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A horrible experience with Aer Lingus Barcelona-Cork flight
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17-08-2010 5:00pm#1
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Guys, this is not a letter I sent them. They don't accept letters anyway (fax only). This was something I wrote to be able to refer to when I visited the desk at Cork airport last Sunday, and during a phonecall on Monday. As such, it necessarily needs to be long as to contain all details (relevant, semi-relevant, irrelevant, positive, negative etc). It is a fair an accurate account though.
As advised, I sent a fax outlining the general issues for complaint (lack of attention to passengers, lack of information, lack of visibility of staff, refusal of passenger rights, unwarranted and vile personal abuse, etc) in concise fashion.
Appreciate some of the comments and advice above guys, thanks.
I hope that Aer Lingus can sort out the ongoing problems with Newco's service, and to give Newco their due here, their COO has been very quick to get back to me by email and appears to be genuinely interested in dealing with the matter. We'll see.
This is not the first time I've encountered problems with Newco, but delays and cancellation are a fairly routine thing in modern air travel. We've all experienced it at one time or another. The manner in which the company deals with such a crisis is key, and in all my many years of travelling and flying I have never encountered a company so apparently ill-equipped to deal with what is hardly an act of god. Basic manners and courtesy cost nothing either, being arrogant and insulting (even in the face of provocation, and I was not personally rude nor did I raise my voice) is never the answer. From a personal level, I feel that I did everything I was asked to do by the company and ultimately left shafted.
Just as I would recommend a company or service to a friend, I think it's equally fair that one would let it be known when something goes seriously askew. Bear in mind that there were a lot of disgruntled and upset passengers stranded outside that carpark besides myself asking the same questions. I'm not arrogant enough to think that posting this on a forum will change or improve anything, but we can only live in hope.
And feck it, won't I be flying the same route with the same shower in just under a fortnight's time.
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Okay Izzy, re point 1:
I was accompanied to the airport and my friend left for town shortly before 10pm. Not having a mobile has been a drag, for sure. But ironically I'd been thinking earlier that day, wow, it's not all that hard to live without these things, is it? Bigger fool me. And for the pick up at the other end, my oul' fella RELIGIOUSLY checks flight information before heading to the airport, so that wasn't a worry even to the extent that I didn't even need to use my friend's mobile to advise him. He's on the ball when it comes to this sort of thing, I ordinarily check too but didn't on this occasion. But all in all, that's no biggie.
2.
I will say several things about her. I witnessed her being rude and curt with her own staff (she didn't seem to have anythinng indicating seniority) which I picked up upon very quickly. I did say early on that I did not need a hotel. I did say early on that I just needed to make those two phone-calls. At that point I would have been out the gap, because airports are a depressing place at the best of the times. I was simply told to go and stand outside the carpark where we would all be atttended to, and did as I was told.
With hindsight I should have left there and then, but I thought, okay, grand.
I can't make this part clear enough- I had already said that I didn't need a hotel. I didn't want a hotel. I was fine on that score. Barca's like a home to me, as I've said. If my flight was cancelled in Cork I sure as hell wouldn't stay in a hotel, I'd go home. What I did need as a matter of urgency here was use of the phone. All these things like booking hotels, buses, herding people, take time an effort (although I am sure these eventualities are all planned for, I don't think they did these things badly). But as for letting a guy make a couple of phone calls? A thing of nothing, really.
What irked me, was that after doing as told, and waiting much time to be attended to, all that happened was that buses for hotels arrived. A service I had already made clear I didn't need. And no reps. I really didn't know what to do at this point, and continued to wait. This was my biggest mistake- at this point I just about had enough time to make the metro. Here, I'll hold my hand up here- I screwed this one up, and learned a valuable lesson in the process.
Now when I finally realise no reps are coming, I hotfoot it back to the terminal, and I encounter the woman who I had already told i did not need a hotel. She gave me short shrift, so I went inside, did my utmost to locate other staff, went to information, the company's offices, the check in desk we'd been sent to early- no-one. And it dawns on me that maybe I now can't make it in to the city. I go outside to find the staff as advised. I am then instantly treated to a barrage of abuse, taunted and insulted at this point. Why would the woman be stressed now? They had done their job of sending 100+ by coach to a hotel whilst maintaining minimal to zero presence throughout. The presence thing to me is important- even if it's just one or two people offering token attention. More than that, is is a legal obligation.
