KLouis

Valued customers? Only very recently I saw the example of an A3 Gold who only takes the necessary 4 flights to maintain gold and costs A3 lounges, including when (s)he uses the LH lounge at ATH. Yes, I know, all legitimate, etc., but let's not think that all M+B members are valued customers...

DrHalxx

Yes but how many are the "opportunistic" golds? there are fewer people playing the game and manipulating the system than we think

East_and_West

The A3*G's who fly A3 just the minimum 4 times a year to retain status don't care about the new seating arrangements. Most likely they use their seat upgrade vouchers for these 4 trips anyway... On the contrary, truly valued customers who have been choosing A3 over other competitors will be driven to fly A3 only the required 4 times, and apart from that choose a *A airline where they actually can choose a seat for free as A3*G. Which by the way shows how bad a move on behalf of A3 this was... It's quite ironic to have more benefits in a partner airline than the airline you have your FFP status with

Exactly. At least those who do care about the recent changes are not the opportunistic ones.

dcmike

Just in case anyone is wondering - paid for seat reservations ATH-JTR (wanted to make sure the group was seated together). Decided to move to an earlier flight that day (with a FLEX ticket) and the paid seat reservations moved with us. Was curious how that was going to work out and was pleasantly surprised.

nk15

All these "enhancements" are likely the effect of A3 becoming the dominant force in Greek aviation, that's why mergers should not be allowed, now you are all going to get "milked"...

DELLAS

Or you could argue that a strong airline which has managed to make a success in very difficult circumstances which supports the Greek tourism industry and suppliers is a very good thing. They actively promote brand Greece abroad and are doing a very good job of expanding the route network out of ATH and other stations. They are offering more and more routes to destinations where before there were little to none. The fares are competitive and product still very decent compared to other European carriers. Im sure everyone would like to pay mega cheap fares and then get all the frills free but then when the airline goes bust due to making no profits they would also complain. Like other airlines A3 have to compete with the rest. Despite the recent changes they are still a very good airline with a very good product.

What aspect of the merger do you have issue with? What routes do you think were effected?

johnirvine

I agree with you that Aegean's dominant position in the Greek aviation market is starting to result in off-hand, sometimes arrogant, behaviour towards customers that might lead them to believe they were being 'milked'.

Last week, I flew from TXL-ATH-LCA on a ticket that had been booked 9 months earlier, while seat reservations had been made some three months earlier. On arrival at Athens, I made my way to the LCA flight and tried to board but was beeped. The agent told me that my seat reservation for upfront seat 5A had been cancelled and I had now been reallocated middle seat 12B. The reason for this is that I had not paid for 5A and the computer had reallocated me another standard seat. The desk agent refused to discuss the matter further and would not allow me to speak to a supervisor - she claimed there was simply nothing they could do to rectify the problem.

I refused to board and they threatened to offload my baggage. I still refused to board and the flight was by then delayed for a few minutes. A supervisor then finally appeared and offered me an emergency exit seat if I agreed to pay the full extra fee. I again refused on the basis that we had a contract about a free upfront window seat - they could offload me and I would sue the airline. Finally, after 10 minutes delay, they offered me a free emergency exit seat.

This sort of behaviour by Aegean staff would simply not have happened before. Fortunately, it will not happen to me again in the near future as my next 60 sectors of intra-European flight are booked on LH-group airlines. I will be rewarding Aegean with a 1/10 review on Skytrax and making sure that A3 pays for every one of the 60 lounge accesses that I make on the LH-group flights. In this case, it will be Aegean that is being milked rather than the other way around.

headingwest

Wow, you really like your up front seats, don't you johnirvine?

I'm not one bit happy with the new policy, but I would not make a fuss at the airport. Future spending is the only way that I will make my dissatisfaction known!

DELLAS

Can you post a link to the contract that states you are guranteed a certain seat number ?

johnirvine

You are not guaranteed a particular seat number, but only a seat similar to that booked - i.e. a window upfront seat. Do you believe Aegean's behaviour in this case is acceptable?

Please see Aegean's FAQ on 'Is my selected seat guaranteed?' Their answer is: 'Your selected seat is GUARANTEED. In the unlikely event of any change due to operational reasons, we will do our best efforts to reallocate you an equivalent seat type with the same characteristics (window.... Up Front....).'

johnirvine

I simply do not like being pushed around and treated unacceptably. For sure, A3 will lose considerable revenue as a result of my dissatisfaction.

frb98mf

Nailed on. Matter of principle. Whether or not you actually had a case or would have pursued it, totally right to call their bluff and send a shot across management bows about this kind of shoddy behaviour. I'd have done the exact same thing.

DELLAS

Read my previous posts with regards to my personal opinion on the matter. However if it is company policy then taking it out on the gate agents at boarding delaying an aircraft and operations is certainly not the way to behave. To be honest if they had called your bluff and off loaded you they would have been 100% legally covered and you would have lost alot of money in court. There are times to throw your toys out of the pram but that was not one of them. In the end they gave in because you blackmailed them as they were dispatching a flight and by your own admission you delayed the other passengers even though it may have been only by a few minutes.

The correct way would have been to either take the seat offered or pay the fee as per company policy then take your anger out with customer services after who may have chosen to refund you as a good will gesture.

My sympathy is with the gate staff to be honest. There is never a legal gurantee for a window or aisle etc... Try taking it to court if you dont believe me.

headingwest

But these agents at the airport are only following instructions and orders. Sure you can make your displeasure known, but I just don't think it's constructive to argue with them while other passengers are waiting. That's my opinion anyway.

I made my dissatisfaction known to Aegean by writing to customer services and that's as far as I will go. Future spending is my greatest form of protest, plus I won't be so keen to recommend Aegean to friends and family. The product is still good, but it's been tarnished by Aegean's new quest to be like all other airlines instead of standing out from them.

DELLAS

Spot on 100% correct. I dont argue that the passenger is not entitled to be angry but the way that anger was directed and carried out was out of order. A passenger looses credibility when they act like that.