Richard Kaban · Jan 6, 2026 · 11:57 PM
Inbound · 04:39 · Planner: Susan Bender · +19177713461
“I thought that would tell me that initially. I would have called you right away.”
Call Viking River Cruises within 1 hour to confirm the airport change from JFK to LAX for the KLM flights (departing 1:50 PM, returning 9:50 AM from Amsterdam) and validate the premium economy seat selections and revised fare of $4,098. Call Richard back with confirmation of the change and the new reservation details.
Full analysis
What happened
Richard called to report that he and his wife Arlene booked a Viking River Cruise with flights departing from New York (JFK) to Amsterdam, but they want to change the departure airport to LAX in Los Angeles to stay longer in California. He attempted to modify the flights online through the Viking customer portal, filled out the change form, selected premium economy seats (seats 14G, 15G outbound; 14H, 14K return), and received a quoted price of $4,098 total. The online submission got stuck at 98% completion and would not finalize, with no indication he needed to call an agent. The system showed the same incomplete state the next morning. Susan acknowledged the issue, confirmed the flight details (KLM flights departing 1:50 PM and returning 9:50 AM), and committed to calling Viking directly to make the airport change and callback Richard with confirmation.
Emotional read
Richard is frustrated but not angry—he discovered a technical problem and is pragmatically working through it. He's slightly exasperated that the online system didn't inform him upfront that he needed agent help, and his tone shifts from venting the problem to matter-of-factly providing details. He remains cooperative and trusting that Susan will resolve it.
Emotional arc through the call
Started frustrated and venting about the technical failure and lack of upfront guidance, then calmed into a cooperative, matter-of-fact tone once Susan took ownership of the fix.
How customer sees Pavlus
- negative · customer was not informed upfront that flight changes require calling an agent rather than completing them online—'I thought that would tell me that initially. I would have called you right away'
- positive · Susan responded immediately and committed to calling Viking and providing a callback without hesitation
Process friction
- Viking online flight modification form stalled at 98% completion and did not process payment or confirm changes
- customer was not notified that flight changes must be made via phone call to agent rather than through self-service online portal
- no error message or guidance provided when online submission failed
Value perception
Not explicitly stated. Richard appears to accept that Pavlus/agent intervention is necessary to complete the change, implying he sees value in having an agent liaison with Viking.
Customer behaviors
troubleshooting a technical system failure on his own before callingprice-comparison shopping between JFK and LAX departure optionsproviding detailed flight itinerary and seat assignment informationdeferring to agent to resolve the issue with the cruise line directly
Topics & signals
| Topics | flight change requestdeparture airport modificationpremium economy seatingonline booking system failureprice comparison LAX vs JFK |
|---|---|
| Destinations | New York (JFK)Los Angeles (LAX)AmsterdamCalifornia |
| Cruise lines | Viking River Cruises |
| Buying signals | already booked Viking River Cruise journey and paid for flightsselected premium economy seats with specific seat assignmentsproceeding with modified itinerary and committed to $4,098 flight cost |
| Objections | online flight change form stalled at 98% completion and would not processsystem did not retain flight changes after multiple submission attemptscustomer was not informed upfront that flight changes require agent assistance |
Analyzed 2026-05-27 02:36:39 by claude-haiku-4-5-20251001. Confidence 0.85.
Transcript (4,374 chars)
Customer: Yeah. Agent (Susan Bender): I have travel, this is Susan. Customer: Yeah, hi, Susan, Richard can, how are you? Agent (Susan Bender): Oh, hi. Hi rich. I'm good. How are you doing? Happy New Year. Customer: Happy New Year to you. I'm doing. Agent (Susan Bender): Thank you. Customer: I was doing okay, until till this afternoon, I, yeah, you know, we, we got yesterday I was looking at that my Vican journey and it showed that we, had our flights were already set up, they set it up, I guess this week and it was leaving from New York JFK and going to Amsterdam. But since Arlene and I are here in LA and you know, in, in California, we were thinking we would stay a little bit longer and instead of leaving from New York, we'd leave from California and see what the difference in price was and missing that. So, we kinda like, figured out the pricing, we looked at it and we said, look for us to go back and forth. Cause we have an affair to go to here after the, after the trip we have to book another flight going back. It doesn't it request us like one half of the price which. Agent (Susan Bender): Oh. Agent (Susan Bender): Okay. Agent (Susan Bender): Uh-huh. Agent (Susan Bender): Oh. Agent (Susan Bender): Uh-huh. Customer: Because we wouldn't, we wouldn't be spending the back and forth going with so I went on to my bike in journey, I went to my air and they there's a way that you can make changes to your flights and so I filled it out, I changed it to on and instead of to L-A-X leaving that a direct flight and all that and when I get there I when it gets done we put it in the credit card and it says you know, doing it working on it don't, don't go away, don't close the page, they were 98 percent complete and then it stopped and it and it wouldn't finish. So then this morning, I was looking and it still said the same thing and when I got back I a little while ago, I. Agent (Susan Bender): Yeah. Agent (Susan Bender): Mm-hmm. Agent (Susan Bender): Yeah, right. Agent (Susan Bender): Okay. Agent (Susan Bender): Oh. Agent (Susan Bender): Okay. Agent (Susan Bender): You tried again. Customer: She, even though you were able, able to make all the changes it didn't go through. You have to call you, you're traveling and do it through. So, I thought that would tell me that initially. I would have quote you right away. Yeah, I can tell you the. Agent (Susan Bender): Okay, no, that's fine. Agent (Susan Bender): Yeah, yeah, that's okay, I'll call Viking now and have some airport changed to L-A-X now, you said you just got, you just got your air scheduled this week, right? Customer: Yesterday, and it was, we booked. We had I, it was a KLM flight from, on the, at 1:50 PM it left and there was a KLM coming back at 9:50 AM from Amsterdam back to LA. We had premium economy seats. The first leg was fourteen and fifteen, fourteen G., fifteen G. And coming back it was fourteen. Yeah, I paid for it. I, yeah, so we call it call, I did I raised it up to premium Meany. We found two seats there fourteen G. And fifteen G. On the way over and on the way back fourteen H. And fourteen K. And the, it was going to be $4,098 with everything, you know, with the extra charges and all that they put in. Agent (Susan Bender): Okay, good. Agent (Susan Bender): Uh-huh. Agent (Susan Bender): Mm-hmm. Agent (Susan Bender): Okay. Agent (Susan Bender): You have premium economy? Did you say premium? Oh, okay. Customer: But, and I said took it and then it went and it kept circling and circling and I got 98 percent of the way finished. So that's what I'd like possible maybe those Pia. Agent (Susan Bender): Yeah. Agent (Susan Bender): Well, they might be but you've already changed it to L-A-X or do I still need to do that. I think I should just call Vican and see what they show. Customer: Cause she told me, I, you're still, you have the original. Nothing has changed, didn't want it would take. The. Agent (Susan Bender): Okay. Agent (Susan Bender): Okay. Okay, premium economy and you said it gave you a price of how much. Customer: It was, 409806. Agent (Susan Bender): 409806 okay, I will call Viking now and then I'll give you a callback. You're going to be there for a little while. Customer: Okay, thank you. Yeah, I'll be here bye-bye, okay, thanks. Bye-bye. Agent (Susan Bender): Okay, I will call you back shortly. Thank you, bye-bye, uh-huh, bye.