Gulf Air Y Experience

[The Real Slim Shady]

Just arrived home after a holiday to the ME where we flew 4 sectors, 2 LH, 2 SH with GF from LHR via BAH to our final destination.

The 2 SH sectors were OK, not great.

The 2 LH sectors were astonishing!

Apart from the redeeming feature of the leased Jet Airways 777 outbound the cabin crew were the most miserable bunch of individuals you could have had the misfortune to fly with!

The only variation on grumpy, arrogant and dismissive were the Bahraini@s who were all guys and laughed, joked and engaged with the passengers: the Western female cabin crew were frankly useless - I won't amplify as Bjorn Naf their CEO has a letter on its way to him.

Whilst it may be regarded as a racist observation, the Bahraini cabin crew and Asian cabin crew were far more pleasant than the Western CC.

Frankly, GF makes FR look good!!

[Rwy in Sight]

I flew with hem last october. Two 4 hour sectors and 2 8hour sectors. What impressed me was the crew was polite but very very slow at the cabin service. And food supplies very limited - impossible to get an extra slice of bread.

Rwy in Sight

[Bealzebub]

Sorry slim, I may be missing something, but what was so bad that you felt compelled to post here and write to the CEO?

If I am reading your post correctly, you flew 4 sectors with GF and the only complaint you seem to have is that a couple of the cabin crew were a bit grumpy. It is not obvious from your post why they were dismissive or arrogant.

Normaly you get on, show your boarding pass, find your seat, stow your bits, sit down and pray that the passenger seated in front of you doesn't recline their seat in your face for the next 6 hours, together with that of their 2 year old, who neither needs it reclining, or would ever notice one way or the other. Tell them what drink you want when the trolley comes around, and answer "Chicken" or "Fish" when the other trolley reaches your seat. "Y" is rarely a relaxing or sumptuous experience on any carrier.

Given that a couple of the cabin crew were "laughing" and "joking" which from your point of view was great. A mishanded passenger might not have found that type of response quite so apt, what does it matter if a couple were "miserable". I completely accept that in an ideal world, they should all exude a professional air of calm and serenity, but as we all know anybody can have an "off day" for whatever reason.

To be frank your post does sound a litle racist given that the last time I looked Bahrain was part of Asia. However that aside, what did these particular crew members actually do to you, that spoiled your day so much? Whatever it was, it might help this audience to actually understand your complaint.

Good to know that a leased 777 turned out to be a "redeeming feature", even if I have some difficulty understanding how that relates to the behaviour of the cabin crew?

[The Real Slim Shady]

Bealzebub

You miss the point, probably because you work for GF.

The entire experience of travelling with any carrier begins at check in and continues until you get off the airplane.

Factors such as the number of check inn desks available, attitude of check in staff, aircraft type, seat pitch, width, number and attitude of cabin crew, presentation and quality of food and drinks, quality and variety of IFE combine to give you an overall impression of the airline.

That is why Singapore, Etihad and Qatar do so well in passenger surveys and GF don't: it is why VS is so popular.

A couple of small points though, the very tired 340 I came back to LHR on had several seats where the IFE wasn't functioning properly, primarily the sound, due probably to worn connectors for headsets. The lady next to me, very poitlely asked for another headset, and the cabin crew's snapped response was " You can change your seat later but not now" before she disappearred to the galley. The lady turned to me with a a confused look on her face saying "I only asked for a headset". This was not an isolated incident.

The food was bland, pretty standard for most airlines, but the presentation was appalling: the foil tops were torn and off, the menu didn't reflect what was put on the tray, and there was no offer of tea or coffee. Drinks were passed to me without the FA looking where she was putting them resulting in a drink being spilt over me with no apology. The same happened outbound when the guy behind had a cup of coffee tipped over him!

Bjorn Naf will probably get another letter about that!

The security of the cabin was unimportant: children running in the aisles whilst the seatbelt sign was on for landing FA's sat at their seats in the galleys, people standing up unsecured, kids (over 2) sat on parents lap without seatbelts.

Cabin staff are the sharp end: they are at the service delivery interface.....moments of truth...remember????

