Plat in the Back
Feb 22, 2014 | 3:11 am
#31
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,482
I end up getting mistaken for staff when I point out which box the earplugs/eyeshades and drinks/teas are in in the galleys...
It's even got to the point where I know that in Y they actually have F dental kits/eyeshades in the Y amenity box...I've got to get out more...
Feb 23, 2014 | 2:09 am
#32
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: UK
Programs: Emirates Silver, BA, Flying Blue, Virgin, IHG
Posts: 956
I'm only a mere gold (and will drop to silver in August due to much less travel) and always wonder what I should have said when they greet me and ask if there's anything they can do to help. I kind of assume it's just a meaningless "have a nice day" thing. Am I missing out on anything by not asking (did get moved once to another Y seat because mine was broken but think that would have hapened anyway)?
Feb 23, 2014 | 3:12 am
#34
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,482
I'm only a mere gold (and will drop to silver in August due to much less travel) and always wonder what I should have said when they greet me and ask if there's anything they can do to help. I kind of assume it's just a meaningless "have a nice day" thing. Am I missing out on anything by not asking (did get moved once to another Y seat because mine was broken but think that would have hapened anyway)?
Feb 23, 2014 | 7:53 am
#35
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 19,799
I'm only a mere gold (and will drop to silver in August due to much less travel) and always wonder what I should have said when they greet me and ask if there's anything they can do to help. I kind of assume it's just a meaningless "have a nice day" thing. Am I missing out on anything by not asking (did get moved once to another Y seat because mine was broken but think that would have hapened anyway)?
Feb 23, 2014 | 2:01 pm
#36
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Skywards silver :-(, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,572
Feb 23, 2014 | 8:29 pm
#37
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB :) or NCE
Programs: Platinum : Amex | Gold : EK Bonvoy Carlson Hilton
Posts: 303
Feb 24, 2014 | 1:13 pm
#41
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Programs: Qatar Plat
Posts: 235
I've always found the best way to get extras/perks/better service ect... is to swing by the galley and strike up some small talk for a few minutes, and pay a compliment or two. Not flirting, just being nice - key difference.
Working in service is hard work - especially hours on end in a metal tube with several hundred other people, and lets face it, there are many difficult passengers these people have to deal with every single day. A kind word goes miles and you'll be surprised what you can get in return. I'm sure chocolate bribing would be just as effective, but not as fun
Working in service is hard work - especially hours on end in a metal tube with several hundred other people, and lets face it, there are many difficult passengers these people have to deal with every single day. A kind word goes miles and you'll be surprised what you can get in return. I'm sure chocolate bribing would be just as effective, but not as fun
Feb 24, 2014 | 1:50 pm
#42
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 948
Hello everyone,
I took a trip in economy recently when the family and I were off on a week's ski vacation, flying out DXB - GVA and back (EK89/90). It was a shock to the system as to how quickly you can go from being recognised, smiled at and taken care of in Business class to a nobody when travelling in Economy regardless of my Platinum status. Probably something well worth reminding oneself of from time to time lest we forget in the cocoon on business class and first!
Admittedly, the outbound flight was marginally better than the return one because on the outbound one, I did have the purser stop by for the usual "welcome back..is there anything we can do for you" talk. No such luck on the way back.
On both sectors, it was very clear that the team in the cabin had no knowledge of status or had bothered to look through the passenger manifest to know what Plat/Gold/Silver members may be in the cabin. Service was just short of rude, rushed and asking for anything out of the ordinary was met with a look that basically said" how dare you? Why don't you just curl up and die?". A request for a bottle of water (we had our 3-month old with us and wifey was breast-feeding and that makes her thirsty) was met with "We don't have any". I stopped myself from asking why they could not just get me a small bottle from business class. I have in the past been offered a glass of champagne from business class so a bottle of water especially when it is clear why we are asking for it should have been a reasonable expectation?
No kids meal for our 2.5 year-old because "We ran out. You should have ordered one". A request for a decaf (again, because she was feeding) coffee from wifey was met with "You will have to wait till we finish the service for the whole cabin". To their credit, they did not forget and did bring it about 45 minutes later just as she was nodding off to sleep. But then it was black and when she asked for some milk in it, the same "I hate you " stare was received, followed by her bringing over some milk in a plastic glass to pour into the now stone-cold cup of decaf coffee. Is it really so hard to get such a simple request right and serve it with some degree of elegance?
There were various other similarly small things that all combined to make for a very forget-worthy flight experience.
Admittedly, all very first-world problems but served as a reminder to me (who sometimes entertains the notion that we may actually mean something to the airline as people given how loyal we are and how much money we shovel their way) just how much of a number we really are ...
I took a trip in economy recently when the family and I were off on a week's ski vacation, flying out DXB - GVA and back (EK89/90). It was a shock to the system as to how quickly you can go from being recognised, smiled at and taken care of in Business class to a nobody when travelling in Economy regardless of my Platinum status. Probably something well worth reminding oneself of from time to time lest we forget in the cocoon on business class and first!
Admittedly, the outbound flight was marginally better than the return one because on the outbound one, I did have the purser stop by for the usual "welcome back..is there anything we can do for you" talk. No such luck on the way back.
On both sectors, it was very clear that the team in the cabin had no knowledge of status or had bothered to look through the passenger manifest to know what Plat/Gold/Silver members may be in the cabin. Service was just short of rude, rushed and asking for anything out of the ordinary was met with a look that basically said" how dare you? Why don't you just curl up and die?". A request for a bottle of water (we had our 3-month old with us and wifey was breast-feeding and that makes her thirsty) was met with "We don't have any". I stopped myself from asking why they could not just get me a small bottle from business class. I have in the past been offered a glass of champagne from business class so a bottle of water especially when it is clear why we are asking for it should have been a reasonable expectation?
No kids meal for our 2.5 year-old because "We ran out. You should have ordered one". A request for a decaf (again, because she was feeding) coffee from wifey was met with "You will have to wait till we finish the service for the whole cabin". To their credit, they did not forget and did bring it about 45 minutes later just as she was nodding off to sleep. But then it was black and when she asked for some milk in it, the same "I hate you " stare was received, followed by her bringing over some milk in a plastic glass to pour into the now stone-cold cup of decaf coffee. Is it really so hard to get such a simple request right and serve it with some degree of elegance?
There were various other similarly small things that all combined to make for a very forget-worthy flight experience.
Admittedly, all very first-world problems but served as a reminder to me (who sometimes entertains the notion that we may actually mean something to the airline as people given how loyal we are and how much money we shovel their way) just how much of a number we really are ...
Some of the things you brought up surely I, too, would have expected the crew to perform but most of them are your own fault. You may expect people to go above and beyond, but criticizing them when they abide by the rules set forth is ridiculous. You wan't business class service, there's an easy solution for you.
And for being good business? It's probably not good business to get your customers to feel that a cheaper product is equal in service to an expensive product. They want you to know what you're missing out on, big or small.
Feb 26, 2014 | 6:38 pm
#44
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB :) or NCE
Programs: Platinum : Amex | Gold : EK Bonvoy Carlson Hilton
Posts: 303
I'll have another Plat in the back flight Saturday (EK381 & EK77) and my op-up chances are super slim as the 388 is packed in J and scattered in Y... I'll keep you posted on the service.
Feb 27, 2014 | 3:28 am
#45
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 133
So will I, off to Heathrow on the 14:30'ish flight I think, no idea what the flight number is.