Nightmare on AF5167
Feb 13, 2009, 3:59 pm
#31
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So if no offence was intended to the frogs, what about the leprechauns? 
The irony is that you were flying with CityJet, which is also an Irish airline.
The irony is that you were flying with CityJet, which is also an Irish airline.
Last edited by irishguy28; Feb 14, 2009 at 3:54 am
Feb 14, 2009, 4:55 am
#32
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... no offence intended to the good folk of Ireland, either, or to the "Liddle Peeple" (save one, possibly)!
Incidentally, folks, prior to yesterday's trip, my muse was preapring for a sequel to this rambling, entirely pointless (but "mildly amusing") tale ... keeping the poor pun tradition, the title was already chosen: "(Air)Franceday The Thirteenth."
Alas, the forecast heavy snow at CDG didn't appear and AF utterly let me down ... no significant delay or problem whatsoever (and I was even upgraded to T-Challenge). AF are just so unreliable!
--Henry
Incidentally, folks, prior to yesterday's trip, my muse was preapring for a sequel to this rambling, entirely pointless (but "mildly amusing") tale ... keeping the poor pun tradition, the title was already chosen: "(Air)Franceday The Thirteenth."
Alas, the forecast heavy snow at CDG didn't appear and AF utterly let me down ... no significant delay or problem whatsoever (and I was even upgraded to T-Challenge). AF are just so unreliable!
--Henry
Feb 14, 2009, 5:49 am
#33
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
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I enjoyed reading this - thanks.
Feb 14, 2009, 10:15 am
#34
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Posts: 2,549
Ok, so no sequel (for now) but just one point/question:
Is it my imagination, or is the bus transfer CDG-ORY shorter and quicker than the bus from the plane to Terminal 2F? (Quoting a Scotland rugby fan: "There's about 20 square miles of tarmac, yet the bus driver still manages to get us blocked in!")
--Henry
Is it my imagination, or is the bus transfer CDG-ORY shorter and quicker than the bus from the plane to Terminal 2F? (Quoting a Scotland rugby fan: "There's about 20 square miles of tarmac, yet the bus driver still manages to get us blocked in!")
--Henry
Feb 15, 2009, 2:54 pm
#35
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: Flying Blue Gold, Air Berlin Gold, Etihad Silver (bad move)
Posts: 420
I personally dont like the leprechaun remark. It is quite racist.
OK, to those very few, very bored FTers who happen to be stuck/delayed in airport lounges, looking for something to pass the time, I shall bring my tale/rant to a close ...
So, after a few minutes of guessing where we might eventually land (LCY was still open, aparrently), the captain announced we would be landing at NCL very soon (by aircraft standards, NCL is not really that far from EDI). Fine! "Kiwi Gal" was curious about the fine city of Newcastle, and we even talked of the possibility of a 'night on the town', if AF should offer us overnight accomodation (he said, optimistically). @:-)
We pulled up on the NCL tarmac at just about 10 pm (the original scheduled arrival at EDI was 8:15) but then things just went from bad to worse ...
Although (obviously) the ATC and runway folks at NCL had been informed of our arrival (and that of several other diverted flights), it seems that nobody had bothered to inform the ground-staff management (I think they're called "dispatches"). We were clearly in for a long wait on the tarmac.
Shortly after us, a Leprechauns, Inc. (FR) plane pulled up (I later discovered this was the diverted DUB-EDI flight), quickly followed by a FlyBe machine.
The captain came round to each of us (I think), personally apologized, and asked what our feelings were between the options of an overnight stay at NCL or a bus ride up to EDI (it's about 2 hrs up the A1 in good conditions); if we had been able to disembark fairly quickly, the bus option was still reasonable for some - even most - of the passengers, but by this time, those of us with onward travel requirements would now have been 'stuck' in EDI.
After two hours of waiting on the plane (but even more champagne, until the supplies were exhausted), the NCL ground staff had finally organized a bus to the terminal - but we stopped en route to pick up the folks on FlyBe. At the carousel, there were two ladies from SwissPort (NCL's version of ServisAir), but they were clearly stressed out and could offer no real assistance: they just told us that we would be transferred to EDI by bus.
I then complained (politely) that arriving in EDI (airport) at 3 am was not really any good for me, as I had to go onwards to Glasgow. The reply was, "The only obligation Air France has is to get its passengers to Edinburgh airport, and this we will do!" I'd now given up (the Champagne was probably doing its job); maybe a short night at the Hilton, or a Taxi to Glasgow (around 80) if the road conditions permitted it.
Once outside, as folks were getting on the coach, I asked (really politely) the lady who was sheperding people onto the right bus ... two for AF and FlyBe, a different - and less comfortable, presumably - one for the Leprechauns (we wouldn't want AF passengers discovering that they'd been treated exactly the same was as the FR gang, now, would we?) ... if there was any chance of some 'written proof' that I had been given no option other than the bus trip (for any future claim I might make from AF). The answer was, "if you raise your voice at me one more time, I'll call the police!" Remembering the stormtroopers at LCY, I just said "sorry" and went for a couple of cigarettes.
So that's about it, folks! The bus got to EDI airport (no stop in the city centre) at 3 am, and (unsurprisingly) there was no sign of any AFKL staff to offer help and/or advice. The first shuttle bus to the city centre wasn't until 5 am, with the first EDI-GLA train at 05:55.
