Communicating with Japan Airlines

[Banana72]

Hi folks,
Anybody here uses Japan Airlines? Have any contact info maybe that you have aside from the 800 number online?

I swear their website is THE worst website I've ever come across...it's either always down for maintenance, does not recognize my membership JMB code, or keeps giving me error message. Tried to even check the detail for my milage and it asked me to click a 'link' cause the website is for japanese/members in japan...then i went to another website entered the info and click the link...it transferred me back to the first website where I started! It's like an endless cycle.

Finally found an email...(yaaay?) sent an email only to be responded with this is for the hearing impaired...please contact our US office...with yep the same number I tried before...

Basically I'm just trying to upgrade my seat to a higher class wanting to know if my milage is enough and how to do it....

 

[flavus]

I love the service at ANA but also regretted signing up for their frequent flier service, their website is also quite hard to navigate

 

[snpark]

JAL not ANA

 

[flavus]

Yeah, sorry, just meant it seems an issue with Japanese airlines in general

 

[snpark]

I just asked my friend at JAL she's pretty high up

She sent me this

https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/information/branch/sr/id/

 

[ChrisTex]

Never had trouble with the JAL website in terms of it being down, but ya it can be a bit hard to find some information.

https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/information/branch/

I usually just use my Texas phone and call +1-310-607-4160. Have always gotten through in a timely manner.

 

[snpark]

There's an online chat function there too with an agent

 

[Banana72]

There's an online chat function there too with an agent

Hi snpark....is there another link for this? The one I found says the chat is 'unmanned'...(bot service).

At this point I'm tempted to really drive to the airport (I am in the US btw) and talk to somebody in JAL's front desk..

 

[snpark]

When I clicked on the link it opened and bottom right was a flashing icon chat screen

 

[snpark]

 

[Banana72]

Yep that's the bot service.
Tried calling the California number...the 800 number....waiting forever, no answer. Goodness.

 

[snpark]

Why not call the indonesian number? During office hours
It's an actual office number not some call centre

 

[ChrisTex]

Yep that's the bot service.
Tried calling the California number...the 800 number....waiting forever, no answer. Goodness.

Did you try calling the 310 number? Remember, they open on Pacific time.

 

[Banana72]

Did you try calling the 310 number? Remember, they open on Pacific time.

Yep. I did...I'm in Portland and called around 9:30 just as they're open and called again around 11..tried also the 800 number. At this point I'm going to just drive to the frickin airport and hope I can get to their International help desk or something (as I have to pick up a friend anyway).

 

[Banana72]

Why not call the indonesian number? During office hours
It's an actual office number not some call centre

Will try that hopefully tomorrow if the airport visit didn't work.

 

[harryopal1]

Will try that hopefully tomorrow if the airport visit didn't work.

At the airport you may get told to use their help in the website. So many problems with large organizations which use computer systems to lay off workers and make bigger profits. And, as with your experience, going around in circles and almost impossible to actually speak to a person.

By the way, your name, "Banana" sounds like an airline. Banana Air. Sounds good. Start up your own airline and then you can talk to yourself. In the meantime I am sure others are also interested to know how you fare after your visit to the airline. Good luck.

 

[flavus]

By the way, your name, "Banana" sounds like an airline. Banana Air. Sounds good

Banana Air ... the national airline of Banana Republic

I'm guessing @Banana72 is Chinese-Indonesian... born in 1972?

