[k_ajay]

A lot of us may re-call there were news features on prominent Indian e-news sites about Air France ill-treating Indian passengers at their Paris CDG airport.

Well, it seems to have happened yet again. I've personally witnessed how an Air France staff in Delhi IAL behave and act with racial overtones with Indian passengers taking a connecting flight to France.

Read the current real incident experience here:
http://jayharishshah.blogspot.in/?m=1

The last time this happened and officially got reported (May 2009):
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/indian-pa...e/92407-3.html

http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation...rs_531693.html

Extremely racist and inhuman to the point that it's beyond shame. But do they have any??

If any smart alec was to say this is one off and not really true, etc. etc., then I can only wish that it happens to them too and that it ends up far more harrowing.

I don't have any reason to doubt the true incident and if you believe and acknowledge this is wrong, please spread this as far and as wide as you can. Remember. You do not want a family member to be stranded in an unknown airport, of a country whose native language is not english and without any support whatsoever.

[amitoj]

This is one of the disadvantages of having a blue passport with Ashoka symbol. And it is nothing new either. I had to face a similar ordeal at the hands of British Airways in February last year. Heathrow was closed due to a couple of inches of snow and my flight from Boston to London was diverted to Frankfurt. Everyone with a non Asian passport and a family with small kids and elderly was given hotel accommodation and the rest of us were left with a measly meal voucher and a cold February night to sleep through. Next day we were put into an aircraft that was still being de-iced. That aircraft was cold as hell!!

[roadjourno]

Originally Posted by amitoj

This is one of the disadvantages of having a blue passport with Ashoka symbol. And it is nothing new either. I had to face a similar ordeal at the hands of British Airways in February last year. Heathrow was closed due to a couple of inches of snow and my flight from Boston to London was diverted to Frankfurt. Everyone with a non Asian passport and a family with small kids and elderly was given hotel accommodation and the rest of us were left with a measly meal voucher and a cold February night to sleep through. Next day we were put into an aircraft that was still being de-iced. That aircraft was cold as hell!!

My friend was pushed into AF flight to riyadh !! When he missed his connecting flight to mumbai from paris due to delay of the flight he was coming on. He had a harrowing time at Riyadh. Then he was put in regular flight from there to mumbai.

On top of it you know how its at Mumbai immigration when any flight comes from gulf .

No compensation or whatsoever was given by AF.

Luggage arrived two weeks later all damaged.

I pity him for the experience and at the same time Shame on AF.

Racist behavior exhibited at the best & he swears AF most of the time.

Hope they drastically improve.

[Equus]

Originally Posted by amitoj

This is one of the disadvantages of having a blue passport with Ashoka symbol. And it is nothing new either. I had to face a similar ordeal at the hands of British Airways in February last year. Heathrow was closed due to a couple of inches of snow and my flight from Boston to London was diverted to Frankfurt. Everyone with a non Asian passport and a family with small kids and elderly was given hotel accommodation and the rest of us were left with a measly meal voucher and a cold February night to sleep through. Next day we were put into an aircraft that was still being de-iced. That aircraft was cold as hell!!

Guess which are the money making sectors? They cant afford to take us lightly.. We need to be united and ensure these items go "viral".. We feel bad but swallow it.. Hats of to this gentlemen for taking it on!

Anybody travelled Jet (via Brussels)? Try it.. You wont travel others.. Especially if you are a biz class traveller!

[shankar.balan]

Wow. This has put me off BA and AF for life. Give me Emirates or Lufthansa any day! I am glad this is going viral. Air France should BURN...


I have bunged in a nasty comment onto their FB page too...lets see if they even have a conscience...dirty scum.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by amitoj

This is one of the disadvantages of having a blue passport with Ashoka symbol. And it is nothing new either. I had to face a similar ordeal at the hands of British Airways in February last year. Heathrow was closed due to a couple of inches of snow and my flight from Boston to London was diverted to Frankfurt. Everyone with a non Asian passport and a family with small kids and elderly was given hotel accommodation and the rest of us were left with a measly meal voucher and a cold February night to sleep through. Next day we were put into an aircraft that was still being de-iced. That aircraft was cold as hell!!

All major airports have lounges where paid access is same cost as hotel or less. If passport is an issue, then the airline can always accomodate with food and water in the lounge. I do not think there is any rule about not giving food without visa, is there?

[HillMan]

AF behavior is very unethical, BA is not far behind either. For sake of cost cutting AF clubbed the flight with another, the passengers deserved a better treatment. The only way to teach these racist organizations a lesson is to stop buying their tickets.

And yes do share the link for others to know.

[k_ajay]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Wow. This has put me off BA and AF for life. Give me Emirates or Lufthansa any day! I am glad this is going viral. Air France should BURN...

I have bunged in a nasty comment onto their FB page too...lets see if they even have a conscience...dirty scum.

Well done S.B. This is exactly what we need to do (spreading the word) instead of subscribing to it as the norm and letting it pass by.

And no, they do not have a conscience. If they did, they wouldn't have treated senior citizens the way they did. They wouldn't have put a French business class passenger on another flight and let the gent who was mourning for his departed father, remain in pain at their airport floor..

