Emirates Airlines (Comments about Emirates Airlines)

Emirates Airlines Customer Affairs.

Re: Complaint Closed flight at DXB and Delay at DXB to LHR

Dear Customer Affairs,

I would like to complain about my deficient experience with my recent trip from Dubai to Delhi flight EK8512 which had been scheduled on the 09-01-12 at 6.30am arriving Delhi at 11am. I am attaching my original ticket also for your inspection.

Having reached Dubai airport at 4 am I first checked the flight status screens which showed that I could go to any check out to check in,  however  when I attempted to do so at a self check in all of the machines were currently being rebooted and I was told that I would have queue up. I first approached the counter for a Dublin flight but was told that I would need to move on to the next set of counters and so I did.

Upon standing in the queue I was amazed at the rush of people that were actually standing in the queue to check in. I estimated in the region of over 300 passengers all waiting patiently yet to my amazement only around 3 counters were open. I was so surprised at this I actually decided to take a picture heckling at myself at the lack of staff Emirates had on duty. Picture is attached for you to review also 

After around 20 – 25 minutes passing I actually realised that queue wasn't moving and spoke to one of the ground staff sighting that there were so many passengers and that why was there a lack of staff  explaining that my flight was at 6.30am to which the chap replied sir you have time and we are getting through the passengers. The chaos was so ridiculous that there was a man who I estimated spent around 45 minutes arguing about his baggage allowance claiming that the bag was 32kg despite it showing on the scales 40kg a picture is attached.

Quite obviously the Emirates check in staff was unable to calm the passenger down and was causing everyone else to be delayed.

Having waited for well over an hour I made myself available to one of the Emirates staff again raising my concern and frustration that the queue wasn't moving and that I had a flight at 6.30am. The staff still didn't acknowledge the fact about my flight time but merely asked for half the queue to move across to the other side of the airport where they had opened up a few more check outs. Finally once I had come to the front of the queue the time was around 5.25am and no one till now had called out the flight or asked for anyone on the Delhi flight to come forward despite my plea with staff about the chaos that was witnessed at the airport and shown in the photos.

Having placed my bags on the scales and presented my ticket the Emirates representative checked my visa asked me that I had already allocated a seat online etc and then after 5 minutes he had a very confused look on his face. He apologised and said that my flight had been closed. To my disbelief I asked him that if you are checking me in how my flight can just be closed. Oh sorry sir the computer isn't allowing me to check you in. To which I thought this must have just been a computer error or something. He said sir you will need to speak to the supervisor who will be able to assist and no further explanation was given as he felt embarrassed. I went across the counters to another Emirates representative whom just said the flight has been closed and can't do anything and you will need to walk over to customer services and see what they can do again no explanation was given as to why. I explained that I had been at the airport since 4am and that I had continually expressed my concern with not enough staff and no one had even called the flight or for anyone to come forward. He just uttered that he couldn't do anything and I had to walk over to customer services. Having queued in customer services I was met with another group of people of around 15 passengers who were going to Delhi also. Their experience was even more ludicrous that they were all checking in together however 4 of them got checked in and the other 11 were told that their flight had been closed and that they would have to speak to a supervisor. Due to their limitation of English I decided that I would assist them where I could as I was a frequent flyer with other airlines and normally there is a swift process in dealing with passengers when this occurrence happens.

Having gone to customer services I explained the situation I was alarmed to be told that I would have to pay to get on the next flight and that to wasn't guaranteed and that it would be standby. To my alarm I replied why would I need to pay when I was at the airport well over before hand, had made myself available to 2 ground staff but was shrugged off, finally told to go to the other end of the airport, my bags on the scales being checked in and then just told spontaneously that the flight had been closed. It just made me think from experience that Emirates had overbooked and this was a cheap ploy to just shrug their customers off which is truly unacceptable and have never experienced anything like this before .

My experience was further aggravated when I was then told that I would need to speak to an Airport Services Officer to where then I walked to and was met with probably the rudest arrogant man XXXXXXXXXX who's card I am attaching.

When I explained my situation to him he simply outright said that I was lying and that I had turned up to the airport late and attended to a message on his mobile phone! This had sent me into rage and was extremely upsetting and it had been confirmed that Emirates wasn't interested in their customers and that they merely wanted to shrug their customers off. When I asked for his card he was extremely reluctant and finally just threw it across the table and simply replied that he simply couldn't do anything and that I would need to buy a new fare and that I need to leave the office! Is this the level of respect your staff give its customers and their loyalty to fly with you?  I eventually went back again to customer services counter and then was told to walk over to counter A40. Arriving at counter A40 I was shocked at the carnage of customers whom had a similar heavy hand presented to them by Emirates. I attach a photo.

No level of control was visible, everyone concerned irate with Emirates process and everyone trying to have them-selves heard and get on to their onward flight. I witnessed a young girl in tears who had to get to Delhi for a funeral and was scheduled to be on the same flight and had the same treatment, arriving well over 3 hours making herself available, no one calling out the flight to have her come forward and was told that the flight was closed. I was truly in shock at the way Emirates was mishandling its passengers and in the 32 years that I have been flying never experienced something like this. Emirates were running their operation as a circus in my eyes with no process and no management expertise to handle such a cock up by supposedly an award winning airline. Please see picture attached of chaos and arguments occurring.

