We’ve all had that flight experience- haven’t we? From bad food to poor customer service and stinky toilets, flight travel is not as rosy as it is always portrayed. And with Covid in the air, things have only become more difficult. British entrepreneur and traveller James Asquith – founder and CEO of Holiday Swap, took to social media to share his horrendous experience. This time, the airline under fire was one of the world’s biggest- Emirates. Here’s what happened.
Meanwhile, Here Are The Travel & Testing Rules For Those Travelling Abroad This Summer.
The Horrendous In-Flight Experience
James Asquith is the youngest person to have visited every sovereign country in the world. He is no stranger to the skies and also holds a Guinness record for his accomplishment. However, during one of his recent flights, the globe trooper managed to find faults with Emirates airlines. Click here to find out more about the rules and guidelines for expats returning to UAE.
Emirates, which had won accolades for Airline with the Best First Class, Airline with the Best Economy Class, Airline with the Best Frequent Flyer Program and Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East, was thrown under the fire by an unhappy passenger. James accused the airline for poor service, lack of response, false advertising and inadequate Business Class amenities. He wrote an open letter, to the President of Emirates, Tim Clark. The letter read:
“Dear Emirates Management,
I would like to take this opportunity to write you an open letter regarding my recent four Emirates flights…”
James’ in his post mentioned the harsh reality of what flying business class in Emirates looks like. On his flight from Indonesia to Riyadh, the frequent traveller had to experience a terrible flight. An airline known for serving delish in-flight meals made by top chefs was now shot down for serving sloppy food. When James raised the complaint with the customer care, it was left unattended until he finally forgot about it.
In addition, the seats were not comfortable as he was allotted a middle seat, which did not allow him to lay flat- a feature that most Business Class services provide. The frustration led to him questioning the airline where travellers were speeding their money as the cost attached to this kind of service simply did not justify.
The Infamous Air Canada Incident
Earlier in January, James take a dig at the cost of headphones, the veal served as an in-flight meal and the exorbitant cost of upgrading to business class. By way of apology, James insisted Air Canada should donate $1000 to help koala bears who are threatened by Australia’s wildfires. Asquith also said he would match the donation. The airline obliged to his request and offered some money for the bushfires.
In his recent emirates incident, James also mentioned that he had a lot of respect and regard for Air Canada’s PR department as they donated towards Australia’s bushfires. This says a lot about the company and its image especially when they fall short. On the other hand, James mentioned that Emirates delayed refunds, and responses to customers requests. James ended his letter requesting for a public apology as he did for Air Canada back in January. On that note, Emirates Refunded AED 1.9 Billion To Passengers In Two Months