British Airways Terrible Customer Service

I have never had such terrible customer service from an airline as that I recently experienced with British Airways.

I had to travel to Ghana for nine days of work and on Friday November 9^th I took the Deutsche Bahn ICE 614 train from Stuttgart to the Frankfurt Airport train station. Because of technical problems the train was more than four hours late. Due to this, I missed two British Airways flights: 1) the 11:00 flight from Frankfurt to London Heathrow and 2) the 14:00 flight from London Heathrow to Accra, Ghana.

Normally, this is a 1 ½ hour train ride. On this day, however, it took more than four hours. When I made it to the British Airways check-in counter I was not able to re-book the flights, but was forced to buy two new tickets from British Airways for €862,41 plus a €55,00 fee for flights the following day!

Flight passengers of other airlines who had also missed their flights on November 9th due to the lateness of the train that day had their flights simply re-booked as a courtesy by their airlines. And they did not have special kinds of tickets, just normal flight tickets. Their airlines, however, respected these customers and showed that they valued their business by giving them new tickets. Not so with British Airways. 

Upon my return I filed a claim with British Airways and today received the response that nothing, absolutely nothing could be done. No compensation, nothing. Incredible. The email mentioned only how important it might be to book "flexible tickets" in the future!?

Flexible tickets!? How can I be held responsible for what was a problem with the German trains, who have also as of yet not come up with any kind of refund?

The Idiocy of the Elite

I was speaking to a work colleague the other day about the terrible circumstances Japan faces due to the atomic power plant meltdowns. He went on about how nuclear power was still good because it was cheaper than power from other means. I thought what a typical cynical opinion of one from the elite class. He didn't care a whim about the people affected by nuclear power plant accidents; it was his pocket book that mattered. It reminded me of the expression of Marie Antionette....

The same colleague unexpectedly also asked if I was an anarchist. To which I replied that yes I was, that all honest people are anarchists. Why he asked this is beyond me. It was expressed with what seemed to be a sense of fear and uncertainty. It was a 19th century question posed in the 21st century. Does he believe that I might go to his condo, settle in, eat his fine food and drink his good wine, and steal his Mercedes Benz for a joyride along the Rhine?

The Indians win....

For everyone who has not yet seen the 3D movie, Avatar, I strongly urge you to see it. If not to marvel at the new cinematic spectacle, but to enjoy the story of the Marines getting the shit kicked out of them and the Indians winning, driving the Earthlings away. Yes, the corporatist rape of the planet Pandora is stopped. Perhaps, the spectacle can become reality....

Misunderstanding and Misinterpretation Redux

Today an event occurred that typifies the misunderstanding and misinterpretation that has been central to my life in Germany. My wife is almost 14 weeks pregnant. All is going ok but she experiences some bleeding and is hospitalized. This was five days ago.

This morning at 6am I am called and told that she had heavy bleeding and a miscarriage and could I come to the hospital. I hurry there and go to her room on the 4th floor and the nurses tell me she is on the 2nd Floor in the operating area. I go to the 2nd floor and exit onto a space where there are doorways leading to various operation areas but the entrances are closed, locked, and just for employees with key cards. There is nowhere to go and no way of getting in.

I buzz various buzzers and finally someone comes to one and I explain to the wall device that I was called and told to come because my wife had just had an operation and a miscarriage. This person says to wait, she will get someone. Some minutes later a doctor comes out dressed in scrubs, mask, hair net, etc. and says that my wife is still in the operating area and could I wait 10 minutes then someone will come out to get me. I wait longer then 10 minutes and thinking what folly go back upstairs and ask again what is happening I was called here I am am I too early should I wait somewhere. After some confusion the nurses say come back at 9am.

I leave, thinking what is going on there. Did they call and expect me to first have breakfast and take a shower before going to the hospital? Is that why they called so early? Is that what men here normally do, not go directly to the hospital when asked to do so but chill out for awhile, leisurely dressing, shaving, eating, reading the newspaper, watching TV news, listening to some tunes and then finally going at a later, more appropriate time? Or did I misinterpret the phone message completely because there was no sense of urgency being communicated?

The Epitome of Germans and their health care

Just a brief story that to me epitomizes much about Germans and the ease with which they receive healthcare. I go to a job interview at a cultural organization that is considering hiring a freelance fundraiser. My contact is late and the Director is late. When he arrives he apologizes and speaks of his coming from "reha," rehabilitation therapy. I ask him what he is getting reha for and he explains that he is having a little trouble with one of his Achille's Heals and as he is about to go on vacation he is having reha to clear up the issue so that he can enjoy his vacation. I think to myself, wow, great. Reha in order to prepare yourself for a vacation. What a way to go, guy.

American bubble

One of my co-workers actually said today that the only dessert she likes in Germany is what she finds at McCafe, the McDonald's cafe. I was rendered apoplectic. Really, figuratively. What an incredibly stupid thing to say. Germany has a centuries old pastry and dessert making tradition called konditorei. It is absolutely mind boggling that she has never tasted anything here that she likes except for what she finds at McDonalds. Does she have no curiosity? Is she living in some American bubble?

Living in Germany is dangerous to your health....

Living in Germany is dangerous to your health and other stories could be the title of a book about my experiences living here. It would start out with my visits to doctors, all of which have been unsatisfactory. From the first visit where the anthroposophic doctor was surprised about my request for a physical to his prescribing statins for me immediately when my cholesterol test was a little high (contrary to anthroposophic medicinal practices), to my ridiculous visit to an eye doctor, to the surgeon who spoke like Jesus with Lazarus after an out-patient operation extracted a ganglion cyst from my left leg near the ankle, to my recent experience at the ear, nose and throat clinic of a major hospital where I was simply given antiobiotics and ibuprofen without having my temperature taken or a blood test being done that could, perhaps, ascertain, what was bedeviling me, my experiences with the German health care system have been injurious to my health.