Flybe - 8
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
Age: 60
Posts: 3,324
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Palma flight
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,175
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Was hit by a BE cancellation last Thursday when the morning BHX-DUS-BHX flight on a Q400 got cancelled. To my surprise, BE let the MAN-based Embraer 175 operate MAN-BHX-DUS, which resulted in a 90 minute or so delay at DUS. The return flight operated inly DUS-MAN and the BHX-bound pax were bussed from there. Is it a SOP to combine MAN/BHX flights if necessary or was that just a one-off (interestingly, BE had no problem accommodating all BHX pax on the MAN flight...)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When the rules make no sense, how about applying common sense?
Afew days ago I was contacted by FlyBe with news that there had been a change to my MAN-LUX-MAN daytrip arranged for a date in September. Upon checking this, I noted that my morning departure had been cancelled and my outbound sector had changed to evening. The homeward flight remained unchanged. Unfortunately, the cumulative effect of this was that my visit to Luxembourg would last around 25 minutes ... not quite what I had in mind (and probably impossible to do in practice).
Courtesy of online forums, I learned than MAN-LUX now operates once daily for the month of September before rising to the originally planned twice daily in October. So that's an easy call ... they can switch my booking to one of the October dates when they offer day returns again. Simple right? They keep the money paid, I keep the day-trip to Luxembourg. Everyone's a winner.
Not so fast. I awaited the promised contact from FlyBe ... eleven days on this had still not come. So I contacted them. I confirmed that I would be happy to switch my booking to one of the new dates when a day return would again be possible. I had a selection of suitable dates when this would work fine.
No, this can't be done. Our rules don't allow it. Why not? It is the blatantly obvious solution for all parties? You keep the business, I get my day-trip!
The lady explained that FlyBe only permits changes within seven days of the original travel date. But all those dates had been reduced to a single daily flight as well ... so it would be impossible to switch my day-trip to one of those? Twice daily flights now become available from early October. No, I couldn't be rebooked onto one of those! They're more than seven days later. Had I fallen into one of those "computer says no" sketches from Little Britain?
The lady then said that I could be rebooked to a date in October if I paid more! Now just hang on ... this is FlyBe's change, not mine. I willingly pay more if I can't make a flight which they're still running, not if they cancel a flight which I'm still available to travel on. No way! The lady then re-iterated that she could not book me onto a new date when FlyBe could honour the day-trip, so I asked her to arrange for a senior manager to contact me. She then asked me to hold for a couple of minutes. Upon returning to the phone, she advised that a senior manager had given her permission to switch my booking to a day return in October. About 30 seconds later this was done. Ideal outcome all round. A win for common sense.
But here is my question to FlyBe management. Why are you forcing your customers to jump through hoops and quoting illogical rules when it is you, not the customer, who cancelled the flight! Those seven day rules are there to protect revenues when booking-changes are customer-driven. Why are they being quoted at customers who are being messed about involuntarily for the convenience of FlyBe? How many customers have been sent packing with a refund when they may agree to being rebooked to a new date after the flight is re-instated? You're kicking good business out the door and unnecessarily letting down potential customers. And on a new route, some of those customers will be new to FlyBe. What impression do you want to give them? Would you like them to consider trusting you with their future business?
Do you think those MAN-LUX flights will be flying completely full in the first couple of months? Well I don't ... so I suggest that you let the customers you're messing about re-book if they're willing to do so. And don't quote rules at them like you're doing them some massive favour by rebooking them when you cancelled their flight in the first place! They've kept their side of the deal.
Some common-sense please. Not too much to ask, surely?
Courtesy of online forums, I learned than MAN-LUX now operates once daily for the month of September before rising to the originally planned twice daily in October. So that's an easy call ... they can switch my booking to one of the October dates when they offer day returns again. Simple right? They keep the money paid, I keep the day-trip to Luxembourg. Everyone's a winner.
Not so fast. I awaited the promised contact from FlyBe ... eleven days on this had still not come. So I contacted them. I confirmed that I would be happy to switch my booking to one of the new dates when a day return would again be possible. I had a selection of suitable dates when this would work fine.
No, this can't be done. Our rules don't allow it. Why not? It is the blatantly obvious solution for all parties? You keep the business, I get my day-trip!
The lady explained that FlyBe only permits changes within seven days of the original travel date. But all those dates had been reduced to a single daily flight as well ... so it would be impossible to switch my day-trip to one of those? Twice daily flights now become available from early October. No, I couldn't be rebooked onto one of those! They're more than seven days later. Had I fallen into one of those "computer says no" sketches from Little Britain?
The lady then said that I could be rebooked to a date in October if I paid more! Now just hang on ... this is FlyBe's change, not mine. I willingly pay more if I can't make a flight which they're still running, not if they cancel a flight which I'm still available to travel on. No way! The lady then re-iterated that she could not book me onto a new date when FlyBe could honour the day-trip, so I asked her to arrange for a senior manager to contact me. She then asked me to hold for a couple of minutes. Upon returning to the phone, she advised that a senior manager had given her permission to switch my booking to a day return in October. About 30 seconds later this was done. Ideal outcome all round. A win for common sense.
