[MarkCymru]

I’ve flown QR about ten times over the past two years and have been very impressed. I agree with RFerguson that the crew can be a bit robotic sometimes but actually I’ve found them pretty good at accomodating requests for just fruit or just some hors d’oeuvres. It is a bit more hit and miss with the ground staff in Doha but the premium terminal is usually really good and the people seem keen to help however they can. The separate buses for first and business also appear every time and save a lot of grief (AF, BA, LH and OS could learn from this)

Unlike other posters, I have had uniformly excellent experiences with Air India service. I fly it about ten times a year and never find them less than acceptable. On long haul, they are often 10 / 10. You get friendly and very personal service — they cope with any special requests quickly and pleasantly. Most of the long-haul FAs are older and they bring a real maturity to the job that makes them the opposite of robotic. I think they are used to Indian passengers requesting things exactly the way the passenger wants them. I do worry a bit about the reports of pilots getting locked out of the cockpit but overall I have a pretty cavalier attitude to airline safety anyway (any carrier you pick is incalculably safer than the trip by car to the airport so we should keep things in perspective)

Even Aeroflot has been pretty good to me. The crew won’t win any awards for being bubbly but they’re usually efficient and courteous. We were stuck on the ground at Heathrow for an hour and they handed out hors d’oeuvres and a full bar service. I don’t think you’ll get that on many other carriers.

[BBFLYER]

its a shame but EK EY & QR pay there staff very poorly and work them very hard so it all comes down to if they treat your staff better and they will do a better job.

[BigDog.]

A typical unfortunate trend

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2326003/Ryanair-air-hostess-blows-whistle-contract-staff-forced-months-unpaid-leave-buy-uniforms.html

The Cabin Crew role has gone from one of the most to one of the least desirable so the quality of recruit and service will follow a similar trend in the long term

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/10013321/Flight-attendant-the-worst-job-in-travel.html

IMO, carriers no longer view the cabin crew as a market differentiator so invest sufficient to provide an acceptable level of service at best.

[rodders]

Airpocket, I think your comments are best edited before you hit send.
I think its really a question of “familiarity breeds contempt” these airlines have all started from a clean sheet, and initially provide a breath of fresh air, then they grow at a phenomenal rate and things begin to slip. I remember when VS had the one plane and it was a fun way to fly, not any more. However, as a very frequent flyer on all the Gulf Airlines, I find EK hit and miss, QR mechanical to the core, but the CEO is a the ultimate master of control, so there is zero tolerance for individuality, EY is OK, I find WY good, and often the best cabin service is from GF, where they have the t shirt, been there, done that, and know how to interact with people. As for Dubai as a hub it does v little for me, and as for the new Doha airport, I just can’t wait, having used DOHA on a weekly or 2x weekly basis it will be interesting to see what happens.
Have a good weekend one and all

[esselle]

I have flown quite a few middle eastern carriers in the last couple of years, and agree with previous observations that their biggest challenge is maintaining service standards, both on the ground and in the air, when they are undergoing dramatic phases of growth and bringing on large numbers of new employees.

But they often represent extraordinary value for money. I have just this week flown four sectors in EK F. As ever, I smart a bit on entering the suites, thinking the gold trimmings etc to be a bit brash, but then comfort, privacy and quality take over.

A rectangular bed, no curves or foot coffins etc, substantial menu choice, with generally excellent quality, extensive wine list (how often do you see Paradis anywhere, let alone on a plane?), chauffeurs at every point in the journey, great lounges, particularly at DXB with the convenience of direct gate boarding……

All this for about the same price as a J class fare on BA.

I accept that service can be a bit robotic, and anything off script causes a bit of a flurry, but better this than crew who really would rather be somewhere else.

The Hammad International terminal will be spectacular (I have had a private tour), so I really do think the ME is here to stay, and others need to watch and learn.

[npchuaMY]

Small is beautiful, airlines services always drop when they grow bigger.

I will be flying KUL to MXP via MCT with WY C-class next week. This is the first time I choose to fly WY. Review on WY has been good.

Before I made reservation online, I have checked with 11 other airlines and found WY fare is 17%-54% cheaper than the rest and its C-class seat is as good as the F seat of many top rated airlines. So I decided to give a try.