So I had lots of coffee, found a gang of delayed Welsh Rugby fans - who had some strange reason to be cheerful - and just killed two hours. I finally made it home at 8 am, came to work yesterday afternoon and decided that I would have my 'moment of glory' on FT.
Please accept my deepest apologies if my excessive ranting has bored the pants off you, but I've now vented my spleen and can get on with my life again ... which involves another AF flight this coming weekend: first leg is EDI-CDG, and there's heavy snow forecast for CDG (oh, joy)!
I'm also pleased to report that, yesterday evening (just after my first post) I got an email from Air France:
Dear Dr Iii,
I write to you further to the delay to your flight on the February 8, 2009. Please accept my sincere apologies on behalf of Air France for any inconvenience this delay may have caused. Let me assure you that the delay you experienced on this occasion was not in line with the high levels of service we aim to provide.
As gesture of genuine regret for the inconvenience suffered on this occasion, I am pleased to inform you that 2000 Miles will be credited to your Flying Blue account within the next few days.
I very much hope you will give us another opportunity to welcome you on our services and that your future flights with Air France will be to your entire satisfaction.
Yours sincerely,
Air France
Customer Relations Department
... kinda makes the whole thing worthwhile!
Nightmare on AF5167: Chapter 5 - Frogs on the Tyne
(No offence intended to French FTers - just another poor pun!)
So, after a few minutes of guessing where we might eventually land (LCY was still open, aparrently), the captain announced we would be landing at NCL very soon (by aircraft standards, NCL is not really that far from EDI). Fine! "Kiwi Gal" was curious about the fine city of Newcastle, and we even talked of the possibility of a 'night on the town', if AF should offer us overnight accomodation (he said, optimistically). @:-)
We pulled up on the NCL tarmac at just about 10 pm (the original scheduled arrival at EDI was 8:15) but then things just went from bad to worse ...
Although (obviously) the ATC and runway folks at NCL had been informed of our arrival (and that of several other diverted flights), it seems that nobody had bothered to inform the ground-staff management (I think they're called "dispatches"). We were clearly in for a long wait on the tarmac.
Shortly after us, a Leprechauns, Inc. (FR) plane pulled up (I later discovered this was the diverted DUB-EDI flight), quickly followed by a FlyBe machine.
The captain came round to each of us (I think), personally apologized, and asked what our feelings were between the options of an overnight stay at NCL or a bus ride up to EDI (it's about 2 hrs up the A1 in good conditions); if we had been able to disembark fairly quickly, the bus option was still reasonable for some - even most - of the passengers, but by this time, those of us with onward travel requirements would now have been 'stuck' in EDI.
After two hours of waiting on the plane (but even more champagne, until the supplies were exhausted), the NCL ground staff had finally organized a bus to the terminal - but we stopped en route to pick up the folks on FlyBe. At the carousel, there were two ladies from SwissPort (NCL's version of ServisAir), but they were clearly stressed out and could offer no real assistance: they just told us that we would be transferred to EDI by bus.
I then complained (politely) that arriving in EDI (airport) at 3 am was not really any good for me, as I had to go onwards to Glasgow. The reply was, "The only obligation Air France has is to get its passengers to Edinburgh airport, and this we will do!" I'd now given up (the Champagne was probably doing its job); maybe a short night at the Hilton, or a Taxi to Glasgow (around 80) if the road conditions permitted it.
Once outside, as folks were getting on the coach, I asked (really politely) the lady who was sheperding people onto the right bus ... two for AF and FlyBe, a different - and less comfortable, presumably - one for the Leprechauns (we wouldn't want AF passengers discovering that they'd been treated exactly the same was as the FR gang, now, would we?) ... if there was any chance of some 'written proof' that I had been given no option other than the bus trip (for any future claim I might make from AF). The answer was, "if you raise your voice at me one more time, I'll call the police!" Remembering the stormtroopers at LCY, I just said "sorry" and went for a couple of cigarettes.
So that's about it, folks! The bus got to EDI airport (no stop in the city centre) at 3 am, and (unsurprisingly) there was no sign of any AFKL staff to offer help and/or advice. The first shuttle bus to the city centre wasn't until 5 am, with the first EDI-GLA train at 05:55.
So I had lots of coffee, found a gang of delayed Welsh Rugby fans - who had some strange reason to be cheerful - and just killed two hours. I finally made it home at 8 am, came to work yesterday afternoon and decided that I would have my 'moment of glory' on FT.
Please accept my deepest apologies if my excessive ranting has bored the pants off you, but I've now vented my spleen and can get on with my life again ... which involves another AF flight this coming weekend: first leg is EDI-CDG, and there's heavy snow forecast for CDG (oh, joy)!
I'm also pleased to report that, yesterday evening (just after my first post) I got an email from Air France:
Dear Dr Iii,
I write to you further to the delay to your flight on the February 8, 2009. Please accept my sincere apologies on behalf of Air France for any inconvenience this delay may have caused. Let me assure you that the delay you experienced on this occasion was not in line with the high levels of service we aim to provide.
As gesture of genuine regret for the inconvenience suffered on this occasion, I am pleased to inform you that 2000 Miles will be credited to your Flying Blue account within the next few days.
I very much hope you will give us another opportunity to welcome you on our services and that your future flights with Air France will be to your entire satisfaction.
Yours sincerely,
Air France
Customer Relations Department
... kinda makes the whole thing worthwhile!
Feb 15, 2009, 3:00 pm
#36
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I believe this thread has now run its course.
Jouy31
AF/KL co-moderator
Jouy31
AF/KL co-moderator