Where shall I start. Being an Indian, I was going for cheap flights and when my travle agent called with a great deal I thought, "I would have to be a fool to pass something like that. And OH did I feel a fool, when I didn't.
Service Alitalia check-in staff...complete morons. My family and I had been told to come 3 hours before flight take-off time which made us arrive at Heathrow Terminal 3 at midnight. And when did Alitalia staff actually arrive, 2 am. Yes we waited 2 hours in an airport filled with fed up italian tourists. We did eventually get onto the plane and were all ready for the holiday, putting aside all greif faced at the airport.
Now, there was no direct flight so of course it took a stop at Milan Malpensa airport. This flight was aptly named "short haul flight". This so-called short haul flight had no...vegitarian food. Yes, in 2004, a major world airline couldn't serve their vegitarian passengers with any edible food. Being vegi, made me very hungry, especially after the flight was at 3 o'clock and as always I had last eaten at dinner (8 pm). The staff were unbelievbly rude, maybe some of the most stuck up I have ever met. They, put their hands up at your face, as if to say; "speak to the hand 'cause the face aint listening". Even sighed when my brother asked for some water, TO TAKE HIS MEDICINE!
Not that the MilanMalpensa airport experience has much to do with Alitali but if you are looking to buy a fare that involves a stop, be prepared to wait upto 8 hours in the transit area. Having more stuck up Italian staff didnt help much either, especially as I was brown skinned (enough said??).
Planes Thier planes are very old and it really feels like a struggle and there is no leg room at all. Which made it very hard for my disabled, 6 ft tall brother who just had a major operation in his leg and even with a formal request for more leg space from the surgeon, nothing was done for him. That meant an 8 hour filght with the smallest space to sit and every risk of blood clotting, which is life threatening. STILL THE STAFF AT THE AIRPORT DID NOTHING AND THE MORONS THEY CALL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, DIDNT WANT TO HEAR!
The punctuality wasn't bad as we reached on time and neither was the safety, although we did hang on for our dear lives, but that was the weather and not alitalia's fault however, the planes oculdn't really handle it.
Overall, the journey both ways were terrible and was completely starving on the way (ended up eating after about 24 hrs). This was altogether finished off by customs in India who were quite frankly, b***ards. I wouldn't recommend ALITALIA to anyone, who wants to carry on living after the journey. Yes, it is cheap but in the future, I will definately pay the £250 more and go with good old reliable, BA. Small price to pay, for adequate service!
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I don't like Alitalia but honestly I don't understand your complaints.....vegetarian foods MUST be asked at time of reservation as any other airline....as far as I know there is no Alitalia flight at 3 am.....
grape_nehi 31.12.2004 12:17
I've flown Alitalia a couple of times. They were fairly non-memorable trips. It's true the staff are a bit rude...but...really in the grand scheme of things....they are probably average. Besides, I always figure that when you are flying with a national airline....the employees pretty much have guaranteed jobs...and, most likely can't be dismissed without a huge legal hassle...so...you get people who couldn't care less...ya just gotta learn how to get one up on them.
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Dec 30th, 2004
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