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Just a few weeks ago, I was in First Class on Swiss on my return flight from Zurich to Miami. There were only 2 of us in First. I was already looking forward to the “caviar tasting” with 3 different types of caviar, which they typically offer when there are not too many people flying.
After we push back from the gate and align for the runway, the pilot does his standard engine check, and finds there is a problem with one engine. So it’s back to the gate, waiting for the repair crew to arrive – so far nothing special, that happens quite often – but this time, after about 60 minutes in the plane, the pilot announces that the engine cannot be fixed, and thus we need to de-plane. Luckily, he mentioned at the same time that Swiss had found a backup plane, and we could still take off today after the bags are re-loaded into the new one.
The second first class passenger and I are having some snacks in the amazing Zurich First Class Lounge, when an airline manager comes in and tells us that we have two choices – either fly today but in Business, or wait until tomorrow and keep our class.
And it was not because the new plane didn’t have any First Class – no, it was because the flight crew were to “occupy” the entire First Class section to “rest”!! They had to do overtime because of the delay and the long flight, and agreed to do the delayed flight only if they had “First Class” beds to “rest”. Made no sense to me, but that’s what it was. No First Class for us, First Class for the flight attendants.
used to be passengers took presidence over ALL non paying crew…….FAA Regulation.
I don’t know if that’s a common occurrence, but I hope you were refunded the difference in cost!
Swiss should have offered an overnight stay in a four or five star hotel including transportation.
Typical Swiss response – selfish and self-centered.
I was coming back on a Swiss flight to Los Angeles, booked into business, and at the gate they announced that although I had booked at the last minute, and paid a huge amount for my ticket, I was being moved to coach because business was oversold. And they would pay me $1,500.!!! I said NO, and if I was to spend the night in Zurich it was going to be at a 5* hotel. They were only offering a “downtown” hotel. After a great deal of discussion I was finally able to board the plan, although it was more than an hour late because of the oversell.
Swiss can be wonderful, but the insecurity of the arrangements has made me decide I would rather change planes in Paris, Amsterdam or London rather than take a chance on Swiss.
I had flown Swiss Airline several times in the past . They should have put you up in a 5* hotel ! After all , those First Class tickets are exuberant ! On the other hand , you want to have a crew who has rested and not sleep deprived !!! They should anticipate these problems and know exactly what to do !
Seems a more customer focused response would be to just move the biz class customers to first and have the crew sleep in the lie down beds in biz.
On an Aer Lingus business (no first) class flight Dublin to Miami I ordered the chicken. When being served I was told they had runout!! (It was only chicken for God sake!!). It so happened that a slew of Aer Lingus were upgraded from economy before take-off…. hence the “missing” chicken. So much for the paying customer.
Several years ago I booked a first class flight from PWM to SJU Ten from SAN to PWM.{ We went on a cruise thru the panama canal}
I purchased four first class tickets for the trip. I paid what UNITED asked me to Pay. When we got to the gate we informed that we had been down graded and our seats sold to passenger with” higher status”.
This was close to a seven hour flight and I had my 82 yr mother and my 75 yr old uncle with me. So what do you do if you argue to much you get an escort out.
We were stuck to take that flight in order to get home. I will never fly UNITED again.
UNITED needed the money more than I did. I was too pissed to even ask for a refund.. So people don’t fly UNITED
Wait wasn’t it UNITED forcefully removed a passenger????
Too many issues with United to list and the write-ups would only further depress me. I am a whisper from 1,000,000 UA miles after 45 years on the road and 20 years of pretty interesting air travel. I have finally decided that I will not be looking at United as my first travel option after my latest not-so-nice encounter with UA.
All that being said, I still love flying. Occasionally in First, Frequently in Business and as often as not in Coach. See you on the road.
Selfish! The customer should always come first.