YouTuber Josh Cahill revealed an fascinating video a few state of affairs he encountered with Luxair, whereby he believes he was “scammed” out of lounge entry, and later threatened by the airline. Cahill is not any stranger to controversy — he was additionally threatened with a ban from Qatar Airways, whereas Aero Dili posted his passport info on-line.
Josh Cahill’s Luxair lounge entry drama
YouTube flight reviewer Josh Cahill flew with Luxair from Berlin to Luxembourg to Paris, with an extended layover enroute. He was in enterprise class for the primary section and in economic system class for the second section. He purchased lounge entry for the second section, which Luxair sells for many fare sorts straight by way of its web site as a ticket add-on, at a price of €35.
Cahill had a roughly eight hour layover in Luxembourg, and when he arrived at Luxair’s lounge, he was knowledgeable that the lounge couldn’t be accessed thus far earlier than departure, and he’d have to return again nearer to departure to make use of it.
He filmed his interplay with the girl who claims to be the lounge’s supervisor, and you’ll see that interplay beginning 8min25sec into the video. The dialog will get fairly heated — he accuses the airline of scamming folks, she says there are not any exceptions and refuses to present her title, and so forth.
Instantly following this interplay, Cahill took to social media to complain. A short time later, the airline despatched him a message, stating the next (that is mentioned 13min25sec into the video):
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you skilled on the lounge. Our group has been knowledgeable, and we’re able to welcome you again.
Nonetheless, he knowledgeable them he wasn’t snug utilizing the lounge anymore because of the impolite workers, and requested a refund.
However that’s not the tip of this story. A few days after his flight, Cahill obtained a “warning letter” from the airline, that if he posts this video and it causes harm to the model, the airline will go after him, and can ban him from flying sooner or later, whereas retracting the earlier apology. You may see this dialogue beginning 17min40sec into the video.
My tackle this Luxair lounge entry state of affairs
These days we’ve seen fairly a couple of airport lounges introduce closing dates for friends, to assist with crowding points. So it appears fairly clear that Luxair has such a coverage limiting when friends can use the lounge, however there’s a breakdown in communication.
If an airline has a time restrict for lounge entry, it needs to be clearly disclosed. Nowhere on Luxair’s web site, and never even on any phrases web page, does it checklist a restrict to how lengthy you possibly can entry the lounge for. So clearly that’s one thing that Luxair must replace, in order that it’s doing a greater job of managing expectations. Cahill wasn’t unreasonable for considering he’d be capable to entry the lounge any time the identical day.
Now, do I believe that Luxair is attempting to run a bait and swap rip-off right here, and is attempting to deceive folks? I don’t assume it’s fairly that malicious, however quite there’s only a breakdown in communication between departments. On this state of affairs, the lounge supervisor ought to have made an exception, if she had nothing she might level to supporting this coverage.
Is Cahill a bit dramatic? I imply… no remark. However he’s elevating a good level, and it’s good to carry up these sorts of shortcomings in airline methods.
Whereas I believe Luxair is flawed full cease, I did need to deal with a few extra factors concerning Cahill’s interplay right here. To begin with, he repeatedly claimed that when he bought the ticket on-line, it clearly said that the lounge entry can be legitimate for your entire transit interval:
- I haven’t been in a position to replicate that in any approach; so it’s potential I’m lacking one thing, however I believe it simply doesn’t state something a few time restrict, quite than particularly saying that lounge entry is legitimate for your entire transit
- Whereas Cahill doesn’t acknowledge this, I’m wondering if this was really booked as one ticket, or two one-ways? After I go to Luxair’s web site, there’s not an choice to e book a ticket from Berlin to Paris, not to mention with an eight hour connection, so leads me to consider that he was perhaps touring on two separate tickets
The final level I’ll make — and it’s one thing I’ve observed repeatedly in his movies — is that I believe he might work slightly more durable on how he communicates with frontline airline workers. You can also make your level with out being aggressive or accusatory to a person:
- Even on the very begin of the dialog, he already places up his index finger; physique language is necessary, and this immediately escalates any dialog, and takes it up a notch
- It’s necessary to separate the airline from the particular person, and it’s why I by no means use “you,” however as an alternative use the corporate’s title, in these sorts of interactions; he accuses the agent personally of promoting lounge entry and scamming folks
- He retains insisting on getting her title and is offended she received’t give it to him, however she does supply to present him her worker quantity, which I believe is truthful sufficient
None of that is to excuse Luxair right here, as a result of the airline is at fault. However c’mon, if in case you have a giant viewers, no less than be a superb function mannequin with how one can cope with frontline workers.
Backside line
YouTuber Josh Cahill’s newest drama is with Luxair. He had an eight hour connection in Luxembourg and bought lounge entry, however upon arrival within the lounge was knowledgeable there was a time restrict to this. The state of affairs escalated, and in the end ended with the airline reportedly threatening him.
Luxair isn’t doing itself any favors with this example, each when it comes to how the supervisor dealt with the interplay, and the way company is now speaking with Cahill. I additionally assume Cahill might attempt a bit more durable to speak in a well mannered and non-accusatory tone with frontline airline workers.
What do you make of this Luxair lounge state of affairs?