 The lady at counter A40 was probably the only helpful person that I had came across and I actually explained my situation to which she really had no words. Finally I was put on standby and was told that I would have to wait and come back around 9am to see if I could go on the 10.10am.  When I was told I could travel I then walked over to the payment counter where I was slapped with a 860 AED reschedule prices, yet the other people whom were flying to Delhi their charge was only 200AED which was utter discrimination. My point to the lady was why would I need to pay a fine despite being on time, making myself available, telling the ground staff that I was running late due to Emirates lack of staff  but yet nothing was done to which she said I don't know sir you will need to write a letter. It's a total disgrace in which the airline handled the whole situation. I'm attaching a receipt also for 860AED .

Please find ticket attached.

Furthermore due to the harassment I had to miss my train in Delhi that my cousin had booked and had to organise a flight instead for the next day to get to my onward destination putting me further out of pocket. Ticket is also attached of the booking that had to be made due to my delay which I expect Emirates to redeem me for.

My distasteful experience continued when I arrived at Delhi for my return flight DEL DXB EK 511 K 21Jan12 1050 21Jan12 1315 which was scheduled on time. I had bought 2 litres of duty free whisky arrived at the gate boarded and a call was finally made by the captain that the airport had been closed for an hour and that we were going to be grounded here at Delhi.

Finally once we had departed it was evident that 50% of the people on board would not be making their onwards journey which in all honesty due to my earlier experience I was extremely worried and concerned and explained to the stewards and said arrangement would be made on the ground.

Once I arrived at Dubai I was asked to go across to the counter, no explanation given what would happen, merely told that I would be put on the next day's flight and that I would need to stay at one of Emirates hotels to which I thought there was no point arguing and agreed. I explained that I had purchased expensive duty free to which I was told that I would be able to check this in tomorrow at no extra cost. I was told that my bags would be off loaded that contained my clothing, toiletries etc. Having reached the baggage collection area I waited for around 40 minutes and finally went to a representative whom I asked where my bags were. She explained they had been put on for tomorrow's flight but had promised me that she would get them to the hotel within 3 hours to which I agreed as I would finally take some rest and would wait for the bags.

After 4 hours I rang the Emirates desk again and explained my situation and that I had no change of clothes and that I was expecting my bag to arrive at the Copthorne hotel and not to my surprise I was told that the bag had already been checked in for tomorrows flight and that she couldn't do anything now and that I would need to complain once I arrived back to London.

I then asked the hotel if they could provide me with basics toiletries such as deodorant, tooth paste or shampoo etc to which I was told they would not supply this. Why in the hell of god wouldn't you supply this despite all airlines saying you can't take liquid on carryon luggage and my bags were in your procession!??

Finally I had to venture out purchase a change of clothes and deodorant from a local market occurring taxi cost which cost me in the region 200 AED for no fault of my own which I'm expecting to have refunded.

The next morning when I arrived at the airport on the 22-01-2011 for flight EK003 I already had my boarding pass however wanted to check in my carryon bag with my duty free I was told by check in I couldn't do so that I would have to pay excess baggage. I couldn't understand why there were mixed messages from the customer services agent when I landed however when I got to the airport a heavy hand was once against used which wasn't surprising.

How was I meant to avoid missing my flight if there was a delay which wasn't in my hands however my carryon bag was only 8kg however the alcohol that was bought on airside was probably 4Kg making me 4.0kg over weight which I thought was extremely petty especially taking into consideration the inconvenience that had been caused by Emirates.

Eventually I offered to give my presents that I had bought to some ground stuff who weren't part of Emirates however they kindly offered to pack the bottles in a card board box and have that checked in by speaking to someone from check in who was kind enough to let me do so.

Based on the above I hope Emirates considers my case as extremely serious and that the inconvenience and time wasted going from pillar to post and more so the financial damage that this trip has cost me I will be seeking compensation and if this is not considered then I will be pushing this complaint to higher authorise and consider airing this on various forums and social forums also. I feel as a 32 year old man I was very mature about the whole situation and didn't cause more of an uproar however had I been with my 2 years daughter and wife and this kind of behaviour was used my attitude would have been different and definitely not been tolerated. I have already spoken to my solicitor and will be seeking some kind of compensation if this isn't dealt with accordingly.

Furthermore I have attached pictures of the whole incident which I hope Emirates will take into consideration and further more will hopefully help Emirates better its service. I used to hear comparisons to Virgin and British Airways and can tell you first hand Virgin when my flight was delayed and missed gave my wife and I a round trip to anywhere in the world, but here in comparison Emirates subjected me to me being called a liar without any proof, being told it was tough and being slapped with a fine more so had to cancel my train tickets and had to get an alternative with having to fly to Chandigarh my final destination. I have never ever seen an airline handle a situation not once but twice through a trip. I'm very upset and distraught and will have to seriously consider my corporate network and business companions to fly with Emirates again unless some kind of compensation is granted and my money returned for me for the fines and onward journey.

I look forward to your reply settling this complaint.

Kind Regards

Mr C S Chind.