*end note* the new flight details were known by the time i encountered her when she abused me from the off, as her calmer colleague was able to inform with some precision. this wasn't an issue at the time.
3.
I would definitely agree on all points. But only with the benefit of hindsight. i will just say again, I stated that I would not be requiring a hotel early on. in order to avail of the other things i was entitled and needed, i did as was told and was pretty much shafted. I am an extremely polite person but I was left exasperated by the end of it.
So yes, I know now that in future if i find myself in this situation and nothing is forthcoming, it's just less hassle to leave.
Really though, even as I worried looking at the clock I never thought I would be left absiolutely stranded at the airport. Even if the hotel had been the 5 Star Melia i would have preferred to stay with my friends, in my old apartment.
So in hindsight, I can easily say yes- I was a bit of an idiot. I was naive in the extreme. But at the same token, I did what I was told to do at every step and found myself left hight and dry and that's what galls me more than anything.
Yes- next time I will just exit the building the second the flight is cancelled when I'm on something resembling home turf. But I will say this- i have travelled much in my life, experienced countless delays, several cancellations, but never such ineptitude and rudeness.
Really. Two phone calls would have done it for me.
In short, I could have handled things better for sure, but my god they should have handled things a hell of a lot better.
And, after all this, I would just hope that Newco could improve their customer service skills (as I've said, this is not an isolated incident, just the most spectacularly bad- if i started on others I'd be here all day. Don't have the desire to drag up old muck). At present, on a scale of 1-10, i would have them hovering above zero. A LOT of other passengers waiting were complaining about the lack of information, presence, and attention too. But we are nothing if not a patient or jolly lot us, us Irish, and I think that that natural side of our character was taken advantage of as the company abrogated all but the bare minimum in terms of care.
Look I'll stop here as I'm rambling now. I hope I have answered your questions.
Slán.0 -
Okay Izzy, re point 1:
I was accompanied to the airport and my friend left for town shortly before 10pm. Not having a mobile has been a drag, for sure. But ironically I'd been thinking earlier that day, wow, it's not all that hard to live without these things, is it? Bigger fool me.
Still don't see why you had no change, or couldn't get any, for a public phone? Or couldn't somehow borrow someone else's? I'm sure there had to be a solution other than the airline providing you with a phone.I can't make this part clear enough- I had already said that I didn't need a hotel. I didn't want a hotel. I was fine on that score. Barca's like a home to me, as I've said. If my flight was cancelled in Cork I sure as hell wouldn't stay in a hotel, I'd go home. What I did need as a matter of urgency here was use of the phone. All these things like booking hotels, buses, herding people, take time an effort (although I am sure these eventualities are all planned for, I don't think they did these things badly). But as for letting a guy make a couple of phone calls? A thing of nothing, really.
I agree, but I also would have just found a way to make my own calls if it was so important.What irked me, was that after doing as told, and waiting much time to be attended to, all that happened was that buses for hotels arrived. A service I had already made clear I didn't need. And no reps. I really didn't know what to do at this point, and continued to wait. This was my biggest mistake- at this point I just about had enough time to make the metro. Here, I'll hold my hand up here- I screwed this one up, and learned a valuable lesson in the process.
I still didn't understand why you didn't just go to the hotel. You had no money, it was late, you had no info about the next flight. Why pick the option which makes everything ten times more difficult than it needs to be? You also would have had access to a phone at the hotel.Now when I finally realise no reps are coming, I hotfoot it back to the terminal, and I encounter the woman who I had already told i did not need a hotel. She gave me short shrift, so I went inside, did my utmost to locate other staff, went to information, the company's offices, the check in desk we'd been sent to early- no-one. And it dawns on me that maybe I now can't make it in to the city. I go outside to find the staff as advised. I am then instantly treated to a barrage of abuse, taunted and insulted at this point. Why would the woman be stressed now? They had done their job of sending 100+ by coach to a hotel whilst maintaining minimal to zero presence throughout. The presence thing to me is important- even if it's just one or two people offering token attention. More than that, is is a legal obligation.
Working in an airport or any tourism related job is stressful. Believe me. I am not excusing her for one minute but when you have people in your face all day, every day, insisting that their mistakes are your fault, it starts to wear a bit thin. But she shouldn't have told you to f*ck off, no. Although it sounds like she only did so because you provoked her. You probably know that asking someone to say something to your face is quite aggressive in Spain and doesn't really ever encourage a civil response. 'Hostia, que se vaya' is a rude thing to say when the person is standing in front of you, but it isn't abuse.*end note* the new flight details were known by the time i encountered her when she abused me from the off, as her calmer colleague was able to inform with some precision. this wasn't an issue at the time.
