Emirates Airlines (Comments about Emirates Airlines)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: rameez M <rameez7m@hotmail.com>
Date: Feb 28, 2006 5:09 PM
Subject:
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu

To Jawad,

I would firstly like to state that you are very negative about Emirates and
think that it should be given a chance to progress, which is already in the
process of.

My I say I may be half your age but I have flown Emirates more than the
hair's on your head. It is considered a very reputable airline and is the
most prestigious of the world. I've flown many airlines but they have not
been as memorable as my first emirates flight from BHX to DXB.

We will wait until Emirates starts to operate the new 45 Airbus A380's and
builds its own terminal for its loyal passengers at it's hub DXB. Then we
will see if Emirates gives it passenger a bad experience.

Remember: "Marhaba Al Imiraat"

Rameez

# posted by Jawad @ 8:53 PM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: M.Dounane <koal_panth@yahoo.com>
Date: Feb 25, 2006 6:26 AM
Subject: Re: Reputation
To: Jawad Asghar <jawad@alumni.washington.edu>

I just would like to say that my bag was found, and I received it last
Thursday, after exactly one month.
I was told by someone that Emirates had big problem in Dubai with
Baggage handling since last Christmas.

# posted by Jawad @ 7:57 AM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: nitin suri <nitinstrand@yahoo.com>
Date: Feb 23, 2006 10:22 PM
Subject: complaint of lost luggage
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu

I checked one sports handbag at Emirates Airlines at International
Dubai Airport on the date 24th December 2005.
The flight was scheduled to fly at 1430 hours from International Dubai
Airport instead it got delayed about 12 hours and it flew at 3 o'clock
next morning.
Next disaster awaited ahead at Heathrow International Airport, While I
arrived here my baggage did not. When I attempted to find out what had
happened to my bag, the Emirates Airlines attendant at the check-in
desk repeatedly insisted that all checked bags had been
removed from the airline and placed on the baggage claim conveyer belt.
My patience to be standing there and rolling from one authority to
another fetched me information much later that a few bags were missing
and that they would be aboard next flight thereby reaching very soon.
However, I was suggested to wait for next 15 days beyond that I could
understand it missing and claim likewise by fil! ling up a lost
baggage form. A report was lodged pertaining to the missing bag.
Responses in general were increasingly agitated, aggressive, and unhelpful.
Next comes a series of mental harassments of ringing the office every
time and finding a totally different answer from previous one having
no relation whatsoever from the other one.
Knitting the fragmentations what I gathered after 15 days was a
requirement to fill up a Claim Form and to wait another 15 days, which
I did promptly.
What is striking is that they corresponded to my address of India when
I clearly had mentioned my address in London.
And when I spoke to them to let be aware of it they called it mistake
however I was said to wait for next 21 days.
Now the letter that was issued to me at the address of India says that
a compensation of $ 140 would be granted to me while my belongings
should at least be worth of £ 1200.
The focal point is! that why I should suffer for the negligence and
mishandlings which occurred because of the staff of an airline I
travelled by.
Further to talks that I had with Mr Manmeet Hanspaal , a person in
authority I hereby add this complaint to draw your attention about the
downsides of the services which are unacceptable and makes an
experience unpleasant for a traveller.
Reference Number of Lost Baggage: EK LHR 22799
I look forward in anticipation to have a response in this regard.
My details to be contacted on this issue are given below:
Nitin Suri
0044-7832426595
nitinstrand@yahoomail.com
Park side , 41 Alexandra Gardens
Hounslow, Middlesex
United kingdom
TW3 4HT

# posted by Jawad @ 11:22 PM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kurt Cobain <nirvanaor@yahoo.com>
Date: Feb 23, 2006 4:47 PM
Subject: Emirates Executives
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu

I am still in the process of finding the email addresses of the people
so that I can send them an email.
I strongly believe that if enough people raise up the issue of the way
Emirates is handling its customers something will be done.

Not sure if you already have this info but was able to find some names
http://www.aviationnow.com/media/pdf/Major%20A.pdf

Still in the process of finding there email addresses.

By the way I have to say that there in flight service is much better
sompared to other airlines that I have travelled on .I think its there
pre flight (reservation/ticketing) and post flight (baggage etc)
services that sucks big time.

# posted by Jawad @ 11:21 PM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eamon <eamonfitz@hotmail.com>
Date: Feb 23, 2006 11:12 AM
Subject: EMIRATES.
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu

Im writing to everyone,just to tell you what did you enjoy as well on
emirates,remember that most of international and reputed airlines have
as well many problems ,there is no perfecteness on this earth,i always
fly emirates ,i enjoy my flights however sometimes i come across small
problems which is normal i believe,
we need to remember that emirates problems are less importance to
other majors europeens airlines,so be positive and try to look as well
at the lunch or dinner served onboard and not small cold sandwich that
we get on other airlines.

