Airline Hell: When Late Custys Freak Out Over Not Being Allowed To Check In

From Flygirl:

Hi everyone, first time poster but long time reader and all that jazz...You can call me Flygirl for now, because I am a customer service agent at a somewhat reputable airline (in Australia). Not technically retail, but I get all the joys of customer service combined with the joys of jetlagged morons.

Just a quick story to start me off for now. As I'm sure everyone is aware, when you fly somewhere you need to get to the airport and get yourself checked in a little ahead of time. It varies from airline to airline, but generally an hour or two early is a good idea. Most airlines even tell you how early you need to be checked in in order to fly. Common sense, yeah? Not so much, apparently.

So, I'm hanging out at the check-in desk, processing my line of people for the 4 o'clock flight to Mehville (locations changed to protect the guilty). It's about 3 in the afternoon and things are looking pretty chill so far. Call out for my next victim/customer, and get Angry Businessman (AB). Customer goes like this:

AB: Hi, I'd like to check in for my flight to Whogivesafuck City please.

FG: I'm sorry sir, but that flight is scheduled to depart in five minutes and check-in has already closed. Would you like me to reschedule you on the flight tomorrow?

AB: (getting rage-y) WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T CHECK IN!!!!! Blah blah blah so important blah blah don't you know who I am blah blah blah blah DIAF bitch.

FG: Our airline policy is that you must check in for domestic flights at least half an hour ahead of time, so you have missed this flight.

AB: RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!

I call over Awesome Supervisor (AS) and AB turns his attention to her. And by attention, I mean rage. Pretty much imagine the same conversation again, but with more insults towards me, the airline, the government, traffic, the price of red meat, and anything else you can think of.

Airport security eventually turfs him out into the lovely Christmassy heat. I move on to more reasonable customers. And the world keeps turning in my little corner of the earth.

Peace out, retail brethren and sistren.

--Flygirl

Comments

[Ted the 'Flayer]

In America, this guy would have received a free x-ray and colonoscopy for his troubles. Aussies clearly don't know how to give good customer service (/sarcasm)

[RT Bear]

Just about any form of mass transit has a check-in deadline...I've been working for a cruise line for the past few months, we have a 4pm all aboard & the ship departs at 5pm; if a passenger is lucky, he/she might be able to get checked in after 430, but the gang plank raises at 445 & then they are SOL...saw it happen the other day, an entitled VIP guest showed up at 455pm & was majorly pissed off that he couldn't get on the ship, my manager told him point blank that he was late for check-in to which he responded that since he has spent BILLIONS of dollars cruising with us, that they should hold the ship until he decides he wants to board; the manager responded that if he spent that much money with the cruise line, then he should know when he was supposed to be here to get on board & told him there was nothing more she could do...the look on his face was priceless...

[Wolfycat]

But everyone is supposed to drop everything and wait until I'M good and ready! WAH!!!!

[JAH]

I thought about making a stink about being late to checkin, but I didn't want to take an xray to the colon.

[Yakcall]

Flygirl - Please tell me you are part of the (comparable animal to Leopard) Airline?
In NZ we have a reality tv show based on that airline and I love to watch it and the passengers that rage when they can't get on.

[Bitch Boy]

Last time I had to fly (before the Freedom Pat-downs or X-Ray scans) I had only one problem with my flight. That problem was that I was so used to the processes that I had over 50 minutes to wait until they began the boarding process.

Now, with all the crap going on with the TSA, I refuse to fly at all.

[WMDKitty]

I refuse to fly for many reasons -- the TSA is just one more. (I'm one of those people that needs to be either medicated or super-distracted from my surroundings to fly.)

[Aunty]

"Don't you know who I am?"
"Ladies and gentlemen, this man has forgotten who he is. If anyone can help recover his identity, please step forward."
My favorite airline joke. :D

[Marten Kemp]

"Airport security eventually turfs him out..." Isn't "turf out" such a luverly turn of phrase?

[Joi Cardinal]

Yakcall, might you post a link for that show?
Love your word choice for the name of the airline.

[Yakcall]

@Joi Cardinal.

Here is the show, but I think you have to be in NZ to watch them online. http://tvnz.co.nz/airways/s2-ep6-video-4682140

Here is the information about the show http://tvnz.co.nz/airways/index-group-4522643

[ScanGunMonkey]

Last time I flew, I had just seen the movie "Airplane"...it was all I could do not to inform a flight attendant that..."why, I speak Jive." I giggled all the way from Fayetteville to Houston to Toronto.

[saudi airlines flights]

Flygirl - Please tell me you are part of the (comparable animal to Leopard) Airline?
In NZ we have a reality tv show based on that airline and I love to watch it and the passengers that rage when they can't get on.
hey you like it this post if you like then you reply me.