Ideal flight
 

Having spent some time reading on here and on feedback pages on the net from passengers, it seems to me that people want vastly different things when it comes to flying. Some people complain about the slightest thing, some people are easily impressed. I'm not saying what is right or wrong here, I'm just interested to know what people's expectations are when flying.

The reason for this thread is that I've seen some comments that puzzle me. Here are a few issues people have - written on feedback sites:

* No-one helped us with our hand luggage
* The food was disgusting
* The food was great
* The flight was delayed but we landed on time
* I had to pay to check in
* I had to pay for overweight baggage, it was only 10kg over my allowance
* The cabin was too hot/cold/smelly
* The water wasn't the right temperature
* The toilet was smelly/dirty/too brightly lit/too dark
* We wanted to sit together (family of 8) and they put us in different rows (as in 3/3/2)

This is only a few examples. I'm not moaning here, but what expectations do you have from a flight? I understand, of course, that you want the crew to smile and be nice and you want a clean seat and a prompt service. What I don't understand is when people have expectations of a 3 course meal from the Ritz on a short flight and they want the crew to put their hand luggage away for them. I also don't understand why people complain when there is turbulence and they have to stay seated.

Please do enlighten me, I really am interested to know. Do I just get on with what I normally do (smiling/being polite/doing the best I can) and accept that some people have strange requests/expectations, or what is the best way to understand this?

Gg

On a recent flight, I was on the receiving end of some constant seat kicking by the child sitting behind me. After 15/20 minutes of constant kicking I turned around, and had a quiet word with the childs father; who could not have cared less. After politely asking him to "discourage the child from kicking my chair, repeatedly" the man replied "he's 8, what do you expect?" :ugh:

All I expect on a flight (other than safety!) is a polite crew, and fellow pax who have a sprinkling of manners.

Hi Glamgirl

This is my list for the airport to airport portion of the journey.

1. To be treated with respect at every stage of the journey (this will be reciprocated)
2. To have as painless as possible a check-in/security experience
3. To leave on time
4. To get the service level for the class of travel booked, efficiently and professionally
5. To arrive on time
6. To get out of the arrival airport ASAP, with minimum hassle

That would do it for me.

What is it about the above comments that puzzles you? Why, for example, should there be an additional fee for checking in? (This, after all, is an integral part of the process. What next - a boarding fee?) And do you think it is unreasonable for a customer to complain if the cabin or toilet is smelly and/or dirty?

A good start would be similar to that I have experienced on Eurostar to Paris today. Nice facilities whilst waiting. Smooth, polite transition through security and passport control. Very pleasant host and hostess providing an escort down to the platform. A smiling on-board attendant (not requiring a boarding card check :E ) seamlessly greeting in French and English. Comfortable seats, nice food and wine and everyone appearing most contented.
Service on-time. Public transport at it's best.

BTW, it is quite normal in some parts of the world for the crew to stow hand luggage for people who struggle with it or just to do it anyway as part of the service culture, so some who have experienced it may expect the same from you.

I found it quite embarrasing when a small asian female CC member insisted on loading my IATA case into the bin for me. Really dented the male ego ;)

I'd like to add that not all the points on my list puzzles me, however the one about having to pay to check in does, as it must be stated on the website the passenger bought the ticket from. That doesn't mean I agree that one should have to pay to check in, I think it's appalling.

Passengers wanting clean and tidy facilities isn't puzzling at all, I'm all for cleanliness. What I was trying to explain (badly, I admit) was that people are so different, that one opinion isn't an option. Also, most people don't tend to realise that as food handlers, the crew shouldn't really be cleaning toilets. Also, it would be easier for us all (whether crew or passengers) if people didn't insist on messing up the toilets as soon as possible.

In regards to stowing luggage, I have no problem with stowing a child's or frail person's light bag into the locker. However, we're trained to not lift any heavy bags, as we can damage our backs etc. It's not that we don't want to help, but if you, as a fairly fit and healthy adult can't lift your bag, then I'm afraid that I won't be able to either. If some crew do insist on stowing your bag, that's up to them, but I'm not personally willing to aggravate an old back injury. I'm sorry about that, and it truly isn't because I'm not willing to help.

Gg

Checkin Fee is just crazy in my opinion

I would like it if the airline had more discretion when it come to excess fees.

Legroom on cheaper airlines in an issue with me. I traveled to Egypt the other week and for the 6 hour flight i had to sit at a funny angle.

Something that really gets on my wick is as soon as the plane touches down everyone gets up and if your sitting in an isle seat it is not comfortable. When the plane is traveling to the gate everyone is getting things from the bins. I would prefer if pax where forced to remain seated until the AC doors have opened.
1. for comfort.
2. safety, should something go wrong on the ground people can get out without falling over luggage.

Thanks my bit :)

That's the difference between service culture in northern Europe and some other parts of the world.

i.e. you would not be in your job anymore in some places.

For the avoidance of doubt, I am not attacking you Glamgirl, just pointing out that cultural norms are different and so are working practices.

When I go to the far east, I can never make my mind up whether to be amazed at what people will accept to get a job/promotion or to be terrified.

If you get people from the east or who have become acustomed to living out there, this might explain their expectations.

