Malaysia Airlines Wins the Worst Customer Service Award.

 

 

It was back in June that I flew the return trip to the Maldives with Malaysian Airlines, and it's been since then that I have been trying to get some kind of recompense for my poor treatment on the flight home.

The crazy part is, while I was really humiliated and made to feel bad flying on that last leg home, what has gone on since with the buck-passing, and non-answered mails has been mind-boggling in how poor the customer service of this major brand is!

It all starts with quite a long story about the flight home...

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #1                    24/06/13   [email protected] 

I have tried to submit this feedback via your online feedback form, but I keep getting an error message, so I have to send it via email…

FLIGHT NUMBER: MH141

FLIGHT DATE: 22 June, 2013

CABIN: Economy Class

SEAT NUMBER: 34K

DEPART FROM: Kuala Lumpur

TRAVELLING TO: Sydney

 

I have just returned to Sydney from a working holiday in the Maldives.

Normally, I fly with Qantas, as I am a Gold Frequent Flyer member, but as this was a working trip, my flights were booked by someone else. With Malaysia Airlines now part of the One World alliance, making me a One World Sapphire member, I thought this would be no problem.

 

I have a chronic neck problem with a bulging disc that crushes nerves, but I manage it well, and usually have no pain or lack of ability from it. It first appeared a few years ago, and it was so bad I couldn’t move for 6 weeks. Now I have learned to recognise the signs, and manage the problem, so I don’t end up like that again.

However, working as a journalist and photographer for 5 days on a boat in the Maldives, with a very uncomfortable bed, had exacerbated my injury. I had a lot of pain, and was getting numbness in my fingers – a tell tale sign that there was a problem that could get worse.

I was very concerned about my flight home, knowing that being in a cramped position could easily make things worse, so had called the airline from the boat to see if I could use my frequent flyer points for an upgrade. I was told that it couldn’t be done over the telephone, and that I should check at the airport.

At Male airport, I was informed that it was something I would have to ask at Kuala Lumpur, as that was the centre for Malaysia Airlines.

My flight from Male to KL was ok, as the seat next to me had been left empty,  so I was able to accommodate my tall frame, without being in a cramped position.

At KLIA, I asked at the Golden Lounge about using my points for an upgrade (as you can organise this at Qantas lounges), but was told they couldn’t help me in the lounge. I was told to ask at the Transfer Desk.

This was quite a long walk for someone in pain, and with hand luggage, but I went to the Transfer Desk. I explained to the woman there, that I was in a lot of pain, and I would like to use my points for an upgrade. She told me that was not possible. She said I could buy an upgrade for “$2000 extra”. Obviously I was not in a position to do that. I asked if there was any chance I could get an upgrade anyway. The woman then told me she was unable to upgrade me as the flight was not full. If economy was full, she said, then she could do it.

I asked if there was anything else she could do. Could she perhaps get me a seat at the bulkhead or exit door, so I had more space? She told me to enquire at the ticket counter next to her.

So I went to the Ticket Counter. I told the woman at the ticket counter about my situation, then she advised me that she couldn’t do anything because the flight was full! I told her the counter next to her had just told me it wasn’t, but she told me she couldn’t help me.

I returned to the woman at the Transfer Counter to say the ticket counter had told me the flight was full. She still insisted it was not full, but she couldn’t do anything to help me.

She said I should check at the gate when I was boarding.

When I returned to the lounge, they too advised I check at the gate.

At the gate (with no priority boarding for Sapphire Members) I calmly, and briefly explained my situation to the woman checking my boarding pass. Was there a chance of a seat at the bulkhead or exit, or something available in Business? She was very quick to respond with a “No”.

I boarded and took my seat – 34K. I asked a flight attendant for a bag with ice in it to put on my neck, and they were very obliging and brought it to me.

As the flight filled, I began to feel some relief as the seat next to me was staying vacant.

