We’ve all noticed how much air travel has changed…prices have gone up and airlines charge for everything including blankets, pillows and cheap ear pieces that hurt your ears. They overcharge for things they shouldn’t like cheap mini-bottles of wine and boxes of junk food that is nothing short of processed crap. Yet, international flights have still given you something to look forward to until recently.
Now, the experience is getting closer to that of domestic flights, where you are dished processed meals for the most part and lousy wine in economy class. The thing that is most annoying is when you pay for something that is supposed to give you a “better” experience and it turns out to be chaos or worse.
Let me start by saying that I’ve always been a fan of AirFrance and my experiences in France and specifically Paris have been more positive than not. In short, this isn’t a rant about France or anything related to it because I have a beef to pick with the nation. I love the place. Enuf said.
On a flight from Paris to San Francisco recently, I upgraded to an Economy Plus Seat on Air France, which is really just an exit row. The idea of course was to better ensure a great night’s sleep or at least some sleep on the 11 hour flight. My upgrade turned out to be an exit row smack in the middle of a central galley, which was about as opposite from peaceful as you can get on an airplane.
Imagine paying extra for an experience that gives you the following “benefits:”
- Bright light shining from the central galley area where staffers clanked glasses, moved things around, reassembled trash and organized things non-stop for the whole flight. The rest of the plane was dark and quiet unless you happened to be stuck next to or in front of a crying baby.
- Meal Service carts whizzed in and out, and for a few hours — twice during the flight — the carts remained immediately in front of me so there was a constant flurry of activity in and around it
- Tons of passengers waiting immediately in front of you waiting for the bathroom which was a stone’s throw from my seat, so close that I could smell the bathroom every time the door opened and hear the toilet flush I don’t know how many times over the 11 hours. There were always people standing in front of me within six inches to a foot from my feet chatting away all night long.
- Staff used the area for not just carts but to set up the area where people could grab drinks and snacks throughout the night (this equals more bright lights and more talking as people ducked in and out of the area throughout the night).
- Because the seat was right by the door, the area was drafty and cold. I wore 4 blankets throughout the flight because of it since they couldn’t regulate the area I was sitting in only, understandably.
- Because I was in the exit area, the movie screen was a pop-up from the seat armrest just like the food tray was…because of all the activity, the screen kept getting hit constantly by passengers and crew. Given that it was loose anyway, I had to hold the screen for most of the trip because it wouldn’t stay up on its own for longer than a couple of minutes.
Seriously, can you imagine this experience for 11 hours that you actually PAID extra for? Shame on you Air France for charging extra; do you expect customers to pay more for less and not want to share (okay shout) about their awful experience? You should be charging less for those seats, not more. Think about your customers airlines – they are your ticket to your employee’s salaries, their medical insurance and benefits and your profits.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