Ideal Flight
 

Hi Glamgirl
My wife and I lived in PNG for 6 years and travell extensively for business and pleasure. We travelled to the US regularly to visit friends and even though we are Aussies, my favourite carrier was United.
Because of the flight distance, Trans Pacific and then across America to Jacksonville I insisted on Business Class.
We used to reserve seats upstairs on an emergency exit to have a good flight. One trip on check in in Brisbane our preassigned seats had been cancelled. Complaining got nowhere, see them in Syd.
Syd were no help, couldn't do anything, so the holiday was not starting well. the seats we were given were the last two in Business cabin next to the galley.
I was not in a good frame of mind boarding, and thenwe were asked by the senior attendant in the cabin if we were the ones that had been messed up. I calmly said yes expecting another lame apology. Instead he said what do you want to drink, he was going to look after us to LA, sit down, if we want another drink, something to eat or magazine, just bang on the side of the galley. In less than five minutes he had relaxed us and made us feel important. The whole flight continued this way, the service was excellent and reinforced our preference for UA.
I have travelled around the world many times, lots of good and bad flights, but this one is memorable because someone cared.
I don't normaly complain because it doesn't work, just choose another airline.
The Cabin Crew make all the difference.:D:D:D

My ideal flight would be:

For the fare shown when I start searching for the flights to be the fare that I pay (I don't care how it is made up - all I want to know is how much it is going to cost me).

Swift and friendly check in process with welcoming smiles and where the seat I have pre-selected hasn't been allocated to someone else.

Quick transit through security with all lanes open if there is a queue.

Somewhere to sit in the lounge before heading for the gate (and not being told to be there hours before the flight unnecessarily).

A boarding process whereby families, disabled and premium passengers are called first then, only when they and the plane's aisles are clear, the plane boards row-by-row.

Friendly welcome by CC as you board the flight.

Assistance by CC as required as you get to your seat (ie offer to help with carry on bags - I won't accept it but it is nice to be asked).

A comfortable and clean seat with pillow, blanket and amenity kit (even if only an eye mask, ear plugs and some socks). And with nobody overflowing into my seat.

Friendly and efficient CC offering a free drink and nuts after take-off and available on the call button throughout the flight as required.

Food that is both edible and identifiable.

CC that clear trays swiftly (why do you wait until after coffee has been served? Surely it would be better to clear the trays and then serve coffee to people who want it).

Few announcements throughout the remainder of the flight.

Disembarkation to be swift and painless with thank yous to and from the CC on the way out.

Passport control queues to be swift with all lanes available.

Bags to arrive within 20 minutes of disembarking.

Basically SQ then(!)

I was 6 when I made my first flight (trans-atlantic), my brother was 3.

When we landed an elderly gentleman sitting nearby complimented my mother on her well behaved children.

Times change.

That is who my next flight (and pretty much any subsequent long haul flight) is with. But it would be nice if they had some competition from elsewhere! :ok:

Same here, always my first choice. CX are not bad though either, just don't like the airport!

BA First Class. The nearest to perfection in air travel that I've found.

Although the way Willy is downgrading everything on BA, it won't last. He doesn't seem to realise that those of us prepared to pay a bit more for comfort etc expect to get it, and reducing that which we get for occasionally a marginally cheaper fare isn't what's wanted.

He also hasn't learned from US airline situation that if you p*ss off (and there's no real substitute for that phrase) the staff up the sharp end dealing with customers by redundancies, forced layoffs, pay reductions, pension reductions etc, their attitude gets poor. They don't care so much - very understandably - and the customer notices. And go elsewhere.....

Expectations do vary
 

GG
If you imagine your bit of the plane as one of the most hi-tech "sitting rooms" on the planet................Please start your imagination, now.

You know an awful lot about your hi-tech sitting room - we poor pax know very little about it. (Other than F3G, of course)................

If it was my hi-tech sitting room I would control extremely carefully who came in to it.

Airlines don't do that - they invite in anyone who will pay!!

So expectations, and knowledge, are very strangely distributed. For some basic things, we know nothing - and you might think us thick for knowing nothing about "your" sitting room. We're not necessarily thick - just short on knowledge.

Our expectations are also all over the place. Some expect everything, some expect nothing, and lots are just in between.

The expectations might be "ours", but they might have been given to us. I used to have a gold card with BA and SQ's equivalent. At about the time of PPF, SQ could be called amateur - but with a brilliant desire to offer great service. BA were professional - but with little or no desire to offer service. At least PPF1 and PPF2 improved that latter point!

Hope this helps with your question!
all the best
AO
PS - how's the new union coming along??

Simple Fuss Free Service
 

Having flown many different airlines over the years, Some good some bad and some I will never fly again if I can help it. I think Cabin Crew make a big difference and for me personally BA, Virgin, Continental and Delta have always been the best. The worst cabin service I have come across has been Air France and Emirates. Tried a few LoCo carriers like Easyjet, Airtran and Southwest and was actually suprised how good they were. With all the different airlines I have flown on over the years there has been one or two hiccups but most airlines have dealt with the problem and or apologised and I will still fly with them, all except for Emirates but if they want to lose my custom including a lot of airfreight well thats for them to sort out. For me I do like flying BA in any class as I know they will get me from A to B on time for a good price for the service I expect.

My ideal flight? (F3G is going to love this one.)

If I'm a short haul flying in, say, a 737 it would be much appreciated if I was not seated next to a fattie who intrudes on my space in a BIG way. (pun intended.) :eek::eek:

RG

That's easy, I've given you the answer........

Buy the middle seat, you know it makes sense. :}