Latest posts for the topic "Swiss ski carriage"

Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 05:57:23 GMT

Just been hit with a 60swiss francs surcharge for my skis at Geneva, no amount of arguing, showing the 'Skis fly free' adverts from my latest ski magazines or even showing the Swiss airlines 'the skiers airline' webpage on my ipad where it clearly says that they are happy to transport your first set of ski kit in addition to your standard 23 kg allowance would make them change their minds, I just kept gettin told company policy has changed.

I wasn't charged on the way out and my standard luggage was barely 17kg. Only one set of ska and poles was packed in the bag charged for.

I will be taking it up with Swiss when I get back later today and report back.

Dave

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:06:20 GMT

This is really weird. I've just checked their website and it says that winter sports equipment travels free:
"Free transport on SWISS operated flights.
Sports equipment

Definition

Ski equipment

1 pair of ski, 1 pair of poles, 1 pair of boots (even if in separate bag), 1 helmet

Snowboard equipment

1 snowboard, 1 pair of boots (even if in separate bag, 1 helmet"
There were some changes in rules regarding transporting of the sport equipment after June 1, 2012, but not for winter sports.

You should definitely contact the airline and forward them this webpage http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services/baggage/Pages/sporting_equipment.aspx#ski.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:24:34 GMT

That's really awful Rustyinn, and totally unfair :evil:

They surely can't change the rules like that, at the last minute!

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:16:28 GMT

I don't think rules have changed. Well, some rules have but they concern other sports, not winter sports. Could be misunderstanding, new staff member etc. Ski equipment is mention as "normal sports baggage" in ew rules for which 60CHF charge applies, but there is a footnote saying that **On flights operated by SWISS, the 1st pair of ski/winter sport equipment is always free of charge. (And that includes ski boots regardless if they are packed in the same bag or separately). I hope you kept the receipt. I know people who flew skiing this season with Swiss and they were not charged for their skis.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:21:58 GMT

Rusty, I hope you get this sorted out easily. If you need further help, then the UK Consumer Direct Service should point you in the right direction, as you made your Contract in the UK and UK Law applies.

Also Swiss seem to be in breach of the advertising standards for the UK. Remember the ASA motto "legal, decent, honest, truthful"
Anyone can make a complaint to the ASA. I did so many years ago, and it was pursued by the ASA. The organisation who published the advert received a published reprimand.

Tell your Credit Card co that you have paid for a service and not received it, and then go into dispute, based on the contract you made when you booked the flight (as including ski carriage was part of the contract)

Let us know how you get on. Do not let them get away with it!

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:00:46 GMT

I'm baffled by this one. I had no problems at all with ski carriage last week. I'd keep pestering for a refund. Hope you get sorted.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:08:58 GMT

Could it have been the handlers at the airport not being clear about Swiss T&C's?

Pester!

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:49:41 GMT

http://www.swiss.com/countries/GB/local_content/Pages/swiss_skiers_airline.aspx

This page seems fairly clear to me.

Have put in a query to them - we'll see what happens.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:52:04 GMT

verbier_ski_bum wrote:I don't think rules have changed. Well, some rules have but they concern other sports, not winter sports. Could be misunderstanding, new staff member etc. Ski equipment is mention as "normal sports baggage" in ew rules for which 60CHF charge applies, but there is a footnote saying that **On flights operated by SWISS, the 1st pair of ski/winter sport equipment is always free of charge. (And that includes ski boots regardless if they are packed in the same bag or separately). I hope you kept the receipt. I know people who flew skiing this season with Swiss and they were not charged for their skis.

That's alwasy been my reading of it and I almost alwasy fly Swiss when going to Geneva and never had a problem before. I have 2 groups going out over the next 2 months all flying into Geneva with Swiss so I need to get it nailed down.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:53:50 GMT

OldAndy wrote:Could it have been the handlers at the airport not being clear about Swiss T&C's?

Pester!

If it is the really need to re-train thier agents, as I complained there to the senior manager on duty and got nowhere.

Dave

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:50:34 GMT

If you have any complaints after travelling with SWISS please send us a letter in English to below address.

Swiss International Air Lines Ltd.
Feedback Management
P.O. Box
4002 Basel
Switzerland

I suppose you can also call headquarters
Headquarters
Swiss International Air Lines Ltd.
P.O. Box
CH-4002 Basel
Switzerland
Phone: +41 61 582 00 00
Fax: +41 61 582 33 33

Also, on their website on the contact page you can fill in the form for complaints.

It's explicitly mentioned on their website that 1 pair of skis can be taken free of charge. Nothing has changed in this respect. It must have been a mistake and will be easily resolved if you do something about it. You are the first person I heard of who was made to pay for his skis.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:13:17 GMT

I had a similar issue with another airline, so this may be irrelevant, in the T/C's it read that 1 pair skis/boots/poles travel free providing they are booked in advance for each journey. Could this be the case here?

