OK, you're sorry, so DO something!
Written: Sep 10 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Newish plane, leg room not bad
Cons: Punctuality, boarding chaos, uncaring service, poor food, crew attitude, Amman airport, shall I go on?
The Bottom Line: Nobody cares.
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| vodkaboy's Full Review: Royal Jordanian Airlines |
It was kind of a last minute trip, to spend a few days in Amman, Jordan, travelling with the Managing Director (my wife) and the CEO (the 1 month old baby) and the President (my mum).
I'd always had a good impression of Royal Jordanian. After all, they are a "Royal" airline - as good sign. I'd read a couple of good reviews. I'd heard they were good.
Jordan is a lovely country and the people are among the warmest, friendliest and most hospitable I have ever met, so I was sure that the airline would reflect that and the people would be nice, so I felt relaxed. HA!
BOOKING
I booked the flight a few days ahead. The flight was scheduled to leave at 16.50. However, the day before, when I picked up the ticket from their agent, I saw that it had been rescheduled to 22.45, almost five hours later. This is not a reschedule, it is a delay, but at least we were warned in advance. Did I saw warned? I should have been.
That evening I tried to call to book a carrycot for our one month old baby. I could not get through to the local office so I called international to Royal Jordanian in Jordan. The first time I got disconnected, the second time I couldn't get through. Finally I got through to someone who told me the flight had been delayed further, to 0015, arriving in the small hours. Also she would request a carrycot seat but could not confirm...but maybe. HA!
Suddenly what had looked like a relatively easy journey was begining to seem more like an ordeal.
CHECK IN
We rolled up to check in 90 minutes before (the third) departure time. At first they would not be able to get us seats together, let alone with a carrycot. The flight started in Pakistan, stopping here then ending up in Amman, and it was pretty full. I argued that we must have seats together, I could not believe that in the whole flight there were not 3 seats together. The supervisor popped over, took one look at our baby, didn't say a word to us but instructed the agent to give us seats together. Suddenly the impossible happened. We had seats together - and he promised us that the seat next to us would be empty so we could put the baby between us. Excellent? HA!
BOARDING
I had yet another premonition when half an hour before (alleged) departure time they hadn't called the flight. We got to the gate area and found it pretty full, but we found a couple of seats and sat down. The plane was not parked outside, so I figured it would be a bus from the gate to the plane. At 0015 I asked the gate agent when we would be boarding. Soon, I was assured. I asked about the bus to the aircraft and they said yes, but not to worry as they would call families with babies first.
That much was true, they started boarding 5 minutes after the 3rd attempt at a departure time and they called families first. But nobody listened or cared, and nobody from the airline bothered; there was a stampede for the door, with able-bodied men shoving and pushing kids, women, us. We saw someone with crutches getting into an elevator and decided to join them, but two men tried to push us out until we told them where to go. We ended up near the front of the queue out to the bus but were constantly being shoved and pushed. Other families with babies were trying to work their way to the front and fit single men were trying to squeeze or shove their way closer. It was actually just as pathetic as it was annoying, how everyone was so determined to be first.
Of course getting off the bus at the aircraft steps was equally like a stampede and again there was no attempt to get babies or disabled up first, it was everyone for themself. Anyway we got on and found our seats, nowhere near a carry cot position of course. We settled down, putting baby on a seat between us. Then suddenly someone loomed over us. "This is my seat". What a surprise. HA!
At this point I had enough. I apologised to him, and explained to the stewardess that were were promised an empty seat as they had not given us a carrycot. "I'm sorry," she said, bored. I pointed out the flight was late, we had to fight to get on board. "I'm sorry," she said again and shrugged. She spoke to him in Arabic, they both stared at me. "I've been lied to enough tonight," I said. "I'm sorry," she answered and shrugged. Eventually she wandered off and got him another seat elsewhere, I apologised and thanked him.
SEAT AND CABIN
We were in economy on a new Airbus A340. Well, it was new, the airline flagship, but it was tatty. The carpet, black with small red and white triangles, looked nice and stylish but worn. The seats were also tatty - my armrest was loose and felt like it would come off if I pulled it hard. The cabin had also not been cleaned - I found a dried out half orange in my seat pocket. Of our four seats, only one pocket contained a magazine.
The legroom was reasonable - I was not uncomfortable at least. I was distracted by a constant "ding dong" chime which rang about every 20 seconds all the time that we were on the ground. It turned out that it was a passenger call bell; the buttons are in the armrests and people are forever inadvertently ringing them. Instead of fixing this, the crew just ignored it!