By my own experiences, Emirates and Qatar Airways are indeed gold class. Never seen once a labourer class of traveller (to or from the gulf) or any passenger being ill treated for their skin color or who they professionally are..

Will never fly a racist airline. Ever.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

All major airports have lounges where paid access is same cost as hotel or less. If passport is an issue, then the airline can always accomodate with food and water in the lounge. I do not think there is any rule about not giving food without visa, is there?

They had no intent in the first place Tanveer. From the page, you can read how non-Asians were given hotel accommodation, food and forex.

Individuals of our race were asked to sleep on another terminal's floor. Even request to the lounge was denied, citing it was only for business class passengers.

Utterly cheap and downright inhumane. Even food was delayed on the 1st day. We're talking senior citizens here, who might find it difficult adjusting. Most weren't able to even communicate to the AF officials, unable to fend for themselves.

They should be taught a deep, financially impacting lesson.


This needs to go viral and spread as far as we can. That's what even the guy who penned the incident down wants, more than compensation..

AF thought Indians were cheap and instead of responding morally to the open letter, they chose to provide a standard template reply of technical issue difficulty & create a feel good situation by mentioning any possible compensation..

Cheap, Air France.

[eq24]

Well most European airlines are cheats and beggars masquerading in a fiber of ill gotten gains of a previous millenia.
I swore after a near heart attack and I was 25 at that time in Vienna flying Austrian to never ever fly any European airline again.

Almost all of them right from the hell in the sky (Aeroflot) to the oh we are British and Posh(BA), should be avoided, nothing and I mean nothing comes from saving a few thousands in the Airfare than flying with these fools.

A lot of people will have contrarian views and I agree that when things are fine they are OK but it is when things hit the fan that they show their true colours.

My family were stuck in Hanover in Germany in 2008 as Heathrow was completely snowed in and we were flying Virgin. Every body was given hotel rooms and the whole experience was so nice it felt like a holiday with in a holiday.

Since I have started flying Jet, I have never looked back, I am a Platinum member so that is an added advantage but their service is quite good. Other wise I would recommend Emirates, Gulf Air, Ethiad, Qatar, Cathay and Quantas all pretty good airlines.

If anyone can recommend how is American, I have to fly to a small city in Arizona where sadly only American and US Air operate and thus no Jet or any of the nice ones for me. I have flown United a long time back, is it still OK?

[hellmet]

Originally Posted by eq24

If anyone can recommend how is American, I have to fly to a small city in Arizona where sadly only American and US Air operate and thus no Jet or any of the nice ones for me. I have flown United a long time back, is it still OK?

No bad experiences flying domestically in the US. Everyone is either treated wonderfully or like crap, no bias.

After having traveled in Jet, Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, my recent trip in British Airways was horrible. The air hostesses would treat people with white skin with a smile and a nice hello whereas they couldn't care less if I ate or were alive. Never again BA.

[ninjatalli]

^Thai, Malaysian & Singapore airlines - all three are excellent airlines and treat Indians/Asians/others the same.

Originally Posted by eq24

Other wise I would recommend Emirates, Gulf Air, Ethiad, Qatar, Cathay and Quantas all pretty good airlines.

Haven't travelled on Quantas, but in the past several of my colleagues have given me negative feedback on Quantas w.r.t racism/differential treatment.

[Stratos]

I have regularly heard bad reviews about Air France from credible people, including my father who has often traveled with them for business. I felt really bad for those who had to go through this recent traumatic experience due to the pathetic customer treatment and service shown by the AF staff Paris - CDG Airport.

The sad part is that AF do not seem to learn and improve even after knowing that their reputation has been constantly going down hill. I remember how several pointers came up as to how negligent the general AF staff was, during the investigation of the AF447 crash.

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Haven't travelled on Quantas, but in the past several of my colleagues have given me negative feedback on Quantas w.r.t racism/differential treatment.

Off-topic: It is spelled as 'Qantas' and not 'Quantas'.
Qantas = Queensland And Northern Territories Aerial Service

[watfor]

One thing which I find out of place in this episode is the racism allegation. While AF has messed up big time with the followup after the flight cancellation, I really do not see anything here to indicate that they have been racist. Yes, they messed up, but why bring up the racism card?

[k_nitin_r]

Originally Posted by eq24

Other wise I would recommend Emirates, Gulf Air, Ethiad, Qatar, Cathay and Quantas all pretty good airlines.

I have to fly to a small city in Arizona where sadly only American and US Air operate and thus no Jet or any of the nice ones for me. I have flown United a long time back, is it still OK?

United Airlines has a pretty good service. You can take Emirates Airlines to Dubai (make sure you have plenty of time between flights because the security checks can take a while), followed by United Airlines to Washington-Dulles, and a connecting United Airlines flight to Phoenix in Arizona. If you can get another airline/route with fewer stops and a night flight, that would be preferable.

[nitinralli]

Sad to hear this. Well this is not present in international flights only but domestic too these days. My friend had same kind of experience where her flight from Hyderabad to Delhi schedule for 10 AM was first canceled and then delayed to 1 PM, later again delayed to 4 PM and finally went ahead with 6PM flight. And that final flight was jam packed, so you can clearly understand why it was delayed so many times.