slinky09

I'm sorry to read about all the poor CS tales here. However one good story from me - on a recent flight back from India (via DXB) to Heathrow there was a frightful scene at the CDC desk (on this occasion Tristar had totally screwed up) as no cars could be found. I was in First, live in London and after an unacceptable wait of an hour was eventually put in a black cab. I commented on this to EK customer services and was surprised to come home one day not so long after to a huge hamper of champagne and goodies!

rottolover

Hi all...very interesting to read of all your experiences with Emirates. I fly with them often, as they are the most convenient for me, but my recent trip from Dubai to Dar Es Salaam was not good. The Emirates plane EK 725 was delayed by nearly 3 hours and we missed a connecting Zanair flight to Pemba Island. As all their flights (and Coastal Air also) were full the next day, we couldn't get to the island for two days, thus losing 25% of our holiday. We had to stay in Dar for that time at additional expense, as our Pemba Island holiday had been pre-paid, including the non-refundable Zanair flght.

So far, a Ms van Dooren in Emirates CS has refused all my claims for costs refund and compensation, offering me 10000 miles on my account as a goodwill gesture....she says that as our connecting flight wasn't with or booked through Emirates, somehow it doesn't count.

I sent a message off to Mr Karam, but other posts don't give me much hope.

Is it ever possible to claim cost refunds by sueing?

sadiqhassan

Was everything on one ticket? If yes, you have a claim. If not, you are SOL unfortunately - airlines are not responsbile for consequential losses.

Cheers,

Mofomat

Why should it? You paid Emirates to get you to Dar es Salaam. What you choose to do after that has nothing to do with Emirates.

IMHO 10,000 miles for what was in effect not even a three hour delay is pretty fair.

DYKWIA

Ms van Dooren is correct, as you booked your 2 flights separately, Emirates are under no obligation to do anything. It's a chance you take when you don't book a through connection.

If you had booked on a single PNR, Emirates would have been obliged to rebook you and pay any expenses (hotels etc.).

Cheers,
Rick

rottolover

Hey folks,

My wife and I tried to take an 8-day holiday on Pemba Island, Tanzania, beginning October 4. The Emirates flight EK 725 from Dubai to Dar Es Salaam as delayed by nearly 3 hours, resulting in us missing our connecting Zanair flight to Pemba Island. We couldn't get another flight for two days, so had to put up in a hotel in Dar Es Salaam. The cost of that, plus another two Zanair tickets, plus no refunds from either Zajnair or the Manta Reef Lodge on Pemba, plus taxis, was around US$850.

I've been to the Emirates office here in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, where the staff are great, but they can't help. I've emailed the customer affairs in Dubai, as well as Mostafa Karam, and had only one reply from a Ms van Dooren denying all claims and refusing any compensation other than to credit my Skywards account with 10,000 miles.

What else can I do? Is it possible to sue them?

DYKWIA

Read the previous 3 messages... you took a chance, and it didn't work out.

Emirates did everything they were obliged to do, plus gave you 10K miles.

You can try sueing, but you'll end up out of pocket.

Cheers,
Rick

sadiqhassan

This just about sums it up correctly - no matter how great the staff you talk to are, they won't (and shouldn't) compensate.

Cheers,

ericw

Sorry to hear, but that's why you should buy trip interruption/cancellation insurance. EK has done their part this time.

jestabillo

After reading all these poor CS of EK, I am hoping that nothing will go wrong with my flights with them next year. Too late for me to read this before I made my booking. I am sure, a change in their customer service will not happen soon.

kshastry

Recently flew DXB-JFK on coach. Yet to complete the return leg (in about two weeks) Looks like EK customer service has taken a nose dive.

- Check-in desk should have opened at 10 pm and they have a dedicated place for these flights. It didn't open until about 10:25 pm.

- Very rude check-in staff. When I politely asked about load (full or not), no answer was given. When I wanted to know whether they can keep my next seat blocked (unassigned) if the flight was not full, I was told "No, I won't do that" (in the tone of 'how can you even ask that'?)

- No row-wise boarding for coach and it was free for all with lot of pushing and elbowing. Gate agents watched the fun from safe distance enjoying their chewing gums. A terrible PA system which irritated everyone if something was announced. This also resulted in stolen overhead storage space.

But the service in coach in that long flight was really good. A++ for the cabin crew.

erik123

In these types of cases small claims court works very well. The only problem is that you can only claim legitimate expenses - which does not include loss of income - just hotel, taxi, food, etc. expenses. In this case your options are limited so I would take the hotel reimbursement and refrain from flying EK in future (ever).

directorguy_

To be honest, haven't flown EK for a long time. I usually fly CAI-DXB-CAI which is reasonable experience. MS is exactly 1/2 price and far more reliable.

intalex

Are you aware of a "body" to file a complaint with if travel started in the UK?

They charged my mum about £200 for having just 7kg extra luggage on her way from London Heathrow to Dar-es-salaam via Dubai. She paid it as she needed to carry her luggage with her on a local connecting flight (another airline booked separately) the same day. But after paying all that, one bag never arrived, as it was apparently "left" in Dubai, and instead arrived the next day which was too late since my mum had already left on her connecting flight.

After a simple letter requesting a refund of the excess baggage fare, which was paid in vain, they responded with a refusal, but offered a mere compensation of £15 for having to make an additional trip to the airport to pick up the bag the next day.

I know that Emirates are not responsible for subsequent delays with other plans, which is why I did not ask for any kind of compensation, but common sense tells me that they cannot charge such inflated excess baggage fares and then not deliver the baggage. It's almost like paying all that excess baggage fare for unaccompanied luggage.

I haven't seen much evidence of a success story here, so I'm not keeping my hopes too high. I've sort of given up dealing with Emirates on this matter, as they won't budge, which is why I was wondering if there is a consumer body that I (and many others) and file a complaint with.

Cheers in advance!

moocherx

Read the various bits of advice here first:
http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=125

Then if you still think it's worthwhile lodging a complaint, go here:
http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?ca...90&pageid=4036