Comments on: Perth – Western Australia, How to catch a flight http://hans2474.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/perth-western-australia-how-to-catch-a-flight/ Inside ideas for travel in Australia Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:14:42 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: AJC http://hans2474.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/perth-western-australia-how-to-catch-a-flight/#comment-413 AJC Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:48:08 +0000 http://hans2474.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/perth-western-australia-how-to-catch-a-flight/#comment-413 You can complain about the idiots here: http://www.swantaxis.com.au/customer_enquiry.php also here's more: You can complain about the idiots here:
http://www.swantaxis.com.au/customer_enquiry.php
also here’s more:

]]> By: AJC http://hans2474.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/perth-western-australia-how-to-catch-a-flight/#comment-412 AJC Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:41:59 +0000 http://hans2474.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/perth-western-australia-how-to-catch-a-flight/#comment-412 Dead right mate, Swan taxis are the worst I have encountered in all my liday and business travel in the major cities of 5 continents. I'm terribly sorry to hear of your tragic story so I won't waste your time with my tales of frustration while trying to do business in Perth suffice to say that I also hae had to desperately arrange borrowing a car because a booking made the night before for 6am did not turn up for over an hour. I've also been over one hour late for a 9am meeting due to non-arival of a taxi at 8am in the CBD and now I'm sitting at the airport having had no taxi and missing my flight back to Melbourne. Luckily for the people of West Australia I don't make business decisions about where to base my company's headquarters but if I did, the fact that you CANNOT RELY ON A SWAN TAXI IN PERTH means that I would definitely never locate my company in Perth, and from now on I will do all I can to avoid any meetings in the city. Dead right mate, Swan taxis are the worst I have encountered in all my liday and business travel in the major cities of 5 continents.
I’m terribly sorry to hear of your tragic story so I won’t waste your time with my tales of frustration while trying to do business in Perth suffice to say that I also hae had to desperately arrange borrowing a car because a booking made the night before for 6am did not turn up for over an hour.
I’ve also been over one hour late for a 9am meeting due to non-arival of a taxi at 8am in the CBD and now I’m sitting at the airport having had no taxi and missing my flight back to Melbourne.

Luckily for the people of West Australia I don’t make business decisions about where to base my company’s headquarters but if I did, the fact that you
CANNOT RELY ON A SWAN TAXI IN PERTH
means that I would definitely never locate my company in Perth, and from now on I will do all I can to avoid any meetings in the city.

]]> By: aw http://hans2474.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/perth-western-australia-how-to-catch-a-flight/#comment-409 aw Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:39:36 +0000 http://hans2474.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/perth-western-australia-how-to-catch-a-flight/#comment-409 Letter to Swan Taxi on March 20th, 2008 : The General Manager Swan Taxi 1008 Wellington St West Perth, WA 6005 Dear Sir / Madam Subject : Booking Reference No. (XXXXXX) - 18th February 2008 I refer you to the subject Booking Reference number. On the early evening of February 18th my wife received an urgent phone call from her family in England, informing her that her elderly mother had suddenly taken very ill, and requesting my wife to return to England as soon as possible. We immediately went about making arrangements for this urgent and substantial travel. By going on-line, we were successful in booking her air ticket immediately, with an international airline located in Dubai, for departure from Perth during the very early hours of the following morning, February 19th. By going on-line we were successful in booking her UK car hire immediately, with a car hire company located in London, who were so efficient, realising the urgency of the matter, telephoned us in Perth, from England, to state that all arrangements were in place, and her hire-car would be waiting for her at the London airport, for February 19th. Lastly, we needed to simply book the taxi service to take my wife from our home in the Western Suburbs to Perth International airport. As this could not be done on-line, we were required to telephone your company. As the automated phone service you offer, only facilitates the booking of a taxi for immediate use (and not for a later pick-up) we were placed on hold, for a considerable period of time. Eventually your operator responded. We carefully explained the situation, and booked a taxi to collect my wife from our home at 04.15hrs sharp the following morning. We intentionally allowed an additional 15 minutes above your operators minimum recommended pick up time, to ensure my wife would not miss her flight. We were given confirmation no (XXXXXX). Incredibly, the following morning, at 04.15hrs, no taxi arrived and no message received from Swan Taxi’s, who had all of our contact details. We waited a further 15 minutes and frantically called your office on a number of occasions. Eventually, at 04.40 hrs when we called one last time, we were informed by your operator that a taxi would not be coming, as "no one had responded to the radio call ". I find it incredible that such an event could occur, given that your company fully understood the critical importance, and sensitivity, of this booking, and the stress my wife would have been under. The no-show is inexcusable, but that fact that no one even bothered to inform us that "no taxi would be turning up" is beyond belief. With no time to spare, I was required to immediately drive my wife to the airport and leave two young children at home, At 04.45 in the morning ! I informed your operator that we were extremely dissatisfied with the poor quality of service offered by Swan Taxis and that we would expect an explanation from your management. I also informed your operator that we would be making a complaint to the local authorities. Needless to say, in keeping with the extremely poor service and care offered by Swan Taxis, we have heard nothing further. A few days after my wife arrived in England, her mother passed away. I would like to receive your comments to this most unfortunate course of events – and I am not interested in any excuses such as ..’’ a booking does not represent a commitment from Swan taxis etc….’’ Yours sincerely (signed) PS: When we returned home a few weeks later, we read about the Taxi drivers protest at the local government offices….. further adding to our confusion. Letter to Swan Taxi on March 20th, 2008 :

