[nguyen]

Report of a corruption case in Hanoi

I bought 2 business class tickets for Hanoi-New York for my parents. There was a difference in the names appeared in the ticket (without middle name) and the names on the US Visa (with middle name).

At 10:00 PM, July 26 2011, Hanoi time, when my parents checked in, Japan Airlines agents in Noibai Airport asked for a bribery of $200 in order to allow my parents to check in. They said they had to take risk letting my parents in because of the middle name difference. When my parents asked for the receipt, they said with the receipt, the fee would be 250 USD, and they can only issue it next day (technically threatening my parents that they would miss their flight).

I called American Airlines (where I booked the tickets) and they said they added middle names to the system. However, JAL agents in Hanoi said they haven't seen the middle names added yet.

I called Japan Airlines and talked to a representative named Lary. He refused to update or reissue the ticket.

I asked American Airlines, and they asked JAL to reissue the tickets with middle names. But it was too late, because the tickets only reissued 30' before the flight.

When I called JAL back and demanded an investigation of this corruption incident, the representative (Lary) refused to take my call, and asked me to write a letter to headquarter instead. When I asked his last name, he refused to answer.

As far as I know, many people have the same issue with JAL Hanoi before.

I filed a complaint with Japan Airlines to demand an official investigation to this incident, demand to know the names of the agents who process my parent's case, and a formal letter to answer my questions.