tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24931111.post5264340515813022055..comments2007-08-29T13:18:17.850-04:00George Ajjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612712192396564761noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24931111.post-52707796462154920342007-08-29T13:18:00.000-04:002007-08-29T13:18:00.000-04:00George, <BR/><BR/>Wouldn't it be easier to FedEx the unnecessary stuff ahead? How much does anyone really need between destinations?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24931111.post-16704948215534474712007-08-12T02:55:00.000-04:002007-08-12T02:55:00.000-04:00BA would ALWAYS leave my luggage stuck when I had to transit thru Heathrow.<BR/>Now I only travel between Europe and Damascus and allow me a plug for Syrianair : its prices are among the cheapest, for excess luggage they sometimes look the other way. OK, there is no caviar not even in first class but the staff is friendly and planes leave and arrive on time.<BR/>George, I would not give up; it is a lot of money.anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548578444984354447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24931111.post-30013219079707739702007-07-20T09:55:00.000-04:002007-07-20T09:55:00.000-04:00The marvels of British customer service from a country where even breathing can be made difficult.Wassimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06826378383173206624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24931111.post-20130115210670965502007-07-19T20:02:00.000-04:002007-07-19T20:02:00.000-04:00Just in case you're not checking comments on older posts, here is what I just wrote after watching your television appearance.<BR/><BR/><BR/>George, I hope my comment here will not sound patronizing because this is the last thing on my mind. I want to say a couple of things after having seen your television performance, now that I'm catching up on your blog. <BR/><BR/>First, as a media expert myself (having given hundreds of interviews), let me say how great you looked and sounded. You married form and content perfectly, especially in the second segment which was a lot more difficult to argue. You knew when to smile, when to look more serious, and when to stress points. I think you're going to have a great future as a politician - and that's just judging from your approach.<BR/><BR/>Second, you managed to rise above the partisan defense line, although in effect you're saying that the war on Iraq is illegal even in American terms. You probably convinced a lot of people with your warmth and your sincere approach that there's more than meets the eye. From a media point of view (not from a political one, where I would probably disagree with a few points), you were excellent.<BR/><BR/>Do you realize that I am actually going on the record, probably for the first time ever, to support a Republican? :)Rimehttp://www.rimeallaf.com/mosaics/index.phpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24931111.post-50534282772359185002007-07-19T18:03:00.000-04:002007-07-19T18:03:00.000-04:00Rime, you never fail to make me laugh. :)<BR/><BR/>In fact, my first experience with BMED was a flight from London to Damascus in 2003, which put me on the ground 6 days before my luggage! In that case, they compensated me with frequent flyer miles and I was satisfied.<BR/><BR/>In this case, yes indeed I did issue a very stern warning to them and appealed in both hard and soft ways to their common sense (you'd think) about what might happen when a customer gets annoyed enough. The fact that I have been complaining about this for months should have indicated to them that I won't go down quietly.<BR/><BR/>To no avail. It's very foolish on their part. By giving me vouchers they could have assured future revenues, and had me boasting about them instead of badmouthing them.<BR/><BR/>$1,000 for a piece of luggage to fly in a near-empty cargo hold. Amazing. And plenty more will be hearing about it...George Ajjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612712192396564761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24931111.post-12650245928037406012007-07-19T17:48:00.000-04:002007-07-19T17:48:00.000-04:00George, such stories really annoy me and I go through similar experiences regularly here. Nobody who has experienced the American concept of customer service can ever be satisfied in Britain, where it simply does not exist. <BR/><BR/>I have had near screaming matches with what I would consider robots who refused to depart from the guidelines when there was a problem. Unfortunately, the only times I got across was when I actually raised my voice and threatened action unless something I requested was done. <BR/><BR/>Your letter to the CEO may have been too polite; you might want to reconsider a much stronger stance, and threaten to make this shameful treatment of a loyal customer public through your extensive network of colleagues in the US and in Africa.<BR/><BR/>Now you got me all worked up about them all: BA, BT, Thames, British Gas ... <BR/><BR/>Sasa, you would think hand luggage would be the solution, but have you noticed the hassle in Heathrow? Even before all this, a couple of years ago on a business trip to Dublin, I had just hand luggage (one night's stay) which included some clothes and my laptop without its case. They weighed it at the counter and declared it was too heavy for hand luggage (couple of kilos). But I don't have any other luggage, I pointed. Tough. They made me carry my laptop without its case and forced me to check the luggage.<BR/><BR/>With all my travels, I sometimes miss the chaos of Damascus airport!<BR/><BR/>Sorry for hogging the blog George. :)Rimehttp://www.rimeallaf.com/mosaics/index.phpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24931111.post-56711443590834830512007-07-19T16:49:00.000-04:002007-07-19T16:49:00.000-04:00Ouch!<BR/><BR/>Alternatively, just travel with hand luggage like I do ;)<BR/><BR/>Ok, not very practical for a one month stay, although you might be surprised.<BR/><BR/>I have a fight with Eurostar (about a ticketing mistake which cost me $600)...so I can imagine how angry you are.<BR/><BR/>S.sasahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11768949840709111768noreply@blogger.com