[wtz]

(Lan Chile and American Airline service is going from bad to worse


while flying back home from Easter Island to New York)

On a recent trip to Easter Island to photograph the total eclipse of the sun for WorldTimeZone.com, I fell and broke my ankle. I am grateful to the people of Easter Island and other eclipse attendees for their assistance during my stay, which enabled me to stay on to photograph the event. However, the airline service I received on both LAN Chile and American Airlines (a code share flight with LAN Chile) 9 days after being injured fell short.

Seven days in advance of my return flights (July 14-15, 2010, Easter Island-Santiago-Miami-Newark), I presented medical papers to the LAN Chile office on Easter Island, which stated that I was to keep my ankle elevated for the duration of the 5 hour, then connecting 9 hour flights (to avoid a blot clot condition -deep vein thrombosis). They said they had made a note in the passenger record that I would need assistance.

On the day of travel, I thought that Lan Chile would be able to accommodate me with a seat where I could keep my leg elevated during the 5 hours flight from Easter Island to Santiago (flight LA 1335, July 14, 2010). However, I had to keep my leg elevated by myself, without any support for the broken leg, against the wall of the bulkhead in front of me.

When I asked the flight attendants if there was any seat available to move with more space to elevate my leg, I was told I could not move, even though two entire business class sections of the Airbus A 340 were completely empty.

Things got worse on the connecting 9 hour flight from Santiago to Miami on American Airlines
(flight AA 912-LA 5502, July 14, 2010).
This time the affected fractured ankle was in the aisle, on a corner, directly in the way of in-flight service cart, flight attendants, or any wandering passenger. The fact that this was a night flight and the lights would be dimmed made this seat location the most dangerous for my broken leg.

So seated with my crutches between my legs, not a single AA flight attendant in the economy and business section cared to notice my situation or condition. I had to ask 3 or 4 different flight attendants for help and nothing happened.

When I pressed the flight attendant call button (to take my crutches), it took 20 mins. for a crew member to show up- seems they did not hear the call bell and did not see the light above me.

When I asked Santiago-based flight attendants if I could move somewhere to a seat, where I can keep my broken leg elevated- I was told that the only way I could use 1 empty business class seat for a portion of the flight was if I would pay the difference for the class of service change. I had already paid close to $3,000.00 for this itinerary.

After 2 hours into flight, I was able to speak directly with flight purser to whom I stated that being loyal AA passenger and frequent flyer holder, this is the worst scenario I encountered during all my international travel and that I was very concerned about my leg being swollen and not elevated during 9 hours flight.
The Flight purser then arranged for me to move an emergency exit row which did have more leg room but no way to elevate the leg.

So, with my apologies to the passenger in the row ahead of mine, I had to place my old-fashioned plaster cast from Easter Island on the top of the seat in front of me.

I am always aware and sensitive toward the hard work flight attendants do, especially during international flights.
However this is the first time I had mixed feelings, sensing that the flight attendants were not at all empathetic and rather neglectful. Because of this, I felt like a prisoner in this inhospitable cabin, afraid to even ask for water or any other assistance.

In all, the return flights were an exercise in frustration and poor service. Understandably the airlines are trying to make money but there should be some allowances for passengers who are injured while away from home and are trying to return.

After all, the seats were empty anyhow and no one was asking for a seat to be given up. Passengers are not asking for special assistance because they want a free ride in business class, they are trying to avoid further personal injury, limit the disruption of service to other passengers, and get home in one piece.

[NewJerseyDevils]

Originally Posted by wtz

(Lan Chile and American Airline service is going from bad to worse


while flying back home from Easter Island to New York)

On a recent trip to Easter Island to photograph the total eclipse of the sun for WorldTimeZone.com, I fell and broke my ankle. I am grateful to the people of Easter Island and other eclipse attendees for their assistance during my stay, which enabled me to stay on to photograph the event. However, the airline service I received on both LAN Chile and American Airlines (a code share flight with LAN Chile) 9 days after being injured fell short.

Seven days in advance of my return flights (July 14-15, 2010, Easter Island-Santiago-Miami-Newark), I presented medical papers to the LAN Chile office on Easter Island, which stated that I was to keep my ankle elevated for the duration of the 5 hour, then connecting 9 hour flights (to avoid a blot clot condition -deep vein thrombosis). They said they had made a note in the passenger record that I would need assistance.

On the day of travel, I thought that Lan Chile would be able to accommodate me with a seat where I could keep my leg elevated during the 5 hours flight from Easter Island to Santiago (flight LA 1335, July 14, 2010). However, I had to keep my leg elevated by myself, without any support for the broken leg, against the wall of the bulkhead in front of me.

When I asked the flight attendants if there was any seat available to move with more space to elevate my leg, I was told I could not move, even though two entire business class sections of the Airbus A 340 were completely empty.

Things got worse on the connecting 9 hour flight from Santiago to Miami on American Airlines
(flight AA 912-LA 5502, July 14, 2010).
This time the affected fractured ankle was in the aisle, on a corner, directly in the way of in-flight service cart, flight attendants, or any wandering passenger. The fact that this was a night flight and the lights would be dimmed made this seat location the most dangerous for my broken leg.

So seated with my crutches between my legs, not a single AA flight attendant in the economy and business section cared to notice my situation or condition. I had to ask 3 or 4 different flight attendants for help and nothing happened.

When I pressed the flight attendant call button (to take my crutches), it took 20 mins. for a crew member to show up- seems they did not hear the call bell and did not see the light above me.

When I asked Santiago-based flight attendants if I could move somewhere to a seat, where I can keep my broken leg elevated- I was told that the only way I could use 1 empty business class seat for a portion of the flight was if I would pay the difference for the class of service change. I had already paid close to $3,000.00 for this itinerary.

After 2 hours into flight, I was able to speak directly with flight purser to whom I stated that being loyal AA passenger and frequent flyer holder, this is the worst scenario I encountered during all my international travel and that I was very concerned about my leg being swollen and not elevated during 9 hours flight.
The Flight purser then arranged for me to move an emergency exit row which did have more leg room but no way to elevate the leg.

So, with my apologies to the passenger in the row ahead of mine, I had to place my old-fashioned plaster cast from Easter Island on the top of the seat in front of me.

I am always aware and sensitive toward the hard work flight attendants do, especially during international flights.
However this is the first time I had mixed feelings, sensing that the flight attendants were not at all empathetic and rather neglectful. Because of this, I felt like a prisoner in this inhospitable cabin, afraid to even ask for water or any other assistance.

In all, the return flights were an exercise in frustration and poor service. Understandably the airlines are trying to make money but there should be some allowances for passengers who are injured while away from home and are trying to return.

After all, the seats were empty anyhow and no one was asking for a seat to be given up. Passengers are not asking for special assistance because they want a free ride in business class, they are trying to avoid further personal injury, limit the disruption of service to other passengers, and get home in one piece.

Did you have a broken leg or a fractured ankle?