WY is a small airline with only 6 destinations in Europe (LHR, CDG, ZRH, MXP, FRA & MUC) and 2 destinations in the Far East (BKK & KUL)

WY has only 3x A333 (F/C/Y) and 4x A332 (C & Y) for its Europe and Far East services. Both F and C are in 1-2-1 configuration.

[LuganoPirate]

A friend of mine arrived in Europe with EK this week. Yesterday he took the train from Stuttgart to Lugano and told me of his experience during his 3 hour stopover. He remarked it was his worse experience ever with people taking two or three chairs for themselves to create a makeshift bed, with bags all over the place.

He was waiting by the appointed gate when after 40 minutes they announced a gate change, so of course being near the front, he was suddenly at the back as the whole swarm turned and headed to the new gate.

I’ve the feeling if you have to fly the ME carriers you should only fly in Buisness, otherwise go KLM, BA etc. What’s the expression, “Pound wise, penny foolish”!

[BBFLYER]

http-//www.arabianbusiness.com/emirates-defends-no-staff-bonus-despite-huge-profit-501206.html.webloc

[capetonianm]

Should anyone want further reasons not to travel on Emirates or via Dubai, just Google ‘Cyril Karabus’ and read about the execrable treatment that this 78 year old doctor experienced by the authorities.

[BTMEEditor]

Following on from Alex’ comment, it will be interesting to see how it all pans out but they have got a year to prepare and don’t forget DWC will be fully operational to passengers from October so that will play a key role and take some pressure off Dubai International. The new airport will also handle freighter, charter and general aviation traffic. I will endeavour to keep readers posted of changes in the magazine and through the forum.
Perhaps a bigger issue locally, one that we keep hearing raised at conferences and was recently voiced by QR’s CEO, is in the air as full service and LCCs keep expanding and corridors become increasingly congested.

[VintageKrug]

That’s the salient point, BTMEEditor.

While particularly in the UK and elsewhere, lack of capacity at hubs has maintained the dominance of legacy carriers, there will be much more capacity in Dubai; this does open the way to LCCs, and when Emirates massive A380 order is at full strength, one wonders if they will be able to compete, or will start dumping seats especially if demand drops during a future global downturn, destabilising global aviation.

It’s the elephant in the room for international aviation, and something which could usefully be explored further in a BT article, with some research on the “tipping point”.

[ToxicAir]

On capacity at Dubai International (DXB) there is going to be a closure of one runway throughout May &June 2014 so if you think that the stacking and delayed departures are unbearable now you may wish to rebook your flights via another hub!
It would seem that World Central (WTC: some 40 kms out) is going to be used as the alternative to take the heavy traffic at peak times! Transport links in to Dubai are not as established as many would like.

[millionsofmiles]

@ capetonian: The case of Cyril Karabus speaks volumes:

This is racism towards whites in the affluent arab countries, not vice versa. after treating a girl with leukemia for 10 years…and then being charged with manslaughter upon her death….there would be an outcry if it happened to an arab doc in the West.
EK should have informed the man about the pending arrest. The doc didnt even know about any trial or sentencing against him.

Thy arrested the fragile 92 yo man, but could not even find or locate the files of the trial or indictment…still held him captive.

Yes, and about the ME airlines: yes, the standards are going down. While the hardware has been constantly upgraded, the service lacks. The enthusiasm of the early years is gone, due to growth problems and mainly due to staff maltreatment.

[SimonS1]

@millionsofmiles

He is 78 not 92. And he didn’t treat the girl for 10 years, he was in the UAE for 6 weeks and the girl who died was only 3.

Always best to have the facts straight before getting worked up about racism.

As a matter of interest why do you feel EK should have advised him about pending arrest? I doubt they have access to everyone’s legal records any more than BA has details of all arrest warrants outstanding in the UK.

[VintageKrug]

It’s questionable whether one should spend one’s money with an airline which treats its cabin crew with such contempt.

http://metro.co.uk/2010/03/18/sexy-texts-land-two-emirates-cabin-crew-in-jail-178453/

[Author]

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