# posted by Jawad @ 11:19 PM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: M.Dounane <koal_panth@yahoo.com>
Date: Feb 19, 2006 6:01 PM
Subject: Reputation
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu

Hi Jawad,
Great site thanks !!!!!
Just to note that missing baggage with Emirates has grown
dramatically. If you look at a common point for all travellers is
Dubai.
I personally think that there is a hall in Dubai full of our missing
baggage, and they don't have enough resources to trace them all.
In recent months Emirates wanted to touch maximum airports in the
world, but they missing a big point QUALITY, this will hit them soon
as it did to other airlines (maybe they are contracting out an adviser
to achieve the maximum number of touch down, he/she will soon leave
with bonuses but Emirates will stay with BAD image).

To: complaints@complaints.com
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2006 11:28 PM
Subject: missing baggage on EK flights

Hi all,
I did not realise that Emirates airline's have a SERIOUS problems
regarding missing baggage.
I have lost my baggage in Paris on the 22nd of January 2006. I checked
in 2 suite cases from Brisbane, and I only received 1 in Paris.
We changed aircraft in DBX only so either the bag is still in Dubai or Paris.
They asked me to fill in claim form (which I did), but I have not
heard anything so far.
After reading all complaints I might have to kiss my bag goodbye
because I will never see it again neither the compensation I guess.
Regards,
Mohamed

# posted by Jawad @ 10:49 PM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Fahd A Osman <fahad.osman@dnata.com>
Date: Feb 19, 2006 8:01 AM
Subject: RE: The truth about Emirates
To: Krishnamurthy Suresh <ksiyer50@gmail.com>, jawad@alumni.washington.edu
Cc: Fahd A Osman <fahad.osman@dnata.com>

In response to Mr. Suresh's posting on the favoritism / nepotism /
racism shown by Emirates Airline counter staff toward their colleagues
on the more popular of the airline's sectors, it is abundantly evident
that a little travel industry insight had been sought in bringing
these allegations to bear.

Allow me to elucidate on a few points;

In my posting, I was actually referring to employees traveling on a
full fare ticket such as an ALT. A scenario wherein a staff holding a
Concessional or 'free' ticket is allowed boarding in the presence of
full fare holding passengers is non-plausible, even if the counter
staff wanted to buck the system, they could not. The check in system
simply would not allow it.

I challenge anyone to cite a single international carrier of any
repute that did not have instances of passengers being offloaded. The
reasons for these occurrences are operational and safety related and
are not intended to malign a given individual for the comfort of
another. While I empathize with any traveler who has suffered the
inconvenience of an involuntarily missed flight, I would ask that
everyone keep in mind that these unfortunate instances do happen,
especially on the more populated of sectors.

Mr. Suresh, I sincerely regret any inconvenience that you may have
experienced, but I digress on your approach to the matter; while
everyone is entitled to an opinion, the way that you relay your
message can make a huge difference.

Regards

Fahad Osman

# posted by Jawad @ 11:07 AM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Krishnamurthy Suresh <ksiyer50@gmail.com>
Date: Feb 19, 2006 7:19 AM
Subject: The truth about Emirates
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu
Cc: fahad.osman@dnata.com

Hi Jawad,

While trying to find out ways and means of getting my view across to
the Executive Vice President of Emirates, I happens to see your blog
and more particularly what Fahad of dnata and that of one Australian
who is perhaps not an employee of Emirates group.

In the last 6 months, I have flown Emirates 18 sectors and around
50,000 miles and I understand that I rank among the most extensive
travellers on Emirates.

Fahad Osman given, though unknowingly, the explanation and the true
reason why travellers holding a confirmed booking find that even
though they hold a confirmed ticket, are told by the boarding counter
staff that they don't have a reservation.
IN fact there are two things that are very striking about Fahad's
posting. The first one is of course the true reason for the missing
bookings of travellers with confirmed booking. The fact is, Emirates,
like all IATA carriers, gives TG-100 and many other versions like
TG-90 to TG 33 to their employees as a part of their employment
compensation.( A TG 100 is a fully free ticket and TG 90 is 90% off
etc.). The condition attached to these free or discounted tickets is
that, seats should be available on the preferred day and the
employees are generally put on standby.
The real life situation is that the reservation staff and the check-in
counter staff knowingly look for weak persons whom they can BS around
and get away it, to accommodate their own co-workers. Now this is
really a situation where personnel Department's efforts to promote
inter-personnel relationship has proved to be counter productive.
Airlines that promotes inter-personal relationship actually have more
dissatisfied clients than those where the counter staff are not too
keen on accommodating their co-workers going on leave. Consider the
real situation when Emirates fly South Asian sectors ( i.e Pakistan,
India, Bangladesh ) In these sectors the employees will never get to
use their free tickets unless the counter staff manages to rig the
reservations chart. So next time when you fly Emirates ( or for that
matter any other carrier to its most favoured sectors) and find that
your reservation is missing, ask the reservation guys who are the
employees taking that flight and talk to the station chief.

The second point about Fahad's posting is rather specific to Emirate
Airlines. This is about the kind of attitude that they have. When he
says,
"As an employee of the Emirates group, I normally have to endure
schedule disruptions caused by the fact that my booking may be
cancelled or that I may be asked to take a later flight to accommodate
other passengers who arrive at the last minute or have requested to be
boarded on a full flight due to humanitarian reasons. "
he is talking non-sense and he knows it. He travels on a free ticket
and the condition attached to it is that any paid traveller get
priority over him.