DEPARTURE
Before we departed they showed the safety video, which was preceded by a brief reading from the Koran.
As the engines were started there was a bad smell for a minute or two, it smelled like something very hot - not burning. I don't know what it was, it was not overpowering b but strong and noticeable, then disappeared as quickly as it had started.
As we started to move, newspapers were distributed half heartedly by a lethargic stewardess.
On take off the merits of the Airbus A340 finally showed. It is very quiet - apparently the quietest aircraft in its class. Even half way back in economy, it was very quiet even on takeoff.
IN FLIGHT SERVICE
Out of the whole crew there was one steward that was friendly and cheerful and one stewardess who was half way pleasant. The rest, really, didn't care or give any indication that they could be bothered. Everything was mechanical, routine, going through the motions.
As the aircraft was climbing, an information video was shown on the TV screens hanging down from the centre of the ceiling - despite being a new aircraft, they haven't got to seat-back video yet. Headsets were distributed free - the ear pieces that clip over the ear, quite uncomfortable I find but others disagree.
Miss "I'm Sorry" distributed hot paper towels, then came round with a garbage bag; she stood holding it open, staring until I figured out she wanted me to drop the used towel into the bag.
Then the Meal was dished out - before they had offered a drink. The choice was beef, fish or chicken. I asked for chicken, she said okay, then "I'm sorry", only beef is available now. I said ok I'll have beef. "I'm Sorry, now we have only chicken." OK. I'll have whatever there is.
The meal tray contained a small cup of water, a salad comprising tomato, cucumber and a tube of watery mayo. The hot dish was lumps of chicken, slightly spicy, with onions and chickpeas. Desert was a mush of stewed apples with cream. There was also a couple of crackers and a tub of cheese. It was edible, but I have had better meals on Aeroflot. Served by more friendly people too.
Throughout the flight the call bells rang incessantly. I asked one of the stewardesses about it. "Yes we know it is a problem. I'm sorry." Deja vu.
ARRIVAL
As we came in to land I noticed that the lights out of the window seemed rather close. Suddenly the announcement was made, "Cabin Crew Seats for Landing". One stewardess started walking swiftly down the aisle and literally seconds later, as she passed my seat, we landed. As the brakes were applied and the plane slowed, she hung onto my seatback. She laughed. I would have been livid.
Due to the delay, instead of arriving in Amman early evening we arrived in the small hours, about 3.30am or something like that - having been delayed three times I stopped caring about the time.
Now, most people need a visa to go into Jordan but almost everyone can get a visa on arrival at the airport, which is what we had planned to do. However, visas have to be paid for in local currency, Jordanian Dinar. Of course you need to do this before you enter the country - so where do you get the dinar? Well, if you know in advance then you buy them before you fly. If you don't, the no problem, there is a currency exchange in the passport hall - except it is not open at 3.30 in the morning!
"Excuse me, where can I change money?" I asked the one airline person there.
"Exchange," he pointed me towards it.
"But it is closed," I pointed out.
He looked at his watch. "Yes, it is late", he said, and wandered off.
After half an hour wandering around, in which the baby woke up and started howling, someone pointed me through a corridor which said "Staff only" towards the departures area. I followed the "staff only" signs and found myself in departures duty free area and finally tracked down a bank. I changed some money, ran back, past a security guard who barely glanced at me as I went through the "staff only" channel and found my family again! The immigration official had let them through the first hurdle and they were waiting for me to arrive with the money. I paid the visas, and at last we were through.
RETURN FLIGHT
I wish I could say it was better but it wasn't. We did get the carrycot on the return but when they put it up it appeared a bit unstable, and grubby. The crew were as disinterested in us. However there was one woman with a baby sat across the aisle from us and they could not do enough for her. I don't know who she was but while they barely cast us a glance, they doted on her. I was told to get out of the way for her once, "she is sick". Well, as she moved around, ate, drank, smiled, laughed and chatted she looked pretty well to me! I was disgusted.
SUMMARY
I had expected much better; I had a preconception that Royal Jordanian would be good. I am assured they are much better on European routes, but unless they put the clean, tidy aircraft, punctual departures and interested crew to Europe and the dross on Middle Eastern flights, I would be surprised.
I am flying with them again, not out of choice, in a couple of weeks so I will look forward to it with interest to see if really I was just unlucky.
Recommended:
No
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vodkaboy
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Location: Somewhere over here
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