Airline Disappointment: May 18,
1999
I recently had my second disappointment with China Airlines.
Several years ago my luggage was lost for 4 days on the
SF-Taipei flight. It was returned but with no note or
explanation. I was lucky. More recently there was a two-hour
plus delay on a Taipei-Manila flight due to brake problems
discovered just as we started to back up. It was repaired
with passengers on board and ended with a 2-hr flight
requiring 5 hrs in our seats. I was too late to do business
in Manila and returned with nothing accomplished and having
to go to HK two weeks later to finish my resident visa
business. The major repair to the brake system was a noisy
and hot experience. It also was unsafe since it is always
safer to take passengers off before any major repair and not
needlessly endanger lives. A fire would have been
catastrophic. The China Airlines complaint department made
me go through a one-month process and a series of faxes,
including a final one where they wanted my Passport and Visa
copied. It ended with the same story and form letter as the
initial one - We are not responsible for delays due to
mechanical failure or our maintenance difficulties. I have
spent seven years in Asia and worked in or visited eleven
countries here, over forty world-wide. The overall onboard
service, reputation (general knowledge here in Taiwan from
conversations after my disappointment), and accountability
is inferior to the other options for air travel. Word to the
wise.
Better Luck Next Time,
Dennis Daniels
DDaniels@dl.com.tw
[There are 4 posts - the latest was added on Wed 26 May, 10:07]
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I was in Hong Kong in 94 and decided to fly to Guilin with
China Airlines for a quick break from the stresses of the
island..
*
Well, to cut a long story short, ended up in Canton - no
beautiful river or mountain scenery there - I can tell
you..
*
However, whilst standing in Canton airport in the dark
(power failure?), for over 3 hours, no body could indicate
what the hell we were doing there or why we were there!!
One fellow passenger plucked up courage to ask a
(military?) official what was going on and when we were
scheduled to get back on the plane for Guilin, at which
point the official waved his gun around and told him to be
quiet and get back into line...
*
A coach then arrived from nowhere and drove us for over an
hour across Canton.. We then arrived at a
DISCUSTING "tourist-class" hotel on the outskirts where we
were informed that we were to spend the night!!! (The
cleanliness/hygiene standards are another story...)
*
At 5.00am the following morning, I as awoken by a member of
hotel staff who informed me that I was to stand outside the
front of the hotel and wait for another coach (to take us
where I daren't ask!!)
*
By 2.00pm that same day, we were still standing in the same
spot and I was getting really pissed off by then. But any
attempt by my myself or any fellow passengers to find out
what was going on was met by a grunt and threatening
stare...
*
At this point, I started getting a little worried, so
myself and a couple of other passengers sneaked down the
road a little way, hailed a taxi to Canton train station,
and got the next [express!] train back to Hong Kong!!
*
When I made a complaint to my travel agent, they couldn't
understand what on earth they were playing at, but admitted
that they C.A. were "a law unto their own" and there was
nothing much they could do about it. I eventually got a
refund but no apology or explanation from the airline!!..
*
Oh well, all character building stuff I suppose!
China Airlines, which is Taiwan-based, doesn't fly to
Guilin, China.
Get over it!!! these things happen! I'm sorry your trip
wasn't absolutely perfect! ever thought of Club Med??
Everything in China is Slow...arturous...but mostly
frustrating. I believe theres a reason for this, the chinese
people are not lazy by any means. The people of the middle
kingdom I think subconciously lag in certain areas....for
the main reason of taking your time...breathing....smelling
the roses...In most western influenced
countries.....emphath is placed on faster faster
faster....more more more!!! Cannon fodder for the mind! A
DELAY is sometimes good for the soul...time to place ones
perspective..I would have taking a flight to a beach area
somewhere and came back after 4 days...! my own opinion