Once it appeared everyone had boarded, I noticed a passenger from the back of the plane march up to the front of the plane, only to return a few minutes later and come and sit next to me in the vacant seat. I asked her what was happening, and she showed me a scrap of paper with the seat number next to mine scrawled on it.

I asked her what the problem was with her seat. Was it broken, or soiled? She told me no, she just wanted an aisle seat.

If her seat had been broken or soiled, I would have left it at that, but as this was a seat request of hers, I motioned to the ice-pack on my neck, and explained the degree of pain I was in. I asked her if there was any other seat she could have taken, or if perhaps she could return to her original seat, as I was clearly in pain.

She said no, and so I called for a flight attendant.

I explained the situation to the flight attendant, and asked if there was another seat for this woman, due to my circumstances. The flight attendant told me I would need to speak with the ground staff, and beckoned me to walk to the front of the plane.

She gestured to the ground staff lady, and told me to explain the story to her.

The ground staff lady, rudely stopped my talking, and told me to wait as she went and spoke with another passenger (about some other matter). When she returned to hear my story, she was not friendly, but still I explained (for what felt like the 100^th time) that my neck was very sore, I needed to try to stretch out as much on this flight to prevent it getting worse. The seat beside me was vacant, so was there anything she could do? Perhaps move the woman to another seat or back to her original seat.

The ground staff lady was very abrupt with her “No”.

I was still holding the ice-pack on my neck, I showed her the ice, and I pleaded with her.

Still “No”.

I said it wasn’t fair for her to give that woman priority over me. She only wanted an aisle seat. I was in pain. I thought I would have some priority.

I asked if there were any other seats, any other solution?

I was then told by another flight attendant that perhaps I should get off the plane and seek medical treatment if I have a problem. Perhaps I shouldn’t be flying? I responded by saying I had received treatment, nothing could be done, and all that could be done was rest (and I was desperate to get home to see my 3 children).

Then I was informed, very rudely, by the ground staff woman that the pilot wanted to leave, and I was holding everyone up, and I should either take my seat, or get off the plane.

I said I was just needing some assistance with this matter. I was in pain, the other woman was just wanting a aisle seat.

Again, she said that I was to take my seat, or get off the plane.

I have never been so insulted, or humiliated.

I do not make a fuss for no reason. I never ask for something if I believe someone else deserves it more. I am a kind and thoughtful person.

And I was calm throughout the whole incident. Just in a lot of pain (which was being made worse by this stress). I pleaded. I said it wasn’t fair.

And I took my seat with tears in my eyes.

I had been made to feel ashamed.

I am a One World Sapphire member.

On take off, the woman sitting next to me went straight to sleep. She stayed asleep.

I spoke with the lovely and helpful flight attendant, Woei Shan, about how my sleeping neighbour could have slept just as comfortably in her original (middle) seat. Woei Shan then kindly suggested I could use the crew seats when they weren’t being used by the crew. I told her she was very kind, and we chatted some more, and that’s when I learned that there were other seats available (the flight was not ‘full’ as I had been informed), and what’s more, there was another aisle seat available!!!

Why on earth had that woman not been given the other aisle seat?

Why on earth, when I humbly approached the ground staff lady asking for help, was she not assigned the other aisle seat?

Why was I humiliated and told to get off the plane, when there was an immediate and friendly solution available??

Woei Shan organised for the sleeping aisle seat woman to move to the other available aisle seat, and I was able to rest a little more, so I am grateful to her for her kindness.

As for the other staff, and particularly the woman on ground staff, I am appalled by my treatment.

Everywhere I looked when flying Malaysian on this trip, I saw surveys. In the lounges, at the airport, and on the planes. Having newly joined with One World, it is clear you are trying to get feedback on your services, but I can tell you I am very disappointed.

I hope you are able to improve your customer service, because there are some lovely staff members, such as Woei Shan, who are being let down by other employees in your company.

I will be forwarding this correspondence to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program as well.

Regards,

Jacqui 

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #2                                 24/06/13  [email protected] 

A copy of the above email was sent.

