Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Suggestion Box

I really wish I knew where easyJet kept them, suggestion boxes that is.  Because I'd have quite a list to fill them up with.

I've managed to avoid flying with the discount airline since the Madeira mishap, which I'm still dealing with.  But, in regards to this past weekend, it was the cheapest and most convenient option.  I was like a naive fish who takes the bait, only to be reeled into an uncompromising situation. Except, for me, it wasn't the first time it happened, so I went knowing of the probable outcome and took it anyway. So, in essence, I was worse than the naive fish.  But even then, if you say I had it coming, we will no longer be friends.

In March (fresh after my prior easyJet fiasco), I booked my end of July weekend trip to London through them.  (Still, despite what you're thinking right now, I shouldn't have had it coming). 

Friday evening I arrived at the airport at 8pm for my 9:30pm flight.  I immediately looked at the departure info, only to discover there was a delay... of what I thought was 1.40 hrs.  So, I sent a text to my friend in London stating that I would come in a bit later.  I got a text in response saying "that's easyJet for you."

I went straight through to passport control, since I had checked-in online and was only taking carry-on luggage, and started to wait.  Thankfully I had just downloaded a new movie onto my iPod touch, which kept me occupied for a while.  By the time 9:45 rolled around, I went back to the flight information screen to see if there was an updated time of departure.  I hadn't seen one, but upon further observation, I discovered that the delay was not of 1.40 hrs.  The delay was UNTIL 1:40... AM.  Yes, the morning.  A 4+ hour, inconveniencing delay.

I tried finding a gate agent, unsuccessfully.  I walked back out to the departures hall to find a ticketing agent, but was unsuccessful in that as well.  (May I mention here that I got my passport stamped twice, without ever leaving the airport?)  When I walked over to the after-hours desk, I was informed that the easyJet representative wouldn't arrive for another 30 minutes (which would be 10:30pm).  So I called my friend while I waited, informing him of the situation, and told him that I'd hopefully arrive at a decent morning hour.

30 minutes later, I was given a new ticket for a 9:30 am flight.  I then went back home and went to bed, only to return to the airport 12 hours after initially arriving there.  Thankfully everything ran smoothly the second time around.

Suggestion to easyJetChange your name.  Possible alternatives can be:  you-get-what-you-pay-forJet, we-like-to-make-your-life-miserableJet, or (thought of by my father) pain-in-the-buttJet. 

1 comment:

ReL said...

Whew! At least everything worked out okay after the initial pain! Goodness gracious they need a really big suggestion box.