BA Customer Service - Premium Rate Number

Dom462

I would like to get some advice regarding an issue with British Airways customer service, where I have been charged £35 premium rate charge on my mobile bill when trying to speak!to them via phone.
I tried to make a booking through their website, but it wouldn't let me book the routes I needed as it was complex being a multi-city flight. So I looked for the customer service number on their website. I phoned the customer service number relating to bookings, I was on the line for 50 minutes, no information about queue length, ringback service or anything. At that point I had to give up. I phoned the next day, the same number, after five minutes was able to leave a message for them to ring back. They did and I was able to make my booking over the phone, the agent said I would not be charged any booking fees as I should have been able to complete it online.
Several weeks later I looked at my phone bill, £35 of premium rate charges for the two calls! For ringing a customer service line!
I contacted BA to make a complaint and I get the following response:
"Thanks for letting us know what happened when you tried to call us.!!I completely understand how frustrating it is when you need to speak to us and you can’t get through, especially as you had to wait for long time.
We know it’s really important that we’re there for you when you need us and there are times when you have to speak to us.!!I’m so sorry we didn’t offer you the service you expected and I absolutely agree we let you down.
We work hard to make sure we have enough staff members on duty to answer calls, but during busy periods, it can be hard to predict how many calls we’ll receive.!!We’ve introduced a local rate number, which our passengers are using to get through to other departments.!!This means we’re receiving a lot of calls that need to be transferred to the correct team and our call queues are higher than expected.!!Our Management team in Customer Relations are aware of the impact this is having, and we’re currently looking for ways to improve our service.You’ve mentioned you’re worried about the cost of your call.!!We’ve introduced a local rate number which is 0344 493 0787.!!Please feel free to use this number next time you call us.!!We appreciate your feedback as it’s only through your comments we’re able to focus on areas where we need to improve."
This does not help me with dealing with these charges.!It is basically "we agree we are rubbish, we agree we let you down, we are not helping you recover your charges, but in the unlikely event you ever need to ring us again here is another number (that we don't advertise) you can ring to avoid further charges.
How should I proceed? Were these charges even legal?

BoGoF

Your copy and paste job is almost unreadable.

Yes they are legal. What was the actual number you phoned. A quick Google gave me a number that would be free ( on my call package anyway)

Dom462

The number was 08444930787

Sorry I've edited the post now to put it back to normal colours.

powerful_Rogue

To be fair, it does state right underneath the number:

0844 493 0787 option 2
Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company's access charge

davidmcn

BA don't know what tariff applies to your calls, so it's up to you to figure that out before deciding to phone them. Not aware of any reason why it wouldn't be legal.

powerful_Rogue

From the 13th June 2014 it was illegal to provide an 0844 (amongst others) number for post sales customer service.

As this was pre-sales - They have done nothing wrong.

Dom462

OK thank you. I wasn't aware of the other number, I went off their customer service page.

I could have accepted a reasonable wait and ultimately a reasonable charge. I just find it unacceptable that I have had to pay a huge charge because they have not had the right systems or resources in place to answer in a timely manner. As well as being charged for making a booking I should have been able to make on their website. As well as being charged when the agent on the phone said "we will not charge you any booking fee, as you should have been able to book it online"

Jumblebumble

Dom462 wrote: »

OK thank you. I wasn't aware of the other number, I went off their customer service page.

I could have accepted a reasonable wait and ultimately a reasonable charge. I just find it unacceptable that I have had to pay a huge charge because they have not had the right systems or resources in place to answer in a timely manner. As well as being charged for making a booking I should have been able to make on their website. As well as being charged when the agent on the phone said "we will not charge you any booking fee, as you should have been able to book it online"

BA will not be remotely interested in your issue
It is trivial to avoid this type of charge I made an open jaw avios booking yesterday exactly as you did and it cost me local rate
I did not use the number BA gave you
Say no to 0870 is your friend here and for ever more

The_Rainmaker

Should have used 0191 490 7900

https://www.saynoto0870.com/companysearch.php

Ian011

It's even simpler than that. No need for sayNOto0870.

Do not call BA on the advertised premium rate 0844 number. These calls cost up to 72p per minute.

Call their new 0344 number. Calls to all 03 numbers are inclusive in allowances on landlines and mobiles on the same basis as calls to 01 and 02 numbers, or are otherwise charged at the same rate as calling an 01 or 02 number.

Replace 0844 with 0344 and dial the rest of the digits of the number the same as before.

DCFC79

Why oh why would you not look for a cheaper number to call.

Its always one of the fiest things I do, I use an app to find a cheaper number.