By: Malcolm Reay

Malcolm Reay — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:18:58 +0000

Rick, I think I too have seen the best and the worst. Delta flight attendants range from great to awful and absolutely rude, and not unique to Delta. American just as bad, like the time we were in 1st class about to return from Honolulu to LA, and the attendant spilled champagne all over my wife and laughed her socks off. The European airlines are better as an average of good and bad. I used to travel to Sao Paolo 4-5 times per year and it’s hard to believe that they could be totally unattentive to those flying business on a $6k ticket, especially when 1/2 business class is asleep and the other 1/2 want another drink. I used to feel bad about pressing the attendant call button and not anymore! Then again going to Milan from Atlanta last November in coach class, I pressed that button maybe 5 times and gave up and walked back to the galley! The food to Milan in coach was AWFUL, yet coming back was really good, and they kept the wine flowing as long as anyone in coach wanted it. I think generally the cabin service directors do an impressive job to thank the passengers for their business and ensure that their needs are attended to. Once you go back to coach on a 9 hour flight to Brazil, then all bets are off. Then of course once you land in Sao Paolo or Rio and leave the safety of your Delta service and hand your bags over to TAM, the world’s worst airline, all bets really are off. Bags are sent to the wrong airports, flights are delayed and gates changed without announcements, and if you lose a bag, they will give you maybe $130, even though their travel policy says $400, and they have this hotline called “speak to the president” which is just a gimmick. It turned out that the last time I lost a bag, it was never rescanned in by TAM’s baggage handlers in Sao Paolo and no doubt was taken home that day and ransacked. Try proving that.
Like you I report those who do a good service.

Comments on: Customer Service, Trust and Airlines?

By: Malcolm Reay