I have travelled internationally and extensively including in Asia and Africa.
The service we experienced at Brisbane Airport following a diversion from Sydney (as a result of bad weather) was frankly worse than anything I have experienced ever.
It is understandable that problems will follow such a diversion but these were not excusable problems, they were not just staff problems.
We were advised of the diversion at about 9:10pm so airport staff had a clear hour to get their act together, before passengers arrived in Brisbane. It was some time after collecting our luggage before a garbled message apparently indicated what we were to do. Some passengers heard and understood it and surrounded a staff member who stood in the centre of the concourse and re-scheduled flights after searching through a list and writing flight details perched on her knee from tickets poked in front of her. There was no queue, there was no organisation, it was unclear what the position was regarding accommodation, no choices were provided as to early morning flights. It was third world at best.
Worse was to come. Getting accommodation was like a meat market. If you happened to be in the right place at the right time you made a dash for a bus and got lucky. No announcement of course. From time to time the only announcements were half-hearted apologies. We wanted beds. At least twice, staff had to conduct headcounts to see how many were left. Then a young bloke started a dutch auction for beds. If you were prepared to do a foursome or if single, a twosome, you got lucky. Finally we got a bus to a hotel that we were told by staff was 10 minutes from the airport. Half an hour later the driver stopped and pored over a map for five minutes before a passenger went forward and helped him out. Finally 45 minutes later at 12:45 am and with a flight at 6am we got to bed. There was typically no organisation at the hotel and no co-ordination of transport back to the airport in the morning.
We were told our taxi fare would be reimbursed "at the website". Finding out how and where has taken up a lot more time and will we ever get it back. If the service thus far is anything to go by, we are not holding our breath.
These were not staff problems; these were fundamental management deficiencies. It was as if Virgin Blue had never experienced a diversion before and had no Plan B.
First time we travelled Virgin Blue and the last time.
The service we experienced at Brisbane Airport following a diversion from Sydney (as a result of bad weather) was frankly worse than anything I have experienced ever.
It is understandable that problems will follow such a diversion but these were not excusable problems, they were not just staff problems.
We were advised of the diversion at about 9:10pm so airport staff had a clear hour to get their act together, before passengers arrived in Brisbane. It was some time after collecting our luggage before a garbled message apparently indicated what we were to do. Some passengers heard and understood it and surrounded a staff member who stood in the centre of the concourse and re-scheduled flights after searching through a list and writing flight details perched on her knee from tickets poked in front of her. There was no queue, there was no organisation, it was unclear what the position was regarding accommodation, no choices were provided as to early morning flights. It was third world at best.
Worse was to come. Getting accommodation was like a meat market. If you happened to be in the right place at the right time you made a dash for a bus and got lucky. No announcement of course. From time to time the only announcements were half-hearted apologies. We wanted beds. At least twice, staff had to conduct headcounts to see how many were left. Then a young bloke started a dutch auction for beds. If you were prepared to do a foursome or if single, a twosome, you got lucky. Finally we got a bus to a hotel that we were told by staff was 10 minutes from the airport. Half an hour later the driver stopped and pored over a map for five minutes before a passenger went forward and helped him out. Finally 45 minutes later at 12:45 am and with a flight at 6am we got to bed. There was typically no organisation at the hotel and no co-ordination of transport back to the airport in the morning.
We were told our taxi fare would be reimbursed "at the website". Finding out how and where has taken up a lot more time and will we ever get it back. If the service thus far is anything to go by, we are not holding our breath.
These were not staff problems; these were fundamental management deficiencies. It was as if Virgin Blue had never experienced a diversion before and had no Plan B.
First time we travelled Virgin Blue and the last time.
