Bad experience on a flight- worth complaining?

[Laura2121]

I recently had a bad experience on a long-haul flight from British Airways, regarding poor customer service from a couple of the cabin stewards. After patiently putting up with the way that one steward was treating me and my elderly parents for a few hours, I raised my voice and complained to her about her level of customer service, only to then get a telling off from the cabin manager for raising my voice in the cabin- no accountability or apology for my experience at all. In fact I was even made to apologise for raising my voice, as if I was the problem. I have never had such an appalling experience on a flight before.

A quick Google search afterwards revealed that BA had recently made some policy changes as to protect their staff from customers expressing annoyance at them, so it could be that my loud complaint was ‘pounced on’ disproportionately given that the new policy had just come into force. But I am frankly appalled at the treatment I was subject to on board the flight.

I am soon taking the return flight back, and not feeling too keen about this after the poor experience I had on my outbound flight last month. I was going to complain to BA after getting back home, but it would help to know that they want to make things right before my flight home. An upgrade wouldn’t hurt either if they offer this! Has anyone had experience with something like this? Thanks!

BA made a lot of its longstanding cabin crew redundant during Covid and now have less experienced crew on less generous employment packages. I cant help but think this has impacted customer service.

You do realise that a passenger raising their voice during a flight is potentially dangerous to everyone else on board? Just a few examples: it can be triggering for nervous flyers, drown out critical security instructions, distract crew away from their actual job of monitoring passenger safety. And that is before we even get onto the selfishness of creating an unpleasant scene where everyone is trapped on an aircraft and forced to witness it.

I don't even care what the bad service from the crew was: nothing justified shouting at them, so you automatically put yourself in the wrong. By all means complain to the airline after the flight (and see where it gets you).

I believe you received shit service, BA is dreadful and like going back to a terrible ex - each time you tell yourself it will be different and things have changed, only to find it's worse.

Raising your voice at cabin crew? You absolutely won't get an upgrade, maybe a small voucher or a polite fob off if that.

What was the poor treatment?

It was a huge mistake to raise your voice. You immediately identify yourself as a threat to the flight if you start kicking off. No wonder you were roundly told off.

Absolutely no one can comment whether YABU or YANBU with what you have written. It’s a complete waste of time as no one knows to respond.

Customer service on BA flights is shockingly bad. I was on a flight and the person in front reclined their seat (as they can) so I had to recline mine( which I don’t normally do as it’s a ball ache for the person behind) so I could lower my tray table down to eat my meal which I couldn’t do with the chair in front reclined. The person behind me complained to the steward who then asked me to put my chair upright. I then said I’d be happy to do this it the person in front could right their chair so I could put the tray down to eat my meal. The steward denied the person in front chair was reclined but it was obvious it was as it was further back than the other two chairs next to it. So I repeated what I said and it went back and forth a bit with him denying it was reclined only for him to eventually try to right the chair which magically sprung back to its upright position and hurrah I could put my tray down. The steward then promptly ignored us for the rest of the 8 hr flight. I did apologise to the people behind me as I felt bad for them as it wasn’t their fault as they didn’t have room either but it was such odd behaviour from the steward. The plane was also really dirty.l when we got on and they also ran out of everything half way through the flight.

re. they also ran out of everything half way through the flight

I've been on flights with them when they ran out of water to operate the sinks in the washrooms. Long flights, as well.

All the keyboard warriors proclaiming raising voice is dangerous, abusive etc

I mean, get over yourselves. I can bet you a million squid you aren’t all perfect.

And I’m pretty polite and measured compared to most, but I also understand the importance of context which is lacking here.

OP repeatedly posts about bad experiences in work, life and love. Seems a lot of conflict, but never their fault.

By ‘raised voice’, do you really mean, ‘shouted’? In which case, I’m afraid you’ve lost any moral high ground. As an adult, you should be capable of getting your point across without having to shout at someone.

I’m aware that getting into loud arguments, being rude, and admonishing public facing staff, seems to be a popular pastime for some Mumsnetters, but it’s really not a good look.

It’s interesting how you omit the original issue you were having with them, the actual incident that caused you to become upset…

If you complain before your flight, I wonder if you'll be flagged as a difficult passenger and refused travel? What did they do that was so awful?

Never have issues with Aer Lingus
(& no, I don't have any affiliation with them)

For info that's not impossible but it's just as likely to have been that the water in the pipes feeding the toilets and galleys froze, it was a not uncommon on some aircraft types on long sectors, regardless of the airline, and was down to the routing of the pipes.

Love how the OP is up at gone midnight, posting stuff like this, deliberately leaving out the reason she felt oh-so-compelled to raise her voice... Information that's critical to the thread.

To me, it reads like she's made a fuss in the hope of getting an upgrade for the return flight, and is ACTUALLY asking what's the best way to go about getting one?

You might think that, I couldn't possibly comment....Other than to say that it's true that the complete rejig of cabin crew contracts and T&Cs in 2020 meant a lot of valuable experience was lost.

I am certainly not perfect at all but I know better than to start raising my voice 30,000 feet up in the air in a metal tube.

Why didn't you say 'I will happily apologise when someone apologises to me for the poor service we have received'?

How noble of you, you must behave in a perfect manner at all times. Please teach us more.

Or maybe wait to see what the OP says the situation was? Do you know how vulgar and rude some staff can be? Do you know some people are stressed, or are neurodivergent, and can have trouble regulating themselves in positions of vulnerability?

So sick of people’s inability to understand and be kind where it’s due, instead bashing on a keyboard about a situation they have no idea of

erm ok

Dear me! Who pissed on your chips? 😂

Maybe the OP should have been kind to the staff and then she wouldn’t be in her position. Good on the supervisor for sticking up for their staff, anyone who works in a customer facing position knows how hard it is and there’s no escape when you are stuck on a plane with entitled customers.

I had an awful flight experience with emirates recently… 3 weeks later I’m still awaiting a response.

OP has not come back to help us gauge the reasonableness of her actions.

The point about entitled customers others have made is well put and I am sure contributed to why BA has put it's policy in place. I also agree with the observation made by the Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary about the level of pre-flight airport drinking and how it leads to more unacceptable behaviour.

Do you know some people are stressed, or are neurodivergent, and can have trouble regulating themselves in positions of vulnerability

None of these things justify shouting at anyone.

I have been aware through my work and experience that British Airways is a very unpleasant company, which tends to attract staff in kind. I have avoided them for decades, I definitely would never use them if I had specific needs.

Everyone knows that ‘some people are stressed or are neurodivergent’ If you are stressed or neurodivergent and you shout at a crew member on an aeroplane, then you should take that into consideration just as much as everyone else in the world and you should not later complain in order to get an upgrade.

You should think ‘I shouldn’t have shouted at that person on an aeroplane. Maybe I did it because I was stressed. Or maybe I did it because I’m neurodivergent.’