[Anonymous]

[business traveller]

Dear flydubai,

Thank you for possibly the worst flight experience that I have ever had. Where do I even begin? (Also, please note that I am retyping my entire post, because flydubai decided to delete my first written complaint).

My abysmal experience with flydubai begins before I had even boarded the plane. I was forced to check-in my carryon luggage under the premise that the flight was full and that there was limited over-the-head cabin space. Now I’m not sure if flydubai deliberately lied or were simply ignorant, but the flight was in fact not full as there were many empty seats including 2 entire rows of empty chairs in front of me. In addition, what was more annoying was that adjacent to me was a completely empty over-the-head bin compartment, which had more than enough space for my small carryon luggage. However, what is worse than being forced to go through the unneeded hassle of the luggage carousel (which we can all admit, we do not enjoy) for this one bag that was originally a carryon is to discover upon arrival that my bag had been opened by flydubai. While I support their right and duty to check all luggage, including my own for security purposes, I do NOT endorse their opening a brand new iPad, intended as a gift for family, out of its wrapping, breaking the box, and permanently scratching the screen. This egregious negligence is unacceptable, and I will be contacting their customer service over appropriate compensation. You cannot destroy the property of your customers.

Now, my second point may not be as striking, but is a testament to my dissatisfaction with the services provided by this airline. For a 6-hour flight, flydubai offered 0 complimentary refreshments, which seems absurd given my past and extensive experience with airlines. I have literally received a complimentary small snack and beverages for 30-minute flights, which while very thoughtful is frankly unnecessary. Yet, with flydubai, I had to endure the embarrassing ordeal of being asked if I would like a drink, having said drink poured, and then without any prior notice asked for monetary compensation. (May I add, their conversation rate for the dollar is horrible too. Seriously? 2 US dollars is not the same as 5 UAE Dirhams.)

Now even a piss poor performance such as this can be mediated to some extent with a nice smile and an appropriate attitude. However, I instead had the pleasure of dealing with backhanded sarcastic comments from flydubai agents as well as having to endure the steely-eyed flydubai flight attendants who managed to make me feel even more suffocated than I already was in their tiny aircrafts.

All in all, I do NOT recommend anyone to ever fly with flydubai. I will make an active effort to inform every friend, family member, and colleague I have of this atrocious experience with this airline and allow them to make their own educated decisions. I want to add that I sound emotionally charged, because I am to some degree having this ordeal fresh on my mind. Nonetheless, I have made my best efforts to remain objective and will be happy to answer any questions. I personally plan on NEVER flying with flydubai ever again if I can manage it.

P.S. I hope you do not delete this post as you have deleted my last one. I saved this one, so I will continue to post it if that is the case. Please be professional and respond to rather than running away. Thank you for your service.

Review courtesy of Seatplans.com. Original review by user Mali can be found here

[MrMichael]

I find it hard to accept that FlyDubai could have deleted your post. Does not sound like a great experience with the luggage, and if what you say is true then FlyDubai should compensate you. However regarding the catering, FlyDubai is a low cost airline, and it is normal for that type if airline to charge for refreshments.

[rferguson]

Two points.

Firstly, if my hand baggage was within the weight and size dimensions as set by flydubai I would have simply refused to have it placed in the hold. If I was over the maximum baggage allowance I would have sucked eggs.

The comments about onboard catering are wholly inappropriate. This is how it works on a LOW COST AIRLINE. You buy the seat in your ticket price and everything else comes at a charge. I flew flydubai Kuwait – Dubai. When I booked the ticket on the website it was clear snacks and drinks were for purchase. When I boarded and rifled through my seat pocket in clear view there was a cafe menu with attached prices. And just in case anyone had missed both of these after take off an announcement was made (English and Arabic) again offering drinks and snacks FOR PURCHASE. I had a very pleasurable flight with them. I would not however choose to fly on any airlines 737 on a 6 hour flight.

[SimonS1]

I went on 737 from Frankfurt to Accra on one of the Privatair-operated LH routes. I was a bit apprehensive, but it was very pleasant and certainly no worse that 10 across on a BA747. Must have been about the limit of the aircraft’s range.

The challenge with what you say rferguson is that if everyone brings aboard their baggage allowance on a FlyDubai flight it won’t fit in the lockers. So eventually someone has to give way or you end up sitting there. I sense on this one there may be more than meets the eye anyway.

[BTMEEditor]

flydubai informs me that their Facebook community management and Customer Service teams have been in close contact with you about this matter, since your initial Facebook post.

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