Unreliable, unhelpful staff, complicated checkin procedures (Czech Airlines)

Member Name: bootsaholic

Product:	Czech Airlines
Date:	19/08/08 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap

Disadvantages: Booking errors and nobody interested in helping to resolve them

I'm afraid this will be the first negative review that I have had to write.

Late last year, we looked around for good prices on flight from the UK to Prague, Prague to Tallin, and back again.

CSA Czech Airlines came out the cheapest, so we went ahead and booked. However, we had nothing but problems. The night before our flight, I tried to check in online, as we were supposed to be able to. But it would not recognise my details - I could view my booking online, but not do the online checkin.

I called, and was advised not to worry, that I could just check in at the airport. The lady did not sound overly certain, so I called back again later to speak to someone else and confirm. After much confusion, they confirmed they could see my booking, that all was fine, and I would just have to check in at the airport.

Upon arrival at the UK airport, straightaway they said we should have a paper ticket - but we were booked as an eticket, as per our booking confirmation. We had to wait ages, then the checkout man said he had sorted it out, and we could checkin.

Sadly, we had the same problem on every single flight we got on to, so we were continually hanging around feeling rather worred. Worst of all, on the flight back from Prague, they actually refused to let us board.

Despite explaining all that had already happened to us, and everything we had done to try and get it corrected, they made out it was all our fault, and that they were not responsible in any way. They refused to help in any way.

By then I was feeling extremely ill - literally almost sick and my head was throbbing with worry. It was hundreds of pounds to purchase new flights - and they also said there were no seats available. Luckily, to cut a long story short, we eventually found someone else at the airport that sorted it out for us, but the Czech Airline staff at both the checkin desk and the sales counter were not at all interested in trying to help.

We wrote to complain when we got back also. After 2 attempts at contacting them they finally responded, and said it was not their fault, and that basically it was just hard luck.

I would never risk flying with them again.

Summary: Awful airline, please do not risk booking with them