flysurfer

Given that I always ask anf happily get a glass of freshly squeezed OJ from F when flying longhaul C and having breakfast (like yesterday), I have to wonder that there a still FAs left working for LH.

SanDiego1K

Locked pending review by forum moderator.

SanDiego1K
Senior Moderator

Kiwi Flyer

Thanks SanDiego1K and thanks also to those who contacted the senior moderators in my absence.

I am disappointed to have had to spend the last 2 hours going through this thread and some of the disgusting things posted. LH_FAN - I am sorry your thread got hijacked by a few individuals who are now unable to post to FT for a period. I will reopen this thread so that discussion on the original topic may resume.

Kiwi Flyer
LH moderator

flysurfer

Hi BA_Fan!

It's Monday, so don't forget to tell us everything about your first BA experience!

As a more general observation, I find it quite unreasonable to prefer a 500 EUR coach fare over a 270 EUR Business fare offered by a comparable carrier with identical routing and comparable frequency. So in a way, it's a bit weird that your LH_Fandom was so strong that you actually paid that kind of difference (repeatedly, I guess), just to be thrown off that path by one rather insignificant looking and quite isolated incident. And as you said yourself, you were just as "guilty" as the FA who mishandeld the issue.

So my theory is that this really wasn't an isolated incident. My guess is that your strong loyalty to LH (as expressed by your FT name and the fact that you used to pay expensive premiums just to fly LH in coach) already had some (maybe unconscious) cracks and that you felt that your loyalty and fandom wasn't appreciated anymore. Which is understandable, because it's a fact that LH has moved most of their status related appreciation from their SEN to the HON members. My suspicion is that this little incident might in fact simply have been the "straw that broke the camel's back".

IAN-UK

Until last week I'd have nodded in agreement with that sentiment. I'm unused to getting anything in the form of recognition from LH apart from the occasional "CanI get you something to drink, Mr X". Which is a nice touch - when it happens.

That was until last week flying through the night from Africa, in Y, trapped in a window seat by a nice-enough couple with restless child on lap (which is where this fits in with the thread) and extended family across the aisle. I'd given up my selected seat to accommodate the large family group - not entirely altruistic, I preferred martyrdom and gratitude to travelling in the midst of a resentful family.

After dinner, the purser came back from the comfort zone, singled me out, apologised for not welcoming me on board and asked if everything was alright and if the flight and cabin-service were reaching my expectations, and if she could bring me anything that would enhance my experience.

I flipped through a few ideas , but came up with an amenity kit (for the earplugs and eyeshade!) - which was delivered.

So my limited experience suggests that cabin crew can and do use their initiative in supplying service from outside the package paid for, and made me vow for the zillienth time not to accept long-haul assignments which don't pay C-class :-: .

Tyrolean

You are right. You often get more than you payed for. But only if you ask nicely and are polite. This is how it works. If you answer in an angry tone "I want to have it because of my status" you will only get what you payed for- or even less.

"Wie man in den Wald hinenruft - so schallt es heraus!".
The echo is the same as you shout it!

For the staff there are some "red button" you should never press:
- Never insist on your status
- Never ask unpolitely for something that you are not entitled, because of your status
- Never complain about sweet little kids. Especially not at younger women!

If you have a misbehaved kid next to you, try to adress to the parents.
If this doesnt work you may ask politely the FA to ask the parents to keep an eye on their children.

I understand that there is a strict difference between Y and C. If you would get the same service in Y as in C and you would have a guaranteed empty middle seat would you buy a C ticket? This would not be very clever of LH!

Getting some goodies ("Zuckerl") like the OJ form F over the norm is not meant by this!

Please report about your BA experience. I moved most of my London traffic to BA because of the prices and the fast possibility to get an oneword status. Yes it is nice, but different.
In MUC I prefer the SEN-Lounge over the crappy Delta-Crownroom used by BA.
In LHR the Terrace is miles ahed the SEN Lounge.
Seating on LH is better (2-2) compared to (2-3) on BA.
Food in C is slightly better on LH.
The reason why I choose BA is that I get BA-C cheaper than LH-Y.

andyZRH

LH_Fan, if that short ZRH-FRA hop was indeed your worst flight ever, you should consider yourself a lucky man!

Hamburger

Given you sat beside a very fat person instead of a child, would you have adressed the FA in a way like: "I'm a senator, I would have expected seat blocking, instead I'm now sitting next to this fat person, and I'd like some wine, please!"?

What I want to say is: Your reaction was unpolite and adressed to the wrong person.

flysurfer

Before HON, it was standard procedure for the purser to ask a SEN sitting in longhaul Y if he'd like anything from C or F. Happened to me several times. I don't think this is standard, anymore, but then I wouldn't really know due to my refusal of enduring longhaul LH Y.

flysurfer

Have to agree with everything here.

Uli

never happened to me, also not as a HON if I did not ask for anything. if i asked, it was granted, but i was never offered anything ...

berlinflyer

BTW, kids on flights can be very nice and polite, as well.

Had a flight DOH-TXL on QR in C a week ago (6hrs). Next to me in row 1, window seat, was a boy, about 10 years old. He was travelling alone, told me that his dad was the captain on this flight and that his dad bought him an ID90 ticket to sit in C. "Great", I thought "a kid next to me in C, travelling by himself while I have to concentrate on my work...."

I was not happy at first, because I wanted to finish some work and was hoping for an empty seat next to me (because of QR status ). But as soon as the little man next to me noticed that I needed indeed some space to put down some papers, he offered me to use his table for my papers

It turned out he was behaving very good and polite and made me feel a little sorry about my first thought.

newbmiflyer

erm....I hate to break this to you but like LH ...BA also has children on board and no matter who you are it wont stop them sitting next to you! oh and for the record if you behaved like this with ground staff we would sit you next to a child on purpose!!! so a little friendliness goes a long long way...just remember that...attitude will always work against you no matter what airline you fly...happy travels!!

flysurfer

The stereotype of "kids on a plane = annoying" is indeed as wrong and stupid as all the other stereotypes that have lead to this thread temporarily becoming a "thread of infamy". Lesson learned I guess. ^

flysurfer

Poor guy. I guess you had no MUC based crews, then...