Emirates terrible experience - terrible customer service.

[Travelmate]

Hi Folks
I am a frequent international flyer and tried emirates for the first time recently - TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE, and my customer service dealings are indicative of their 'Emirates Experience'.
Hope you enjoy my experience below (read from bottom up). As you will see I received cold shoulder on my 'compensation' request.
If anybody has any recommendations on follow up to Customer service email of 22 May - please advise?
You can also read about the flight I was on EK409 (9 April) 'emergency landing, smoke in coughpit' at the following sites:-

Emirates plane in emergency landing - Emirates 24/7

Emirates plane in emergency landing at Chennai airport | Aviation News

Incident: Emirates B773 near Chennai on Apr 9th 2011, smoke in coughpit

Air Crash Observer: Emirates plane in emergency landing at Chennai airport

Thanks


From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Sunday, 22 May 2011 3:01 PM
To:
Subject: Our Ref. DXB/X/NO/030511/6745042

Our Ref No: DXB/X/NO
22 May 2011

E-mail:

Dear Mr ,

I refer to your email message of 02 May addressed to our Vice President Customer Affairs, Mr Bruce Forbes, on whose behalf I am responding

Once again on behalf of Emirates, I wish to reiterate my apologies for the inconvenience you experienced as a result of flight EK409 diverting to Chennai due to technical difficulties.

The level of service you have detailed in your correspondence is not indicative of the service we strive to offer our customers and your observations with regard to the handling of this delay have been forwarded to our Airport Services Manager in Chennai for his appropriate action.

We can fully appreciate the complications that arose through this difficult situation. An internal investigation is under way to ascertain where service failures may have occurred, and in this respect your feedback will prove invaluable.

I wish to highlight that our offer of 20,000 complimentary miles was not intended as compensation, but as a goodwill gesture for the events you had described. May I respectfully suggest you contact your Travel Insurers to claim the out of pocket expenses incurred.

Thank you for providing us with your constructive comments and observations. At Emirates our passengers' views and opinions are of enormous value in helping us refine and enhance the quality of our service and product.

We look forward to your future travel for another opportunity to demonstrate our service commitment.

Yours sincerely,

Customer Affairs


From:
Sent: Monday, 2 May 2011 8:39 PM
To: '[email protected]'
Subject: RE: Our Ref. DXB/PX/AB

Dear Mr Forbes,

I have just returned to my office and received your email as below – in relation to flight EK409.

Given a combination UK/EUROPE and UAE trip, and positive recommendations from colleagues and friends – I chose Emirates as my carrier for the first time for my literary (attached). Given the positive recommendations of Emirates and joined as a Skywards member and changed my principle credit card to the CITI Bank Emirates Platinum card; with the aim to make Emirates my principal carrier for all international travel.

Whilst I accept your advice that the technical difficulties of flight EK409 were unfortunate and due to circumstances beyond Emirates airlines; the services provided by Emirates staff during and resulting from flight EK409 were incompetent, shockingly unprofessional and outright negligent for the following reasons:-

• Initial communication from the flight deck and stewards was exceptionally limited on the initial problem or where we were to be making an emergency landing. Given I had seat over the wing and witnessed the fuel being dumped and on landing emergency vehicles on the runway.
• On landing flight, flight deck was further limited in communication – only advice was there was a technical electrical and fuel pump problem and it would be investigated over the next 1 hour. Why were we not exiting the plane; given the fuel dumping and emergency vehicles on the runway?
• Over the next 3 hours following the initial advice, no further communication was provided, the air conditioning was turned off and limited drinks were provided – despite numerous attempts to contact stewards. Given the warm external temperature – over 35 degrees, the internal environment was exceptionally uncomfortable.
• After 3 hours of waiting the flight deck advised that the problem needed further investigation and passengers were finally able to exit the plane. I chose this option and joined other travellers exiting. Accompanied by Emirates Stewards I was transferred to the main terminal and only provided with 45 minutes respite prior to being advised that the problem had been rectified and we were required to return the plane.
• I returned only to wait a further 1.5 hours without any advice on the status, despite the advice I had to return due to rectification of the plane.
• 2 hours after returning to the plane – and 5 hours after initial landing; we were advise that the efforts to rectify the technical problems had not been successful and we were to be staying overnight in Chennai.
• A further 1-2 hours passed before we exited the plane into the terminal. Flight deck advise was that alternative transportation was being sought in addition to rectification of all connecting flights.
• In the terminal, Indian passport control took our passports. I raised SIGNIFICANT concerns with adjacent Emirates staff about handover of passports in a foreign third world country. Emirates staff advice this was the ONLY OPTION to exit the airport.
• On collecting my baggage I was advise by Emirates staff to exit the airport and meet other staff outside to be transferred to hotels. On exiting NO Emirates staff were present. Passengers were ABANDONED in the carpark of a third world country, without their passports and being directed by numerous unidentified locals – who appeared to be hotel attendants.