 

 

MAS Auto Reply from Online Feedback Form #1       24/06/13 

Dear Jacquelyn,

Thank you for taking the time to share your comments. They are important in helping us to make your experience with Malaysia Airlines the best it can be.

Please note that feedback received after business hours, on weekends and public holidays will be attended to with priority on the next business day.

If you need immediate assistance, please contact your nearest Malaysia Airlines office or our 24-hour Call Centre at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or 03-7843 3000 (outside Malaysia).

Regards,
The Malaysia Airlines team

 

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #3                      25/06/13  [email protected] 

Hello Pamela,

I have tried a couple of times, unsuccessfully, to send this feedback via the online feedback form. Perhaps due to the length of my comment.

I called the Malaysian based call centre last night, and they provided me with an email address to send it to, but I got a bounce back from that.

Today I have tried 5 times to get through to the phone feedback via the local Sydney phone number, each time the phone has just timed-out after about 20 mins, so then I called a ticketing operator (to actually find someone who spoke), and she advised me to send this email to you.

So here goes...

And then the same long email that I had already sent twice follows.

 

 

MAS Auto Reply from Online Feedback Form #2                           27/06/13 

Dear Jacquelyn,

Thank you for taking the time to share your comments. They are important in helping us to make your experience with Malaysia Airlines the best it can be.

Please note that feedback received after business hours, on weekends and public holidays will be attended to with priority on the next business day.

If you need immediate assistance, please contact your nearest Malaysia Airlines office or our 24-hour Call Centre at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or 03-7843 3000 (outside Malaysia).

Regards,
The Malaysia Airlines team

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #4                28/06/13  [email protected] 

I have been trying to get a response to this mail, and it's been a week, and no-one is responding.

I have also tried to submit this feedback via your online feedback form, but I keep getting an error message, so I have to send it via email…

And then the same long email that I had already sent, follows.

 

 

MAS Auto Reply from Online Feedback Form #3                            28/06/13   

Dear Jacquelyn,

Thank you for taking the time to share your comments. They are important in helping us to make your experience with Malaysia Airlines the best it can be.

Please note that feedback received after business hours, on weekends and public holidays will be attended to with priority on the next business day.

If you need immediate assistance, please contact your nearest Malaysia Airlines office or our 24-hour Call Centre at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or 03-7843 3000 (outside Malaysia).

Regards,
The Malaysia Airlines team

 

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #5         28/06/13  [email protected] 

I have tried to submit this feedback via your online feedback form, but I keep getting an error message, so I have to send it via email, to various addresses I have been given. So far I have had 3 bounce-backs, and one no response.

Hope you can help...

And then the same long email that I had already sent, follows.

 

 

From Malaysia Airlines #1                              03/07/13  [email protected] 

 

Dear Sir/ Madam, 

Greeting from Malaysia Airlines sorry for belated reply since there was an error occurred with our website and your email just reached our queue. 

In response to your enquiry , please find below for the answer. 

 Question: 

I had a bad flight experience with an injury. I was shamed and humiliated, and now, no-one is responding to me. I would like my complaint heard, but the customer service is so bad, I have had no reply for a week! I receive auto-reply emails saying it will be attended to the next business day, but then there is nothing. Can somebody please contact me regarding this matter????  Kind regards, Jacqui Turner

 Answer: 

We deeply regret of your unpleasant experience with our customer services. You may be certain that we are making every effort to continuously upgrade and improve our customer service so that we can provide our passenger with the highest level of service. 

We highly appreciate if you could provide the option you have chosen, in order to perform some investigations, we need more details on the type of enquiry, staff name, the time of call being made and the gender of staff who spoken to you to trace the recorded conversation between you and our staff. 

 However, if you are communicating via emails, kindly forward to us in order to follow up with the respective department. 

We need time to investigate on your issue and will revert once done. 

We understand your situation deeply and your feedback is valuable to us as it helps to improve our service delivery. Once again, our sincerest apology for the unpleasant encounter you had with our staff and we are looking forward for your favorable reply soon. 

