the customer service person wouldn't help you?
Do you think that Eurofly is a family run business with the customer service staff selling airline tickets on the floor like bananas?
Or could it possibly be a larger company where the customer service people are in a different location?
It is possible that after hearing your story that Joe thought you were some nut or stalking or worse.
Really, think about it, how often do you think that guy hears a story like this?
Now, because no good deed goes unpunished, you have posted poor Michele Fiorinelli name on the internet in connection with a post warning people off of Eurofly. Hopefully, someone in his company that knows him does not read this and show it to the boss. This is exactly why companies have rules and policies about things that they require employees to adhere too.
I hope you gave that guy a really big tip or at least the cost of the Fed-ex mailer you should have used in the first place.
The least you could have done was posted about what a great company Eurofly is to have a guy like this working for them.
Jun 28th, 2007, 06:18 AM
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So, how was Eurofly anyway as far as the flight experience?
I was looking for feedback on Eurofly for my own travel to Italy and I found this. Doesn't sway me one way or another. Except to think how kind it was of the Naples rep to hold onto the ticket for the week. I am sure that the Naples rep was stressed and nervous about being responsible for this ticket. I know I would be if this was not part of my job.
I was looking for feedback on Eurofly for my own travel to Italy and I found this. Doesn't sway me one way or another. Except to think how kind it was of the Naples rep to hold onto the ticket for the week. I am sure that the Naples rep was stressed and nervous about being responsible for this ticket. I know I would be if this was not part of my job.