In my numerous internal trips I have never been put in such a compromising or dangerous position. I held no form of legal international identification in a foreign third world country, no Emirates airlines staff were present. Essentially EMIRATES PASSANGERS WERE LEFT ABANDONDED.

• After waiting nervously in the carpark unaccompanied for over 45 minutes, I was transported to a Chennai city hotel – not in a bus with a main majority of other passengers. But in a private car – with only 3 other passengers: another major security risk.
• On arrival at the Hotel AGAIN Emirates staff were not present; and I found myself discussing with Hotel staff as to what Emirates was providing in terms of accommodation, food and alternative flights. WERE was the Emirates SERVICE – not present.
• After hotel check-in and dinner provided by Emirates, hotel staff at were still not able to provide advice from Emirates as to time or even date of the new flight; and that they would call our rooms when Emirates had advised. At this stage I had been awake for over 24hours, and went to shower, make alternative arrangement for my arrival and other in London (of which the international calls where at my cost), and sleep.
• Over the next 5 hours, I was called by the hotel more than 4 times, advising of changes in departure time. Departure 1.00, 1.30, 2.00, 2.30 – finally resulting in advice that we were required to depart the hotel at 3.30am; 7 hours after arriving.
• On arriving at the airport now 1 day late for my arrival in London, once again NO Emirates staff were present. Passengers had to make there way into the terminal and then find Emirates staff – who were attempting to hand out passports. Essentially all passenger passports were pilled on 4 check-in desks, with local airport staff attempting to read the names and hand them out. This appalling effort resulted in over 200 passengers riffling through passengers passports to find their ONLY PRIVATE LEGAL IDENTIFICATION to exit the country: another major risk to my personal security.
• On recept of passport, I went to check-in desk. Where I was provided with new boarding pass for a flight departing Chennai at 10.30am (7 Hours after departing the hotel) and standby ticket for transfer to London. The onward journey ticket had me booked onto a flight arriving into London Heathrow MONDAY 2pm; 2 Days after my initial arrival – which Emirates staff advised was the next available flight.
• On arrival in Dubai, I was in contact with my family via phone – who advised that an earlier flight was available arriving into London Heathrow Monday 8am. Only after waiting in the line with my other 200+ passenger complaining of the terrible, unprofessional and security endangering service provided by Emirates, was I able to have my flights adjusted to the earlier flight. Why wasn’t Emirates advising of this earlier flight – did the airline believe I wanted to spend more time than the already 60 hours in transit?
• Given the flight departed at 2am Monday and I had arrived 1pm on Sunday, Emirates provided me with accommodation and dinner.

My London flight arrived on time, however I had missed 2 of my limited 8 days United Kingdom, had been in transit for over 75 hours, and had expended heavily on hotel and personal mobile calls attempting to arrange alternative plans due to the delay in my trip.

The remainder of my trip, including multiple internal flights (through Ireland and mainland Europe) with experienced carriers was a complete success, until my return flight EK076 was once effected by EMIRATES AIRLINES.

• Upon check-in for flight EK076 I was advised that I had ‘deviated’ from my original literary; and as a result my return flights had been SUSPENDED i.e. CANCELLED by EMIRATES AIRLINES.

The flight delay caused by EMIRATES AIRLINES costing me 2 unplanned stopovers (INDIA and UAE), multiple personal security risks, loss of one quarter of my time in UK, significant cost in telephone calls; had now also resulted in the cancellation of my retuning flights with EMIRTAES AIRLINES.

• After over 2 hours discussing my original inbound flight delays with airport staff, Emirates airlines staff and managers; my SUSPENDED flights were reissued and luckily seats were available for me to travel from Paris to Dubai and the Dubai to Melbourne. However this cost me my preferred seating choice of isle seat from Dubai to Melbourne, resulting in an exceptionally uncomfortable 12.5 hour return flight in a middle seat.

