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!

Because especially short haul-Europe people (the paying public) want the cheapest deal they can get...service standards tend to.be a secondary concern.

BA had to morph in the direction of a LoCo operation in many areas in order to survive.

OP @Laura2121 what exactly happened in the lead up to the argument?
I don't think you have even the slightest chance of getting an upgrade on your return flight home.

Not RTFT but it's not unusual for "service" providers to do this. My mum said she was in her pharmacy and as ever they'd made a hash of something because they are useless. The guy whose prescription it was made a comment along the lines of could they do their jobs properly and they pointed to the "we won't tolerate abuse" sign. My mum said he didn't raise his voice, but he did sound a bit frustrated, as anyone would.

There's a big gap between verbal abuse and standing up for yourself. I think there's a difference between raising your voice and shouting - and women have quieter voices, so they do need to raise the volume. It does not indicate a complete lack of control as a pp said, that would be standing up and shouting and jabbing fingers and suchlike.

In the pharmacy case, it was a bloke but I bet most of these cases are because we are still conditioned to treat an assertive woman as aggressive, hence the sexist and unpleasant Karen trope that is trotted out so often.

Finally common sense perspective

So essentially you want to have a moan and get an upgrade. Not likely to happen.

BA service is awful. Truly dreadful. I grew up with BA (parents worked for them in 80/90s) and it's unrecognisable now.

None of that excuses raising your voice at cabin crew or indeed anyone at work.

I was cabin crew for a short time and the reason I left wasn’t because of customers it was fellow staff!
please Malle sure to complain, there is absolutely no excuse for rudeness.
I genuinely never came across one traveller that wasn’t lovely but I did come across staff who were horrific.
One of my last flights with this company was with a cabin manager who as soon as we boarded said ‘ I hate passengers and will do my utmost today to be difficult’
He wasn’t exaggerating when he said that either. He was despicable.
I did completely to head office even though I knew I was leaving anyway but as far as I know nothing much gets done as he and others like him are still there.
I have flown with another airline this past few weeks and crew were awful so I complained. There was just no need for it.
I’m incredibly polite myself so there was nothing to warrant it.

Think it depends on what cabin you fly in etc. my husband got £475 in vouchers cos he tv was broken, but it was a night flight anyway. My BIL complained about something and he got 100 avios, he wasn’t too happy.

‘Raising your voice’. Not on.

I complained following a BA return flight about 15 years ago and was sent 6 bottles of nice wine, which was a kind gesture. There was certainly no offer of a free upgrade on our next flight though.

I think the OP expecting BA to “want to make things right” when they presumably have no evidence that they did anything wrong, is actually quite patronising of her.

And equally many people don’t as they don’t seem to have any trouble filling their flights. I certainly had no issues with them . Their is NEVER any justification for raising your voice or shouting at cabin crew. They certainly won’t be getting an upgrade.

If I pay for a business class seat I don't want the OP being upgraded to sit near me! The only excuse for shouting on a plane is if there's an emergency and you're calling for help.

Travel Business Class. You'll be treated like a Queen

If they treat you like shit or deny you things like water, or deliberately ignore your pleas for help, then yes I think raising your voice so you’re heard is ok

and guess what? It happens

Have you received the customer satisfaction survey email yet? A couple of years ago my seat was stuck in the recline position the whole way from LHR to JFK. The flight attendant couldn’t fix it. It didn’t really bother me that much but I noted it on the customer satisfaction survey I received via email not long after landing.

A few days later, when DH and I arrived at JFK for our return flight home we were told we’d been upgraded to business as an apology for the broken seat on our outbound flight.

So complaining is worth a try for an upgrade however I’d be concerned about them letting you on your return flight at all if they had to give you a warning about your conduct to their staff.

Horrible and disconcerting for the other passengers to have someone shouting on the plane.

I actually can't envisage what poor customer service would look like on a plane in economy. Unless staff never come round or tell you to piss off?!

You get given certain things free, others I presume you must pay for. You press a bell or raise your hand and when a staff member is free they come to you.

When meals come round you wait your turn and sometimes some food does run out.

The only thing I know people don't like is when they're refused alcohol because they've failed to hold down their appearance or behaviour of inebriation adequately.

I was a cabin crew and wouldn’t take no lip from you if you started shouting in my face.

I’ve seen people be offloaded in my old airline for such aggressive behaviour.

Why on earth would they deny you water? On most aircrafts, there is a water dispenser.

“Pleas for help”… like what?

and of course they wouldn’t “deny” you water? What are you on about @Datingwoess ?

I fly regularly with BA and have no complaints. I know the cabin crew work hard, so that needs to be taken into consideration.
What the hell happened OP?🤔

Having treated myself to BA premium economy flights to New York 3 years ago, I will never, ever fly with them again. Filthy on board facilities, extremely rude staff and they actually sold my partner's seat to another traveller. BA were once considered a great airline and an asset to this country, now they are a national disgrace.

@Laura2121 Can you add some more detail about the poor customer service please

I’ve observed it happen to an elderly woman

I recently saw a video where had to sit on a piss soaked seat on a BA flight and the cabin crew were less than helpful so without knowing why you shouted its difficult to say.

My last experience with BA was poor, we flew business and the cabin crew were surly at best! I wouldnt fly BA again tbh