Easyjet again

Well, I thought I may write this down in here, now I have linked to my Twitter account. A couple of weeks ago I ranted about the delay I had thanks to Easyjet, just another low cost company. As I stated there, after being quite faithful to them during my 3 years of weekly commuting between Paris and Madrid, they started losing my loyalty about a year ago. Firstly, they cut the number of flights between Madrid and Paris, so that I had to experience the joys of Transavia and in January this year, even non low cost companies like Air France or Iberia, or… Ryanair. My first flight with Transavia was delayed, but not 3 hours. They provided us with a bus to get us to a few places in Paris. Back in 2015, after having booked all my flights and receiving a cancellation, I complained via Easyjet’s facebook, receiving the most impersonal response ever.

Secondly, a flight from Paris to Madrid in September 2016 was cancelled. We were treated like rubbish. Yes, they offered an alternative. 36 hours afterwards. Reason for the cancellation: technical fault. Thanks to partners, friends and family (and Iberia), I was back «home» with my kids about 14 hours after the cancellation. Exhausted, having helped lots other people. Taking a train, bus, sleeping 4 hours, waking up, bus, train, bus, flight. I received the standard compensation: 250 euros. Whoever is interested can read what they should provide in «2. Right to care» and I can assure that nothing was provided while we waited for explanations and alternatives. I claimed at least 250 more for my time, energy and exhaustion. No answer has arrived from them.

Thirdly, two weeks ago my flight was delayed. Charles told me on the way to the gate that the delay was slightly over one hour. It turned out to be, due to technical faults again, over two hours and a half. At some point it seemed as if it was going to be over those three magical hours, when they have to reimburse 250 euros. They really seemed to hassle us (customers) so that they were under those three hours. No bus was provided after arriving after 2am at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. I shared a taxi. They said they would reimburse those 20 euros. I claimed more. One more time, no care was provided.

Last Sunday, I did what may be my last Madrid to Paris with easyjet. Perfectly on time. All was fine. The stewardess in Madrid Barajas were nice. But yet again, I felt the rush. In order to board more quickly, those on rows 15 to the end had to walk downstairs, take a bus for what could be the shortest bus route ever, and surely, walk up the steps into the plane. I had told my daughter I would call her again when I was on my seat. I couldn’t do it. Why? It took forever to shuffle customers to actually board efficiently, so after entering by the back door, I arrived to my row to find no space to place my small suitcase. A stewardess who was not very happy (I wasn’t happy either) came to make space for me. By the time I sat down, the plane had started to move.

So easyjet is cetainly not the nice low cost company of which I used to think more or less highly. Unhappy customers and unhappy staff. But surely it is providing benefits to whoever has optimised it so tightly, the guy who applies the algorithm, the guy that decides no more planes can be bought in case something goes wrong with a plane, or more staff to sort out what go wrong.

dear easyjet

I used to like your airline quite a lot. Back in 2010, our family flight from Madrid to London Gatwick had to come back to Madrid after going through an electric storm shortly after taking off. It was too late to reroute or offer an alternative, but early the day after all passengers who wanted to continue with their trip were provided an early flight. True, we didn’t sleep enough. The hotel where we stayed did not provide breakfast so early. But we felt easyjet was doing their best to accomodate for our needs.

I’m sorry to say that seems no longer to be the case. I’ve been flying back and forth between Madrid and Paris for over 3 years now. For the first two years, I was quite okay with the company. But when I went to do my 2015 winter bookings, the 9:30 flight Madrid-CDG had been eliminated for several months. I used facebook to ask what happened, since it was always busy. Even the ground stuff in Madrid were surprised. Useless reply.

I started using your competitors, as much as I loved booking all my flights in one go. I had a flight cancelled weeks in advance. That’s when I got the useless reply. Poor planning? Some computer algorithm decided that that flight was better cancelled to use the aircraft from Krakow to Luton, say?

In august 2016 I booked my latest batch of Madrid-CDG, CDG-Madrid. The first return was cancelled as we were entering the finger.  It was the first time I learnt I had the right to 250 euros, so that was a change for good (or so I thought). I not only requested those 250, but after spending hours at the airport and helping other passengers, going back to where I stay in Paris and taking an early flight through Orly to Madrid so that I could spend time with my kids and not 36 hours in a hotel near the airport, I claimed transport, breakfast and time and energy. Sorry, I didn’t have receipts for those.

I only got 250 and no reply to the expenses complaint. Over a month afterwards I received my cheque, issued by an American bank through The Netherlands.

Yesterday, Nov 20th, my flight was delayed. Initially a bit over 1 hour. Then to over 3 hours. I got to know the guy at the information desk. We arrived according to Paris airports at 01:30, ETA was 22:55. The initial expected departure after the delay was 23:45, but it really looked as if you were trying not to make it beyond those 3 hours. No matter what’s stated on your website about delays and cancellations  about «Right to care». I was not given any care either at the airport or during the flight. No food or drinks were provided, no telephone calls or emails or faxes, no transport upon arrival. I shared a car with someone who was staying near me in Paris. Our flight was not re-routed, just a «technical fault», like the cancellation in September 2016. Your expenses form asks for a question. This is not a question, it is a complaint. I have filed both.

I believe the patience, time, energy and sleep deprivation of your passengers are worth more than money, whether 250, 125 or thousands. Should I not hear from you briefly, I shall proceed legal actions agains such customer abuse.

Yours sincerely,

Angeles Rodriguez de Cara