miner2049er
5th Sep 2003, 07:56
Here is the text of a letter I sent to Aer Lingus, to which they have not yet replied. I would be interested to know people's comments, and any similar experiences they have had with Aer Lingus or other airlines, especially regarding the first of my four complaints.
Thanks in advance,
Simon.
August 17, 2003
Dear Sir / Madam,
I am writing to complain about a recent trip I took between Los Angeles and Birmingham, England, where I flew with Aer Lingus on all four (4) flights that made up the journey.
I departed on June 30, 2003, on flights EI-144 then EI-272, and returned on July 9 on flights EI-263 and EI-145. I have four (4) complaints, and detail them in the following separate sections:
(1) The first problem was not being allowed to use a portable CD player.
About half an hour into my LAX - DUB flight, a flight attendant advised me to not use the portable CD player I had brought along. I had a flight-time of over ten hours ahead of me, and this was not pleasant news to hear.
I had not been told about this before I started my trip in the Aer Lingus travel documents sent to me (which was a lengthy "Email Confirmation" on April 27)
What made this even more confusing was that passengers were allowed to use their laptop computers, even though the laptop's CD-ROM drives contained EXACTLY the same electronics as portable CD players.
When I was onboard, I read on page 66, paragraph 2, of the June 2003 issue of your in-flight magazine "Cara":
"Forbidden at all times:
All nintendo and sega personal entertainment, AM/FM radios, DVD players, compact disc players, DAT tape players, frequency scanners, portable televisions, walkie-talkies, CB radios, radio controlled toys.
Permitted in-flight, but not during take-off, approach and landing:
laptop computers, conventional personal tape stereos, pocket calculators."
There are a number of other companies who make personal gaming devices other than Nintendo and Sega. For example, Atari and numerous mobile phone manufacturers, such as Nokia, Motorola and Siemens, allow games to be played on their handsets.
There was also an announcement made a short while into the flight that went something along the lines of "We do not allow the use of GameBoys and other laser-controlled equipment." Gameboys do not contain lasers.
I guess music-lovers should avoid flying with Aer Lingus - I would be interested how many other people have been annoyed by this strange, discriminatory policy i.e. meaning it's OK for laptop owners to use CDs, but not for non-laptop owning passengers.
For the longest time I have been aware that portable electronic devices are NOT to be used during take-off and landing, but this was the first time I was not allowed to listen to my CD player in-flight. I just spoke with American Airlines customer service, and they told me they have no problems with passengers listening to CDs during their flights. And I recently flew with Virgin Atlantic, who allow CD players to be used during the flight, and in fact one of the flight attendants was interested in one of the CDs I was playing.
(2) I requested special meals for my flight which I did not receive.
On June 23, 2003 at 11:50 AM PST, I phoned Aer Lingus customer service and spoke with an operator called Jay, with whom I requested low-fat meals, and he said my request had been entered on my record.
During my trip, I did not receive any of my special meals on any of the flights, and on the return journey from DUB-LAX (flight EI 145); I asked one of the flight attendants to make a written notation of this occurrence, a copy of which I have attached to this letter.
(3) On my return flight to LAX (EI 145) when the center left bathroom was unoccupied, the door would not close, and was not the most pleasant of things to passengers.
(4) Before my trip I asked if their was an Aer Lingus phone number I could call at LAX airport to see if there had been any flight delays etc. The customer service agent I spoke to gave me the number (310) 649-7207. This number I did need to call on the day of departure, and when I did, I got a message:
"You have received the voice mail of Mrs. xxxxx - I am not in the office today, please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible."
I paid a lot of money for my ticket, and was hoping to get a more pleasant and enjoyable journey than the one I did.
I look forward to hearing from you, and would appreciate a reply within one (1) week of receipt of this letter via regular mail, not email.
Yours sincerely...
Thanks in advance,
Simon.
August 17, 2003
Dear Sir / Madam,
I am writing to complain about a recent trip I took between Los Angeles and Birmingham, England, where I flew with Aer Lingus on all four (4) flights that made up the journey.
I departed on June 30, 2003, on flights EI-144 then EI-272, and returned on July 9 on flights EI-263 and EI-145. I have four (4) complaints, and detail them in the following separate sections:
(1) The first problem was not being allowed to use a portable CD player.
About half an hour into my LAX - DUB flight, a flight attendant advised me to not use the portable CD player I had brought along. I had a flight-time of over ten hours ahead of me, and this was not pleasant news to hear.
I had not been told about this before I started my trip in the Aer Lingus travel documents sent to me (which was a lengthy "Email Confirmation" on April 27)
What made this even more confusing was that passengers were allowed to use their laptop computers, even though the laptop's CD-ROM drives contained EXACTLY the same electronics as portable CD players.
When I was onboard, I read on page 66, paragraph 2, of the June 2003 issue of your in-flight magazine "Cara":
"Forbidden at all times:
All nintendo and sega personal entertainment, AM/FM radios, DVD players, compact disc players, DAT tape players, frequency scanners, portable televisions, walkie-talkies, CB radios, radio controlled toys.
Permitted in-flight, but not during take-off, approach and landing:
laptop computers, conventional personal tape stereos, pocket calculators."
There are a number of other companies who make personal gaming devices other than Nintendo and Sega. For example, Atari and numerous mobile phone manufacturers, such as Nokia, Motorola and Siemens, allow games to be played on their handsets.
There was also an announcement made a short while into the flight that went something along the lines of "We do not allow the use of GameBoys and other laser-controlled equipment." Gameboys do not contain lasers.
I guess music-lovers should avoid flying with Aer Lingus - I would be interested how many other people have been annoyed by this strange, discriminatory policy i.e. meaning it's OK for laptop owners to use CDs, but not for non-laptop owning passengers.
For the longest time I have been aware that portable electronic devices are NOT to be used during take-off and landing, but this was the first time I was not allowed to listen to my CD player in-flight. I just spoke with American Airlines customer service, and they told me they have no problems with passengers listening to CDs during their flights. And I recently flew with Virgin Atlantic, who allow CD players to be used during the flight, and in fact one of the flight attendants was interested in one of the CDs I was playing.
(2) I requested special meals for my flight which I did not receive.
On June 23, 2003 at 11:50 AM PST, I phoned Aer Lingus customer service and spoke with an operator called Jay, with whom I requested low-fat meals, and he said my request had been entered on my record.
During my trip, I did not receive any of my special meals on any of the flights, and on the return journey from DUB-LAX (flight EI 145); I asked one of the flight attendants to make a written notation of this occurrence, a copy of which I have attached to this letter.
(3) On my return flight to LAX (EI 145) when the center left bathroom was unoccupied, the door would not close, and was not the most pleasant of things to passengers.
(4) Before my trip I asked if their was an Aer Lingus phone number I could call at LAX airport to see if there had been any flight delays etc. The customer service agent I spoke to gave me the number (310) 649-7207. This number I did need to call on the day of departure, and when I did, I got a message:
"You have received the voice mail of Mrs. xxxxx - I am not in the office today, please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible."
I paid a lot of money for my ticket, and was hoping to get a more pleasant and enjoyable journey than the one I did.
I look forward to hearing from you, and would appreciate a reply within one (1) week of receipt of this letter via regular mail, not email.
Yours sincerely...