Wrongfully billed
We had an Al Shamil connection at our previous residence, which we cancelled last month. We received a bill for Dh349 as ‘one time installation charges’ and Dh30 in ‘service rental charges’ making it a total of Dh380, on top of the outstanding amount.
We had specifically checked with the etisalat Al Khaleej business centre before cancelling the account, if we would be charged anything extra. We were assured that there would be no extra charges. Secondly we received exactly the same charges for our new e-Life connection. When we called etisalat customer service on 101, the representative admitted that it was charged by mistake. They said etisalat would rectify the bill and send it again. However, we received our next bill and it had the same charges without any corrections.
From Ms Nidhi Batra
Dubai

Editor’s note: The complaint was sent to the management of etisalat. However, despite repeated reminders they failed to respond.

Due date confusion
A year ago I took a credit card from Mashreq bank and had instalments made payable [on a loan] for 24 months. As a good borrower I paid my instalments for more than one year without any disruption. Recently I was surprised to find out that they have changed my payment due date to the 31st of every month, as opposed to the fifth [of the following month]. I have been regularly paying my instalments after the 31st — my salary comes in only on this date. [I have] paid my instalments by the first or second. Now I have been charged Dh179 for two months, for late payment. Why have they changed my due date? Why do they not consider calling or sending an SMS to intimate customers when they make changes, like they frequently do when they have promotions?  On November 13, 2009, they made me pay Dh200 for a purchase in Dubai. I was on vacation [outside the UAE] when the purchase was made! It is difficult to imagine that I lost my hard-earned money for nothing and to think that I took a loan because I am in need.
From Mr Allan Briones
Abu Dhabi

The management of Mashreq responds: Thank you for sharing Mr Allan Briones’s letter. We sincerely regret the inconvenience experienced by Mr Briones. We confirm the payment due date was changed on Mr Briones’s credit card in the month of July 2010. Mashreq remains committed to inform its customers in advance of any change related to products and services so that they take note of it to avoid any inconvenience.
With respect to the change in payment due date in credit cards, we adopted several channels to communicate the message to our customers. Since June 2010, the change in payment due date was communicated in the credit card statement (top left side of the first page of the statement) along with SMS messages sent to our customer from time to time. The late payment was charged due to the payment due date change.
In Mr Briones’ case, the SMS delivery of the change in payment due date was not successful due to an unintentional technical error. We have communicated the same to Mr Briones and since Mashreq values its customers, we have shared a suitable resolution with him.  Mr Briones was very satisfied. Thank you for seeking clarification.

Mr Briones responds:  I would like to thank Gulf News for resolving my complaints with Mashreq. I was assured by their concerned department of the reversal of the late payment fee charges and the reinstatement of my original payment due date on my next statement.

Landline refund
Since June 27, 2010 my landline has not been working in spite of calling etisalat. We are paying annual rental fees for the phone [which does not work]. Since June 27, the phone and internet have been down. If you don’t pay [your bills] etisalat cuts the phone line, but after we pay will etisalat refund us? I called the technical department but it was no use. I called customer service and they assured me a supervisor would call but there has been no call. Does anyone know the importance of a land line when there are children at home?
From Mr Melvis Furtado
Dubai

The management of etisalat  responds: Kindly be informed that Mr Furtado’s issue has been resolved.

Mr Furtado responds: Etisalat did not visit my house to even check the problem. One day I got a call from etisalat on the same ‘dead’ phone line, asking me if the phone line was working and was told that if I was able to talk to him on that line, it would have to be working. Also, we have been paying the rental fee, so will etisalat reimburse us the loss of 20 some days with no phone?

The management of etisalat responds: Kindly be informed that as per etisalat policy, the customer is not eligible for the refund.

Inconsiderate attitude
This is regarding my journey with Emirates airlines. My ailing sister, her eight-year-old daughter and I travelled to India on July 28. As I mentioned, my sister was very unwell and was advised to be on the wheelchair throughout the journey along with an oxygen supply canister on board. We requested Emirates airlines for the same well in advance and they did provided us with the necessary equipment. Though we did tell them that we needed the wheelchair throughout, this meant my sister was not able to walk at all. However, still on check-in we were given seats that were quite a walk from the aircraft door to the seat. In between my sister was not even able to stand, so I had to request someone to let her sit for a while. The question arises, when a person is on a wheelchair and cannot walk, then why is he or she not given a seat in the front? The oxygen kit was portable and could have been kept anywhere.
The e-ticket given to us clearly mentioned that the flight would be landing at Terminal 2 of the international airport in Delhi. So our relatives waited for us at Terminal 2 at 4am, but to add to our troubles the flight landed at Terminal 3 and I had to wait for a long time with my sick sister, outside the airport. It was very difficult for her to remain seated as she had been sitting for a long time. We have decided never to fly Emirates again.
From Ms Honey Malhotra
Dubai

Editor’s note:
The complaint was forwarded to Emirates airlines for comments. However, despite repeated reminders, its management failed to respond.

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