So its Friday 13th (I should have guessed really) and it was time to fly back from Houston. My meetings finished early so I arrived at IAH in plenty time to catch my flight, KL663 leaving at 2000. I arrive at the check in desk at 1645 to find the damn thing cancelled. So I get to the check in desk and come up against the most unprepared, incompetent and frankly plain rude ground staff I have come across since BA. I am talking about NWA ground staff at Terminal D at IAH here. I am being specific for a reason before someone inevitably comes back and says I was rude to them first as is bound to happen.
Upon arriving at the counter a girl is jsut starting her shift and brings up my details. SHe mentions to her supervisor that I have already been re-booked for tomorrow and the supervisor says to her (I can hear all of this) 'tell teh passenger this is what we are offering and that is it. He can disagree all he wants!) So the girl (and I don;t blame her for her supervisor) says I am rebooked for tomorrow, via Minneapolis!!! All the KLM flights are full...unbelievable. SO I say - OK, how baout you put me on one of the later CO flights to either AMS or LGW tonight? 'No they are full!' Right....and how about the two BA flights that go in the next three hours then - (I knew there were seats free on them because I asked their staff afterwards) - no chance of that sir! So I am sent to another counter to get a voucher for the Sofitel nr the airport. Here I explained that this was fairly pathetic compensation for ruining my weekend and that in the EU cash would be forthcoming. Extra compensation came in the form of a $5 phone card! Thanks NW, thanks so much! I have since found out that other passengers received $500 compensation.....you would think that a Skyteam Elite member may get some benefit. Not, it seems with NWA groundstaff at terminal D! So, myself and a couple of hundred others grin and bear it and wait for the bus to the Sofitel. After waiting outside for almost an hour the bus arrives - and it is a 6 seat taxi. Superb. We'll all sit on the roof then?? Idiots.
ANyhow - the next day I get up and go to IAH again. This time Terminal B for the flight to Minneapolis. The NWA crew could not have been nicer - the lady asked me what happened to KL yesterday (you'd have thought they would know....) and checked me in. The PE card got me a first class upgrade to Minneapolis at least - result. Seat 1D. She then told me that the flgiht to AMS was oversold so ask nicely at the desk in Minneapolis and explain what happened yesterday, showing the PE card and you never know....
Flight to Minneapolis was fine. An airbus A319 and took only 2hrs 15. Crew were good, constantly asking if I would like juice, beer, coffee and then served a meal of cous cous chicken, salad and cheesecake. I ate the salad and the chicken and it was ok. The cous cous wasn;t and the cheesecake was too sweet for my taste (though I'd imagine most would like). Arrived at a wet Minneapolis ahead of schedule. There was a couple of hours to kill but the lounge was pretty packed so I just hung around the gate area waiting for the agent to arrive. She did and she was harrassed. It seems all flights that day were oversold - she was trying to get people to volunteer off the two Narita flights going as well as the AMS one. I would have - had I bot been already a day late! So I did as the lady in Houston suggested and explained everything.....
Hannah said my name is on a standby list so don;t board the plane when it is called and she'll see what can be done. Can;t ask for more really! Killed some time wandering about and then heard my name over the tannoy - please come to the desk. SO I did - she smiled and gave me Seat 2H (ithink, I have already forgotten) - you can board now. Cool - thanks very much. Seems the PE card is useful this time.
I get on the plane, bloody hell, a DC10. I know most aviation people would be jealous but I am not one of those. I was thinkin - I haven;t been on one of these since 1991!!! It looked pretty old inside really. Old fashioned Biz class seats that were pretty comfortable though! Looking back through Economy though it looked hellish!! Old projectors playing the IFE and 5 across the middle. Ugh. Thank god for Hannah the gate agent.
Crew came round with headphones and the menu, as well as champagen before take off. We were then told of a forty minute delay to change a tyre. Thought we would have to get off for this but thankfully not. Pushed back 40 minutes late as suggested and the engines started up. Take off was a little rocky owing to the weather but we were soon clear of that and service began. I had some red wine and a large bowl of cashew nuts. Nice. Then more red wine. Then came dinner....starter was a sald with some large shrimp - pretty good. The I had rice, sea bass and asparagus. The sea bas was quite good, the rice and asparagus were not. This was followed by more red wine and a little cheese. Overall the food was OK, but to be honest nto a lot better than I had in Economy on Air France a few weeks ago. In fact the main course probably wasnt as good! Still the crew were quite good and my wine glass was rarely empty during the meal.
The flight itself was pretty calm and the IFE worked OK in Biz class. I watched the Aquatic Life with Steve Siszou...it was funny. Bill Murray is pretty good in it. Tried to get some ZZZ's but as usual failed - even in the large seat. The we had soe fruit and a croissant and we were on descent to AMS. Landed 30 minutes late so made up some time at least. I then waited inthe Crown lunge for the connection to ABZ - a really quick flight again. One hour later we touched down in ABZ.
Overall, I have written to KLM to complain about not contating me when they knew 10hrs before that the flight was cancelled (they have my details as I am PLatinum Elite), and about the NWA ground crew at terminal D. If they reply I will compliment the staff at terminal B and Minneapolis. I thought NWA cabin service was OK without being spectacular but those DC10's need to go. They are noisy, uncomfortable (for most!!) and grossly inefficient I'd imagine!
IAH - ABZ Eventually 14/5
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B744skipper
- Posts: 1509
- Joined: 21 Apr 2004, 00:00
The most I could get out of the NWA staf was that it was a mechanical fault before it left AMS in the afternoon. Maybe that was true - I suspect it is also possible that the outward flight was empty and the return less than full so they jsut canned it. I am waiting for an explanation from them. I feel that is they have all your details, then they should be telling you by phone what is going on especially whne the plane didn;t leave AMS!! I cancelled a golf game to make the flight!!!
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Prometheus
- Posts: 17
- Joined: 11 May 2005, 00:00
Well following on from my letter of complaint.....I got a reply from KL customer services and they cannot be faulted with the thoroughness of their reply. They had obviously went to investigate everyone of the complaints I made and were particularly apologetic about the ground crew in Houston Intercon terminal. No compensation due in the form of cash but did give me 15000 FD (or I guess Flying Blue?) miles for teh incovnvenience....fair play KLM. I was expecting a general standard letter with a form of f**k you written across three paragraphs but no....they made the effort. Well done.
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Sabena_690
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- Joined: 20 Sep 2002, 00:00