[jitenshah]

Ref: e-Ticket Receipt – 0571602894932
Air France confirmation No. ZFJ2NR
Flt from Barcelona- CDG Paris- Mumbai
Seat No. – 46L from Barcelona to CDG SEQ 009
Seat No. 09A from CDG to Mumbai SEQ 019
Date of Journey – 10/10/2010

I was traveling by Air France flight as per the above given details and there were 3 other Indian passengers on the same flight, with the same connection from Barcelona to Mumbai.

We traveled from Barcelona to CDG Paris by flight AF 2149 dep from Barcelona at 0740 and arrival at 0935 CDG. As per the timings given by the Air France ground staff ( so called Customer Service) the flight landed at 0926 hrs. The flight had landed at a remote parking bay and we were taken to the terminal 2 F by bus.

From terminal 2 F, we had to go to terminal 2 C for boarding our connecting flight AF 218. We had reported to the immigration (passport) and Security queue at 0946 hrs. The time was again confirmed by the ground staff as has been recorded in their computer system.

We repeatedly requested the security to take us ahead of the long queue as we may miss boarding but were asked to remain in the queue. The security told us since we have boarding pass the airline will take us. I understand that the Airlines have their own personnel at the security who take the passengers out of turn and ensure that they board the flight. Our names were also not announced by the Air France ground staff for the Final boarding call. There are some 6 -8 flights from terminal 2C during the period of 0940 to 1100 hrs. The queue was long and only 1 counter for ALL passports and 1 counter for EU special etc. was open. After clearing the immigration, we reached the boarding gate C 87 at 1048 hrs and the flight was there and a old lady passenger was even walking towards the Air craft for boarding. ( Flight time is 1050 hrs )

We were pushed away from the gate 2C and were escorted to the customer service stating that we were late and will now be boarded in the next available flight. We were told to cooperate and our baggage will be removed from the flight etc. We even requested that it will take more time to identify and remove our bags and they should rather board us. All our requests were in vain. The customer service officer was very rude and arrogant to us for no fault of ours and were told that Barcelona flight landed on time and two passengers have checked in (must be surely holding a EU or Special passport where queue was not so long). As we were late, the Air France Airline is obliging us by putting us on the next available flight, since we were VOYAGER (Economy) ticket holders.

We even asked for a certificate that they are not boarding us in the flight for no fault of ours, but it was denied and were warned to keep quiet or they will not even oblige us by giving the next day’s flight. We asked him to put us on the Emirates flight where 6 tickets were available but he bluntly refused to do so. We requested him to allow us to meet the manager, but were told he was not available at the moment and we should wait for him. After doing a lot of Drama, he gave us our boarding passes for the flight on the Next day 11/10/2010. We then requested him for the food etc coupons, but were bluntly refused, again stating for VOYAGER passengers, he is obliging by giving next day’s tickets and to go and spend the day at the terminal 2C near the gates.

In the afternoon when the manager came in we requested him to help us by sending us by Emirates flight but he was even more arrogant and rude than earlier officer and refused. We asked him to at least accommodate us in the Air France lounge since we were holding a single entry Visa and could not go out. He bluntly refused for that too. We checked with the Emirates ground staff where tickets were available and she would arrange for payment, boarding pass and check in if Air France gave our luggage to them.

We again requested the Air France manager to get our bags and hand over the same to Emirates, but he refused to do so. He said we have to go and get our bags ourselves and his staff cannot do so. We told him that we are paying for the Emirates ticket and he should at least hand over our bags to them and help us since we cannot go out of this area (Visa Restrictions). He had some how made up his mind to harass us INDIANS. and was not ready to co-operate in anyway what so ever.

Why does Air France issue such connections tickets which a Voyager (economy) passenger from India cannot catch the connecting flight ? Is it not the responsibility of the Airline to ensure that the passengers catch the connecting flight for which they have issued the ticket?

What are our rights as an economy passenger?
Does the Airline offer food, stay, etc.. to such passenger?
What is the Airline supposed to do in such cases and what the passenger should do?

Why were we (Indians) ill-treated by the ground staff of Air France ?

[NewJerseyDevils]

Air France is rude to everyone so why do you think it's because you are Indian.

[mars6423]

im sorry about your experience, Air France is not up there in airlines, their staff are rude and their main airport CDG is a mess and can be very confusing

i dont think this is due to nationality or anything like that however, they are just plain rude

I understand why they wouldnt transfer you to the emirates flight, as Air France and Emirates do not have an agreement together, there is no alliance between them, I believe that Emirates has no alliances with any airlines.......so without them being in some form of agreement between the two companies than they wont transfer the business

for instance Air France is part of the skyteam so if there was a Delta flight for instance going to your destination then Air France can transfer you to them since they are part of the same alliance

Air France should have let you go into their lounge or at least provided you with vouchars for food and looked to see if there was a flight that can get you to your destination.

