Bad experience on Finnair AY6 AA codeshare - where to complain?
Jan 16, 2018, 5:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: AA CK; Marriott Plat
Posts: 84
Bad experience on Finnair AY6 AA codeshare - where to complain?
Had a pretty bad experience on AY6 JFK-HEL today, in J:
- IFE didn't work for the whole cabin - they kept rebooting throughout flight to no avail
- All bathrooms except one was inoperable from almost the beginning of the flight
- WiFi didn't work for some 5h of the 7h flight ("Searching for satellite" in portal) (think might be related to the IFE rebooting somehow)
Also as they kept rebooting the IFE - seat power and controls were off intermittently for some 20min periods at a time. Zero announcement, apology or proactive compensation offered in-flight - just told it's an "unfortunate situation" when asked..
I was on an AA ticket stock and codeshare number, should I complain to Finnair or AA? I'd rather not have Finnair points as not on their program.
- IFE didn't work for the whole cabin - they kept rebooting throughout flight to no avail
- All bathrooms except one was inoperable from almost the beginning of the flight
- WiFi didn't work for some 5h of the 7h flight ("Searching for satellite" in portal) (think might be related to the IFE rebooting somehow)
Also as they kept rebooting the IFE - seat power and controls were off intermittently for some 20min periods at a time. Zero announcement, apology or proactive compensation offered in-flight - just told it's an "unfortunate situation" when asked..
I was on an AA ticket stock and codeshare number, should I complain to Finnair or AA? I'd rather not have Finnair points as not on their program.
Jan 19, 2018, 6:09 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: UA 1K, BA GGL/CCR, TK Elite Plus, Marriott Gold4Lyfe, HH Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Tesco Blue
Posts: 270
Sorry to see you were on the second half of the rotation. I was on the inbound on that same aircraft from HEL to JFK, also in business. It was absolutely TERRIBLE - we experienced much the same things as you did. I sent a complaint through Finnair's on-line form and have not heard anything back - not even an automated "your comments have been received and someone will get back to you."
I am OWE and was treated like crap the entire flight. I was asked for my meal choice last, served after everyone else in the cabin had been served, no drink order taken at all until after the meal was already served, etc. This was my first time flying Finnair, so maybe this is normal? OWEs have no status on board?
It just reminded me of flying Lufthansa business class 15 years ago. Terrible.
I am OWE and was treated like crap the entire flight. I was asked for my meal choice last, served after everyone else in the cabin had been served, no drink order taken at all until after the meal was already served, etc. This was my first time flying Finnair, so maybe this is normal? OWEs have no status on board?
It just reminded me of flying Lufthansa business class 15 years ago. Terrible.
Jan 19, 2018, 7:08 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,601
I am OWE and was treated like crap the entire flight. I was asked for my meal choice last, served after everyone else in the cabin had been served, no drink order taken at all until after the meal was already served, etc. This was my first time flying Finnair, so maybe this is normal? OWEs have no status on board?
It just reminded me of flying Lufthansa business class 15 years ago. Terrible.
It just reminded me of flying Lufthansa business class 15 years ago. Terrible.
Jan 19, 2018, 9:10 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 49
OP, if I were to complain, I'd primarily go with the operating airline although, if you have status w/ AA, approaching AA might not hurt. A year or so ago, I had an AA-issued codeshare ticket on AY5/6, then AY decided to enter into a wet lease arrangement w/ Hi Fly on that route...and the experience, as one would imagine, was absolutely horrendous!
I (AAdvantage EXP) initially went to AA but, since they had nothing to do w/ the flight operations on AY, AA gave me a "good will" 5000 AAdvantage miles credit and suggested that I work this out with AY. I followed AA's advice, and AY issued a 200 Euros AY gift card, which I thought was fair.
As for the WiFi situation...I've done 3 or 4 round trips on AY5-AY6 in the last year or so, and I've found their onboard WiFi unstable at best...to the point I stopped asking FAs about it. On a couple of the flights, WiFi pretty much never became available and, on others, it just came and went. Since it is free in J, it didn't occur to me that I could have complained...but I certainly will from now on!
