"Utter Indifference" of Emirates in DXB
Join Date: Jul 2009
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I fly emirates regularly. I transit thru Dxb regularly. As a poster has said earlier the facilities in the transit area are excellent. It is a busy airport, but they have desks everywhere that provide information when asked. They have a process they follow. In that airport they will not hunt you down or call for you it is upto you to go upto a desk & ask for the latest update. As for food & water, you might be in a Dessert, but there is more than enough in options to buy food & water as well as areas that one can rest. What the OP should write is that free food & water was not available on demand. I have been delayed there many a time & they hand you a coupon every 6 hours or so for a fixed limited meal & refreshment at select restaurants.
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Wannabe Flyer / Heathrow Harry
I have to agree with you as I transit DXB at least once a month and have never had issues to get wound up about and have been using EK for 16 years approx. They have not ever not held a connection or lost my luggage and the luggage has even been on board when they held my connection. However as HH says all his and my flying with EK is at the front so I can not say how things are in economy. My only criticism is that EK is not as good as it used to be in the food and wine dept , and that when flying with Mrs Mac, they try and put us in the middle on the A380 when we both prefer window seats. They do this even when we have stipulated our preference and even selected seats on line as they believe they are being kind, so it is meant with the best intentions.
I have to agree with you as I transit DXB at least once a month and have never had issues to get wound up about and have been using EK for 16 years approx. They have not ever not held a connection or lost my luggage and the luggage has even been on board when they held my connection. However as HH says all his and my flying with EK is at the front so I can not say how things are in economy. My only criticism is that EK is not as good as it used to be in the food and wine dept , and that when flying with Mrs Mac, they try and put us in the middle on the A380 when we both prefer window seats. They do this even when we have stipulated our preference and even selected seats on line as they believe they are being kind, so it is meant with the best intentions.
I have only connected in DXB twice and both (operationally) were fine - even on the return when the inbound flight had been delayed and we were concerned about the reduced time on the ground of 45 minutes. They had us disembark first, and guided us through flight connections, but the EK staff were clearly not as worried as we were and the connection worked with plenty of time in hand.
As for a little effort making a bad situation bearable (see thread http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf...ve-beyond.html), they could have done bit more for us on the way out. We had the unfortunate experience of being vomitted on - well not fully, but a bit of overspray from a nearby pax on the descent. Although it was a projectile event, we only got a coupe of spots on trousers and fortunately my partner had her super-practical travelling vinyl handbag which was wipe clean, but we still felt a bit unclean.
But, given that we had another 5-hour flight to come, and it being their home base, I do think they could have been a bit more ingratiating - maybe offered the use of their premium class facilities, shower, washrooms etc. We complained a bit later on and after being fobbed off a bit we eventually got a good load of points, but a bit of help at the time would have worked wonders - and been free.
As for a little effort making a bad situation bearable (see thread http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf...ve-beyond.html), they could have done bit more for us on the way out. We had the unfortunate experience of being vomitted on - well not fully, but a bit of overspray from a nearby pax on the descent. Although it was a projectile event, we only got a coupe of spots on trousers and fortunately my partner had her super-practical travelling vinyl handbag which was wipe clean, but we still felt a bit unclean.
But, given that we had another 5-hour flight to come, and it being their home base, I do think they could have been a bit more ingratiating - maybe offered the use of their premium class facilities, shower, washrooms etc. We complained a bit later on and after being fobbed off a bit we eventually got a good load of points, but a bit of help at the time would have worked wonders - and been free.
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Being stuck in DXB airside is not the worst fate that can befall anyone - there are rest rooms, restaurants, bars, shops................ better there than being trucked to some 2 star place outside TBH
These things happen and pretty much all airlines are the same in my experience - they'll get rid of you as soon as they can but don't expect any SERVICE
These things happen and pretty much all airlines are the same in my experience - they'll get rid of you as soon as they can but don't expect any SERVICE
On approach to Chicago all connecting pax were told over the PA to collect a yellow envelope from the wall of the hall after leaving the airbridge - and to keep it visible to fast track formalities. There were lots and lots of such envelopes.
Inside my envelope was a ticket for the next morning's flight, a confirmed hotel room, a dinner voucher, a breakfast voucher - and a clear instruction to use them if I didn't make the connection.
I did, by the skin of my teeth but I thought the handling of the delay by BA and their ground agent to be excellent.
