Difference in Customer Service between AA & CX when the IFE blinks out
 

Flew CDG-JFK 2 weeks ago. The IFE fails miserably, and basically there is just one short feature film that keeps playing over and over again. Crew announced that there will be no movies. Sorry. That was it.

Flew HKG-SIN yesterday. The IFE fails entirely. No music no movies. Crew apologised profusely. Then surprisngly, cabin attendants handed out Service vouchers of US$25 to each passenger in economy class, and US$50 to each Business Class passenger. These vouchers redeemable on inflight Duty Free sales.

I hardly noticed as I napped through all the commotion but still it was an extremely nice and unexpected gesture from CX.

Last summer, I flew from JNB to LHR on BA business class. IFE was malfunctioned, so no movie was provided at all.
All business class passengers received claim letter forms. I filled it. After a few month, BA sent 80 GBP (not mistyped, eighty British pounds!) vouncher for inflight duty free shopping.

Speaking personally, I've never found anything I've ever felt tempted to buy in any OW duty free catalogue.

I even recall the somewhat snobbish [but nevertheless amusing] observation from a colleague of mine that someone we were at a meeting with was "wearing a tie that looks like it was bought from an airline duty free catalogue"

Not to disparage AA too much - I really like them a lot, and domestically, they're arguably the best "full service" carrier by a bit - but I didn't know they even *had* IFE. I thought those laughable DVD players they handed out in first, plus some 70's-era projectors, were as good as it got.

Have you ever seen the tiny - 3 or 4 inch - LCD displays they provide the front-bulkhead pax in 767 biz who can't see the common screen in the center? AA definitely chose to spend its IFE budget on bistro bags or something else it deemed more useful.

So, it would appear that their compensation in comparison with Cathay's is exactly proportional to the two carriers' investments.

I am no big fan of AA (but I like their miles so I can use them in CX), but I think the movie selection (with the 8mm tapes) in transatlantic/transpacific first is the best I've seen. Noticeably better than CX or BA.

I'd take the money offered, use it to buy cigarettes and then sell them below cost to people I know who smoke. A nice quick way to make some extra cash . . . and to feel like a gangster. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif