Flying Emirates? Start Training Now........

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm not sure many (or any) expressed sympathy for EK. But I have no idea why anyone would pay a premium for EK Y. They may be a premium F carrier, but not a premium carrier at the back of the bus. I think you have been fooled into thinking that Emirates (or any middle eastern carrier) gives a stuff about Y passengers. Tim Clark (the CEO of EK if you didn't know) has been quoted as saying "With food and TV, people are mesmerized". Sorry, but you're just self loading freight to him.

EY in Y is decidedly average as well. Probably best for you to just avoid the Middle East full stop.

True - the OP has paid a premium for marketing, not a premium for value of product.

 

[Renato1]

That is not what anyone has said.

Of course you are entitled to stand up for your rights and the rights of your wife. But you need bear the limitations in mind.

If you buy a new television which breaks down when you take it home, you are entitled to exercise your rights and take it back to the store and have them fix it or replace it. You are not entitled to take it back to the store and punch the shop assistant in the face for selling you a dodgy television. You are not entitled to go back to the store at midnight, break through the door and take a new one.

The same applies on a plane. If someone has taken your seat, you are entitled to complain. You are entitled to follow the matter up with the cabin crew, or subsequently with the airline. You are entitled to pursue remedies (if any) available under the terms of your contract with the airline (for example if you have paid extra for a seat). Or you might ask the airline for a goodwill gesture for your inconvenience.

You are not entitled to manhandle the person sitting in your seat.

The law no longer recognises a 'sense of honour' in the terms you describe. No longer can we challenge someone to a dual at sunrise.

Your responses and conduct on board must, at all times, be lawful. If they are not, you potentially become the problem, and the airline is entitled to off-load you both by law, and under the terms of the contract you have with the airline.

No, but if someone sells me a television and I take it home and it does not work, when I take it back to the store and they try get me to get it fixed under warranty - as has happened to me - I am not going to take it. I will give them a very hard time, threaten them with a complaint to the ACCC for breaching Trade Practices Law, and do so very loudly so that customers about to buy there may start to walk away. I got a replacement TV on the spot.

Similarly on a plane. If someone takes my seat next to my wife, I am not going to let my wife effectively be subjected to sexual harassment for the trip. It is just not going to happen.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Pushka]

Digging a deep hole here.

 

[Renato1]

I'm not sure many (or any) expressed sympathy for EK. But I have no idea why anyone would pay a premium for EK Y. They may be a premium F carrier, but not a premium carrier at the back of the bus. I think you have been fooled into thinking that Emirates (or any middle eastern carrier) gives a stuff about Y passengers. Tim Clark (the CEO of EK if you didn't know) has been quoted as saying "With food and TV, people are mesmerized". Sorry, but you're just self loading freight to him.

EY in Y is decidedly average as well. Probably best for you to just avoid the Middle East full stop.

Thanks, though if one wants to fly Melbourne to Venice, it is pretty hard to avoid the Middle East if one wants a quick trip.

Certainly, I think Emirates superior to some other airlines I've flown like Iberia (tight seats) and British Airways (feeding me vegetarian meals - I've taken beef jerky with me on every flight since). But Emirates I think is on par with Qantas and Cathay. Though I recollect that when the entertainment system stuffed up in a block of seats on a Dubai to Venice flight 8 years ago, Emirates gave all couples and singles affected a huge food hamper including French champagne - which I thought was pretty classy.

Plainly now, I'll have to check out Etihad and Qatar and anybody else for future Melbourne to Venice flights. But I don't like stopping in Sydney or Rome, as it wastes hours, and other options like flying to Frankfurt are out of the question.

Anyhow, we'll be flying back to Dubai in five weeks time for a four day stay - staying where we stayed last time, at the Radisson Blu Deira Creek. Both the place and the hotel were an absolute delight to be in.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Pushka]

Can you tell me more about Radisson Blu? Is it a good chill out place for a holiday or more like a business place to stay.

 

[Deleted member]

In my experience that's exactly what it means. Think about having to identify a body after a crash!!!

 

[Renato1]

The couple you mention using Etihad and who were asked if they needed assistance you have described as elderly.

You are about my age. I am not elderly. If I was asked if I needed assistance due to my age, I would be offended.