So after deviating from airline carriers Singapore and Malaysian airlines, trusted airlines providing me with many years and dozens of reliable, customer service focused and considerate travel for my main international routes to UK and UAE; EMIRATES airlines, highly recommended by colleagues and friends and well supported by me through skywards and Emirates CITI Bank credit card; provided me with:-

1. Over 75 hours travel time from Melbourne to London Heathrow.
2. Two unplanned stopovers in INDIA and UAE.
3. 7 Hours sitting on a runway in Chennai, India
4. Jeopardised my safety numerous times in Chennai by providing no Emirates staff; either externally at the airport or the hotel.
5. Significant mobile and telephone costs in changing my travel plans.
6. Loss of 2 days of my 8 day trip to UK.
7. Cancelled my return flights from Paris to Dubai.
8. Did not provide me with my preferred seating choice of isle seat Dubai to Melbourne. Resulting in a very uncomfortable 12.5 hour return trip.

In summary every sector of my Itinerary was affected.

In compensation you have provided me with points which at best can provide me with a one way flight Melbourne – Auckland. This compensation is nothing but INSULTIUNG.

In summary given Emirates airlines goal:- “quality, not quantity” and “known the world over for our commitment to the highest standards of quality in every aspect of our business” (excerpt from The Emirates Story | About Emirates | Emirates) minimum compensation for my severely disrupted experience would be:-

1. Points equalling a replacement return Melbourne – London flight.
2. $USD150 to compensate for telephone costs incurred.

This minimum compensation would enable me to try the Emirates experience which is not subject to an ‘isolated’ event, and restore my faith to fly with Emirates Airlines again; and recommend to colleagues, family and friends Emirates as a world class airline.

I look forward to receiving your prompt response.

Sincerely,


From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Sunday, 10 April 2011 5:01 PM
To:
Subject: Our Ref. DXB/PX/AB

Our Ref No: DXB/PX/AB
10 April 2011


By e-mail:


Dear Mr ,

Emirates wishes to apologise for the unfortunate technical difficulties that resulted in the diversion of flight EK 409 on 9 April, from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai to Chennai. This diversion was due to circumstances beyond Emirates control, and all measures were taken to ensure a replacement aircraft is ready for departure as soon as possible. The safety and security of our customers and staff is the paramount priority of Emirates, and we are sure you will concur with this position.
Hotel accommodation and meals were provided in Chennai. Our staff will ensure that onward travel arrangements are maintained, and that where services are provided by Emirates any date change fees and penalties will be waived.
Whilst this diversion was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond Emirates control, Emirates would like to offer compensation as a goodwill gesture. As an Economy Class passenger, Blue Skywards member, we have credited your Skywards account with 20,000 miles.
Emirates appreciates that your travel has been prolonged, and we can assure you that every effort has been made to ensure that your travel plans are returned to normal as soon as possible.
Once again, please accept Emirates sincere apologies for the disruption to your travel arrangements, and let me assure you personally that this is an isolated event, and we will do our utmost to restore your confidence in Emirates as your airline of choice.
Yours sincerely,


Bruce Forbes
Vice President Customer Affairs
Emirates Airlines

 

[albatross710]

Fairly significant first post.

Wow, I bet you must be glad that the aircrew were able to get the aircraft onto the ground safely and deal with the inflight emergency. Even better that the Chennai Airport would have emergency services on hand to deal with the unexpected arrival of a wide body aircraft and that these emergency services would be happy to risk there life and enter a burning aircraft if it had been required.

I am always amazed at what airlines and ground crew can put together and find a couple of hundred hotel rooms at reasonably short notice. And they even arranged private transfers for the pax in small numbers, that must have been more comfortable than waiting for buses.

I was thinking of the aircraft engineers on the ground in Chennai whom had to leave there other maintenance tasks and divert there attention to the EK aircraft, possibly of a type they were less familiar with and may not have had full documentation and parts.

Your story has certainly inspired me to make sure my travel insurance is up to date.

The 20,000 additional EK points would go over nicely.

Welcome to AFF.

Alby

 

[mannej]

I do think that some of the issues you have labelled here as pretty bad, but there are other issues that you need to adjust your level of expectations.

