Is Emirates too big for its boots?
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Is Emirates too big for its boots?
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Emirates should stop believing its own hype and listen to its customers who want it to succeed as it gets set to become the world's largest airline.
.....unquote.
Not only should they listen to the pax, they should also listen to their employees, the front liners, who want nothing more than the airline to succeed so they can enjoy more of the proffit.
.....unquote.
Not only should they listen to the pax, they should also listen to their employees, the front liners, who want nothing more than the airline to succeed so they can enjoy more of the proffit.
Join Date: May 2005
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Well overdue comment
This has been brewing for years yet in the past none of the local press would dare say anything disloyal about the almighty EK. The fact is that perhaps articles like this are the only way that the top floor management will get to hear that things are not all roses on the shop floor. The middle management wouldn't dare pass bad news up wards for the fear of being held accountable. This has been the Emirates culture since long before I joined some 10 years ago.
This will have repercussions though sadly not positive, cabin crew ground staff and standby for a scathing email from KG or TG threating all sorts of horror. Unfortunately the root causes will be overlooked and life will continue as normal.
Whilst I am usually quick to promote the Emirates product from a flight deck point of view I find my travel experiences with the company mediocre to say the least. I am extremely grateful to be able to avail of an ID90 F seat however if I was paying full fare to witness some of the shockers I have of late as a passenger I too would be looking to the like of EY to fulfill my travel needs.
This will have repercussions though sadly not positive, cabin crew ground staff and standby for a scathing email from KG or TG threating all sorts of horror. Unfortunately the root causes will be overlooked and life will continue as normal.
Whilst I am usually quick to promote the Emirates product from a flight deck point of view I find my travel experiences with the company mediocre to say the least. I am extremely grateful to be able to avail of an ID90 F seat however if I was paying full fare to witness some of the shockers I have of late as a passenger I too would be looking to the like of EY to fulfill my travel needs.
Join Date: Mar 2004
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We see the decline year by year. We wrote the reports. We made the suggestions. We did what we could until the shear thanklessness of the task and changing attitudes taught us not to bother and simply look after ourselves.
What differentiates a soldier from a mercenary? The both do the same job, both get paid and can both pay the ultimate price. The distinction is in the belief that the future is worth fighting for.
Most at EK lost that belief some years back. The future wasn't for us.
What differentiates a soldier from a mercenary? The both do the same job, both get paid and can both pay the ultimate price. The distinction is in the belief that the future is worth fighting for.
Most at EK lost that belief some years back. The future wasn't for us.
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I've had five sets of visitors to the Sandpit over the last few months. Sadly, not one of them had a good thing to say about their travel experience with EK. I encouraged all of them to write letters of complaint. Those that did got the standard form letter full of platitudes in reply.
It pains me to say it, but if you were able to break out three EK passengers from a time bubble of around 1994, one from each class, and put them onto the bucketshop operation we've become today, they wouldn't believe it was the same airline.
We all love to lambast journalists, but in this case, I'd say the lady is absolutely on target with every criticism she's made. Someone very close to the top in EK quite obviously made a decision four or more years ago that maximizing profit at all costs was to override quality of presentation and service. Judging by the airline's always in the black bottom line over the last few years, the beancounters would say it was a very good decision.
However, I think it would be a safe bet to say that EK has suffered enormous intangible losses in non returning customers and not gaining many, many potential new customers because of (in some cases quite vociferous) negative word of mouth from dissatisfied customers.
One pair of my visitors this year are Skywards Premium members who travel Business Class, usually at least twice a year between Europe and Australia. They told me they'll be trying Etihad next time they travel because friends with similar travel habits say it's streets above EK in all regards. Their comment was "They wouldn't have to try too hard".
It pains me to say it, but if you were able to break out three EK passengers from a time bubble of around 1994, one from each class, and put them onto the bucketshop operation we've become today, they wouldn't believe it was the same airline.
We all love to lambast journalists, but in this case, I'd say the lady is absolutely on target with every criticism she's made. Someone very close to the top in EK quite obviously made a decision four or more years ago that maximizing profit at all costs was to override quality of presentation and service. Judging by the airline's always in the black bottom line over the last few years, the beancounters would say it was a very good decision.
However, I think it would be a safe bet to say that EK has suffered enormous intangible losses in non returning customers and not gaining many, many potential new customers because of (in some cases quite vociferous) negative word of mouth from dissatisfied customers.
One pair of my visitors this year are Skywards Premium members who travel Business Class, usually at least twice a year between Europe and Australia. They told me they'll be trying Etihad next time they travel because friends with similar travel habits say it's streets above EK in all regards. Their comment was "They wouldn't have to try too hard".
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Sadly have to agree with regards to service - too big a turnover of CC doesn't help.... Save fils, lose dirhams....
And how often do we depart DXB with 40 or 50 missing bags???
And how often do we depart DXB with 40 or 50 missing bags???
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What differentiates a soldier from a mercenary? The both do the same job, both get paid and can both pay the ultimate price. The distinction is in the belief that the future is worth fighting for.