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:34:39 GMT

Lufthansa had a policy of transporting skis free on condition you pre warned them. Otherwise they charged.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 22:53:13 GMT

In fairness to SWISS I have had a very swift response from them to confirm that their policy remains that one pair of skis flies free on on SWISS UK in/outbound flights in addition to the normal 23kg allowance and that in no way in the circumsatnces should I have been charged since my main bag was well withinin limits - only just 17kg and I only had one pair of skis and poles (not even boots in the ski bag).

They were very surprised that I had referred this up the chain to senior duty agent level and it had still been refused.

I have been advised that I will have no problem being refunded the fee charged but unfortunately have to go through the whole overcharged fees process, so it will be interesting to see how long that takes to put the money back in my account.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 22:58:20 GMT

At least I can sleep easy now knowing that I don't have to tell several friends at the last minute that they now have to pay for their skis on our Festive & January trips when I'd told them they were free.

I will certainly be carrying print outs of the SWISS T&C's when i travel in future though just in case.

I'll also be writing to SWISS customer service as this morning was sub R**nair standard and in no way what I have come to expect of SWISS over the years, I really was made to feel like some complete chancer.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:00:41 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Lufthansa had a policy of transporting skis free on condition you pre warned them. Otherwise they charged.

SWISS conifrmed during our conversation that there was no requirement for pre-warning, and so long as the standard baggage was within the 23kg weight and I was only taking one set of ski equipment in the additional bag then there was no charge.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:03:48 GMT

Thanks for the support and backup folks !

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:32:11 GMT

Glad you got sorted. :thumbup: I saw both sides of Swiss last week. The cabin crew and the airport staff at Zurich couldn't have been sweeter. Some of the surly harpies on the check-in gates at Geneva left plenty to be desired though. 'Welcome to Switzerland' (not!)

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 08:52:34 GMT

Thanks for letting us know Rustyinn, and I'm glad it turned out OK. I reckon they should give you some compensation money as well, for all the worry and phone calls/e-mails etc. It must have been a very upsetting experience :cry:

I really hate airports - they're so unpredictable and there always seems to be something new that the security staff want to shout about. I got told off in April for walking through the metal detector door with my passport in my hand - apparently it should have gone in the tray!

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 08:54:22 GMT

Not being funny, but knowing what their policy is re ski carriage and having a copy of the t&c's with you, I'm surprised you ended up paying or agreeing anything other than what you knew to be correct at the time.

I trust you took the name of the miserable git who insisted you pay and as well as your refund have requested a written apology from the individual in question?

Muppets.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 10:51:43 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Not being funny, but knowing what their policy is re ski carriage and having a copy of the t&c's with you, I'm surprised you ended up paying or agreeing anything other than what you knew to be correct at the time.

I trust you took the name of the miserable git who insisted you pay and as well as your refund have requested a written apology from the individual in question?

Muppets.

TBH Tony I'd usually have been a wee bit more cantakerous than I was, but since I was on a very tight schedule heading home early for a funeral later in the morning I just wanted to get on the plane at that point.

Dave

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:40:32 GMT

Rusty, as added insurance and as you are travelling with them again soon, I would also take the confirmation you have received on the T & C's from Swiss. An apology in writing to your complaint from Head Office, showing that this charge is not applicable, would add weight to any argument.

You could then wave said confirmation/apology under the nose of the official if they try to charge you again, to show that you have been through this before. And tell them that this time you will report them by name to their superiors and will ask for compensation, if they do not accept there should be no charge. :twisted:

It might be helpful if you could let us all have a copy so that we can go armed when flying Swiss. :mrgreen:

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:49:33 GMT

felthorpe wrote:Rusty, as added insurance and as you are travelling with them again soon, I would also take the confirmation you have received on the T & C's from Swiss. An apology in writing to your complaint from Head Office, showing that this charge is not applicable, would add weight to any argument.

You could then wave said confirmation/apology under the nose of the official if they try to charge you again, to show that you have been through this before. And tell them that this time you will report them by name to their superiors and will ask for compensation, if they do not accept there should be no charge. :twisted:

It might be helpful if you could let us all have a copy so that we can go armed when flying Swiss. :mrgreen:

I think it would be going overboard for 60 CHF that will be reimbursed:) What's sort of compensation do you mean? But I would save a copy of reply. Mistakes happen. Swiss still offers great service and deals. Friends visiting last week paid 120 pounds return. If you consider that it includes hold luggage + skis + boots, and it's a regular airline that will ge priority in case of weather disruptions, I don't think it can be matched by Easy Jet, where many passengers would be packig everything in one ski bag to avoid extra charges and then dragging another 10 kilos to the cabin.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:28:30 GMT

rustyinn wrote:

Tony_H wrote:Not being funny, but knowing what their policy is re ski carriage and having a copy of the t&c's with you, I'm surprised you ended up paying or agreeing anything other than what you knew to be correct at the time.