But would you not also be at least partially content that,
a. They have warned you that something you may find arduous will occur, and
b. Be pleased that they are concerned about your health (albeit overly concerned, and erring on the side of caution)?
Regards,
Renato

P.S. My wife loves watching the Crime Channel on Foxtel (though I dislike it intensely). Very often they feature crimes when an "elderly" couple, or an "elderly" gentleman or an "elderly" lady are or is brutally murdered. And very often, those unfortunate "elderly" people are younger than us.

 

[Deleted member]

At which point you will be removed from the aircraft.


You don't own the seat. The airline staff are quite entitled to move you elsewhere.

Yes they are. However no such right is extended to other pax to take it upon themselves to make the change.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

No, but if someone sells me a television and I take it home and it does not work, when I take it back to the store and they try get me to get it fixed under warranty - as has happened to me - I am not going to take it. I will give them a very hard time, threaten them with a complaint to the ACCC for breaching Trade Practices Law, and do so very loudly so that customers about to buy there may start to walk away. I got a replacement TV on the spot.

Similarly on a plane. If someone takes my seat next to my wife, I am not going to let my wife effectively be subjected to sexual harassment for the trip. It is just not going to happen.
Regards,
Renato

It depends on the nature of the fault with the television. If it is 'minor' you are not entitled to a replacement or refund, only a repair (whether under warranty or granted by consumer protection laws). (A 'major' fault is defined as one that makes the product unsafe, or such that you would not have purchased the item had you known about the problem.)

Your flight choices seem fairly straight forward. A potential 15 minute bus ride at Dubai, with full assistance if you ask for it, or several hours extra time flying via Sydney, Rome, or other ports in Europe.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes they are. However no such right is extended to other pax to take it upon themselves to make the change.

The problem is the immediacy of the issue and the timeline to get it resolved. The offended passenger has few options, either take an alternative seat (with or without compensation), or to disembark. Disembarking may not be considered a reasonable response, but it would depend on the circumstances. If the passenger gets the judgement call wrong, it could have implications for their onward travel plans.

 

[Deleted member]

Well this thread has been most instructive.
I have wondered lately if my decision to only fly J ( or F if I can swing it) on international long haul is justified. Clearly it is.
In my experience traveling with some kind of status often makes a difference to the overall experience. I also learned from Boss Reggie ( remember him?) how to create a good impression with the FA's upon boarding. This has held me in good stead in all of my flying since.
So in short my advice is:1 start the charm offensive as early as possible 2: fly in J ( or better) 3: have lower expectations and be grateful for any bonus.
All of the above advice is courtesy of learning from this forum.

 

[Pushka]

But would you not also be at least partially content that,
a. They have warned you that something you may find arduous will occur, and
b. Be pleased that they are concerned about your health (albeit overly concerned, and erring on the side of caution)?
Regards,
Renato

P.S. My wife loves watching the Crime Channel on Foxtel (though I dislike it intensely). Very often they feature crimes when an "elderly" couple, or an "elderly" gentleman or an "elderly" lady are or is brutally murdered. And very often, those unfortunate "elderly" people are younger than us.

No. I would take it as a sign I looked frail. Or they had presumed that from my age. Which is your age and not old.

A couple of years ago on a cruise I went on a snorkelling tour and asked to go on the advanced group. The young guy gave me 'you are kidding look'. I wasn't. I have snorkelled in many countries. Anyway he allowed me to join and said if I got into trouble then to hang onto the rubber ring he had. Turned out I was one of just three people in a group of twenty who not only didn't need to go to that ring, but the three of us decided to go out on our own because the 'advanced group' was slowing us down. This was just 18 months ago.

 

[JohnK]

I suspect you may be best advised to not hold your breath. I have resolved to avoid DXB as a transit point to Europe , the magnificent EK F lounge notwithstanding.

Sounds like great advice. Couldn't care less about a lounge.

Somewhat relevant

- My dad travelled SYD-ATH one year with Gulf as he wanted a cheap flight. When he got to Athens he told me never to book Gulf again.
- My friends uncle travelled ATH-SYD one year with Gulf. He was not well when he arrived. Cramped space, crying babies, people carrying on. Might have triggered vertigo. He didn't stay long and went back home. He has not been back since.

The 3-4 hours saved going via Middle East is not that important to me. I am not travelling that far to be in a hurry. The $300-$400 saved is not that important to me. Just wish that Qantas still went to Europe via Asia.

