Flight LH 620 FRARUH
Date: 23JUL 2010
Passenger Names: Linus Huber & Jomelin Consulta
Seats: 41A, 41C
I live since 30 years in the Middle East and travel yearly 1 to 2 times to Switzerland
and 2 to 3 times to the Far East. During all my travel during these years I did never
experience anything similar to what happened to me on the above flight.
My wife, who visibly is pregnant (7,5 months) and I boarded flight LH 620 about 2 hours
after the scheduled time. Beside the delay caused by the fact that the plane arrived late
from the USA as per the Captain's explanation, everything went smooth and we got our
reserved seats, the flight took off, we got our apero and our meal and I enjoyed a movie
and later on a second movie. After the trays had been cleared my wife was looking to get
an additional glass of water and I intended to have a final whiskey cola, that I would
consume well ahead of the expected arrival time.
I indicated my wish to have some additional drinks to a stewardess passing by. She in turn
indicated that we should wait until the duty free sales would have been executed. Well, I
waited and it seemed this duty free sale took an extraordinary long time and seemed to be
very important to the crew. After a while, as hardly ever any stewardess was visible, I
pressed the button that indicated that I wished to have some service. All the while I was
watching the movie, and when wondering why no one came to asked me, I found that the light
indicating my wish for service had been switched off. Well, I thought there must have been
some malfunction and pressed it again. After a while I saw that the light was off again,
a really curious situation. From my position I was able to see the area where
drinks were prepared and I saw a passenger filling a plastic cup with water. So, as I
already was waiting in the range of an hour to get an additional glass of water for
my wife, I got up and went to that counter and poured a glass of water. While pouring
the water Ms Diana Maguhn prompted me with a sharp voice: "we have no self service here!".
I retorted that I am not getting served and took the water to my wife.
I felt like any request for additional drinks was met with resistance for reasons unknown
to me but as I still wanted to have my final drink before arriving in Riyadh, I press the
service button again and checked it this time more often, as I could not explain why it
always was turned off before. By chance I saw a hand from over the right side of my head
reaching for the switch-off button and when I turned I saw Ms Diana Maguhn in the move to
get back to the service area. I prompted her and expressed my outrage with the question,
what she was doing switching off the light without asking me what I wish to be served. She
visibly felt caught in the act and stumbled:"Do you want some water?". I explained her that
I wish to have a whiskey and she replied that there was only water. Well, I thought we are
probably already too close to Riyadh and the crew did not serve anymore alcohol. I was clearly
annoyed by the behaviour of Ms Diana Maguhn, went to the crew and asked for the supervisor
or purser in order to place a complaint. I was not aware at this point in time that Ms
Diana Maguhn was herself the purser. Well, she turned up and explained me that she is the
purser and any complaints I could place with her, indicating with a descending smile that
she was fully in charge and I was supposedly at her mercy. I told her whether she thinks
she feels kind of superior and she better stop that smile or I may become louder. Well,
after my sharp rebuke she left and I was extremely unhappy to have been treated this way.
When I saw that another passenger got a beer from a stewardess, I was surprised as I
thought no alcoholic drinks would be served. When I asked that stewardess she explained me
that I already had 3 gin an tonics, which was incorrect (I had a beer for apero and a glass
of wine with the meal). I asked who the person is that served me those drinks and anyway she
could ask my wife what I had drunk. She replied that she had been informed this way and she
could not help me.
I did not understand anymore the situation. So I talked to the steward and explained him
my point of view and asked him whether I do make the impression of being drunk or what the
problem might be. Well he confirmed that I seem to be ok and explained that Ms. Diana
Maguhn has a very important function for the safety on the flight and he could not do any-
thing. As with the stewardess before, I asked him to please let me see the other purser
on the plane that i would be able to place my complain.
When Ms Diana Maguhn approached me again, I told her that I do not wish to be addressed by
her anymore but she ignored me and informed me that she would hand me over to the police
in Riyadh and that she had informed the Captain and whatever else in her resolute (some may
say dictatorial) voice, as before.
I had difficulties to understand what was going on but realized slowly that Ms Diana
Maguhn must have reported me to be disturbing the situation on the plane and threatening
her or something like that. As of this time I stopped talking except stating clearly that
I insist to see the other purser. My request was denied.
When, upon arrival in Riyadh, deboarding I talked shortly to the other purser, Ms. B.
Schnoelzer and explained her what a frustrating experience i went through on this flight and
that this was my last flight with Lufthansa.
To summarize it in short:
My wife and I were not only not served but treated in an insulting way by Ms. Diana
Maghun; my outrage of this misbehaviour was scandalized and when I was trying to place a
complain and correct the situation I was threatened to be handed over to the police and
refused to include another person to resolve the matter. Simply unbelievable - BUT TRUE!!!
The following is the list of Ms Diana Maguhn's misbehavior:
1. Switching off my "request for service" light secretly, and consequently not serving my
wife and me any drinks, potentially endangering the health of my wife and future child
(dehydration can cause harm to a pregnant woman and her child).
2. Telling lies about my alcohol consumption towards her steward/ess in order to justify
the fact of having repeatedly switched off the light without asking what we wished to have.
3. Telling incorrect/incomplete stories about me and misrespresenting the facts towards the
Captain in which me the passenger seemed to be threatening and potentially dangerous and, in
turn threatening me with the police.
4. Refusal to include any third person in order to avoid that the real situation comes
to light.
Well, my reading of all this is, that Lufthansa either has some shortcomings in the
selection of personnel, inadequate training of pursers, insufficiant number of per-
sonnel on this (and maybe other) flight(s) or a combination of these three aspects. For
me the subject is closed as Lufthansa does not exist anymore for me.
Linus Huber
P.O.Box 5098
Riyadh 11422
Saudi Arabia
Tel. 00966-1-2922412
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