I am so sorry to hear, SkyTeem! Maybe the FAs were all stressed out w/ the multiple malfunctions (...not that that would justify treating you poorly...)?
I am non-Finnair Plus OWE like you and I fly AY a lot...and I can tell you that my experience has consistently been positive. Their FAs usually, though not always, come to personally greet me and thank me for my business. Perhaps I am not treated any better than other customers in J, but I have never felt that I was treated less well because of my non-Finnair Plus OWE status. My only complaints about AY are the WiFi instability (which also happens on other airlines, too, in their defense) and their quirky meals...which could be hit or (monumental) miss...
I (AAdvantage EXP) initially went to AA but, since they had nothing to do w/ the flight operations on AY, AA gave me a "good will" 5000 AAdvantage miles credit and suggested that I work this out with AY. I followed AA's advice, and AY issued a 200 Euros AY gift card, which I thought was fair.
As for the WiFi situation...I've done 3 or 4 round trips on AY5-AY6 in the last year or so, and I've found their onboard WiFi unstable at best...to the point I stopped asking FAs about it. On a couple of the flights, WiFi pretty much never became available and, on others, it just came and went. Since it is free in J, it didn't occur to me that I could have complained...but I certainly will from now on!
.. I was on the inbound on that same aircraft from HEL to JFK, also in business. It was absolutely TERRIBLE - we experienced much the same things as you did.... I am OWE and was treated like crap the entire flight. I was asked for my meal choice last, served after everyone else in the cabin had been served, no drink order taken at all until after the meal was already served, etc. This was my first time flying Finnair, so maybe this is normal? OWEs have no status on board?...Terrible.
I am non-Finnair Plus OWE like you and I fly AY a lot...and I can tell you that my experience has consistently been positive. Their FAs usually, though not always, come to personally greet me and thank me for my business. Perhaps I am not treated any better than other customers in J, but I have never felt that I was treated less well because of my non-Finnair Plus OWE status. My only complaints about AY are the WiFi instability (which also happens on other airlines, too, in their defense) and their quirky meals...which could be hit or (monumental) miss...
Jan 19, 2018, 8:45 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,753
Jan 19, 2018, 10:27 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AY Platinum Lumo (LTG) OW Emerald, SPG Platinum (LTG), UA Silver
Posts: 380
I have taken multiple AA flights in the U.S. as Finnair OWE but never got anything like reported here elsewhere such as free drinks, snacks, let alone upgrade to better seats. Just as a reference. For me the airlines own elite are to be "deserve better attention" than foreign-OWE.
The one thing that you need to make sure is that the Emerald status is printed on the boarding pass along with boarding group 2. It seems that the FF status does not get right in the system if the AYFF# is not entered to each segment separately. For AAFF# it is enough that it is in the reservation, but the AYFF# needs to be added to each segment. You know that this is correct when boarding group 2, the FF status and priority security are printed on the boarding pass. This ensures that you get your free snack+drink on the domestic flight and usually that the points usually are registered in your AY account.
If the the boarding pass do not show the correct information, I usually ask them to correct it at the checkin, in the lounge or at the gate.
Jan 20, 2018, 12:23 am
#9
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,620
I do fly quite often on domestic AA flights. In my experience I am treated as an AY Emerald pretty much like an AA Exec Plat (except that no upgrades). Additional bag, same day standby, standby priority, first checkin, free main cabin extra seats, priority security and boarding all works fine. The only big thing which is not extended to AY Emeralds is the upgrades. On the other hand we do get access to the First lounges even on domestic flights, which is not the case for AA card holders.
Jan 20, 2018, 1:56 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: AA CK; Marriott Plat
Posts: 84
Just to close the loop here: I complained on Finnair's web site, got offered a 400e voucher or 250e cash with a prompt 1 day reply. Thanks for pointing me in that direction!
I paid for the Wifi as it was only 1h free, so think it was worth complaining about as well.
I paid for the Wifi as it was only 1h free, so think it was worth complaining about as well.