SwissPass Glitch Mistakenly Declares Man ‘Dead’ Three times!
In an unusual turn of events, a resident from Solothurn, Switzerland, faced a series of disruptions with his SwissPass, a common transport card, due to a mistaken declaration of death three times in as many months.
Repeated Suspension of SwissPass Raises Concerns
The trouble began in August when the man attempted to use the SwissPass app to purchase a ticket. Despite numerous attempts, the system consistently rejected his request. This led to a frustrating cycle of account reactivation and subsequent suspension, occurring consecutively in August, September, and October.
Discovering the Root Cause
Unable to find a resolution through customer service, the man decided to investigate further. Consulting a friend employed at the Swiss Federal Railways ticket office, he learned that, astonishingly, he had been marked as “dead” in the system three separate times over the past three months. Such a designation automatically blocked his account and suspended all recurring tickets.
Frustrations Escalate as Helpline Offers Limited Assistance
Despite the revelation, contacting the helpline proved unhelpful, as they claimed to be unable to rectify the issue permanently. Faced with the prospect of monthly calls to Alliance SwissPass, the man sought assistance from the consumer magazine Espresso.
Alliance SwissPass Acknowledges and Apologizes for the Error
In response to the magazine’s inquiry, Alliance SwissPass spokesperson Reto Hügli extended a sincere apology for the inconvenience caused by the glitch. He explained that a mix-up occurred with another customer account, clarifying that similarities in names, addresses, or birthdates can lead to accidental disruptions in the system.
Resolution and Future Measures
Hügli assured that the problem with the man’s account had been resolved, and additional training would be provided to helpline staff to handle similar glitches more effectively. The incident serves as a reminder of the potential pitfalls of technology and the importance of ongoing system improvements to prevent such errors.