When they don't deliver it doesn't matter how snappy the aircraft livery is or how smart their uniforms are the brand suffers.

[Bealzebub]

Slim,

I am not sure why you think I work for GF, as I don't ? An assumption borne out of what, I don't know? The point was missed because you really failed to substantiate anything in your initial diatribe, other than that the western female members of the cabin crew on one or more of the flight sectors seemed to be a "miserable bunch." I don't doubt you didn't enjoy your flight/s but the only point you highlighted was that of the western female cabin crew.

You may well be right about the comparitive ranking of GF compared to the other airlines you highlighted. As two of the three others fly throughout the gulf region through their various hubs, presumably you were able to make an enlightened choice?

[The Real Slim Shady]

Actually Beazle I made the choice because a friend works for GF and was very positive about the company standards.

Nevertheless, even the CEO has said that he wants to weed out those who are just "riding the train".

[davidjohnson6]

I'm puzzled as to why there is so much debate on GF in Y

It's a middling sized airline having lost its based operations in Abu Dhabi and Muscat and probably gets too much Govt interference at the moment. There's nothing particularly wrong with Bahrain, but it's a very small country and it doesn't have huge appeal to tourists - the airline has to survive on the transit trade in a region where there is almost certainly significant over capacity. Bahrain airport isn't even exactly a big airport - I believe Glasgow sees more passengers.

It flies to/from primary airports with a small fleet of pretty standard planes (A330 / A340 / B777), Y seats have AVOD with standard Y airline food. Then again, if you're flying in Y, can you really expect much in the way of stunning service on any airline ?

All airlines cann have a bad day, and any set of cabin crew can have the odd battle axe.
Not the world's best airline, but there are others out there which are plenty worse.

[The Real Slim Shady]

David

VS and BA set the bar for Y: Thai and SQ are also very good.

You have to bear in mind that many companies now send their staff in Y rather than W or J.

There is no excuse in my opinion for shoddy service: if you can't do something don't promise it.

Simples :-)

[Final 3 Greens]

It amazes me that people seem to believe that economy should be a poor product, because it costs less than the premium cabin.

Would you expect to find rubbish content in the 'value' range of a famous large supermarket - I can just imagine 'sorry sir, the bread is stale, but it is our value range, what are you complaining about?'

It is definitely a lower grade product (less seat pitch and width, less recline, less space), but it should be delivered well.

I hope you get a sensible reply TRSS, best of luck.

[Bealzebub]

Actually Beazle I made the choice because a friend works for GF and was very positive about the company standards.

So it was the cheapest, and they wouldn't upgrade you? ;)

[Abusing_the_sky]

Sorry to interfere Bealzebub, but we are not "upgrade hunters". We never once used the "i am crew - wink wink" line. I don't know why and how others do it, and i don't care because i am one of those people who at times pay beer money but don't expect champagne service.

As a professional, i was appalled with the service GF CC provided, and i'm referring to the 2 LH sectors. And the constant breach of safety regulations worried me, and that's why, i will never travel with GF ever again.


Rgds,
ATS

[lexxity]

We never once used the "i am crew - wink wink" line.

I should hope not ATS. ;)

Seriously there is no excuse for shoddy service no matter how much you've paid for your seat. BA in Y are superb, as were my lot longhaul (which is by the by now), VS too are very good.

It's a tough market out there and the carrier who forgets that will see it reflected in their bottom line. Passengers have a choice who they fly with, lets not forget that.

[gatbusdriver]

Best Y is now First Choice (or TUI now) and Thomas Cook.

They have removed seats from their economy cabins (First Choice were the first to do this) giving more leg room and seat pitch than both BA and VS.

As for GF, I have flown with them on many occasions, and have found the service and crew to be very acceptable on every sector. On one of the sectors they had run out of my preferred choice of meal, at which point the crew member (western girl) offered me her crew meal.

[Jenniferr]

im sorry but the Y class experience was horrible specially in those old 340s.The flight attendant didn't smile much.and the new 340s are ok .the haedsets were not working at all I had to play with the wires to here 1sec of the movie .I ended up watching an Indian movie with subtitles .It was HORIBLE and GF should change their attitude once and forall!