This leads to the other aspect whether the counter staff are at fault?
I fully agree that the counter staff cannot be held responsible for
all or even many of the short comings, as essentially it boils down to
the fact that the airline's training division has been ineffective
and it has failed to train their staff properly. The point is the
counter staff are persons of limited capabilities and that is why they
are where they are. If they had better abilities they must be in some
industry other than hospitality and in any case, even if they choose
to be in this industry, they must be holding posts high above the
counter staff, to be visible to travelers.

But what is unpardonable about these counter staff or the flight crew
is that they often time try to protect their co-workers by bluffing
the traveller holding a confirmed reservation and their wholly
incorrect attitude. For instance, on an eight hours whole nigh flight
from Accra to Dubai, on the 14th Feb., the aircraft did not have
adequate number of blankets ( even the 3 hours flight to South Asian
countries have one blanket on each seat but the black continent is
discriminated against).

Considering how well Alex seem to have been treated, I am increasingly
getting a feeling that Emirates Airlines is following a policy of
racial discrimination against South Asian and the blacks.
Can any one help me get the e-mail ID and fax number of Executive Vice
Chairman, Emirates Airline & group?

# posted by Jawad @ 7:28 AM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Muhammed Asim Rao <raoasim@eim.ae>
Date: Feb 13, 2006 12:52 PM
Subject: Emirates Airline or its Crew responsible for OnBoard THEFT ?
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu

Thanks Dr. Rana Jawad for your website - which at least gave me a
chance to make a complaint.

Below is TRUE story of my sister who happened to be an Unfortunate
flyer of Emirates Airline (Dubai-Lahore). She visited me in Oct 05 and
while going back - she did some Jewelry shopping; which she put in her
Hand Baggage. When they boarded the plane, Emirates Airline Crew asked
her to hand-over the baggage, citing the reason; that there is no
place on board and that it will be given back to her - when she will
arrive in Lahore. She initially refused, but crew was in hurry and
literally grabbed it from her. During the journey she was naturally
concerned about the Jewelry and when they arrived at Lahore Airport,
to her surprise the hand-baggage was the first thing that was
available on the Luggage conveyer belt, but lock was broken. All the
Jewelry was taken out of the Hand Bag and nothing else was touched.
It could have been none other then the Emirates Flying Crew - which
could have taken it.

Total Value of Jewelry that was around 4000/- US $. An official
complaint was initially logged (At Lahore Office) but no response was
received.

She is now planning to file a law suit against Emirates Airline; not
for their negligence but their CRIMINAL act of THEFT / ROBBERY. A fax
was sent from my sister's lawyer's office to the Emirates' GM Office
in Lahore– giving all the details etc

If someone from Emirates Airline reads this, please treat it as
Official Complaint and try to find few culprits who are defaming the
Airlines.

It Is surprising that the staff in Lahore (Including the General
Manager) did not even care to call back or to promise take any action
… They all are acting as nothing has happened.

Below find a link of a similar case, in which an Organized Gang was
involved and was looting people; similar to the way my sister was
looted of 4000/- $ worth of Jewelry, in broad day light.

I am attaching a Link to a Khaleej Time news as well – regarding a
Well Organized Gang- which was caught on Dubai Airport (it involved
high ranking Airport Officials)

The link below will take you to the Online Version of Khaleej Times –
straight to the news which was published on 8th of Nov. 2005.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/Displayarticle.asp?section=citytimes&xfile=data/citytimes/2005/november/citytimes_november131.xml

Please note that this gang was caught and is punished as of 8th Nov.,
2005. But to me it seems a similar Gang is working as crew; within
Emirates Airline which thugs people from their precious items.

# posted by Jawad @ 9:33 PM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: VENU NAIR <vinninair@msn.com>
Date: Feb 3, 2006 6:58 PM
Subject: Query-Please Reply
To: jawad@alumni.washington.edu

Hi Jawad,

I commend you in your continued coverage of Emirate Airlines dilemmas,
I stumbled onto your site while I was trying to find a customer
service e-mail for Emirates. My family and I just returned from a trip
to India, and had to use Emirates instead of Air India for the final
leg of our trip which started with us flying from Washington DC to
Dubai via Air France and then searching for the connection flight that
we thought would be Air India but turned out to be a Emirates flight
(a setup between the aforesaid 2 airlines). Anyway cut a long story
short, between Dubai and Cochin India, Emirates managed to lose a
piece of our luggage out of three suitcases we received 2. Of course
after numerous promises of the suitcase arriving the next day and then
the day after etc. we have now returned from our 2 week vacation
without any resolution, supposedly they have filed a claim etc, etc.

I was hoping that you may be able to shed any light in the direction
of a e-mail or number that may prove effective in dealing with
Emirates.

Please let me know.

Thank You,

Vinni Nair
Virginia, USA

# posted by Jawad @ 9:32 PM