[Juliemann]

LAN overcharged me for some flights by $200 when I booked on the telephone and absolutely will not accept that they did this. They have used excuse after excuse claiming first that I should have booked on-line to get the price I was quoted. I DID but was met with a message saying- website not working, please call this number. They then tried to tell me that the price I was quoted was only for domestice routes in Peru?!?? The flight was from Chile to Argentina, so where they got this excuse I have no idea. Third excuse was that I should have hit 2 on my telephone keypad rather than 4?!!? The excuses became increasingly bizarre but the upshot was that they would NOT return the $200 they stole from me. I had heard there was a high risk of being robbed in South America but did not expect this to happen with a Oneworld airline. Beware of booking on the phone and if you HAVE to either record the telephone conversation or MAKE them email you a quote BEFORE making the payment or they can just charge what they want and then ignore your complaints afterwards

[PHXFlyer]

You should initiate a claim with the bank which issued the credit or debit card used to purchase the tickets. Ask to speak to someone in their fraud department.

[jimworcs]

Check which jurisdiction applies to the call centre you used. There may be a Data Protection law which will allow you to demand a copy of the telephone call if Lan keep one. You should also make a request for a copy of all the records which relate to this transaction. Question the amount with the credit card company.

[Juliemann]

Hi guys,
I already made a claim through MBNA and they said they will "try" to get it back but as there is no proof they can't promise anything. This is despite the fact I have sent them documentary evidence of the price and also the itinary that LAN sent me (minus a price, which is odd, under price it simply says "not available"!?!). I will know the outcome in the next 45 days apparrently.

I'll be careful about booking on the phone in future as I demanded these recordings to be dug out by LAN and at first they said they would. However they now say that they only record a percentage of telephone calls. And guess what, my call wasn't one of them. Very convenient.

I have provided tons of proof of the price I was quoted but they absolutely will NOT budge and said "it doesn't matter what I send them, they will not refund the money" that they stole from me. Shocking customer service. Beware!

[jimworcs]

The amount of evidence you have sounds sufficient to take them to small claims. I would pursue it, even if only because of the principle.

MBNA are being feeble. You need to be absolutely firm that you did not authorise this amount and have documentary proof of this. Unless the merchant can establish otherwise, you will not pay.

[takebackthepower]

I began flying with LAN in 2009 and accrued enough mileage to become Silver Premium status in that first year which is equivalent to Sapphire status with Oneworld. I have had nothing but terrible customer service, mostly from the LANPASS call center personnel. I have been given conflicting information and no assistance when trying to change award flights and been given the runaround. I contacted the CEO of LAN who did not even have the decency to take my concerns seriously. I was fowarded off to mutiple people and my concerns were never taken with the respect that I deserve as a member of the public flying with LAN. From lost luggage to staff that did not even know their own policies to rude and beligerent staff I find LAN to be the WORST airline ever. They have given me a bitter taste and I will not give them any more of my hard earned money. There are too many issues to list, but if this is the treatment that they give to someone that was a serious flyer with them, then I need to fly with another airline. If you are looking to fly to South America or through it to go to New Zealand or Australia, I would give Aerolineas a try. I wanted to begin seeing a different part of the world and thought that LAN would help me with this, I was very very wrong. There are many airlines out there and I will not lessen my self respect and fly with LAN again. I am taking back the power, join me.

[jimworcs]

This is the only approach. If they are not willing to work with the customer stop using them. (Of course, this doesn't work in the USA where the government protects them, no matter how bad they get, but for many other countries this works).

[takebackthepower]

I am definitely going to do that.