[Anonymous]

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Thought I’d post this, as it is germane to a recent thread, where BA substituted a 76CE for a 76CW.

Yesterday, I had a flight scheduled from VIE to DXB on OS.

It should have been a 767 with angled seats, but due to a substitution was a 738 with euro spacesaver seats.

Having paid for J, I refused to accept this and was re-routed on an EK flight 90 mins later.

As it happened, EK put up a 773 with flat beds and a great service, so came out of it smelling of roses.

But I feel sorry for those people stuck on a 5 hour flight in euro seats – the worst aspect was that the OS gate staff didn’t say a word and I found out when boarding.

Disgraceful behaviour by the gate staff, but well recovered by the duty manager who didn’t try to argue, apologised for the inconvenience and arranged the re-booking.

[BeckyBoop]

How come Vienna couldnt you of got a flight from Rome or Atherns surly thats closer to Malta and cheaper? xx

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

You are assuming that I started my journey in Malta, but I didn’t.

VIE was best fit for schedule and also good vfm.

When you are an international man of disgust, you get around a bit 😉

[BeckyBoop]

sorry hun didnt realised you moved xx

[MartynSinclair]

I seriously hope that you had hold baggage that had to be retrieved.

Out of interest, did the Captain try and discuss the situation with you or did OS offer to refund the cost of your ticket. This would have been the likely outcome, if you had bags in the hold.

[Senator]

I believe about 5 years back, OS introduced a special “Middle East Service” on select A320 aircraft. Proper business class seat, and enhanced menu. An excellent product for the mid-haul (4-5 hour) range from VIE to destinations like: CAI, AMM, IKT etc.

Flew it once, expecting to see it again on VIE-CAI; completely indistinguishable in time table. No such luck, and end like the previous poster on a EURO config to CAI. Apparently, the change had occurred a few months back and customer were compensated for two months. I got a paltry 5,000 miles in M&M.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Martyn

I had a checked bag, it arrived in the first 50 or so out from the EK flight – frankly I was amazed, as I had been expecting it to have either stayed on OS or missed EK. The commander was locked in his bunker :-), but the cabin crew were quite decisive in saying they agreed the aircraft was not fit for purpose (as a substitute for a 767 with angled beds) and in summoning a duty manager immediately.

As far as I am concerned, the matter is closed as I do understand tech issues can force a substitution and as the OS fleet is not huge, can see why they put up a 738. They accepted my argument it was not acceptable and put me on an EK flight 90 minutes later, that IMHO is a very fair outcome and no compensation is required. If the gate staff had been upfront about the problem, then the service would have been near perfect.

Senator, I did a RUH trip on one of the 320s you mention – they were indeed very comfortable with cradle seats and enhanced catering.

When I saw the 737 on the gate, I wrongly assumed that they must have fitted some out in the same config.

[MartynSinclair]

DoS

My question was not referring to compensation for deciding to leave the aircraft, but whether OS tried to incentivize you to remain on board and avoid the hassle of bag retrieval, re booking etc, by refunding the cost of your ticket.

I have often stated that there are not many products one can purchase where what was “expected” can be replaced by something very much not expected and the supplier is able to get away with it.

[travelworld]

DoS- well done. I must confess that I wouldn’t have been as brave as you, demanding to be let off the a/c once you had boarded. Was the OS flight delayed as a result?

[cityprofessional]

That’s an excellent outcome… I wouldn’t have thought they’d be so accommodating. Well done!

I feel sorry for everyone else on that aircraft – can’t have been fun for the other passengers, not just in business, but also in economy – no seat back videos, really cramped seating, etc

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Martyn

Sorry, misunderstood you. No, they didn’t try to convince me to stay, the SCCM said she would provide the best possible service, but totally accepted that this would be way inferior to the 767. The duty manager said the same and expressed considerable surprise that the gate staff had not informed us of the situation, to allow resolution before boarding.

Travelworld, I don’t know if the OS was delayed as I was at the ticket desk, but it had gone by the time I got to the EK gate.

cityprofessional, I couldn’t agree more about the poor outcome for the other pax, whilst the Y pitch may be the same or similar, but those euro seats are hard and as you point out, no IFE.

[BeckyBoop]

Why put you on an emerites flight? didnt think they were part of an alliance xx

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Another pax on the same flight, who really stood up first of all knew there was an EK flight 90 mins later.

Therefore I insisted on this.

[Author]

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