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More abysmal service from EI - Couldn't care less attitude to their 'Guest's -- Farce

More abysmal service from EI - Couldn't care less attitude to their 'Guest's -- Farce

Old Jun 30, 2019, 2:51 pm
  #1  
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More abysmal service from EI - Couldn't care less attitude to their 'Guest's -- Farce

https://www.independent.ie/irish-new...-38267381.html

What annoys me the most is their use of Guests ! Another ridiculous phrase from their English COO -- Sad how EI has fallen so far so quickly .. Used to be the gold standard -- not anymore. .. I hope those EU domiciled PAX take them for max. EU compensation..

EI -- Never again ..
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Old Jun 30, 2019, 3:19 pm
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Originally Posted by IrishBoy
https://www.independent.ie/irish-new...-38267381.html

What annoys me the most is their use of Guests ! Another ridiculous phrase from their English COO -- Sad how EI has fallen so far so quickly .. Used to be the gold standard -- not anymore. .. I hope those EU domiciled PAX take them for max. EU compensation..

EI -- Never again ..
One flight out of thousands and you jump all over them. Again.

You appear to live in America. No need for you to care.
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Old Jun 30, 2019, 3:49 pm
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Originally Posted by IrishBoy
Actually I am Irish, been out since 1989 (deep dark days of the 1980s recession yielded few jobs if any for the even the most talented graduates). US resident since 1995 and so I do use occasionally some words that are more suited to the situation. (I never use cookie, garbage, trash, gasoline, drugstore, sidewalk - my family know the equivalent from me by now). I have,on more that 5 occasions (I travel a great deal, am AA ExpPlat for 12 years in a row) experienced Irish staff on EI with a less than professional attitude to Irish people resident in the US. It's almost like they are jealous of us (they don't understand the work effort here, 10 days a year vacation for new jobs, 70 hr weeks, regular travel, $30000 property tax on average Silicon Valley home - but hey we love it .. helps us live in some of the nicest (and safest places) in the world. Almost zero crime where I live, excellent healthcare etc).

I've seen EI staff clearly load up their friends and family in Economy (there you have it) with booze for entire flights (10+ hr) and when asked politely for a glass of water get the snotty nosed response. I think they hear the accent and think .. ^%$^&$Y you ! Perhaps now that Kavanagh has cleared out things will change, though I doubt it .. Even Jack Foley et EI NY HQ has quit !

Is mise le meas (Still fairly fluent, in addition to my 1985 Leaving Cert French I can converse with most).
When did you last travel with EI?
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Old Jul 1, 2019, 4:54 am
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Did EI handle this well, absolutely not. Third-party handling is the price we pay for lower fares. I honestly cant see any other airline doing at better in those specific circumstances. EU261 only goes so far at 0100 in an airport with no staff where you don't speak the language.
It's not clear from that article, but from the phone-in radio shows it seems that the majority were given hotels. 70 couldn't be accommodated, which is poor. But given the time of year it's not implausible that there were simply no other hotels available that night in Lisbon in reasonable distance from the Airport. Remember that it was after 0100 by this stage. As far as I know EI do not have their own staff at LIS and at that hour so I imagine it would be a skeleton staff from the handlers, who may not be able to rebook on alternative flights for the following day.

Passengers/Guests could have been reaccomodated via Dublin, or connections at AMS, CDG or LHR. EI operations are usually fairly good at sorting this kind of thing out, but with no representation on the ground communication to a mass of braying passengers tends to fall apart.
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Old Jul 1, 2019, 5:47 am
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Lisbon is a notoriously bad place to get stuck. Chaos with ATC slots makes getting a rescue flight in all but impossible and challenging to get the hull home once fixed

