Aer Lingus voucher problem

Gussoe

Context here is that my missus employer (located in USA) bought her a voucher from Aer Lingus to fly over for training and some face time.

$1000 voucher.

Unfortunately when she tries to book a flight and use the voucher the website won't recognize it because it's in USD and she is in Ireland so the website wants Euros.

Aer Lingus customer service suggested that the voucher can be converted to Euros.

Fine. But that was about 6 weeks ago.

Daily calls to their customer service gets different answers from different agents. Different emails have been issued to her, one that said the voucher has been converted to euros and it's attached - but there was no attachment to the email. Numerous calls again to customer service and other agents say the voucher hasn't been converted and it will be in "7 business days". No chance of talking to a manager. Promises that she'll receive a call from a supervisor but the call doesn't materialise.

What's most disappointing here is that is whole USD to EURO thing is a strictly internal accounting issue for Aer Lingus.

Where to complain?

Everyday the costs of the flights go up, so not only are Aer Lingus pocketing the $1000 they got already when the voucher was purchased, but now my missus is under pressure and is going to just pay out of her own pocket for a light because Aer Lingus are dithering.

troyzer

Use a VPN and book from the US side?

Jim2007

Hand the voucher back to her employer and tell them it does not work. If want her over then they should sort it out.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120319644#Comment_120319644

Very unlikely to work as airlines have different pricing rules which prevent you from doing this.

Gussoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120319644#Comment_120319644

Tried VPN but when purchasing outbound flight from Dublin to US, it still quotes in Euros

Gussoe

Thing is, if you can purchase flights and their merchant can handle the currency exchange, why can't they do it with their own voucher?

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320022#Comment_120320022

Exactly what I expected, tried something like that years ago and it did not work then either.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320040#Comment_120320040

Because that voucher was never intended to be used the way you are trying to use it and there is no support built into their system to allow it to happen. Companies provide tickets or pay expenses, not buy vouchers in a foreign currency for staff. They created the problem, let them sort it out.

Gussoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320099#Comment_120320099

You don't understand the context. i'm not talking about a large multinational with a global footprint. It's a small family run business where my missus has cultivated a relationship going back years. Putting the problem back on their plate would be unprofessional.

walterking

surely its the company that bought the voucher with that is at fault? Just because they are a small company does not negate them for total blame for the issue.

I really can't see how aer lingus have any fault here whatsoever. Zilch. They have done nothing wrong. The company asked for a $1000 voucher and the company got a $1000 voucher and you direct your ire at aer lingus?? - Seriously?

Frankly aer lingus are under no obligation whatsoever to change the voucher, so maybe take a different attitude and accept that if they are changing it they are doing you a favour and it is not a simple case of changing something on a computer. The voucher was bought in the USA from their USA subsidiary and therefore effectively has to be cancelled out, funds transferred and a new voucher issued from aer lingus Dublin.

Gussoe

How is it the companies fault?

How are they supposed to know the inner workings of Aer Lingus's divisions/departments?

Is Aer Lingus US website even a subsidary?

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320154#Comment_120320154

The context is very simple you have a voucher bought by a company in the US and intended to be used in the US. Your wife has not been able to use it and is unlikely to be able to use it. Either give it back to the company who bought it and let them sort it out or swallow the cost yourself. Unprofessional is wasting everyone’s time and money pretending you can fix it and it will be more embarrassing the longer you leave it.

cml387

In farness to the OP, if he was told initially that it was impossible to do what he wanted then other options might be available. It seems like Aer Lingus are stringing him along.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120323714#Comment_120323714

No, it was simply a case of individual staff members trying to be helpful in a situation they were not trained/informed to deal with.

Former Former Former

Tell her to buy her next trip as two one-way flights.

The USA to Dublin leg will be priced in dollars. Problem solved.

cml387

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120323739#Comment_120323739

If the agent is not trained or is unable to answer a query then presumably he can refer upward for a definitive ruling form his manager, a process that shouldn't take weeks if the situation is as cut and dried as you suggest.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120323801#Comment_120323801

Blame who ever you like it won't change anything, but expecting staff to be trained in a product that is not even on sale in the country is just nonsense.

Gussoe

What is truly bizarre is why a company that does International flights, sells vouchers that can't be used to buy an international flight.

Gussoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120322719#Comment_120322719

Aer Lingus doesn't sell US national flights though.

It's literally impossible to book a flight with Aer Lingus from one US city to another.

davetherave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321476#Comment_120321476

It's right there when you click on purchase a gift card, and before you start filling out any information of the recipient or the amount

https://vouchers.aerlingus.com/evoucher/purchase?execution=e1s1

To purchase Aer Lingus Gift Vouchers:

• Fill out the Gift Voucher information below and click on CONTINUE at the bottom of the screen.
• Vouchers will be sent to your recipient via email, followed by a PIN email.
• Vouchers can be used towards a flight to any of our Aer Lingus destinations
• Vouchers can only be redeemed against bookings in the currency of issue.
• Choose the delivery date of the electronic voucher via email by selecting a date from the Electronic voucher delivery date option below.
• Recipient name must match name on recipient's passport.

It's not just Aer Lingus that have the currency of the booking as the currency in the departure country.

If I do a JFK - Dub - JFK on Delta you get a price in dollars, if you do DUB-JFK-DUB, you get a price in Euros.

If I book a single flight on British Airways from London to Dublin you get a price in Pounds, even if you are on BA's Irish site. You do do a return London - Dublin - London, it is still pounds. Doing it Dublin - London - Dublin it's all done in Euros.

walterking

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120324479#Comment_120324479

Where on earth do you get that crap?

Voucher bought in the USA in US dollars from Aer Lingus USA and can be used in the USA for any aerlingus flights to Europe from the USA.

Your argument is like saying that a supermarket sells condoms, but won't allow you have a shag in the aisle

Gussoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120330102#Comment_120330102

That is the most stupid analogy I have ever heard.

You can stop trolling my posts now.

walterking

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120340033#Comment_120340033

it was stupid on purpose - showing the ineptness of your post.

Voucher was bought in the USA in US dollars and can be used in the USA for purchase of aer lingus flights originating from the USA of which there are dozens of options to Ireland and the UK and which are charged in US dollars