 Thank you. 

Warm Regards, 

Ms Julia 

Malaysia Contact Centre| 

Global Customer Contact Centre| 

www.malaysiaairlines.com 

 

From Malaysia Airlines #2           04/07/13      [email protected]

Date : 04/07/2013

 

Case Reference : GTS216-07/2013

 

Dear Valued Customer,

 

Thank you for contacting Malaysia Airlines.

 

I have been assigned to attend to your email and will be responsible for providing a reply on behalf of Malaysia Airlines. 

 

Our goal is to respond to you within 3-14 business days.  However, due to the complexity of certain issues, additional time may be required for us to respond.

 

Thank you.

 

Best Regards,

 

Customer Care Department

Malaysia Airlines

 

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #6       05/08/13  [email protected] 

Hello,

I thought I should contact you, given that a month has now passed since your previous email. I am wondering if any progress has been made with my complaints?

Kind regards,
Jacqui Turner. 

On 4/07/2013 1:40 PM, Salim Musa Tenang wrote:

Date : 04/07/2013

 

Case Reference : GTS216-07/2013

 

Dear Valued Customer,

 

Thank you for contacting Malaysia Airlines.

 

I have been assigned to attend to your email and will be responsible for providing a reply on behalf of Malaysia Airlines. 

 

Our goal is to respond to you within 3-14 business days.  However, due to the complexity of certain issues, additional time may be required for us to respond.

 

Thank you.

 

Best Regards,

 

Customer Care Department

Malaysia Airlines

 

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #7             19/08/13  [email protected] 

Hello,

I am still waiting for a response here. See below.

Regards,
Jacqui

 

On 5/08/2013 4:08 PM, Jacqui wrote:

Hello,

I thought I should contact you, given that a month has now passed since your previous email. I am wondering if any progress has been made with my complaints?

Kind regards,
Jacqui.

 

 

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #8         28/08/13  [email protected]

I'm still waiting for a response! Any response! A response to my queries about a lack of response! Malaysia Airlines, what is going on with your customer service????????

Please respond!!!!!!!

See below.

Regards,
Jacqui

 

From Malaysia Airlines #3                28/08/13  [email protected]

Delivery has failed to these recipients or distribution lists:

[email protected]
The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept messages now. Microsoft Exchange will not try to redeliver this message for you. Please try resending this message later, or contact the recipient directly.

 

MAS Auto Reply from Online Feedback Form #4                          02/09/13 

Dear Jacquelyn,

Thank you for taking the time to share your comments. They are important in helping us to make your experience with Malaysia Airlines the best it can be.

Please note that feedback received after business hours, on weekends and public holidays will be attended to with priority on the next business day.

If you need immediate assistance, please contact your nearest Malaysia Airlines office or our 24-hour Call Centre at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or 03-7843 3000 (outside Malaysia).

Regards,
The Malaysia Airlines team

 

MAS Auto Reply from Online Feedback Form #5                             05/09/13 

Dear Jacquelyn,

Thank you for taking the time to share your comments. They are important in helping us to make your experience with Malaysia Airlines the best it can be.

Please note that feedback received after business hours, on weekends and public holidays will be attended to with priority on the next business day.

If you need immediate assistance, please contact your nearest Malaysia Airlines office or our 24-hour Call Centre at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or 03-7843 3000 (outside Malaysia).

Regards,
The Malaysia Airlines team

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #9                          12/09/13  [email protected]

Dear Ms Julia,

I didn't respond to your email (at the bottom of this long page of email) in July as I had also received a response from Salim Musa Tenang ([email protected]) in the customer care department. The email advised me that they would try to respond within 3 to 14 business days, but that was on July 4. Now, two months later, and me sending many more emails in reply to ask what's happening, I am back to getting no response.

