I've just logged on and you can have no idea how relieved I am to see the serious replies I received since. You know who you are, and thank you:
Avman: Many thanks for your opinions. My wife is an aeronautical engineer, and though she has always played down the incident (she was not on the flight in question with me) and has more or less the same opinion as you. Thank you again!
Easybaby: Glad to see you understand me having apparently experienced similar treatment from Lufthansa. I also said I would never fly with them again, and as I had no say in the reservations, I am flying four flights with them in March, well with their regional company, LH cityline I believe? I'm just considering it as a milestone for me in recovering from my fear of flying. I just broke a major milestone this weekend flying on Feb 22nd, anniversary of the incident. May sound stupid, and I'm not (too) supstitious, but I wasn't too happy booking on that date, but had an extremely pleasant flight with Aer Lingus. Thanks.
Briza: Glad to hear from you and I would really appreciate some info. Believe it, I am totally aware that in a similar situation, the flight crew have more important things on their mind, and I sincerely appreciate their skill that day and in this sense I highly regard the Lufthansa flight crew that day. But the treatment on the ground? When a group of us who were all on the verge of a nervous breakdown were finally allowed off the flight, we were driven to a door just below the finger at the gate we departed from and were literally left their for about 5 minutes on our own in the snow/sleet that had just started falling. Brought up to gate, and were literally asked by Luftansa "So what's your problem? Why didn't you take the flight we just offered?" We were told we couldn't get to Dublin till following day, on telling LH girl that I needed to get there as I was travelling because my father was very ill, her response was, "well if you're so concerned, why didn't you take the flight?" At this stage tempers rose, some passengers started to cry. This had to happen for them to realise how we had been affected. This all 2 hours after incident, finnally brought all pax to VIP lounge, a doctor came to see us, free drinks and food and a LH lady put in charge of us who was "extremely" kind to us and apologetic for the initial attitude of her airline. Rerouted that evening along with another fex PAX on BA via Southampton.
I understand that things can go wrong, and I'm not attacking LH. But on this occassion they "initially" acted well below noth co client relations.
Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you. And thank you.
Globaliser: Thanks for your kind comments.