EK staff of past believed they were part of something special, and I reckon they were. That was reflected in the pax experience. Morale has dropped over the years, and this thread is indicative of the net result. The question should be asked "why". We all know the answer - its been steered that way by the leaders and managers in the pursuit of short term gain.
No revelation there, and sadly nothing unique to EK. DO THESE PEOPLE NOT LEARN! It's dumbfounds me, it shouldn't by now but it does.
The staff are the company. Look after the staff, and they will look after the owners. A Branson-esque statement true, but even more relevant here in our region where the bulk of staff are expatriate and have no particular allegiance to the country/employer other than their package and the experience. Screw them hard enough, and they'll desert you. They dont need to be here.
The journo talks of once loyal pax leaving EK for the EY experience. EY is still relatively new and still enjoys a 'novelty factor'. They are going the same way however, from where I sit, morale is not good. No amount of training and bullying will produce the product they want - UNLESS THE STAFF BELIEVE.
It really is that simple.
And how often do we depart DXB with 40 or 50 missing bags???
In a 16 hour time frame that they have had the bag, they should be able to inform you on arrival that the bag is not there, here is the form, we'll be in touch, bye.
As happened to myself and others on a particular MEL flight last year.
As an aside, a friend of mine in Oz who travels at least five times a month through the middle east and on to europe, will not fly EK and tells all his mates not to as well, as, and l quote "They are nothing like they used to be".
He prefers any of the asian carriers to get here and will travel with any european airline to go west. No EK involved. Says it makes his travels less stressful.
halas
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Just ask the passengers who had to deal with EK ground staff after the returned flight EK 722 NBI-DXB.
From all reports the cockpit and cabin crew did a great job. The real disaster struck when people had to deal with the ground crew. That was Nairobi. From all reports the ground crew in DXB wanted to deal even less with the onward connections. As far as DXB ground crew were concerned, this was an operational problem and nothing to do with EK in DXB even though the connections were with EK.
Shame EK, Shame.
From all reports the cockpit and cabin crew did a great job. The real disaster struck when people had to deal with the ground crew. That was Nairobi. From all reports the ground crew in DXB wanted to deal even less with the onward connections. As far as DXB ground crew were concerned, this was an operational problem and nothing to do with EK in DXB even though the connections were with EK.
Shame EK, Shame.
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emirates doesn't care if a pax is unhappy and doesn't fly with them again, there enough others who will take his seat, as long the planes are full why change a running system.
if you dont like it leave or fly with somebody else
if you dont like it leave or fly with somebody else
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Goretex, I understand what you're saying..certainly you'd think from EK's attitude in these cases that they couldn't care less if we got return business. However, any good businessman will tell you it costs (I think the figure is) seven times more to entice a new customer, than it does to retain an existing customer.
EK spends a fortune on marketing..without a doubt it has a very effective sponsorship and marketing program. So why the hell do they waste so much of that money when at the operational end we turn the customer away?
You'd have to wonder if it wouldn't be better to spend a bit less on self-promotion, and a bit more on training and retention of good staff. Then the word gets out that you have a good product anyway, and you retain that existing customer base, as well as gain new customers from feedback.
I had dinner by the canal in Venice a few months back. Lovely location, but shocking service, and awful, ridiculously expensive food. The restaurant owner probably didn't care less...I was a tourist, I wouldn't be back anyway, and the next night another sucker would sit in the same seat, thinking "oh, this is a lovely location..." Sound familiar?
EK spends a fortune on marketing..without a doubt it has a very effective sponsorship and marketing program. So why the hell do they waste so much of that money when at the operational end we turn the customer away?
You'd have to wonder if it wouldn't be better to spend a bit less on self-promotion, and a bit more on training and retention of good staff. Then the word gets out that you have a good product anyway, and you retain that existing customer base, as well as gain new customers from feedback.
I had dinner by the canal in Venice a few months back. Lovely location, but shocking service, and awful, ridiculously expensive food. The restaurant owner probably didn't care less...I was a tourist, I wouldn't be back anyway, and the next night another sucker would sit in the same seat, thinking "oh, this is a lovely location..." Sound familiar?
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We have comment from passengers - first hand
We have comment from those at the sharp end - first hand
We have comment from the people at the coalface for passenger relations - first hand.
Its a very different message from the managers and corporate communications who rely on their statistics and balance sheets to tell the story
Beware EK, beware...
We have comment from those at the sharp end - first hand
We have comment from the people at the coalface for passenger relations - first hand.
Its a very different message from the managers and corporate communications who rely on their statistics and balance sheets to tell the story
Beware EK, beware...
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Low Morale
Just goes to show we've had the best ever profit share!!!!
When it comes down to it and we've to deal with down-right rudeness, lack of courtesy and complacency from our internal departments (we are the customers remember) would that be acceptable from the "front line"- we are the "product"- I don't think so-a little bit of respect is required here people!!!!!Nuff said.
When it comes down to it and we've to deal with down-right rudeness, lack of courtesy and complacency from our internal departments (we are the customers remember) would that be acceptable from the "front line"- we are the "product"- I don't think so-a little bit of respect is required here people!!!!!Nuff said.