I know that if you have a frequent flyer card with an airline that is in the same alliance you can go to the lounge and use it, or if you have a plat. american express (prob others too) you can get into some lounges, or you can just go there and explain what happened and they may let you in for free or a small fee

[Leatherboy2006]

typical arrogant french.
Though I agree they should not have given you passes to the club, as someone who pays for the club with both AA and UA, it really ticks me off when they hand out entries to people for being inconvienced.

[mars6423]

leatherboy........as long as they keep to themselves and make minimal noise it really shouldnt make a difference

maybe not get all the perks of the lounge depending what they offer (such as spa treatments for example) but i see no problem with someone who has to wait 12+hours in a lounge when it is not their fault, unless it literally is a whole plane full as that is just very inconsiderate to those who have access through loyalty or with an expensive business class+ ticket

2-5 people wont make a difference as you wont know if they are members or not

while the lounges are supposedly exclusive, there should be special circumstances in which some individuals are allowed to enter, this is one, as they are not allowed to leave the airport and the flight isnt until the next day 20hours away

[jimworcs]

Ok, here we go:

1. There is no specific proof that this was racially motivated. However, there is a particular problem which seems to affect Indian's more than other nationalities at CDG. The transit visa restrictions in CDG are ridiculous and lack flexibility. There was recently a case in which an aircraft went tech shortly after taking off from CDG to India. It returned to CDG. All the white passengers were taken by bus to hotels paid for by AirFrance. The Indian's were segregated and left in the airport overnight to fend for themselves. Now, before you all go nuts, I know that this was not specifically due to their being Indian, but because the rules relating to transit visa's, but the lack of any flexibility or compassion was startling.

2. It appears the passengers were offering to pay for the Emirates flights, but AF would not cooperate by collecting their luggage. They could not collect their luggage themselves because their Visa would not permit it. That was petty and ridiculous.

3. CDG is notorious for not making your connnections. Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Madrid and even London Heathrow are better than CDG. It is particularly a problem with Immigration, who are grossly understaffed.

4. Leatherboy... condemning a whole nation as arrogant is a bit much. Particularly from an American... as many other countries would say the same about Americans! Lounge access in these circumstances would have been justified.

[jitenshah]

I think it was Indians because as informed by the ground staff there 2 passengers from our Barcelona CDG flt got the connecting Mumbai flt. and they were not Indians

[jitenshah]

Mars 6423, We were paying for the emirates flight They just had to hand over the bags to the emirates person at their check in counter, so their agreement with emirates does not come in the way.
We all had american express corporate card, but were not offered the lounge even after we agreed to pay saying that there was no room, once you disembark or immigration is done and you have a single entry VISA and you are stamped by immigration one is at the mercy of the Airlines even to go to the lounge.

[mars6423]

i must have misread, that changes things, i thought you were trying to get AF to put you on emirates

in that case they should have provided your personal belongings to you so you could make that flight

AF is in the wrong at every level

[NewJerseyDevils]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

Ok, here we go:


4. Leatherboy... condemning a whole nation as arrogant is a bit much. Particularly from an American... as many other countries would say the same about Americans! Lounge access in these circumstances would have been justified.

It's really not surprising with programs like BBC's Morning show featuring some kind of anti America story as a daily human interest story.

[jimworcs]

Without wishing to go "off piste".. I watch the BBC every single day and I don't think there is any significant anti-American bias in their coverage. If you are talking about BBC America, I can't comment on that. However, if you are looking for biased coverage, can I recommend the "fair and balanced" bastion of impartiality that is FoxNews.

[NewJerseyDevils]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

Without wishing to go "off piste".. I watch the BBC every single day and I don't think there is any significant anti-American bias in their coverage. If you are talking about BBC America, I can't comment on that. However, if you are looking for biased coverage, can I recommend the "fair and balanced" bastion of impartiality that is FoxNews.

Maybe the little digs were only when I was the UK.
Glenn Beck was very sympathetic to the UK last night.

[jimworcs]

If Glenn Beck is sympathetic to the UK, something must be very wrong with the UK right now. He is what is technically known as a total nutter.

[NewJerseyDevils]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

If Glenn Beck is sympathetic to the UK, something must be very wrong with the UK right now. He is what is technically known as a total nutter.

My Husband said he's dated a few of those.

[Gallso]

Same here... Flight from Barcelona to CDG in Paris, then onto Aberdeen in Scotland... physically impossible to make the connecting flight. I complained to Air France customer services and they deny that it's their problem. Meanwhile I had to stay a night at the airport, incur extra charges for expensive crappy airport meals, an extra day of parking my car and to top it off, miss an important business meeting next day. Quite disgusting really.