But here is my question to FlyBe management. Why are you forcing your customers to jump through hoops and quoting illogical rules when it is you, not the customer, who cancelled the flight! Those seven day rules are there to protect revenues when booking-changes are customer-driven. Why are they being quoted at customers who are being messed about involuntarily for the convenience of FlyBe? How many customers have been sent packing with a refund when they may agree to being rebooked to a new date after the flight is re-instated? You're kicking good business out the door and unnecessarily letting down potential customers. And on a new route, some of those customers will be new to FlyBe. What impression do you want to give them? Would you like them to consider trusting you with their future business?
Do you think those MAN-LUX flights will be flying completely full in the first couple of months? Well I don't ... so I suggest that you let the customers you're messing about re-book if they're willing to do so. And don't quote rules at them like you're doing them some massive favour by rebooking them when you cancelled their flight in the first place! They've kept their side of the deal.
Some common-sense please. Not too much to ask, surely?
I too had planned a 9 hour stop in LUX in September with Flybe. They changed the schedule that gave me a 25 minute stop instead. (impossible)
I rejected that offer and was told I would be contacted.
After 10 days...no contact. I used their Twitter feed and after a few exchanges a refund has been arranged.
Could not be bothered to re-arrange through their systems as Shed says " we don't do that" - so I simply will not travel.
I rejected that offer and was told I would be contacted.
After 10 days...no contact. I used their Twitter feed and after a few exchanges a refund has been arranged.
Could not be bothered to re-arrange through their systems as Shed says " we don't do that" - so I simply will not travel.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ask crewing
Posts: 209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's hardly like the share price can go much further down so I wouln't be too concerned
I think that it's the pax who have had their flights cancelled & those who have been on the receiving end of Flybe's lamentable lack of customer service who are hurting !
Deano, every airline will cancel and reschedule flights at one time or another. From reading this, I don't think that's the issue - it's the lack of flexibility around re-booking options when the alternative offered was patently ridiculous.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Somewhere In The South China Sea
Posts: 960
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flightrider I agree with you but even that isn't exclusive to Flybe, every airline will have, and enforce their own restrictive policies. The lack of flexibility is very frustrating.
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If flybe were an LCC you could maybe understand their appalling customer service, total lack of common sense and complete inflexibility. As their prices are now more comparable with full service airlines then they need to start acting like a full service airline.
They have one foot in either camp and they need to decide, and decide soon which camp they will choose, otherwise this poor excuse of an airline will not survive.
They have one foot in either camp and they need to decide, and decide soon which camp they will choose, otherwise this poor excuse of an airline will not survive.
It's nowt to do with LCC or full service or even the airline industry, it's how modern customer services/call centres work - lowest common denominator, just follow the script and if the person writing the script hasn't thought of it, well tough.
The answer might have been obvious to you, from your end of the telescope, but not to somebody trying to work out all the implications of the change. Quite possible they aren't even Flybe employee's.
The answer might have been obvious to you, from your end of the telescope, but not to somebody trying to work out all the implications of the change. Quite possible they aren't even Flybe employee's.
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 1,974
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The problem is it's quiet in the winter.
A lot of money to invest in a second runway when only busy during summer months.
Easyjet and jet2 basing aircraft in PMI next summer however this is due to lack of slots so extra flights using based aircraft as they leave before the morning rush and return during less busy periods
A lot of money to invest in a second runway when only busy during summer months.
Easyjet and jet2 basing aircraft in PMI next summer however this is due to lack of slots so extra flights using based aircraft as they leave before the morning rush and return during less busy periods
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Manchester
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flybe - online checkin
Hello - first post on forum - please be kind 
I have recently taken the new Flybe route MAN-LYS for a weekend trip - a fantastic addition to the network and a great improvement on either flying into GVA or connecting via BRU/FRA/AMS/LHR Only real frustration was that no online checkin is offered ex LYS meaning that even with cabin baggage only you have to queue at a solitary desk in LYS to get a BP.
I wrote to Flybe and congratulated them on the new route but also made the point that the lack of OLCI may well reduce the route's attractiveness to business pax... There reply was that the reason they don't offer the facility is that it is not offered by LYS. This I know to be untrue as I have used on other carriers.
So I can't think why they'd not want to offer it... Is there a cost implication on airlines at all?
I have recently taken the new Flybe route MAN-LYS for a weekend trip - a fantastic addition to the network and a great improvement on either flying into GVA or connecting via BRU/FRA/AMS/LHR Only real frustration was that no online checkin is offered ex LYS meaning that even with cabin baggage only you have to queue at a solitary desk in LYS to get a BP.
I wrote to Flybe and congratulated them on the new route but also made the point that the lack of OLCI may well reduce the route's attractiveness to business pax... There reply was that the reason they don't offer the facility is that it is not offered by LYS. This I know to be untrue as I have used on other carriers.
So I can't think why they'd not want to offer it... Is there a cost implication on airlines at all?