Iberia Airline – The Journey from Hell
I went to Brazil to see my family for the festive season. I had not been home for 18months and despite of the expensive fares I bought a flight through the Iberia website leaving 13th December 2009, returning 4th January 2010. At £941, it was the cheapest fare I could find which is not to say it was cheap. My booking reservation came as:
Datos del los vuelos /Flight data
Origen/DestinoOrigin/Destination
VueloFlight SalidaDeparture LlegadaArrival No válidoNot Valid TarifaFare FranquiciaBaggage EstadoStatus
Desde /FromLondres (LHR)A /ToBarcelona (BCN) IB7461 13DEC16:20 Terminal 3 13DEC19:20 Terminal 1 Antes de /BeforeDespués /After Clase /ClassO 2 Piezas ConfirmadoConfirmed
Operado por /Operated by British AirwaysBase Tarifa /Fare Basis OLAP0GB
Desde /FromBarcelona (BCN)A /ToSao Paulo (GRU) IB6827 13DEC20:45 Terminal 1 14DEC07:55 Terminal 1 Antes de /BeforeDespués /After Clase /ClassO 2 Piezas ConfirmadoConfirmed
Base Tarifa /Fare Basis OLAP0GB
Desde /FromSao Paulo (GRU)A /ToMadrid (MAD) IB6820 04JAN21:30 Terminal 1 05JAN10:30 Terminal 4S Antes de /Before20DECDespués /After Clase /ClassH 2 Piezas ConfirmadoConfirmed
Base Tarifa /Fare Basis HLPX5GB
Desde /FromMadrid (MAD)A /ToLondres (LHR) IB3164 05JAN13:15 Terminal 4 05JAN14:35 Terminal 3 Antes de /Before20DECDespués /After Clase /ClassH 2 Piezas ConfirmadoConfirmed
Base Tarifa /Fare Basis HLPX5GB
When I did my Check-in, the machine printed 3 boarding passes; one London – Barcelona, and 2 Barcelona – Sao Paulo leaving at different times and with different seats. I thought that was very strange and so did the BA employee who suggested I verified it at the Iberia counter. I went there and I was told that the reason why that had happened was because I had to do another stop in Madrid. From the reservation details shown above I never imagined I had 2 connection flights. I asked if that was a last minute change on their part and I was told that I had chosen a “cheap” fare therefore I chose to make two stops. I was furious at the misleading sale Iberia made; if Madrid was already part of the reservation then why did I get 2 boarding passes saying Barcelona – Sao Paulo? Mostly, I felt they insulted my intelligence and they did not even have the manners to apologize for the misunderstanding.
I got on with my trip with the extra stop. When I boarded from Barcelona to Madrid, the 2 boarding passes got ripped by Iberia staff. Once in Madrid, boarding to Sao Paulo, they asked why that boarding pass was already ripped. I told them what had been done. Then they checked what I believed to be the passenger’s list and let me through. Following that, oddly enough, just before the plane was ready to leave they came to verify if I was on the plane and on my seat.
Once I arrived in Sao Paulo, I waited for my luggage for about an hour when my name was called to go to the Iberia counter. I knew then my suitcase had not arrived. The employee informed me my luggage had stayed at one of my connection points. He added that it had already been identified and it would be there that evening; it would be delivered to me at my home town the next day. The next day I called to find out how things were developing. I was told that there was no record of me being on that flight; I argued the stupidity of me calling with a reference number if I was not on that flight. Then they found me, but they had no idea where my luggage was. Two days went by until I realise that the employee who made the lost baggage procedure document copied the wrong luggage tag number. Once I told them that they found it and I was told it would be delivered to me on 17th. I waited all day and by 9pm I called the delivery company for information. They told me it would be with me the next day. It did arrive on 18th but on their records it had been delivered the day before at 5:30pm. I asked if I could have a copy of the delivery document and I was told I had to photocopy it if I wanted to have it. I did so and asked him to stamp, sign and date it.
