Teacher
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14 Messages
Unauthorized in-flight wireless charges
Have others been surprised by unauthorized in-flight wireless charges from AT&T? I got charged $128 for in-flight wireless on a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to the US. However, I never authorized or requested in-flight data, nor was I aware of in-flight data usage. Why would I, when I was also paying $10/day for AT&T's International Passport Service which covers international voice/data. I reported to AT&T but they're insisting I pay for these unauthorized charges. They're trying to negotiate me down to 50%, but I refuse on principle. AT&T knows better and should be ashamed. This is another consumer-fraud scandal brewing. I reported to the FTC Consumer Protection Unit (https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/), which took just five minutes to file a complaint. Please let me know if others are in the same boat with AT&T.
ari_blum
Contributor
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3 Messages
4 years ago
I received the same charge. I am going to use your link to indicate that this is fraudulent
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.2K Messages
4 years ago
It’s not, but go ahead and try. AT&T paid for your usage, and expects to be reimbursed, and have the right to be.
FYI all phones have a setting that prevent data roaming unless you manually turn the roaming feature on. Once you do, you HAVE authorized your phone to connect to non AT&T networks. So your assertion is incorrect.
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Fl_retire
ACE - Professor
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3K Messages
4 years ago
Lufthansa Terms and Conditions 11.2 covers this. if the flight crew did not cover this in the flight briefing, then it is between you and Lufthansa or resolve the cost involved. Swissair also allows cellphone use, but is expensive also.
https://mobile.lufthansa.com/hpg/article.jsp?art=11
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/Which-airlines-allow-in-flight-mobile-use/
https://www.swiss.com/us/en/customer-support/faq-help/entertainment-electronics#
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ari_blum
Contributor
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3 Messages
4 years ago
This reply is a complete misdirection. AT&T knows about this issue and can choose not to partner with Lufthansa or these other airlines for this service. There is no warning that there will be charges and AT&T's lack of customer service or regard for their customers is frustrating. AT&T's stock reply of putting a phone into airplane mode is laughable. I took my phone on a flight to Utah yesterday and was not charged, even though it wasn't in airplane mode. I plan to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and challenge this bill with my credit card since AT&T will do nothing to remedy this situation. This is a sleazy business practice and punishes someone who's wireless bill was in excess of $500 last month for legitimate charges that are not being contested. Good job taking care of your loyal customers, AT&T!
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
4 years ago
Bottom line, you are responsible for controlling your phone. If you don’t want roaming charges, it is so easy to avoid them. Just put your phone in airplane mode.
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ari_blum
Contributor
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3 Messages
4 years ago
My assertion is not incorrect. 1) The default settings on the phone are to turn cell roaming on. 2) I had paid $10/day per phone to use it in Germany, which I will gladly pay for since I signed up for that service. How was I to know the airplane was a cellular hot spot that would charge me $300 per flight? This was not made clear to me beforehand. Any other arguments about airplane mode and cellular roaming are irrelevant to my assertion. If AT&T were acting in good faith, then they would either cease doing business with these other providers or have a specific mode to turn on specifically for this type of usage. As stated, data roaming is on by default and included within my normal plan. Why would anyone think that the airplane is a specific surcharge. For example, when I went to Morocco on this same trip, I knew my plan was not covered there, so I bought a special plan that would work there and I turned off my data roaming because I had specific instruction from AT&T to do so. This is a sleazy business practice by AT&T and, if AT&T were not so nefarious, they would make it very clear and easy to opt in to this airplane data roaming, rather than having to opt out.
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
4 years ago
@ari_blum You are obviously not going to change your mind and have decided to blame ATT, that’s fine. Personally, I put my phone in airplane mode on any flight, foreign or domestic. I also put it in airplane mode on cruise ships. When I travel internationally, I leave data roaming off and only turn it on when I want to use data, even if I have an international plan. In fact, data roaming is far is my default setting. This prevents unintended data usage and unintended charges. I can truthfully say I’ve never gotten an unintended international charge and am quite sure I never will.
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Fl_retire
ACE - Professor
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3K Messages
4 years ago
I put my phone in airplane mode prior to boarding any flight like @sandblaster I have flown Lufthansa and Swissair and have received the notice on the use of cell service.
If you say that AT&T should block the use, what about the individuals that need/want to use the service. Guess you want these individuals to purchase another phone and plan from another cell phone provider.
https://www.att.com/offers/international-plans/day-pass.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-4nuBRCnARIsAHwyuPpzm5lvbygUhP6telV05RKXTXv0LWZ5GZ4vbZliYf56gjTy1ZTAHwUaAnqpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Excerpt from International Day Pass
Service restrictions: Not available for wireless home phone services, connected vehicles, or connected devices. Pay-per-use international rates will apply. International use aboard cruise ships and airlines is not included.
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