Fair enough.3.
I would definitely agree on all points. But only with the benefit of hindsight. i will just say again, I stated that I would not be requiring a hotel early on. in order to avail of the other things i was entitled and needed, i did as was told and was pretty much shafted. I am an extremely polite person but I was left exasperated by the end of it.
If you'd just made your own phone calls, it all would have been avoided. No, technically, you shouldn't have had to, but it would have cost you about a euro and saved you all this hassle.So yes, I know now that in future if i find myself in this situation and nothing is forthcoming, it's just less hassle to leave.
Really though, even as I worried looking at the clock I never thought I would be left absiolutely stranded at the airport. Even if the hotel had been the 5 Star Melia i would have preferred to stay with my friends, in my old apartment.
But that's not Newco's problem. They don't give a flying f*ck where you would prefer to stay. And why should they? They don't care that you used to live in Barcelona. I'm sure you weren't the only one. If you wanted to take advantage of the extra night to meet your friends again, that's YOUR lookout. All that stuff about where the hotel was in relation to your friend's place is completely irrelevant. I've done the same thing once or twice, but I also didn't expect any further help from the airline other than being rebooked. And I was aware that going off and doing my own thing was complicating things for them and me.So in hindsight, I can easily say yes- I was a bit of an idiot. I was naive in the extreme. But at the same token, I did what I was told to do at every step and found myself left hight and dry and that's what galls me more than anything.
Yes, the service was bad. But (and I'm really not trying to be rude!) you also need to use your common sense. If the bus has driven off and you're about to miss the last metro, don't hang around waiting for reps to approach you. If you're travelling abroad, don't go without a mobile or at least a list of numbers and enough change for a few calls and if you want to go off and do your own thing, don't expect the reps to cater to you when they're busy with the other 100 passengers. It doesn't sound like the rest of the passengers had such a bad experience?
I'm sure you're right about Newco. I've had bad experiences with Spanish ground staff as well. But I think it would be unfair to blame it all on them.0 -
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Julius Itchy Metronome wrote: »As I said, I believe you about the woman. I've encountered rudeness plenty of times just for asking for a gate number or something equally simple and unoffensive. But I've also met a lot of people who claimed to be totally innocent victims when in fact they were being really irritating and abrasive without actually being rude or aggressive (not saying this is you!) Basically I'm just saying think about it before you throw her under the bus, so to speak. If you think she deserves it, go for it. I've seen plenty of Spanish employees verbally abuse customers and get away with it (employers usually back them up), but Aer Lingus will take it more seriously, I'm sure.
Cheers dude, I don't even want to fixate upon the matter of this woman. To me, her carry-on was really just symptomatic. How workers feel they can behave is usually a reflection of something further up in the company chain, at least when its not an isolated incident. Personally, I wouldn't want to see this woman flung on el paro at all because it would achieve zero in the end. She is not the problem. The problem for me is a generalised one with Newco, but despite all when booking tickets to go later this month (and even though the two times I used their route I had a good experience) I didn't even bother checking Ryanair, I went straight to Aer Lingus. Despite all this stuff, I've got brand loyalty to them. The only problems I've ever had with Aer Lingus in all my years have been to do with Newco. So I'll stick with them, and hope they take my complaint seriously and fix things.
I've been very down on Newco on the whole here, and not unjustifiably. But in the interests of balance, I'd like to close with two very positive Newco experiences. One was my eventual flight home last Friday. The member of staff was cheery and nice (actually the whole crew were different, I initially thought I'd seen the nice guy who let me use his mobile and went to thank him before realising it wasn't him). I'm tall, and she offered me emergency seats. How bad, like. I occasionally enquire about these as I board flights, but I've only ever had them offered to me twice before- on both legs of a trip to Poland with Wizzair. That was a nice touch.