The Late VX105 Yes, that's what should happen, of course, and you have shown that it's perfectly possible if someone in charge thinks ahead.
Enough of that; here's some praise for a superb response by an airline in a situation where others might have responded quite differently.
Step forward Flybe.. For the first time in my life I made a stupid mistake a few days ago when booking myself and a colleague onto a day return pair of flights. The result was that I had two seats, and the colleague none.
Customer Service picked up the phone in about 10 secs, listened to my tale of woe, and asked; "What's the other passenger's name?". I told her, and she said "No problem, it was obviously a mistake, I've changed the name and there's no charge."
I'll be back. In this day and age, we've learned not to expect that, and we should treasure it when it happens.
Mind you, she did add, very sweetly; "Do you need anything else, like assistance to the aircraft?", and I'm still wondering about that. I think it means that Flybe's staff have retained a good sense of humour, and I love it.
Enough of that; here's some praise for a superb response by an airline in a situation where others might have responded quite differently.
Step forward Flybe.. For the first time in my life I made a stupid mistake a few days ago when booking myself and a colleague onto a day return pair of flights. The result was that I had two seats, and the colleague none.
Customer Service picked up the phone in about 10 secs, listened to my tale of woe, and asked; "What's the other passenger's name?". I told her, and she said "No problem, it was obviously a mistake, I've changed the name and there's no charge."
I'll be back. In this day and age, we've learned not to expect that, and we should treasure it when it happens.
Mind you, she did add, very sweetly; "Do you need anything else, like assistance to the aircraft?", and I'm still wondering about that. I think it means that Flybe's staff have retained a good sense of humour, and I love it.
Another pat on the back for BA. Last minute diversion into Quebec because of fog in Toronto, late on a Saturday night [already late due to a medical diversion to Shannon]. Coaches arranged, hotels booked, and back on the aircraft the following day to Toronto.
Yes, a bit of a delay getting the transport sorted out, but at relatively short notice a good performance. Certainly better than be left to fend for ourselves in the airport overnight.
Yes, a bit of a delay getting the transport sorted out, but at relatively short notice a good performance. Certainly better than be left to fend for ourselves in the airport overnight.
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My point was don't EXPECT decent service - it does happen - a couple of times I've been dragged out of lines, through the back door of Customs/Immigration and driven to the gate to make a connection but it's not what a betting man would count on unfortunately.
Anyone who has gone through Dubai will be aware that the transit area is stuffed full of food, shopping, etc, and that western credit cards are universally accepted. The staff at the airline desks all appear to speak English, which is more than can be said for many other transit points around the world.
Emirates have three 777 flights a day from Dubai to Colombo. Some might of course already be fully booked but they do have the frequency to get out of this situation.
Connecting flights are a well-known risk in travel, but there is of course an alternative daily Sri Lanka Airlines flight nonstop from London to Colombo which avoids any such risk. Of course, you can probably save a few quid by taking a connection through a third country. And yes, it can be physically challenging to be delayed for many hours sat in a place you have never been to before when it seems the middle of the night and you are grossly fatigued. But that sort of routing, regardless of carrier, was your choice.
Emirates have three 777 flights a day from Dubai to Colombo. Some might of course already be fully booked but they do have the frequency to get out of this situation.
Connecting flights are a well-known risk in travel, but there is of course an alternative daily Sri Lanka Airlines flight nonstop from London to Colombo which avoids any such risk. Of course, you can probably save a few quid by taking a connection through a third country. And yes, it can be physically challenging to be delayed for many hours sat in a place you have never been to before when it seems the middle of the night and you are grossly fatigued. But that sort of routing, regardless of carrier, was your choice.
Last edited by WHBM; 5th Jan 2017 at 10:17.
Connecting flights are a well-known risk in travel, but there is of course an alternative daily Sri Lanka Airlines flight nonstop from London to Colombo which avoids any such risk. Of course, you can probably save a few quid by taking a connection through a third country. And yes, it can be physically challenging to be delayed for many hours sat in a place you have never been to before when it seems the middle of the night and you are grossly fatigued. But that sort of routing, regardless of carrier, was your choice.
Info., info., info.
Most pax can understand that there are complex issues.
Even if the info is that we do not currently have a solution.
Surely all airlines know there will be issues such as that raised by the op. They must learn to communicate.
Most pax can understand that there are complex issues.
Even if the info is that we do not currently have a solution.
Surely all airlines know there will be issues such as that raised by the op. They must learn to communicate.
