Airline services<\/p>\n
From time to time we read in the Letters column complaints
\nabout various airlines. Usually these concern bad service, lost
\nluggage, delayed\/canceled flights, etc.<\/p>\n
Now I have a tale to add to the bad service category. Last
\nyear, I booked my return flight London-Jakarta-London (far bigger
\ndiscounts in London) by Royal Brunei Airlines because their
\nbusiness class fare was the cheapest, except for Garuda (I should
\npoint out that I cannot really afford business class, but as of
\n1995, when I became an octogenarian, I decided that I must have a
\nlittle more comfort in long haul flights).<\/p>\n
Imagine my dismay when my wife and I were not offered the
\ntraditional champagne welcome which normally awaits
\nbusiness\/first class passengers. Just orange juice -- Royal
\nBrunei is "dry"! Luckily I had my duty free from London, so was
\nable to make myself a Bloody Mary or two during the long tedious
\nflight, which included a long (three or four hour) wait in Brunei
\nAirport's tatty little "VIP Lounge" (dry!).<\/p>\n
Having bought return tickets, we are stuck with Royal Brunei
\nfor our return to London. This involves an over nine-hour wait in
\nthe aforesaid tatty VIP lounge (arrive Brunei at 2:05 p.m. and
\nleave for Dubai\/London at 11:20 p.m.).<\/p>\n
I have complained in vain to the country manager (who is
\nsympathetic, but powerless to help). The stark truth is that
\nRoyal Brunei strands its passengers (all classes) for nine-and-a-
\nquarter hours at the airport with no kind of provision for giving
\nthem a meal. I find this quite incredible and unacceptable for a
\nso-called international airline. Therefore, I propose to take a
\ntaxi to (probably) the Sheraton, (there is no airport hotel) and
\ngive my wife and myself a decent dinner. I also propose to
\npresent the bill to Royal Brunei, which they will undoubtedly
\nrefuse to pay, but I shall, I hope, have shamed them into taking
\nbetter care of their passengers.<\/p>\n
RB SAWREY-COOKSON<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/airline-services-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }