BMI Baby - very customer unfriendly!

cazziebo

I know that anyone dares complain about budget airlines are subjecting themselves to flaming here but I'm really annoyed at my experience of BMI Baby.

Our secretary books all our flights and we get an email telling us confirmation number etc. We usually use BA, Easyjet and Flybe. This time I was going to Cardiff so BMI Baby. Night before the flight I look out the email for online check in and get this

Hi


Thanks for choosing to fly with bmibaby and welcome aboard! We don’t issue tickets, so all you have to do is produce your booking reference and photographic identification at the check-in desk. If you’ve booked lounge access, don’t forget to print your lounge passes. Keep up to date with our latest promotions and special offers by registering your email address. Click here to sign up. Have a great trip!

Nowhere on the email does it say about on line check in. There is a note that says the check in desks open 30 minutes before departure. So in the morning I go to the checkin desk "£12 please" to check in at the desk!! :eek: I knew why the two chaps in front of me had been complaining. You then have to leave the check in queue, go to the sales desk, queue there, then return to the check in queue.

To be fair, I did know about the one bag rule, but most airlines mean one handbag as well as one piece of baggage. Got to the departure gate, and I was told I'd be charged £12 for two pieces of baggage! Thankfully, my handbag fits into my rucksack (although she then asked me to prove it still fitted in the luggage measure!). On the way back, the attendants at the gate prowled like something out of Prisoner Cell Block H looking for ways to make their £12.

Awful. Yes they have to make money, but this is no way to treat customers.

M4RKM

hmm... http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/html/en/splash.htm right hand side of the page, - online check in -

so that's easy enough to find with 10 seconds research, obviously not spelt out in black and white, so could be confusing for a first time flyer with that company.

http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/en/index.aspx?p=718

gives you all the details on the baggage allowances, and says - 1 carry on.

most non budget airlines, allow 1 carry on, plus one personal item, however bmibaby/ryanair etc do not have that rule.

At least you'll know next time, and it is perfectly acceptable to treat customers in a way where you pay for what you want, rather than charging every customer the same, even though some of them won't use the features!

M

cazziebo

But they can be a bit nicer - that doesn't cost anything!

Point is, I didn't book the flight myself and there is no reminder on the confirmation email about online check in - as all the other budget airlines I use do.

But yes, I'll know next time...

ceejayblue

cazziebo wrote: »

I

To be fair, I did know about the one bag rule, but most airlines mean one handbag as well as one piece of baggage. Got to the departure gate, and I was told I'd be charged £12 for two pieces of baggage! Thankfully, my handbag fits into my rucksack (although she then asked me to prove it still fitted in the luggage measure!). On the way back, the attendants at the gate prowled like something out of Prisoner Cell Block H looking for ways to make their £12.

Awful. Yes they have to make money, but this is no way to treat customers.

Since 9/11 the one bag rule has always meant just one bag. We usually fly Easyjet and you cannot (except if the staff are not sticking to the rules) take a handbag and another piece of hand luggage ie, rucksack, holdall, shopping bag etc, on board with you. I have a CPAP machine which I used to be able to take on as an additional piece of hand luggage because it is medical equipment. Now I can only take that bag and have to put everything else in around my machine so that I can take it on board with me.

I know that sometimes it is possible to get away with taking a handbag and another bag (usually on the way back from holiday the world and his wife seem to have at least 2 bags each but little old me still gets on with just one!) but by the time you add in all the duty free stuff people get and take into the cabin the lockers get full really quickly.

Unfortunately I think all budget airlines are trying to get as much money out of people as they can and charging for check in is one way.

I've never flown BMI as they don't fly to Malaga from Gatwick, but got one of their BMI Baby loyalty cards just in case they ever do. Had a call yesterday from someone saying how they valued my custom and offered me an American Express credit card in return for free airmiles!

LesD

cazziebo wrote: »

Our secretary books all our flights

Perhaps you should be complaining to your secretary for not having held your hand better

mymatebob

bmibaby - worst airline I have ever flown with - no customer service to speak of, and I will never ever use them again.

Sorry just a mini-rant, but they are scum.
(IMO)