ralfkrippner

In my long haul travels with Lufthansa in Biz I have not yet travelled in their new biz class that was advertised years ago and will take further years to be found in all airplanes.
So AB's relatively quick introduction of new biz in their full fleet means that now I check for my planned flights for options on AB. So I'm one more flyertalker to post here: No, AB doesn't suck...

Andoreasu

True, you have a point...on my side, neither have I been able to test the new LH product (OS and LX yes, but not LH) - I actually did not have AB's new biz product roll out in mind when mentioning long-haul - but rather the cattle class experience (like what I would consider a first time trauma in an all-econ config!)

BCNforever

I don't think they suck. I've flown several times AB and never had a single problem, even on connecting flights.
Plus, I think their mileage accural is quite generous by today standards.
I have 2 flights booked with them right now

SansStatus

AB absolutely DOES suck when it comes to handling anything that goes wrong. It is insulting what they put you through when THEY make a mistake...like missing bags. Look, I understand it happens. But they obviously have decided to make the process of requesting compensation so painful that 99% of folks will just give up.

THAT is the problem. They're basically fine when things go the way they are supposed to. But I think you can judge the true character of an airline by the way it responds to inconvenienced, slighted passengers after the fact. Air Berlin's handling of baggage-related issues deems them completely unworthy of any multi-airline alliance, most certainly not oneworld. I am in the process of drafting a letter to their CEO (using the online form for baggage issues is a joke...difficult to navigate and then once you do, no response). I plan to copy the CEO of AA as well, and the editor of a business travel magazine. I'm a million miler with AA and I think they should know what kind of partner they are telling their loyal customers to trust.

If anyone has had success in appealing to them to abide by the Montreal Convention, please let me know. I'm open to suggestions, but in the absence of a satisfactory resolution I intend to crucify them in social media so other oneworld travelers know the risk they're taking flying an airline that doesn't do anything to mitigate inconveniences or losses when THEY screw up.

It's truly shameful (although, sadly also not a-typical for German companies) to take such a hostile stance towards customers whom THEY have cost time and money through their own mistakes.

gkl

My bag was severly damaged on a TATL-flight 2 weeks ago. I filed a claim at the airport and got a reference number there. With the reference number I uploaded photos of the damaged bag + bag tag + boarding passes in the afternoon. I got a reply within 2 days, they offered me to send a brand-new bag of the same type to my home address. I have nothing to complain and indeed never experienced such a professional treatment from another airline (though I also experienced slower replys in the past from AB).

BAUSER

Abu Dhabi - Berlin in business class(worst ever b class)

I wish One World drops this airline. I will never travel with them again and here is why:

The Chaeffuer drives us to wrong terminal. He also drops my Stealth case so it got scracthes all over and just took off.


There is no structure at the airport for members or business class passengers to board first.

My seat were broken,it didnt work fully flat. Flight attendant asked me if he could do it manually for me.. JOKE? Instead of helping they're busy bumping up economy passaengers to fill bussiness. Then after asking them several times they asked me to move to a different seat so my GF and i were separated during the whole flight.

The seats are built for people who are maximum 5.8" and skinny. You will never fit in this chair if your'e 5.9" and over. This is the worst seats i have ever experienced in B class.

My bag never came to my final destination. I had to take a taxi from Stockholm to the airport for 100 euro to pick this up without a priority tag.

The food was horrible.

I have sent Air Berlin several mails and to their complaints link. I have not heard a word for 3 weeks.

Be careful when you choose this airline cause.

Andie007

I definitely had a different picture on my C-Class rides out of JFK and MIA.
And pls be aware: The driver, check-in and boarding staff in AUH are not AB employees... you have to blame other ones...

Btw: I'm 6'1" - and all my flights were very pleasant. Incl. the food.
But sorry to hear that your seat was broken (happened to me last week on LH).

warakorn

In the end its the responsibility of AB, who they hire to provide ground services in AUH.

AB refused to deliver the bag?

If the C section was not full, why didnt you two move to another pair of seats?

Calchas

Don't worry, priority tags don't do anything.

But I am surprised that the bag was not delivered to your hotel.

irishguy28

Maybe they made the experience so distasteful because they misread BAUSER as ABUSER!!!

TravellingSalesman

This post seems to me like a mix of complaints, some serious, some fairly minor. Did you send a similar complaint to AB?

As a one-off that doesn't sound so bad. Now, if you had a few experiences like that with the Chauffeur service it would be a different thing.

are you saying the airport offers no fast track at all, or that it exists but AB customers aren't eligible? If the former, I fail to see how this is AB's fault. (If the latter, of course, then it's because AB aren't paying for it.)

Why did you think this was a joke?

Did you raise this with the CC at the time? I.e. asked them to move both of you to different seats? And if you knew that some of your fellow passengers were bumped up from Y (how, btw?) then surely you could have insisted you have first choice of seats?

Now these seems like more serious complaints, and something I'd emphasise in any communication with AB. Bags do get lost on all airlines, but why didn't they deliver the bag to you - did you ask for that?

ckx2

If AB C class seats are the worst one has experienced I wish em good luck flying FRA-TLV on Lufthansa

Tyrolean

TXL Airport is the same for all Airlines. AB premium Passengers are picked up by a personal assistant in the Lounge for the AUH Flight. Never had that on an LH Flight.

irishguy28

Really?

Do they go to both the Air France, and the BA, Lounges?

That didn't happen for me a couple of weeks ago.

awestphal

AB is not THAT bad.

I fly out of TXL (and SXF, for that matter) at least weekly, about 50:50 TATL/Asia. The rest is domestic and Europe. I have gotten used to the pit of Terminal C. But than again, I have gotten used to LGA when I lived in NYC.

For domestic and Europe, AB is actually quite good. Fares are ok, OLCI works reasonably well and their seat pitch is fair (have almost stopped flying BA in C due to the new European "enhanced" club seat). At 6'5'', that's almost all that matters to me within Europe. AB is certainly better ex TXL than IB (seat pitch), Finnair/Alitalia/SAS/Germanwings (loooong bus rides).

For long distance going to Asia, it's always C -> nothing beats QR ex TXL. Nothing. Not sure why anybody would put with AB to AUH (did that once. That will remain a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Never again). Then again, if Emirates would one day drop Hamburg in favor of Berlin... TATL, AB is actually ok in C. Certainly beats United and Delta in C. Am still addicted to LX due to their C product (throne seats - lovely) and the occasional trip in F. Absolutely hate connecting in FRA and the LH C product, so BA or LX it is for everything TATL outside NYC.

Having said all this, I usually fly alone (except vacation) and WITHOUT luggage. Ten horses would not be able to force me to check luggage on an AB flight.

Customer services (refunds...) has slightly improved: From nonexistent to extremely bad.