What is the statute of limitations on “never again”?

[Supersonic Swinger]

Statute of limitations = until it's convenient / necessary to fly them again.

For me, that's United. Every time I now fly them - because they are the cheapest / most direct / not operating a 737MAX - they reinforce their "Only When There's No Other Option" status.

 

[tdimdad]

"Never say never"

But a few suppliers are in the "only if I really must" group. Like JQ for flights and I don't particularly fancy BA either. I'm often willing to give a second chance, sometimes even a third but after that it needs a lot of consistently positive and reliable hearsay before I'd reconsider a provider.

 

[harvyk]

"Never Again" always needs to have a star next to it.

I would say foreseeable future instead. Companies change over the years, and a once good company can go bad, and at the other end of the scale a once bad company can sort itself out.

Whilst a particular airline might not be your first choice, I've certainly flown on airlines which deserve a "most improved" award (AA I'm looking at you).

 

[RSD]

JQ is on my never again list, haven't flown UA but have never heard a good thing about them so I'm unlikely to roll the dice and try them.

Kenyan Airways are unlikely to get another chance. Probably won't ever fly that all economy airline that has the code USAF again either - their widebody Y product sucks - seats face sideways and are even more uncomfortable than a B787 Y seat, no heating in the cabin, cabin is noisy as all hell, food was terrible, crew were rude... wouldn't recommend.

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

A bit different but similar. I hear people saying that they will never deal with CBA or anz as a bank. However all of them have very similar policies and it comes down to the service you got at the bank at that time. By switching banks or hotels or to some extent airlines will not make any difference as the issues involved go across all large organizations where no one really cares.

 

[Scarlett]

Never again really means never again at that price.

 

[CaptJCool]

Is this one of those never again stories ?

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/melbourne-family-gobsmacked-by-jetstars-hefty-fee-for-small-booking-request/news-story/c4edc1f63064f89e5ea96c9ff6fafdc3

 

[gaz0303]

Is this one of those never again stories ?

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/melbourne-family-gobsmacked-by-jetstars-hefty-fee-for-small-booking-request/news-story/c4edc1f63064f89e5ea96c9ff6fafdc3

Nope…Jetstar did name change free of charge though - so what’s the point of the whine? Story should be ‘Jetstar prevents kid being abandoned by family on trip to the footy’

 

[Himeno]

How long do you think is long enough to wait before giving an airline you hated another go?

If it's anything like retail stores, "next week".

 

[Cloud9]

I don't particularly fancy BA either.

Thank you! A definite NEVER AGAIN for me. The absolute p*** poor excuse for Chinese food that is "Kung Pao" in the UK. Somehow BA made that 20x worse on a flight I had to take earlier this year.

 

[Seat0B]

"Never say never"

But a few suppliers are in the "only if I really must" group. Like JQ for flights and I don't particularly fancy BA either. I'm often willing to give a second chance, sometimes even a third but after that it needs a lot of consistently positive and reliable hearsay before I'd reconsider a provider.

This is exactly how I do it too. And funnily enough with JQ and BA as well. My hate on BA has persisted since 1983 when I was seated in smoking from SYD-LHR Y when I had booked nonsmoking. They had overbooked or something and were not willing to do anything except shrug shoulders and ask 23 year old me very condescendingly whether I wanted to fly or not. So far have managed to limit BA to only 3 flights since that date. Jetstar is so far a full never again after flying once when they first started. That type of scrum is not for me.

Edit for typo

 

[Cessna 180]

Once if there are plenty of alternatives
ie hotels or restaurants or overseas carriers within Europe

Domestic airlines - there is no real choice - and now both are underwhelming having chosen VA for years….So cannot never say never. Unless I get a private jet…..


Edited to add - places I have visited
Never again Barcelona, Prague,Los Angeles

What is wrong with Prague?

At this stage it is the departure point from Europe after my next planned trip to Balkans.

I thought it would be nice to visit for a few days.

Although, I have just noticed in the "tourist trap" thread that it mentions "stag partys?' Oh dear....

 

[MARTINE]

What is wrong with Prague?

At this stage it is the departure point from Europe after my next planned trip to Balkans.

I thought it would be nice to visit for a few days.

Although, I have just noticed in the "tourist trap" thread that it mentions "stag partys?' Oh dear....

The lovely thing about travel is that the same place evokes different experiences.
I hated the stags/overcrowding and general hype that this city was so special and different. Nothing I saw there was that unique in Europe (castles/history/bridges) and I just hated the vibe of the place.
Reaffirming that is my perception and the good thing about this thread is its personal- no one has to justify why but -for me I will never go there again.
Have a great trip and enjoy all it has to offer.

