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!

I’ve complained to BA once after poor treatment of my toddler and putting his safety at risk/ then being threatened to being thrown off the flight for not accepting the stewardess’ apology - they gave me £100 flight voucher that lasted for a year (which I didn’t use) but I think that’s their standard response to complaints.

Don’t let one bad experience put you off flying back- and raise your concerns early rather than letting it build up. Hope you have a safe journey back!

How many assumptions can you squeeze into one post? Unless I’ve missed an update from the OP

I don’t know what you mean.

Maybe it isn’t?

Raising voice and shouting are different

And once again you’re missing the context

If someone is being rude, and not listening, I may very well raise my voice to be heard too

Or do you just sit back and take it ?

You’re missing key context here. Why be kind if they were appallingly rude and disrespectful?

My MIL raised her voice on a BA flight some years ago. When it came to the return flight she was read the riot act at the airport and was threatened with being thrown off the flight if she didn't behave herself.

It’s rarely reasonable to raise your voice at somebody else. It’s okay to address it if you feel you are not receiving expected service or to complain if you have an issue, but you should do this calmly and without raising your voice. Raising your voice will come across as confrontational/ aggressive and it’s right that the cabin manager addressed it straight away in case it was going to escalate from there.

If you feel that the way you and your parents were treated before raising your voice towards staff then by all means make a complaint to BA, but I don’t think you have any grounds to complain about the fact your complaints weren’t addressed on the plane considering you raised them in a rude and possibly aggressive manner through raising your voice. Next time if you have a complaint speak to the other person calmly and with curtesy or, if you were too frustrated with the staff member to do this then find another staff member to speak to instead. You’re more likely to be listened to if you remain polite than if you start acting in a way others find confrontational, rude or aggressive.

Yes I’ve watched people being treated dreadfully countless times

I thought you didn’t think people should make assumptions! 👀

slow clap for the most helpful post I’ve ever read on mumsnet

Precisely my point!

Also, some of the other people on the plane may have such challenges which may be triggered by someone shouting.

lol op. Literally the only thing you’ve actually told us in your 3 long paragraphs is that you shouted at her!

if you want to put in a complaint about anything, you need to actually articulate what the offence was!

that said, in all my flights, I’ve never really spoken enough to a cabin crew enough for them to able to be rude. ‘Chicken or fish?’ ‘Chicken please.’ ….‘thank you’

they have a job to do, so I think manners is just to let them get on with it. So the fact that you think the customer service was terrrible suggests to me, in the absence of any information whatsoever, that you were asking things above and beyond of the staff.

I don’t think you are making the points that you think you are making.

I recently flew long haul on BA and the cabin crew were absolutely lovely.

But the state of the plane was shocking. Not a single USB charging portal worked on either leg of the journey. I didn't have a portable charger so I was fucked.

Oh, thank you very much! Hopefully it will help the OP and she won’t run into a problem like this again.

Yabu as you have not said what the issue was

Hahahaha

I am 😉

Sorry, I don’t understand what was funny? Are you able to explain please? I have autism and can miss things sometimes. Thank you!

I was being sarcastic as your post seemed like AI instructions on how not to yell and how to behave on a flight.

That’s not what the OP was asking for.

One wonders what sort of fawning customer service the OP was expecting on a plane full of hundreds of people, with about half a dozen staff having to feed and water the whole lot of them. It's not a luxury hotel with fluffy towels, a maitre d' and hot & cold running waitresses, is it?

You’ve never experienced horrendous and vile customer service before? I’ve observed it many times. It’s usually always directed at a woman, normally in a vulnerable situation.

I doubt OP is talking about customer deceive experience at a luxury five star resort