 

[Banana72]

Back in the good 'ol Jakardah...yeah so got to San Francisco airport (yesterday?) and asked about my milage...perfect, got enough milage for an upgrade (already got business class from SFO to NRT...now just needed to upgrade the second leg). Agent at SFO said ah it's a regional thing, we can't do it here....must upgrade at the narita airport. I'm like. you sure? I only have a bit of time (one hour)..she's like oh yeah...no problem...just go to the gate and they'll be able to do it for you, another guy (young maybe new) checked...ah yes sir, they still got a few seats left and your milage is enough...(already had my doubts but okay)

Arrived in Narita about 9 minutes early. About 1 hour 10 till boarding. Turned out my gate is at the other end of the International wing...no problem, gotta work out those carbs I ate during the flight, right? Semi-jog I did. Arrived at the gate. Nobody. Waited 20 minutes. Young lady in uniform came. I explained the situation..she then said 'ah sorry cannot. I'm training still'. OK...wait for a more senior people. Two came. Young one just kept...typing and not saying anything about my situation. I'm like okay miss...I guess I will explain again (I did).

Answer: "Sorry we have no time to upgrade you, milage is enough, but we don't have enough consumption/food to upgrade and to prepare" I explained "The lady/agent at SFO told me I can do it here" "Oh really..aah..soo.." (me...aaand??? typing again...."Yeah sorry we have no time to prepare or maybe you can buy next year instead of upgrade. Enough milage" I'm like don't event tell me to buy straight from the website... no answer.

Good thing: I was so tired I truly fell asleep and almost missed my meal. three seats next to me all were empty with the notice 'reserved' on them. Hey...maybe those lucky people managed to upgrade their seats eh?

As usual, immigration (arrival) is decent, waiting time is not too bad...baggage claim is a bit different with about 5 different airlines arriving at the same time, with lots of folks via Singapore Airlines.

Too tired to find a blue bird taxi after being told by a Golden bird agent 'di sana pak nomor 3 bagian kanan' (and I couldn't find another kiosk). Gamya guy approached me and said 250K incl toll. Too tired to haggle and before I knew it he grabbed one of my luggage. I figure he'll overcharge me by a good 80-100K but by about 1:00AM all I care about was to get home in reasonable amount of time, take a shower, see my lovely dog (which she already waited as I opened the door) and possibly try to sleep.

Ah home sweet home!

Edited: The JAL agent in Jakarta departure gate was friendly and helpful though in trying to find my mileage number and balance, so maybe next time I'll ask them to upgrade instead!

 

[Banana72]

Well I know it's an old issue but I figure I'll post an update of how unreachable JAL is. I figure, hey, if I go to their office physically, it'll probably easier to find somebody right? Last week went to their office in Sudirman (Wisma KEIAI) per my wife's suggestion....I'm like with my luck, maybe they're closed. Well, luck was right. It has been closed for two months according to a server from a restaurant downstairs. On the glass door they kindly...(sarcasm) put a notice of 'not accepting any milage/ticket inquiries' and put another phone number instead....

 

[harryopal1]

Privately owned or company and shareholder owned airlines, such as JAL, are primarily focused on profit and the thinking seems to be that the number of people who have problems are not significant so let's not waste money by servicing these losers.

Qantas used to be an airline that was owned by the people. They offered great service and had an impeccable safety record but the rot began to set in when 25% of the company was sold to British Air in 1993 and then was floated to shareholders in 1995. Profit became the focus. I recall travelling with Qantas and the dinner desert was an icy pole which I thought pretty well summarized the attitude towards customers. With Covid, like most other airlines, Qantas logged up impressive losses and appealed for help from the Australian government so I and other taxpayers forked out $2 billion dollars to see them through. Post Covid, Qantas made a record profit of $2.47 billion and has paid out massive amounts of money to shareholders while insisting the $2 billion provided by myself and other taxpayers would not be paid back as that would be bad for business.

It has recently been revealed that Qantas has been deliberately selling ghost flights and upwards of 10,000 paying customers had found no bookings or cancellations with major problems trying to get refunds. And the Qantas CEO decided that $500,000 worth of frequent flyer points would not be honoured. The subsequent controversy has led to the CEO of 14 years, Alan Joyce to stand down. He will walk away with bonuses of close to $24 million dollars and effectively taking $125 million across his term of employment while engaging in wages theft and underpaying employees.

So, our friend Banana ought not expect a rush of compassion from JAL in sorting out his problems. A pox on privatization.