I have tried many different avenues to try to get a resolve on this issue, but I just haven't had any contact from anyone aside from the Auto Reply on the online feedback form, (This is such poor customer service!) so I am trying to contact you, again, as you have been the most responsive of all the teams I have contacted regarding this matter, I thought I could ask you to see what is happening with my case (Ref # GTS216-07/2013).

Please respond to me.

Following, is the original mail I sent that outlines my complaint...

 

 

From Malaysia Airlines #4                                12/09/13 [email protected]

 

 Dear Ms Jacquelyn.

 Greeting from Malaysia Airlines.

Thank you very much for your feedback and please accept our sincerest apology that you have yet to receive any reply.  We understand your situation deeply and your feedback is valuable to us as it helps to improve our service delivery.

We are fully aware that your complaint has already been delayed hence we have taken the initiative to engage with our Customer Response Unit to look into this matter urgently and directly response to you.

 Dear CRU Team,

 Seek your assistance to look into this matter URGENTLY and revert to our valued customer at soonest.

(Ref # GTS216-07/2013)

 Thank you.

 Warm Regards,

Julia

Malaysia Contact Centre|

Global Customer Contact Centre|

www.malaysiaairlines.com

 

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #10                   12/09/13 [email protected]

Hello Julia,

Thank you for responding to me. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kind regards,
Jacqui

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #11                       20/09/13  [email protected]

Hello Julia,

Since your email a week ago (see below) I have heard nothing from the customer response unit. Please advise as soon as possible.

Kind regards
Jacqui

 

From Me, To Malaysia Airlines #12                          25/09/13 [email protected]

Hello,

Please reply to this email, below. No one is responding!

You have said (below)
"We are fully aware that your complaint has already been delayed hence we have taken the initiative to engage with our Customer Response Unit to look into this matter urgently and directly response to you."
and still no onehas responded!

This has been going on for months and I would really like some resolution.

Please help!

Kind regards,
Jacqui

 

 

 

 

 

I did send one last note via the online feedback form. I supplied the case number again. I pointed out my frustration that I was still being passed around and not had any resolution, and that I had tried for more than three months to find some reasoning behind my poor treatment, but in that time (and with that amount of time passing) I was left perplexed at how a large company could have such appalling customer service.

I pointed out how long it had been that I had been shuffled around. How many unanswered and misdirected phone calls and mails I had sent. I said I had hoped the story would have a happy ending.

 

Like I said, that was last week, and all I got was.... 

 

MAS Auto Reply from Online Feedback Form #6                             26/09/13 

Dear Jacquelyn,

Thank you for taking the time to share your comments. They are important in helping us to make your experience with Malaysia Airlines the best it can be.

Please note that feedback received after business hours, on weekends and public holidays will be attended to with priority on the next business day.

If you need immediate assistance, please contact your nearest Malaysia Airlines office or our 24-hour Call Centre at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or 03-7843 3000 (outside Malaysia).

Regards,
The Malaysia Airlines team

 

 

Malaysia Airlines, this is really, really shitty customer service.

"will be attended to with priority on the next business day" is bullshit.

 

It seems a lot of what the staff say is bullshit, from the airport desks next to one another that say the flight is not full, and the flight is full,

to the ground staff that say there is no other seat to move the "I want an aisle seat" fusspot to,

and through to the "we are working on it/we will respond within" bullshit customer response crew.

Some kind of saving face bullshit that actually makes you look a lot worse.

 

I was patient. I tried.

 

But I can only try for so long.

 

So now I am sharing my story.

 

 

 

Comments

[Peter Fowler]

I have a similar story. After a disastrous journey with Malaysian Airlines I complained. Apart from an automated response that promised to respond promptly I received nothing. I chased up Malaysian Airline and received the routine automated response nut nothing else! I sent a final chase-up and still have not been contacted by a customer services representative.

Is Malaysian Airlines incapable of apologising and dealing with issues but instead shuts it eyes to problems?

[Jacqui]

Yes Peter. It seems to be their standard response, and kinda incredible when you think how much they need to improve their branding of late!