 

[TheRealTMA]

We arrived DXB from BNE yesterday morning and 380 was sent to remote stand so we had the get the bus. Was 30c outside and bus was crowded with 8 of 12 seats taken, a/c was quite cold and at 30C outside the windows were covered in condensation so we didn't get a good view. It was tough. And we had to wait 2.15 hrs for our connection to GLA. Plus they were too generous with their pours of Henassay Paradis on the BNE DXB leg so I missed the end of the movie.

 

[Renato1]

We arrived DXB from BNE yesterday morning and 380 was sent to remote stand so we had the get the bus. Was 30c outside and bus was crowded with 8 of 12 seats taken, a/c was quite cold and at 30C outside the windows were covered in condensation so we didn't get a good view. It was tough. And we had to wait 2.15 hrs for our connection to GLA. Plus they were too generous with their pours of Henassay Paradis on the BNE DXB leg so I missed the end of the movie.

30C outside - the place is cooling down in ahead of our visit next month.

Good to see they are looking after you.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

Greetings from Split in Croatia. I now have a better wifi connection, my old one didn't let me access webmail properly.

It transpires that Emirates had sent me a final response on my issue back on 21 Sep 2015.
I am now happier.
Their response was,
"Dear Mr <redacted>

Thank you for your recent feedback.

Firstly, your feedback relating to the boarding of your Emirates flight EK134 on 14 August 2015.

May I take this opportunity to explain that while Emirates is the dedicated user of Terminal 3, during peak operating times we are required to use remote parking stands, in addition to Concourse 2 boarding gates. However, I would like to assure you that the remote aircraft parking stands are only used when required and not dedicated to a specific Emirates flight.

It is never our intention to purposely inconvenience our customers, and I can assure you that the majority of Emirates flights will arrive and depart from Concourse 2, thereby reducing the need to walk to Concourse 1, or take a bus from an aircraft parked on a remote stand.

We are in the process of implementing measures to alleviate this situation. However, I can assure you that the allocation of aircraft to remote bays is not route specific.

I also wish to reassure you that your feedback and constructive comments with regard to your experience on the bus ride have been conveyed to the Senior management of Dubai Airports Company, for internal investigation and assessment, so to ensure our standards are being maintained. On rare occasions, there may be a slight delay in cooling due to the external temperature of the desert conditions.

Mr <redacted> it is not our intention to dissatisfy our customers. Whilst we cannot change what has occurred, we do appreciate the opportunity to respond. As a gesture of goodwill, we are pleased to offer you 10,000 complimentary Skywards miles. Your balance will update shortly.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard again soon.

Yours sincerely,

<redacted>
Customer Affairs Australasia"

 

[Renato1]

As to the issue of one's seat being taken, as Mark Steyn relates in his column yesterday, in Sweden it is now common practice for first class rail seats to be appropriated by others and for the authorities to do nothing about it - very much akin to the plane incident I described earlier in this thread.

Wild Seadogs of the Øresund :: SteynOnline
Regards,
Renato

 

[jb747]

Which has absolutely nothing to do with the thread. As has been pointed out to you, you do not, in any reasonable circumstances, have the right to take this into your own hands. In fact, doing so in Dubai would pretty much guarantee that not only would you be thrown off the aircraft, but probably locked up for a while too. But, I'm happy to lend you a shovel if you want to dig a bit more.

 

[mannej]

10,000 skywards miles whilst may be seen as hush money by some is 10,000 more miles than what I would have expected in this situation.

As for the solo vigilante mentality being displayed by the OP, as others have mentioned keep digging.

 

[JohnK]

As for the solo vigilante mentality being displayed by the OP, as others have mentioned keep digging.

I am not condoning using physical force but what would you do?

Full flight and a person with a boarding pass for 74E is sitting in your allocated seat of 40C becaused it looked better when they were boarding. Your boarding pass has 40C. Their boarding pass shows 74E. Crew refuse to get involved. Do you get off and go on next flight? Do you keep your mouth shut and sit in 74E for this long haul flight? What if you're travelling with someone? Tough luck?

I struggle to comprehend the advice. Don't be a vigilante because it's not the right thing to do but please go and sit where you don't belong because people will feel sorry for you and let you sit there? Where do you draw the line? Should I go and sit in a First Class seat and see if the crew force me out? Or is that going too far? Are we saying there is no difference between 40C and 74E?

It has happened to me a few times. Crew has managed to sort out the situation. Just as well as my anger management is poor at best of times.