On the way back, I arrived at the airport over 3 hours before my flight. The check-in area was still closed but there was a line already. Some passengers had come from elsewhere in Brazil and had been there a while. When they were about to start check-in the system crashed so everyone who was already tired and irritable had to wait a while longer. After a while, one of the Iberia staff shouted that everyone should have their passports in hand to facilitate the process. When one of the irritated passengers complained they were being too slow, she answered in a rather rude manner that it was not their problem but a problem at the airport, therefore, if he wished to complain he should complain at the airport staff. The lack of manners shocked me once again.
Once I checked-in I was informed there was one hour delay on departure. When I went through the gates and as time went by, there was no information about the flight anywhere and no Iberia staff to offer advice. Passengers were all confused and they started to stick together with people they recognised from the check-in line. Finally, at 10:10pm there was an announcement boarding would start. The flight left at 11:15pm, 1 hour and 45 minutes late. When I arrived in Madrid I had just enough time to make my connection to London.
To close this journey with a golden key, once again my luggage was not delivered. I am still waiting for it. I also just started the process of reimbursement for the days I was without a suitcase and once my suitcase arrives here I will have to start another process since it is a separate occasion.
The question I ask is when has paying almost a thousand pounds for a flight become insufficient for a standard service? Since when has flying become a favour they offer people rather than a service? Every passenger had some complaint about Iberia; there was one person who complained he was too cold in the plane and the flight attendant implied he had a temperature problem!
One thing I have not heard from them once was apologising. They always have an excuse to say why it was not their fault. It even made me wonder whether Iberia employees are instructed not to apologize under any circumstances just in case they may have a legal liability if they admit to be at fault! How can they get away with such poor customer service? Are there no regulations at how far bellow standards a company can operate under? If they are providing a service people pay for, should they not be, at least, polite and present good manners? I suppose the only good thing about the £941 I paid Iberia is that I got to Brazil and back alive. Should I be thankful for that?
Juliana Moraes
I went to Brazil to see my family for the festive season. I had not been home for 18months and despite of the expensive fares I bought a flight through the Iberia website leaving 13th December 2009, returning 4th January 2010. At £941, it was the cheapest fare I could find which is not to say it was cheap. My booking reservation came as:
Datos del los vuelos /Flight data
Origen/DestinoOrigin/Destination
VueloFlight SalidaDeparture LlegadaArrival No válidoNot Valid TarifaFare FranquiciaBaggage EstadoStatus
Desde /FromLondres (LHR)A /ToBarcelona (BCN) IB7461 13DEC16:20 Terminal 3 13DEC19:20 Terminal 1 Antes de /BeforeDespués /After Clase /ClassO 2 Piezas ConfirmadoConfirmed
Operado por /Operated by British AirwaysBase Tarifa /Fare Basis OLAP0GB
Desde /FromBarcelona (BCN)A /ToSao Paulo (GRU) IB6827 13DEC20:45 Terminal 1 14DEC07:55 Terminal 1 Antes de /BeforeDespués /After Clase /ClassO 2 Piezas ConfirmadoConfirmed
Base Tarifa /Fare Basis OLAP0GB
Desde /FromSao Paulo (GRU)A /ToMadrid (MAD) IB6820 04JAN21:30 Terminal 1 05JAN10:30 Terminal 4S Antes de /Before20DECDespués /After Clase /ClassH 2 Piezas ConfirmadoConfirmed
Base Tarifa /Fare Basis HLPX5GB
Desde /FromMadrid (MAD)A /ToLondres (LHR) IB3164 05JAN13:15 Terminal 4 05JAN14:35 Terminal 3 Antes de /Before20DECDespués /After Clase /ClassH 2 Piezas ConfirmadoConfirmed
Base Tarifa /Fare Basis HLPX5GB
When I did my Check-in, the machine printed 3 boarding passes; one London – Barcelona, and 2 Barcelona – Sao Paulo leaving at different times and with different seats. I thought that was very strange and so did the BA employee who suggested I verified it at the Iberia counter. I went there and I was told that the reason why that had happened was because I had to do another stop in Madrid. From the reservation details shown above I never imagined I had 2 connection flights. I asked if that was a last minute change on their part and I was told that I had chosen a “cheap” fare therefore I chose to make two stops. I was furious at the misleading sale Iberia made; if Madrid was already part of the reservation then why did I get 2 boarding passes saying Barcelona – Sao Paulo? Mostly, I felt they insulted my intelligence and they did not even have the manners to apologize for the misunderstanding.