There is a curfew 0000-0600 local so it should have been obvious once 0000 came it would have been clear getting home wasn't happening.
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Old Jul 1, 2019, 11:14 am
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Aer Lingus again dropped the ball on this one and should have a 24 emergency team in DUB to sort these things out. If LH can do it at 3am in LIS then EI should be able to do also. Its a lack of will on their part and not the first time this kind of thing has happened at other stations outside Ireland. No excuse period ! No hotels for 70 people fine but then you make sure you get them food and drink.
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Old Jul 1, 2019, 2:55 pm
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Originally Posted by DELLAS
Aer Lingus again dropped the ball on this one and should have a 24 emergency team in DUB to sort these things out. If LH can do it at 3am in LIS then EI should be able to do also. Its a lack of will on their part and not the first time this kind of thing has happened at other stations outside Ireland. No excuse period ! No hotels for 70 people fine but then you make sure you get them food and drink.
Exactly - well said
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Old Jul 1, 2019, 4:29 pm
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Last time was 2017 .. DUB/SFO - awful service. They have lost $$$ from my US multinational employer since the, many paid J segments, I take 2 flights now to DUB whilst I would prefer the NS flight, I'll do my best to avoid EI for everything, including DUB to points in EU.
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Old Jul 1, 2019, 5:12 pm
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I take your point, but adding unnecessary time to a journey or flying Ryanair arent great alternatives.

I agree that EI slipped up, but I really dont think other European airlines would have done any better. The BA app might have offered rebooking (maybe easyJet or Ryanair too?) but thats not much good at 0100 post cerfew and agency staff at home in bed.

Its not that I think EI offered an acceptable level of service, but who would have done better?
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Old Jul 2, 2019, 4:33 am
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Originally Posted by IrishBoy
Last time was 2017 .. DUB/SFO - awful service. They have lost $$$ from my US multinational employer since the, many paid J segments, I take 2 flights now to DUB whilst I would prefer the NS flight, I'll do my best to avoid EI for everything, including DUB to points in EU.

I doubt you're missed. I have flown that route regularly and can only assume they know who you are and are picking on you. Service is excellent. And quite frankly adding hours to your journey because you're not being treated like a king is childish and ridiculous.

Full disclosure. I know a pilot and several cabin crew who work for EI and who do an excellent job.

You clearly have a personal issue with EI or indeed Ireland as a whole for not paying you what you thing you deserve in terms of respect. Sad, as your glorious leader would say.
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Old Jul 2, 2019, 6:42 am
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My wife is Irish and she has the same attitude toward EI staff as IrishBoy, while I (an American) have always thought that the service is decent.
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Old Jul 2, 2019, 7:18 am
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Seems like more of an issue of perception of what EI is and/or should be. EI is not a full service carrier or a LCC and purposely places itself in the middle. The issue noted above sounds typical, some people were looked after others got the short stick. I think a lot of complaints EI get are from a perception that they will receive full service carrier treatment when in reality EI are far from that in terms of the resources they utilise for customer services especially in cases of IRROPS (doubly so at outstations). Despite it being often said, EI does have better service in general than LCCs (specifically ryanair as their main competitor). Sure from time to time (and more likely route to route) that level may drop close to LCC offerings but that is still mostly the exception rather than the rule.
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Old Jul 2, 2019, 7:34 am
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To be fair to EI IRROPS tend to be rare and there is a more of a get you home attitude compared to another Irish carrier which will cancel in favour of maintaining schedule.

At work we fly Aer Lingus probably 20 times more than Ryanair, total IRROPS with EI over 7 years, 1 tech at LGW, bus to LHR + Hotel provided. IRROPS with Ryanair, cancelled, next flight home 3 days later assuming space was available...

Delays on EI, worst 3 hours due weather. Ryanair multiple delays over 3 hours, +24 hour delay etc.

At LHR and DUB there is proactive rebooking at check in/lounge when a delay is expected and seats are available on earlier flights. This even applies to non status holders.
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Last edited by ROKNA; Jul 2, 2019 at 9:35 am
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Old Jul 4, 2019, 12:04 pm
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Well, you can transfer to Ryanair, they will suit your mentality, or of course one of the various American Carriers that drag passengers off flights, or treat domestic first no better than premium economy.......
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Old Jul 5, 2019, 3:11 pm
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Originally Posted by IrishBoy
Last time was 2017 .. DUB/SFO - awful service. They have lost $$$ from my US multinational employer since the, many paid J segments, I take 2 flights now to DUB whilst I would prefer the NS flight, I'll do my best to avoid EI for everything, including DUB to points in EU.

I am sure the crew are devastated that you do your best to avoid EI. You have an axe to grind and you grind it here whenever there is a problem with EI.

They are probably better off without your business!
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