Secondly, we know aer Lingus are very lax and accomodating with luggage weight allowances (when it's direct Aer Lingus staff at least). Limit 20? They won't bat an eyelid at 23kg. Handluggage? They scarcely check. Newco aren't at all like that, I know this, and I always err on the side of caution, weigh things where I can, etc. In June I turned up taking a lot of stuff home. I'd used one of those electronic pully weight things to make sure I was within my limit. Got quite a shock when I found the buggering thing wasn't entirely reliable, and that I was 2 kg over in my check-in luggage, and 1.5 on my carry on. The representative's attitude? 'No pasa nada, tio...'. He had me moved the excess 2kg into my hand luggage, winked and sent me on my way. He could and should have charged me a fair few bob, but he didn't.and I'd have paid. Fair play.
I won't detail all the other negatives, but those two stick out and show that even the most pedantic and unpleasant of companies can also be compassaionate and downright pleasant at times too. I wouldn't ask or expect for the lax control of luggage weight in the last example as a rule because there are good reasons for this (and we've all been on those painful journies where not just one but every bastard has decided to chance their arm and taken on way too much, leaving no room in the lockers, bags on laps, late take-offs and a horrible scrum at landing). But in terms of manners and staff conduct, pleasantness, etc... it's not too hard to manage, is it? it makes a real difference for the customer. And it makes for a happier day for the staff involved too.
You rarely, if ever, see Aer Lingus passengers carry on like the enraged gombeens you see on Channel 5 or TV3 documentaries. Jesus, I pity the staff dealing with this. But I think as an airline demographic, Aer Lingus flyers must be amongst the least demanding, unassuming, accepting and polite as there is out there. In my own experience- gan dabht! This is why it irks me when so many times I see Newco treat them like excrement. I wised up a long time ago to their regime, so I'm rigorous and until last week haven't fallen into the trap in yonks. But I've seen passengers reduced to tears, over the silliest, pettiest, most irrelevant things. So you might say that after last week I'm mad as hell and I'm not taking any more of this, er, doggy-do. 0 -
Cheers dude
I'm a girl!
Secondly, we know aer Lingus are very lax and accomodating with luggage weight allowances (when it's direct Aer Lingus staff at least). Limit 20? They won't bat an eyelid at 23kg. Handluggage? They scarcely check. Newco aren't at all like that, I know this, and I always err on the side of caution, weigh things where I can, etc. In June I turned up taking a lot of stuff home. I'd used one of those electronic pully weight things to make sure I was within my limit. Got quite a shock when I found the buggering thing wasn't entirely reliable, and that I was 2 kg over in my check-in luggage, and 1.5 on my carry on. The representative's attitude? 'No pasa nada, tio...'. He had me moved the excess 2kg into my hand luggage, winked and sent me on my way. He could and should have charged me a fair few bob, but he didn't.and I'd have paid. Fair play.
Gotta disagree with this. I guess it depends on routes, but lately I've found Aer Lingus as strict as Ryanair about excess and hand luggage. Had to pay a fortune in Brussels for just a few kilos over, got stopped at the gate in Heathrow for having the tiniest little handbag outside my wheeling suitcase and had to move some of my stuff from my checked luggage to my hand luggage, which was really awkward and inconvenient (and pointless!), in Dublin airport a few months ago. That's a whole other thread, though.0 -
Girls can be dude-like too! Xiangjiao does not discriminate. Let's settle for dudette, in this case.
Aye... in recent years I've only flown Aer Lingus ex Cork or Dublin. Aside from Barcelona, the main route being heathrow where they were lovely to us all. But yeah... I've seen the handbag, handluggae thing- in Barcelona. Considering how much booze and cigarettes people buy in the shops post security there, I've never understood why they get so insisitent about that. At the gate to you say? Weird. I've seen people carry on treble their hand-luggage allowance easily with no bother at times, it makes me wonder about this handbag lark. What's the big deal there?0 -
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I'm more than a touch disappointed to see that the mandatory compensation for a cancelled flight in these circumstances (and indeed, my flight did fall under these circumstances as confirmed by both Aer Lingus staff in Cork and on the phone), which by the european law governing such matters must be paid within 7 days, hasn't been paid me to me yet. I sent the fax with all necessary details, contact numbers, email address, mail address etc (in order that may need clarification on anything, which they really didn't) on Monday of last week. Call it 11 or 10 days (inclusive or non), that's a bit disappointing to say the least. Bad form all round I'd swear they were trying to wind up here.
Din't expect to hear back about the more general complaint (which was sent separately and marked to a named person, as per instructions at cork airport) so soon, to be fair.
Going to take the advice of a previous poster and send both a follow up on the statutory compensation and a piece on initial complaint by registered mail now.