• There is a pilot on here that does suggest that communication with the passengers is not an important issue when it comes to the list of priorities when something does go wrong with the plane. The emergency vehicles may have been a precaution
• With the passports, I have heard this happen before. I believe you do need a Visa to enter India, so you may have been stuck in the airport otherwise. I have heard people who have diverted via DPS before have to pay entry and exit fees.
• If the vehicle was organised by EK, how is it a security risk? A 777 load full of passengers surely could not fit on one bus. It may not have been possible to get enough buses in such a short time span.
• Communication with hotels seems to be an issue with a lot of diversions/cancellations. It seems to me that you did get a room, and as such why do you need an EK staff member at the hotel? I am sure no other airline sends staff to the hotel.
• You had hotel staff directing you at the airport, it seems to me EK did not abandon you.
• Complaining that you did not get an aisle seat, it happens. Why bother complaining about it. I have been shunted into window seats before even though my profile states I prefer aisle seats, it happens.
• The only real problem I can see is that EK canceled your return flight. That to me was the breakdown in communication between the internal systems at EK

I would be looking at my travel insurance to see what they will be covering, as delays happen. 24 hour delay is unfortunate, but I do not see any negligence here on behalf of EK. You did suffer loss (i.e loss of days from your trip) but it did not arise of negligent actions from EK. You have stated that the hotel staff moved you from the airport to the hotel, I hardly see that as a security risk. The passport issue, that depends on the immigration laws of the country. India are quite strict with Visa's so this is perhaps the reason.
EK made a mistake with the return flights, and rectified it. Others have had to pay for this mistake before, so although it was a hassle, it was fixed.

I understand that you feel that EK should be responsible for the phone bill, perhaps they should, but have you checked with your travel insurance covers? If you do not have travel insurance, especially when you had multiple commitments in a short period of time, perhaps it is a lesson to be learned

The joys of air travel!

 

[rechoboam]

With regard to the fuel dumping and fire engines- big deal. Many of us would have seen this before.
Passports-standard procedure. Just be glad you werent in Iraq when that happened (like my friend was, for a WEEK). If you needed emergency documentation it could have been arranged.
As for the middle seat etc, can I tell you- they won't care.
Why bother trying to impress them with your plans to have converted to EK? How many flights have you already taken with them? If it's not many, you aren't their VIP.
In short if you are so scared of being stuck on a 3rd world country, don't fly over 30 of them in a metal tube subject to mechanical failures (or fly an airline based in such a country)
For the record I'm not an EK fan but stuff happens.

 

[ric_melb]

Stuff happens. I would rather land in Chennai and suffer some inconvenience in comparison to the alternative.
It seems that the Emirates apology and points compensation are reasonable.
India is very strict with visas. Holding of passports in such a situation would be normal, even if undesireable.
Hope that travel insurance takes care of most other matters.

 

[samiam]

Hi Folks
I am a frequent international flyer and tried emirates for the first time recently - TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE, and my customer service dealings are indicative of their 'Emirates Experience'.
Hope you enjoy my experience below (read from bottom up). As you will see I received cold shoulder on my 'compensation' request.

<big snip>

I wish to highlight that our offer of 20,000 complimentary miles was not intended as compensation, but as a goodwill gesture for the events you had described.

<snippety snip>

Whilst this diversion was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond Emirates control, Emirates would like to offer compensation as a goodwill gesture. As an Economy Class passenger, Blue Skywards member, we have credited your Skywards account with 20,000 miles.

Emirates should tighten up their language - hope you return to read the feedback.

 

[browski]

EK: Well done
Passenger: Epic Fail.

 

[k_sheep]

1. $USD150 to compensate for telephone costs incurred.

:shock::shock::shock: That's more than my ANNUAL phone bill!!

 

[rechoboam]

"communication...was limited"
Would love to see the communication skills of the OP if his own workplace was on fire 30000 feet above the ground!

 

[haydensydney]

I too would feel uncomfortable handing over my passport - I'm happy knowing that its standard procedure, just in case this ever happens to me.

OP: I can imagine how nasty this must have been for you. It really sounds like the trip from hell (something you would tell your grandkids in 30 years)... I reckon if you wanted to get back/get even at EK, report this to Today Tonight whose spin doctors will jump on this like a rash: remember - there were possibly hundreds of other people on that flight that feel the same way as you, and Tracey would LOVE to do the interviews on this one. Guaranteed - You will have to make more noise to get anything from EK.

Further, as you were in Y, I doubt that EK will be shifting the earth to provide further compensation.

 

[rechoboam]

Trip from hell?
Mechanical failure-safe landing-put up in a hotel, fed...
Duty hours exceeded for staff, needed to stay the night. All needs fully catered for. I realise tabloid TV standards are low but this would really be pushing it. All very inconvenient but what exactly did EK do wrong?

 

[haydensydney]

Trip from hell?
Mechanical failure-safe landing-put up in a hotel, fed, telephone allowance.
Duty hours exceeded for staff, needed to stay the night. All needs fully catered for. I realise tabloid TV standards are low but this would really be pushing it. All very inconvenient but what exactly did EK do wrong?

