And Another Thing: British Air and Behavior Mod

Yeah, I'm mad at 'em. I realize that in the big scheme of things, divorce, alcoholism, rape, sexual molestation, child abuse, domestic violence, that this is really, really shallow. But as they say EVERYWHERE on the blogosphere, it's my blog.

And British Air so deserves this.

How silly of me to think that I could use the 26, 000 plus miles I'd racked up over the years to book a trip to go to my niece's wedding. It looks like the miles have expired.

Huh? What kind of nonsense is that! How can miles expire?!?!

So I called customer service. I waited quite awhile, actually, but a customer service representative eventually answered the phone. I could tell by the superior affect in his tone from the start that I wasn't going to get anywhere. But I teach assertiveness, right? So I have to practice once in awhile.

Me: Oh, hello. Maybe you can tell me why you cancelled 26,000 of my miles. The web site says they're expired. I just flew British Air in 2004.

Customer Service Representative: Oh, you know, there are rules. Do you know the rules?

Me: Huh?

CSR: Well, you and the other 2 people on your Executive Club card would have to have flown British Air within the last 36 months or you would lose your miles.

Me: Well that's a little severe.

CSR: Those are the rules. You'd be surprised (he sounded gleeful, honest) how many people don't KNOW the rules. Why, just the other day I had to tell a customer who had thousands more miles than you did that she just didn't know the rules, which is why she lost her miles.

Me: You're sounding a little unsympathetic, you know, like you have an attitude. You could be nicer to customers. I'm grieving here.

CSR: I'm sorry but you should have read the fine print.

Me: You know, I fly a lot. Most of the airlines aren't this punitive. It makes me think I shouldn't fly British Air anymore.

CSR: That's your choice.

Me: You don't care?!!

CSR: It's not for me to care or not.

Me: Aren't you a customer service representative?

CSR: Yes.

Me: Well doesn't that mean you're on my team? I'm the customer.

CSR: I have to explain to the customer the way things work, how we enforce our policies.

Me: Not why you have the policy.

CSR: No, not really why we have the policy, but the policy.

Me: Then you're really a British Air representative, not a customer representative.

CSR: No, I'm a customer service representative. I'm here to help you.

Me: So help me. Restore my miles.

CSR: I'm afraid I can't do that.

Me: I'm not asking you to do anything illegal.

CSR: That would be against our policy if we restored your miles once they've expired. But let me look up your account. (He did, and then he tut, tutted, made those funny smacking noises.)
No, you haven't flown since 2004 so your miles have expired. Unless, of course, you have flown but didn't report the trips to us.

Me: Well, one of us flew in 2007.

CSR: But didn't use the frequent flyer number?

Me: It's quite possible.

CSR: He only had 30 days to report the number, if that was the case.

Me: Well, that's passed.

CSR: See? People have to learn to read.

Me: What a terrible way to talk to me! I can read. Do you think I can't read?

CR: Well, I would imagine you can, but you didn't read the rules when you signed up for the Executive Club.

Me: Can you read?

CR: Yes, of course.

Me: Good, then read my blog. What did you say your name was again?

Actually, I didn't say that. I didn't say, Good, then read my blog. What did you say your name was again? I didn't intimidate him. I hung up on him. Slammed down the phone, actually.

I'm hoping I hear from people who Google British Airways (though that's unlikely). But for me, B.A. will be an absolute last resort next time I travel overseas. They need MUCH better customer service. I think I'll e-mail them and tell them so.

The truth? I have to tell you. I'm not really a big complainer, even though I've started to complain a little with this And Another Thing feature. The feature's really just to draw attention to things I find unfair, or to things I think people should consider doing. It's more of an opinion piece than a rant. Fact is, I'm pretty happy with what I've got, the good and the bad, and I give most people the benefit of the doubt.

But when I put kids on behavior mod programs in therapy, the first thing I tell their parents is, you give a kid a point, you DON'T take it away. It's just not allowed. It's morally wrong to give, and then take away. In my world, that is. And I do live in a kid's world half of the time.

So British Air? You can't giveth and taketh away. It's just not right.

Meanwhile, friends, if you have miles with British Air?

You know the rules. Fly. Or better yet, let 'em expire. Fly another airline.

And B.A.? You still have time to change those very uptight, British rules. Come on, seriously. Is this necessary?

TherapyDoc