The guy who posted on the last page gave me an idea about going to a radio station, I was all set to do a piece last Monday. They'd asked me to it the previous Friday but then got back to me saying they wanted to get someone from Aer Lingus to come on, but had had no luck in getting hold of anyone. I thought that was a great idea, I had tried to get someone in complaints before I went to the station, just to give them a chance to explain things to me. Anyway, they apparently agreed but on the day of the show the person either pulled out or made themselves uncontactable. I had liked the idea, and didn't really feel like going on giving a monologue on my side, and felt I'd rather just wait and see how my refund and complaint went. I kind of regret that a little now.
Oh well. I'm back on this route again on Sunday, at least I won't have to deal with them on an inward flight. Fingers crossed all goes well on the return in late September, I'd be going Ryanair from Reus on that only I've been told that the route will be over by then as it was a summer only route. 0 -
Guys, fair is fair. I went to Newco in Barcelona and they vindicated me entirely. I think it's only fair that after trashing them (and rightly) for that unfortunate night, I give them kudos wherew it's deserved..., this is copied and pasted from my FB, it reads odd in places as a result but nevermind!Fair is fair- we slam them when they screw us, but rarely praise them. Here's my happy Aer Lingus/Newco story
This was over the limit a little for a status update but I think it's only right that I should share what was one of the best customer service experiences I have ever witnessed.
As I said- fair is fair. I'll fight all the way when I'm wronged, but I'd like to think I'm a fair and reasonable man and it's only right that we should share the good as well as the bad. Any of you coming from a professional customer service based background will be familiar with the old training maxim (and basically common sense notion) that a customer who has a good experience might tell one person; one who has a bad experience will tell ten. Well I don't believe in being like that. So here goes- my great customer experience with NEWCO!
Wow, folks... some of you may remember my Newco/Aer Lingus disaster a few weeks ago. Well, I spoke to their management at Barcelona airport last night. They were really helpful, fortunately two witnesses from that night verified my story to them and all. Wonderful stuff. Oh, for those of you who fly with them (like you Mxxxxxxxx, or Bxxxxxxxx) Aer Lingus advised me to demand to speak to Sean O'Mahoney (Aer Lingus ops manager) for Spain if I ever had hassle there again. He's available to them day and night, and they can't refuse you the right to speak to him- but first before that go to the office and ask for the overall guy in charge. He was very helpful. The shocking thing is that the women I got abused by was a supervisor (though not the Newco person in charge, hence my telling you to seek out the head honcho), she may have been a temp and already gone, but he's going to get her name for me for Aer Lingus just in case. He was horrified and he's going to find out who she was, thank god for witnesses eh! They all said she was an absolutely horrible person to work with, but they rotate staffall over the country and they hadn't had the mispleasure of working with her since, to their relief.
Based on my story, as corroborated by the witnesses, this guy said he was appalled and if was up to him (and if it is the case that she still is working for them in some capacity), he would fire her. He was visibly upset, we laughed and joked, but he was very decent and utterly apologetic. Very nice chap.
Anyway, that's about it. Fair is fair. This guy and the two witnesses who were cowed by this out of control lunatic of a supervisor were nothing but nice, decent, and thoroughly helpful to me. The ops manager is going to instigate proceedings to obtain this woman's name and file a report on my behalf. I will also be sending their superiors a letter to commend their excellent service.
Yes, there have been problems in the past but this was the big one. The rest were small beer by comparison. I can't stress enough how impressed by their excellent service on this occasion, I learnt a lot and it's only fair that I now give them their fair dues.
So there goes!
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It's the weekend - give people a chance to catch up
Glad to hear it worked out well, and that she wasn't operating under normal policy.
Yup true I guess! I was pleasantly surprised though, really impressed!
Although when I posted the above good news story on Facebook, I did get the following reply from a fellow colleague who uses the route regularly:what did she look like? i got some cheeky remarks from some woman last night when i was coming home,,,from bcn-cork! could have been her! they were not very nice either, v surprised and shocked i could speak spanish
Well, I guess Newco are still a work in progress but I doubt it was uber psycho freak woman who i dealt with, but all, the same their responsiveness and diligence when I visited the airport last week to follow up on my bad experience was a model of proper customer service. Like I said, I'm starting to like Newco's customer services even more than I like Aer Lingus' :pac:0 -
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