The plane caught fire. When I travel, I prefer aircraft that do not catch fire. Irrespective of the fault, or whose it was (Boeing or EK?) I would want compensation. Yes - this happens occasionally in aviation. However, when I pay an airfare, I want a incident free trip. Incident = occurrence in my books. The fact that there was no loss of life is irrelevant.

I reject the "at least we are alive - congratulate the pilot" argument. What these passengers went through is at least worth about 50% of the airfare (i.e. the one way plane on fire experience). The fault, irrespective of how it was resolved, happened. And because it happened, Emirates should be held accountable for the mental anguish, awful emergency landing and the subsequent tarmac wait.

 

[mannej]

Did the plane catch fire? It does say smoke but does smoke necessarily mean fire?

 

[Dalescott]

I'm not surprised with EK , over this matter and others. Their service levels have fallen all round, over the last few years. We no longer use them, and they are also cost more than other airlines. So I am not surprised, at least you got a reply, thats more than I got when I complained 4 years ago.
Bad airline can't understand why anybody would fly with them.

 

[anat0l]

I'm not surprised with EK , over this matter and others. Their service levels have fallen all round, over the last few years. We no longer use them, and they are also cost more than other airlines. So I am not surprised, at least you got a reply, thats more than I got when I complained 4 years ago.
Bad airline can't understand why anybody would fly with them.

Geez louise... now you tell me. My sister just booked them for her Euro trip in a few months.

Ah well, I'm sure if it all goes to hell they'll at least get her out alive.

 

[Dalescott]

I should have said "costs more in Business class", as this is all we fly in these days.

 

[Justchecking]

The plane caught fire. When I travel, I prefer aircraft that do not catch fire. Irrespective of the fault, or whose it was (Boeing or EK?) I would want compensation. Yes - this happens occasionally in aviation. However, when I pay an airfare, I want a incident free trip. Incident = occurrence in my books. The fact that there was no loss of life is irrelevant.The fault, irrespective of how it was resolved, happened. And because it happened, Emirates should be held accountable for the mental anguish, awful emergency landing and the subsequent tarmac wait.

Oh really? Does city rail compensate you for mental anguish every time one of their trains breakdown, or when the signal light goes out. When was the last time the bus company gave you a free trip because the fan belt gave out or the engine blew up? I don't recall getting an all expenses paid holiday when the power went out in my street....gasp! After dark. Life doesn't go according to plan but the idea we should all run around demanding free stuff when life happens is ludicrous. I would never have to work again if someone paid me off for every little upset in my life. And.....exactly when is an emergency landing ever 'great' or 'enjoyable'?The situation while not my idea of a holiday certainly was handled pretty well. The OP lost 2 days and a seat allocation, travel insurance should cover the rest. He wasn't held at gun point, robbed or seriously injured, things that could happen even in his own country. But he was upset that Chennai didn't have an air-conditioned coach or employees in nice uniforms, hardly mental anguish.

 

[serfty]

... The OP lost 2 days and a seat allocation, travel insurance should cover the rest. He wasn't held at gun point, robbed or seriously injured, things that could happen even in his own country. But he was upset that Chennai didn't have an air-conditioned coach or employees in nice uniforms, hardly mental anguish.

For me the major issue was here:

...
On collecting my baggage I was advise by Emirates staff to exit the airport and meet other staff outside to be transferred to hotels. On exiting NO Emirates staff were present. Passengers were ABANDONED in the carpark of a third world country, without their passports and being directed by numerous unidentified locals – who appeared to be hotel attendants. ...

Now one would assume given such an instruction, the "staff" would be Emirates (or agents of them) with obvious identification. It seems this was not the case.

I would have been initially taken aback at this myself. How were these people identified as being the ones to assist and how would one know if any particular one was in fact "a hotel attendant", instead of being someone trying to make illicit gain from the situation?

This certainly would have annoyed me.

 

[Justchecking]

It probably would have upset me too, in the moment. I'm not sure I'd demanding compensation over it though. My comment was in response more to the HaydenSydney's assertion that Emirates should pay, in response to what was an emergency situation that gave little time for the airline to arrange things more nicely. I don't in general put my hand out for compensation every time a plan doesnt come off. Life has many disappointments and I try to get roll with them as best I can. I didn't mean to invalidate the fact that the situation wasn't ideal for the OP.

 

[haydensydney]

What about the scenario where your driving in a cab and it breaks down and your seven hours late to your destination - do you pay the fare?