The General Manager
Swan Taxi
1008 Wellington St
West Perth,
WA 6005

Dear Sir / Madam

Subject : Booking Reference No. (XXXXXX) – 18th February 2008

I refer you to the subject Booking Reference number. On the early evening of February 18th my wife received an urgent phone call from her family in England, informing her that her elderly mother had suddenly taken very ill, and requesting my wife to return to England as soon as possible. We immediately went about making arrangements for this urgent and substantial travel.

By going on-line, we were successful in booking her air ticket immediately, with an international airline located in Dubai, for departure from Perth during the very early hours of the following morning, February 19th.

By going on-line we were successful in booking her UK car hire immediately, with a car hire company located in London, who were so efficient, realising the urgency of the matter, telephoned us in Perth, from England, to state that all arrangements were in place, and her hire-car would be waiting for her at the London airport, for February 19th.

Lastly, we needed to simply book the taxi service to take my wife from our home in the Western Suburbs to Perth International airport. As this could not be done on-line, we were required to telephone your company. As the automated phone service you offer, only facilitates the booking of a taxi for immediate use (and not for a later pick-up) we were placed on hold, for a considerable period of time. Eventually your operator responded. We carefully explained the situation, and booked a taxi to collect my wife from our home at 04.15hrs sharp the following morning. We intentionally allowed an additional 15 minutes above your operators minimum recommended pick up time, to ensure my wife would not miss her flight. We were given confirmation no (XXXXXX).

Incredibly, the following morning, at 04.15hrs, no taxi arrived and no message received from Swan Taxi’s, who had all of our contact details. We waited a further 15 minutes and frantically called your office on a number of occasions. Eventually, at 04.40 hrs when we called one last time, we were informed by your operator that a taxi would not be coming, as “no one had responded to the radio call “.

I find it incredible that such an event could occur, given that your company fully understood the critical importance, and sensitivity, of this booking, and the stress my wife would have been under. The no-show is inexcusable, but that fact that no one even bothered to inform us that “no taxi would be turning up” is beyond belief. With no time to spare, I was required to immediately drive my wife to the airport and leave two young children at home, At 04.45 in the morning !

I informed your operator that we were extremely dissatisfied with the poor quality of service offered by Swan Taxis and that we would expect an explanation from your management. I also informed your operator that we would be making a complaint to the local authorities.
Needless to say, in keeping with the extremely poor service and care offered by Swan Taxis, we have heard nothing further.

A few days after my wife arrived in England, her mother passed away.

I would like to receive your comments to this most unfortunate course of events – and I am not interested in any excuses such as ..’’ a booking does not represent a commitment from Swan taxis etc….’’

Yours sincerely

(signed)

PS: When we returned home a few weeks later, we read about the Taxi drivers protest at the local government offices….. further adding to our confusion.

]]> By: Theo Savic http://hans2474.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/perth-western-australia-how-to-catch-a-flight/#comment-271 Theo Savic Tue, 29 May 2007 22:33:11 +0000 http://hans2474.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/perth-western-australia-how-to-catch-a-flight/#comment-271 Hi everyone As a driver of a Swan Taxi I can say that this writer should know that the drivers are subcontractors to Swan Taxi despatch centre who are not interested to the complaints, as he said when he told to the driver that they are late for the flight he stepped on it ... So a simple suggestion is to research before writing an article, ( I know that Swan Taxis web site is old and hasn't been updated for aproximately 5 yers which is a shame for the despatch service ) but anyone who is catching a taxi should speak to the driver instead of the despatch service because system is different from state to state, let alone from country to country, I also bet that this guy was, when he finnaly hit Sydney, shocked with taxi service over there ... With regards Theo Hi everyone
As a driver of a Swan Taxi I can say that this writer should know that the drivers are subcontractors to Swan Taxi despatch centre who are not interested to the complaints, as he said when he told to the driver that they are late for the flight he stepped on it …

So a simple suggestion is to research before writing an article, ( I know that Swan Taxis web site is old and hasn’t been updated for aproximately 5 yers which is a shame for the despatch service ) but anyone who is catching a taxi should speak to the driver instead of the despatch service because system is different from state to state, let alone from country to country, I also bet that this guy was, when he finnaly hit Sydney, shocked with taxi service over there …

With regards

Theo

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