Excuse for Not Attending to Call Button on Int'l Flights

Simon L. · #1 2nd April 2009, 01:45 PM

Maybe I have spent too time flying with Asian carriers over the last few years, but the crew on a recent Qantas international flight really surprised me (I know this may very well be an "isolated case" that doesn't represent the normal service standard on Qantas, but I still think such thing should have never happened on any Qantas flight if Qantas still wants to be considered as a "somewhat top-notch international carrier").

Anyway, I won't go into great details on the actual flight etc., but on this particular flight I pressed the "service call button" at least four times (waited for way over half-hour until finally attended to), and I politely asked the crew: "Excuse me but do you realise it has been over 30 minutes since I first pressed the call button?"

A cool response from the crew: "Sorry sir, but too many inexperienced passengers on these international flights press the call button for the sake of trying it out." So, this gives cabin crew members a good excuse for not attending to call buttons in a timely manner?

I really think the cabin crew has to be retrained in customer services.

Regards.

Bernie P · #2 2nd April 2009, 01:53 PM

On my recent flight from Doha (Dubai-Syd leg EK412), when I pressed the call button, the Flight Attendant was with me with a couple of minutes and addressed me by my surname! Now THATS service!!!

Rhys Xanthis · #3 2nd April 2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bernie P

On my recent flight from Doha (Dubai-Syd leg EK412), when I pressed the call button, the Flight Attendant was with me with a couple of minutes and addressed me by my surname! Now THATS service!!!

I assume you flew in Business class?

Owen H · #4 2nd April 2009, 02:07 PM

While it is true that a lot of the call button presses are "false alarms" so to speak (kids love pressing them, and people tend to lean on them when they are asleep) that is of course no excuse for it to take that long to attend to you.

If you had an issue with the excuse given, you are always within your rights to ask to speak to the cabin manager, and raise your issue of service, and the response with them, or write to the customer service department and express your concern.

There isn't much Qantas can do unless you let them know about the problem.

Simon L. · #5 2nd April 2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owen H

While it is true that a lot of the call button presses are "false alarms" so to speak (kids love pressing them, and people tend to lean on them when they are asleep) that is of course no excuse for it to take that long to attend to you.

If you had an issue with the excuse given, you are always within your rights to ask to speak to the cabin manager, and raise your issue of service, and the response with them, or write to the customer service department and express your concern.

There isn't much Qantas can do unless you let them know about the problem.

Thanks Owen, I did eventually speak to the cabin service manager and she did make an apology with a small bottle of red "for the poor service I experienced" (as in her own words).

Being someone who works in the same industry, I hate to be complaining about any individual staff, given the CSM's sincere apology and this mindset, I finally decided not to write to Qantas customer services.

However I do think some cabin crew members need to realise that they are actually being paid to provide attentive services to passengers (of course plus other duties as well).

Cheers.

Owen H · #6 2nd April 2009, 02:32 PM

I'm glad you raised the issue with the crew, and the CSM did what she could to rectify the situation. I'm sure the CSM would have raised the issue with the crewmembers involved, to hopefully prevent it happening again.

That said, I'm not sure what more anyone can do... the manager acknowledged the shortfall and has done what she can to solve it.

Saying that the crew didn't do their job isn't going to achieve much on here... but if you try PpRune Cabin Crew forums I'm sure you'll get a few people going

David Ramsay · #7 2nd April 2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

On my recent flight from Doha (Dubai-Syd leg EK412), when I pressed the call button, the Flight Attendant was with me with a couple of minutes and addressed me by my surname! Now THATS service!!!

Now THATS Emirates!!

I flew Emirates for the first time AKL-MEL-AKL a couple of weeks back. I was in an exit row with an FA sitting in the jump seat opposite me on take off and landing. We were chatting on landing and she commented that I hadn't asked her for anything during the flight. "We are here to serve you, sir. You just have to ask ... and the alcohol is free."

... and no, Rhys, I wasn't in business class.

Hugh Jarse · #8 2nd April 2009, 03:47 PM

That reminds me of a yarn told to me by a QF capt friend of mine:

"How do you stop a QF hostie from having an o&^asm?"

"Press the call button, she'll never come"

Sorry if it's a little crass, but that was over 10 years ago. At least QF longhaul service is consistent

Geoff W · #9 2nd April 2009, 06:03 PM

This is a topic close to my heart.

We have just completed a RTW trip, the bulk of which was in J class.
Carriers in J were Qantas, British Airways, American, Cathay, DragonAir, Japan Airlines and finally Jalways into Brisbane from Tokyo.

I probably should say this was self funded, so I think I can speak from the wallet side.

My previous experiences with QF international have not been so good, this time they were brilliant.

I have to concede, the flight with BA from London to Dubai was pathetic. We had had great service on two other flights with BA.

On the Dubai flight the male cabin attendant did NOTHING but yawn through the whole pre flight safety demonstration video. He was standing at the separation point of Y to J.

It wasn’t a good look.

Airlines have such a hard time trying to attract passenger’s attention during the safety demonstration, without their own staff YAWNING through it all.

I have almost covered another thread here, but I think it’s rude not to pay attention when someone is doing a demonstration, that hopefully I won’t EVER need.

I have heard it many times before also; still believe you need to pay attention for a couple of minutes.

Have also been in a situation that David refers, to where I have been addressed personally in Y.

My experience EK is great on the same route.

I think it comes back to passenger attitude as well, (in NO way am I having a go at you Simon)

We saw MANY grumpy J class passengers on our trip.
“The lounge wasn’t good enough, no specific J boarding area” , hey there were 6 of us! Give me a break.

Some people just can’t enjoy anymore.

Poor service isn’t on either.

Regards,

Geoff

Greg McDonald · #10 2nd April 2009, 07:23 PM

I'm not a Qantas basher but I have found over the years that their service on international legs especially has got consistently worse. If you're asking for drinks service, the first one normally arrives fairly promptly but it's all downhill from there. I've also had the same experience and actually had to go find a cabin crew member after a considerable time and ask them personally. When I complained about the service I was told that they were so busy they simply couldn't come. This is after I sat for at least 15 minutes watching 3 cabin crew having a great old chat and laugh!!
This has happened on a lot more than one occasion also. Makes you wonder if there's not an unwritten rule out there that although drinks are 'free' good luck actually getting one!!
And before anyone implies it, I've never had more than 3 drinks on any flight so this is not a matter of limiting drinks because of quantity.