I trust you took the name of the miserable git who insisted you pay and as well as your refund have requested a written apology from the individual in question?

Muppets.

TBH Tony I'd usually have been a wee bit more cantakerous than I was, but since I was on a very tight schedule heading home early for a funeral later in the morning I just wanted to get on the plane at that point.

Dave

Man that was a bad day :(
Give them hell

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:57:08 GMT

verbier_ski_bum wrote:

felthorpe wrote:Rusty, as added insurance and as you are travelling with them again soon, I would also take the confirmation you have received on the T & C's from Swiss. An apology in writing to your complaint from Head Office, showing that this charge is not applicable, would add weight to any argument.

You could then wave said confirmation/apology under the nose of the official if they try to charge you again, to show that you have been through this before. And tell them that this time you will report them by name to their superiors and will ask for compensation, if they do not accept there should be no charge. :twisted:

It might be helpful if you could let us all have a copy so that we can go armed when flying Swiss. :mrgreen:

I think it would be going overboard for 60 CHF that will be reimbursed:) What's sort of compensation do you mean? But I would save a copy of reply. Mistakes happen. Swiss still offers great service and deals. Friends visiting last week paid 120 pounds return. If you consider that it includes hold luggage + skis + boots, and it's a regular airline that will ge priority in case of weather disruptions, I don't think it can be matched by Easy Jet, where many passengers would be packig everything in one ski bag to avoid extra charges and then dragging another 10 kilos to the cabin.

It was more a case of asking for compensation if they do it to Rusty a second time. The first time you can put it down to over zealous staff that maybe don't quite understand the rules, get a refund, fair enough, everyone makes mistakes and as you say, they are a good airline. But if they were to do it again, then wip out said letter and use the threat of a 2nd complaint and potential compensation claim as a lever to (hopefully) make them reconsider.

It is my experience (I am a professional complainer - had you noticed :D) that when they screw up, you give them the chance to put things right and are nice about it and say lots of thank you's when they sort it out BUT if they resist or make excuses, the gloves have to come off. At this stage I only stop when I have made them cry.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:13:58 GMT

Hopefully this is a one off incident. Having used Swiss many times in the past from City Airport, we have never had a problem. The staff in Geneva were brilliant a couple of seasons ago when all of the airports in the UK closed for a couple of days. They put us up in a decent hotel and reimbursed us for meals. We were very happy not to be flying with some of the other carriers, who's passengers we found still camped out on the floor of the airport the following morning.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:00:25 GMT

I was stranded in Geneva for 2 days a couple of years ago and Easyjet did nothing. Neither did my insurance, but thats another story!

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 09:04:20 GMT

Adam67 wrote:I was stranded in Geneva for 2 days a couple of years ago and Easyjet did nothing. Neither did my insurance, but thats another story!

Mmm reminds me of Sofia 31/12/08 cancelled Easyjet flight when i had 3 kids in tow. But that is indeed another story....

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 10:44:16 GMT

My personal nightmare was at Pisa airport, summer 2011, family of four booked on Ryanair return flight to Liverpool. The entire Italian public sector went out on strike in protest against the government austerity cuts: result, total chaos.After much to-ing and fro-ing we managed to sort flights from Bergamo leaving late next day. Kept the hire car for an extra day and found ourselves an hotel in Brescia. To cut a long story short, we got an extra day's holiday and the kids were doubly made up as they got a day off school. Kept all receipts (fuel, food, hotel etc.) and Ryanair reimbursed us when we got home. Happy days again:-).

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 15:00:32 GMT

Adam67 wrote:I was stranded in Geneva for 2 days a couple of years ago and Easyjet did nothing. Neither did my insurance, but thats another story!

Sounds like the same incident. We met a few easyjet passengers who spent the night in the airport. It made me realize the value of flying with a a 'frills included' airline. There is often only a few tens of pounds difference in cost, but boy do you appreciate being looked after when things go wrong. Swiss were faultless one that occasion.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:29:19 GMT

One week on from when I submitted written complaint and request for refund. Still no response.

Dave

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Fri, 4 Jan 2013 17:03:37 GMT

Two and a half weeks since I submitted my complaint and refund claim - no response and no refund.

The good news is that when we went through Geneva with Swiss on 30/12 SWISS were putting a purple sticker on everyones ski bag tags to indicate they were to be carried for free.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:21:12 GMT

After chasing this a further 2 times Swiss while still agreeing that the charge was incorrect say it could take another 2 months to process the refund. This is absolutely ridiculous at anytime never mind when the error was theres in the first place.

I have now advised them that i have raised it as a disputed transaction with my credit card company as i don't want it to be time barred if they do not come through on the refund.

I feel I'd be quite within my rights to ask for interest on the sum as well.

Dave M.

Re:Swiss ski carriage

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:24:53 GMT

Hi Rustyinn,
I think it's a total disgrace myself - 2 months! What! They should have sent you the money back by return of post, together with a formal letter of apology.