Airline services

Airline services

From time to time we read in the Letters column complaints
about various airlines. Usually these concern bad service, lost
luggage, delayed/canceled flights, etc.

Now I have a tale to add to the bad service category. Last
year, I booked my return flight London-Jakarta-London (far bigger
discounts in London) by Royal Brunei Airlines because their
business class fare was the cheapest, except for Garuda (I should
point out that I cannot really afford business class, but as of
1995, when I became an octogenarian, I decided that I must have a
little more comfort in long haul flights).

Imagine my dismay when my wife and I were not offered the
traditional champagne welcome which normally awaits
business/first class passengers. Just orange juice -- Royal
Brunei is "dry"! Luckily I had my duty free from London, so was
able to make myself a Bloody Mary or two during the long tedious
flight, which included a long (three or four hour) wait in Brunei
Airport's tatty little "VIP Lounge" (dry!).

Having bought return tickets, we are stuck with Royal Brunei
for our return to London. This involves an over nine-hour wait in
the aforesaid tatty VIP lounge (arrive Brunei at 2:05 p.m. and
leave for Dubai/London at 11:20 p.m.).

I have complained in vain to the country manager (who is
sympathetic, but powerless to help). The stark truth is that
Royal Brunei strands its passengers (all classes) for nine-and-a-
quarter hours at the airport with no kind of provision for giving
them a meal. I find this quite incredible and unacceptable for a
so-called international airline. Therefore, I propose to take a
taxi to (probably) the Sheraton, (there is no airport hotel) and
give my wife and myself a decent dinner. I also propose to
present the bill to Royal Brunei, which they will undoubtedly
refuse to pay, but I shall, I hope, have shamed them into taking
better care of their passengers.

RB SAWREY-COOKSON

Jakarta