I got on with my trip with the extra stop. When I boarded from Barcelona to Madrid, the 2 boarding passes got ripped by Iberia staff. Once in Madrid, boarding to Sao Paulo, they asked why that boarding pass was already ripped. I told them what had been done. Then they checked what I believed to be the passenger’s list and let me through. Following that, oddly enough, just before the plane was ready to leave they came to verify if I was on the plane and on my seat.
Once I arrived in Sao Paulo, I waited for my luggage for about an hour when my name was called to go to the Iberia counter. I knew then my suitcase had not arrived. The employee informed me my luggage had stayed at one of my connection points. He added that it had already been identified and it would be there that evening; it would be delivered to me at my home town the next day. The next day I called to find out how things were developing. I was told that there was no record of me being on that flight; I argued the stupidity of me calling with a reference number if I was not on that flight. Then they found me, but they had no idea where my luggage was. Two days went by until I realise that the employee who made the lost baggage procedure document copied the wrong luggage tag number. Once I told them that they found it and I was told it would be delivered to me on 17th. I waited all day and by 9pm I called the delivery company for information. They told me it would be with me the next day. It did arrive on 18th but on their records it had been delivered the day before at 5:30pm. I asked if I could have a copy of the delivery document and I was told I had to photocopy it if I wanted to have it. I did so and asked him to stamp, sign and date it.
On the way back, I arrived at the airport over 3 hours before my flight. The check-in area was still closed but there was a line already. Some passengers had come from elsewhere in Brazil and had been there a while. When they were about to start check-in the system crashed so everyone who was already tired and irritable had to wait a while longer. After a while, one of the Iberia staff shouted that everyone should have their passports in hand to facilitate the process. When one of the irritated passengers complained they were being too slow, she answered in a rather rude manner that it was not their problem but a problem at the airport, therefore, if he wished to complain he should complain at the airport staff. The lack of manners shocked me once again.
Once I checked-in I was informed there was one hour delay on departure. When I went through the gates and as time went by, there was no information about the flight anywhere and no Iberia staff to offer advice. Passengers were all confused and they started to stick together with people they recognised from the check-in line. Finally, at 10:10pm there was an announcement boarding would start. The flight left at 11:15pm, 1 hour and 45 minutes late. When I arrived in Madrid I had just enough time to make my connection to London.
To close this journey with a golden key, once again my luggage was not delivered. I am still waiting for it. I also just started the process of reimbursement for the days I was without a suitcase and once my suitcase arrives here I will have to start another process since it is a separate occasion.
The question I ask is when has paying almost a thousand pounds for a flight become insufficient for a standard service? Since when has flying become a favour they offer people rather than a service? Every passenger had some complaint about Iberia; there was one person who complained he was too cold in the plane and the flight attendant implied he had a temperature problem!
One thing I have not heard from them once was apologising. They always have an excuse to say why it was not their fault. It even made me wonder whether Iberia employees are instructed not to apologize under any circumstances just in case they may have a legal liability if they admit to be at fault! How can they get away with such poor customer service? Are there no regulations at how far bellow standards a company can operate under? If they are providing a service people pay for, should they not be, at least, polite and present good manners? I suppose the only good thing about the £941 I paid Iberia is that I got to Brazil and back alive. Should I be thankful for that?
Juliana Moraes