Open letter to the President of EL AL

[gyfgyf]

Dear Mr. President,

I do not know your name. I do not know if you are single or married. I do not know if you are a good man or a bad man. I do not known if you are religious or atheist. I do not know anything about you.

I DO KNOW THE KIND OF COMPANY YOU ARE RUNNING. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!


We recently came back from our vacation in Israel. Here is the short summary what happened to us.

My wife broke her right knee and left wrist on our first day in Israel. What happened the hospital, the surgeons visits .. was not fun. However EL AL made our life miserable.

After the doctor’s visit we had decided to keep the original return date, back to the US, so my wife could recover. My wife’s leg was first in a full cast, then in a full brace. As the doctor recommended, we asked EL AL to move her to a seat where, she could extend her leg (because she could not bend it). The first row of the economy would have been fine, since there was no seat in front of that row. EL AL REFUSED. After numerous calls they still REFUSED.
EL AL MADE US START A NEW RESERVATION for my wife, to upgrade her to premium economy seat for an additional $783. They promised us the first row, however when we turned up at the airport, it turned out to be a LIE!
What infuriated me further was that at the airport they offered me an upgrade for an additional $300, not what we paid ($783) for my wife’s upgrade.
I am sure, if anybody reads the fine print in the contract EL AL HAD THE RIGHT TO WHAT THEY DID BUT IT WAS NOT THE DO THING TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our friends always asked us why we chose EL AL. They say it is a HORRIBLE AIRLINE. We always felt kind of an obligation to support EL AL but NO LONGER!!!

Our main problem with EL AL were that they didn’t keep their promise and didn’t make any accommodations for us, given that we have flown with them many times before and my wife’s medical problems. When we arrived at the airport there was no wheelchair waiting for us, as they promised and they sent us to the wrong gate. After check in they took us to the boarding gate on a golf cart and left us there. Kept asking for a wheelchair so I can take my wife to the bathroom and nobody showed up. The response  was “WE CAN'T BABYSIT YOUR WIFE ALL DAY”. The other response was “PEOPLE STEAL OUR WHEELCHAIRS”.

After running around for more than a half hour and asking different employees at EL AL, all I got is INDIFFERENCE!!!!!
Finally, the woman who had driven us to the boarding gate took pity on my wife and although unauthorized, drove her to the bathroom and back. When boarding started, they still did not have a wheelchair for my wife despite all my request for the past two hours. Finally, they got one after the boarding was halfway through. THIS IS A DISGUSTING BEHAVIOR FROM AN AIRLINE WHICH PROMISES TO BE “YOUR HOME AWAY FROM YOUR HOME”!!!


Our problem is that we no longer feel that we can trust EL AL as an organization. They do not value customer loyalty and they LIE to you outright.

Thanks,
G... F....

PS. Mr. President,
I would like a personal answer from you, if you are proud to be the president of EL AL.

 

[ltttc]

Join the club!

[ExGingi]

And now that you're done venting, just move on. Don't expect a service mentality from an Israeli airline. Even other airlines don't get it right, other Israeli companies don't get it right. An Israeli Airline is a deadly combination of two negatives.

In a few days, It's going to be 20 years since I got to experience ELAL, convincing me to take my business elsewhere.

[ltttc]

Although, don't give up so easily, before moving on. Keep calling, writing...until you get something. My aunt is a travel agent for over 2 decades and told me I will never get a penny from ElAl… I was extremely persistent and got over 4k from them in the end!

[KSMH]

Sorry to hear story.
 Stop supporting airlines on Values and support based on service and product.

[ExGingi]

Although don't give up so easily, before moving on. Keep calling, writing...until you get something. My aunt is a travel agent for over 2 decades and told me I will never get a penny from ElAl… I was extremely persistent and got over 4k from them in the end!

Was that 4k (assuming you mean $ and not matmid points) something that you were actually legally entitled to based on Israeli law, that ELAL was trying to deny, or was that a bona fide goodwill compensation?

[ltttc]

Was that 4k (assuming you mean $ and not matmid points) something that you were actually legally entitled to based on Israeli law, that ELAL was trying to deny, or was that a bona fide goodwill compensation?

It was for a lost suitcase. They tried offering me a free voucher, but told them I never want to fly with them again...Got $4k+ in the end, but it was a long battle. This happened over a decade ago and my case # is still permanently etched in my brain.

[ExGingi]

It was for a lost suitcase. They tried offering me a free voucher, but told them I never want to fly with them again...Got $4k+ in the end, but it was a long battle. This happened over a decade ago and my case # is still permanently etched in my brain.

$4k for a lost suitcase? Isn't that beyond their legal liability?

[ltttc]

$4k for a lost suitcase? Isn't that beyond their legal liability?

That's why I said:

Although don't give up so easily, before moving on. Keep calling, writing...until you get something. My aunt is a travel agent for over 2 decades and told me I will never get a penny from ElAl… I was extremely persistent and got over 4k from them in the end!

[gozalim]

when ambassador friedman joins a minyan on the plane, do the Flight attendants harras him too?

[Shmobaum]

Isn’t their slogan>>>
“Not an airline... we’re Israel”