 

[jase05]

What is wrong with Prague?

At this stage it is the departure point from Europe after my next planned trip to Balkans.

I thought it would be nice to visit for a few days.

Although, I have just noticed in the "tourist trap" thread that it mentions "stag partys?' Oh dear....

The beauty of travel. What some hate others love.
Prague is our favourite city in Europe and we have visited numerous times and always can’t wait to return

 

[Cessna 180]

Oh yes, I get what you both are saying. I dislike crowds and boorish drunk people (which I presume is what a stag party is).

As people have alluded too previously, the less popular places are becoming more popular and the crowds are increasing.

I have often felt that when someones says "oh, don't go there, because there is nothing to do" that is usually somewhere I enjoy going the most.
The opposite can be true as well.

 

[p--and--t]

Oh yes, I get what you both are saying. I dislike crowds and boorish drunk people (which I presume is what a stag party is).

As people have alluded too previously, the less popular places are becoming more popular and the crowds are increasing.

I have often felt that when someones says "oh, don't go there, because there is nothing to do" that is usually somewhere I enjoy going the most.
The opposite can be true as well.

I loved my trip to Prague. Spent 4 days in an AirBNB. Booked a "Back Lane" tour with a local young educated female guide and spent several hours wandering uncrowded back streets and laneways, learnt the history of interesting buildings, wandered some parks, sampled some local fare. On other days we caught a train out into the countryside and visited nice villages and castles etc on our own without a guide.

 

[Seat0B]

What is wrong with Prague?

I have a foot in both camps!

Prague is a beautiful, interesting, historic city and we have enjoyed three visits there. Like all cities, it is changing. Our first visit there was in early 2000s and it was very much an off the beaten track place then, and still emerging from its communist era. Things were cheap, not much English spoken other than by the very young teenagers, no western chain shops or restaurants. The hotel we stayed in was Soviet in every regard. And we loved it. The next 2 visits, each about 10 years apart, showed changes that I did not really enjoy. By the second visit (around 2015) and just for a weekend, the western chains were everywhere, the tourist was being catered for with cheap coughpy souvenirs sold everywhere and the place was becoming popular with British stag and hen’s parties. Drunken people blocking narrow streets, small amounts of public vomiting and urination, pushing and shoving a general disrespect.

Our last visit was in December 2022. Again, we enjoyed it very much - very atmospheric in the old town and Christmas Market with snow falling, but it was literally overrun with tourists. The stag and hen’s parties were everywhere - loud, rude, entitled, disgusting behaviour. Almost as bad were the large groups of Italian school children who had no manners and behaved like rabble pushing in front at view points, leaving toilets in a disgusting state, and generally acting like they owned the place. And DO NOT get me started on the Instagram Influencers.

That said, we had a great time. Went to a magnificent classical music concert in the Catholic cathedral and there’s nothing like hearing Ma Vlast played with feeling just metres from the Vlatava River, or the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor on a massive church organ. We Lao watched a number of videos on YouTube from a Czech guy called the Honest Guide whose personal mission is to help people enjoy Prague more. This saw us leaving the crowds behind and walking just a few blocks for a much more relaxed and enjoyable sightseeing and best of all, restaurant, experience. Also more local Christmas markets.

I don’t think we will go back to Prague again. Although, maybe after another 10 years, just to see how it has changed.

 

[tdimdad]

What Seat0B wrote about Prague is how I see Vienna, another highly revelled European city. As soon as I stepped away from the tourist focal points, it became a lot more enjoyable. Eat where they locals eat, visit the smaller museums, find the Christmas markets where the locals socialise, and sleep a few train stops outside of the centre.

The same in Stockholm, Gothenburg, etc...

My only trip to Prague was a week in 1997 as a tourist. I was working for a global manufacturing company and had the opportunity to also visit the local office and talk to the people there. One of the most consequential hours which shifted my view on how societies can run. The state was awfully poor at that time and what the locals told about prioritising public services was eye-opening.
Already back then I felt the city had more tourists than it should...

 

[Melburnian1]

Personally there is one airline that I really will never fly again, no matter what - but that’s because I found the airline to be grossly unsafe and I value my life.

Which airline? MH?

 

[Mattg]

Which airline? MH?

Not at all, I have no issues flying MH.

It’s SCAT Airlines in Kazakhstan. They didn’t deice the plane when we took off in the middle of winter with a thick layer of ice on both wings.