Austrian Airlines should be grounded
 

We, our family of four, fly internationally about twice a month.

This is the first time we flew Austrian Airlines.

All our reservations were confirmed via e-mail.

The London (LHR) to Vienna (VIE) part of the flight was fine. It's was the completion segment, to Tel Aviv (TLV) that they lied and messed up our confirmed reservations.

We had ordered special meals which, although were confirmed both on the e-mails received weeks and days before the flight but also at check-in in London that the crew claimed they had no record of. The crew did show me the list of special meals and our names were absent.

I did an online check in, with seat selection, a day before our flight. The best seats I could select on the Vienna to Tel Aviv were all the way in the back. When I checked in for the flight in London I asked if there were better seats, i.e. closer to the front as the only row I could pick together was all the way in the back. The person who checked us in looked and said that the only seats we could have all together were the ones I selected so I agreed to those and also received a confirmation that they were prepared for our special dietary needs.

When we went to get on board we were all stopped. They claimed our boarding passes were no good because they changed aircraft. This was not true. What they had done was move my seat from being with my young children on a aisle seat the the front of the jet in the middle seat.

They evidentially moved my seat to accommodate a family of 3, who told me the agent who seated them specifically said, I'll move the person in one of the seats because he's flying alone - which of course not true.

I tried to complain to Austrian Airlines but the main number stated they only accept complaints via e-mail. I asked how do I avoid this kind of nonsense on the return flight and again I was told that I had to write to Customer Service because they do not talk with passengers!