THE MORE MONEY YOU PAID THE BETTER THE SERVICE ON FLIGHT!

What do you expect from flying economic class or economical airlines?

By Miss Yellow

   I just finished reading a yesterday’s newspaper - a reviewer was giving a flight test review about the new route of Emirates A380 flying from Auckland via Sydney to Dubai. The heading was “Seats may be superior, but service is average”, I wonder which airlines would give first class service if you are flying economic class?  The more money you paid the better the service, why ask for more when you can’t afford it?

   Perhaps the most prestigious experience for economic class passengers would be happened only if they were being upgraded to business class and this was caused by the economic seats were fully booked – I only got such dog luck once, but I felt like I was a wolf followed after a tiger, and I knew who was the “tiger” who arranged my ticket. Perhaps my sister is much luckier than me?  She got upgraded at least for three times already during last two years, but she is the one who flies at least twelve times annually for either domestic or international route. 

   But from my experience – commercial jets are the world most snobbish and smallest little cabin that segregated classes into the most defined manners - No social status, no money = No talk! But when the whole aircraft like MH17 tragic happened, an honored man, a rich man or a poor man, everyone has to die physically sooner or later. Tragic only would simmer forever in those deceased’s beholders but it would soon forget by non-related gossipers.

   Someone like me is a typical good example who would fly economic all the time when I have to “plough” money from my own hard savings to fly, I am not as lucky as such reviewer, as she was sponsored by a touring company or like many executives whose business class air tickets were generally settled by their companies.

   About ten years ago, I remember I was three months pregnant, but nobody could see that I was pregnant, I was flying SIA economic class. SIA is known as one of the best airlines in the world, as I was traveling alone, they would arrange my seat at a particular corner’s “most secluded seat” in the flight - where my meal would be last served, and when there was no more refreshment remained, I wouldn’t be served! I believe the above mentioned kiwi reviewer was probably sitting at a certain “hinterseat”!

   Most airlines would love to arrange ladies and gentlemen who traveled alone in such “hinter seat” rolls  where their meals would be served at the last batch, and this was the main cause of my bad experience of flying SIA and also it was due to I was pregnant, thus I was hungry all the times. I was hardly served for such route from Auckland to Singapore, I recalled I was only served twice during the whole journey, which were always came late – I remember there was only a   serving of refreshment sandwich came with drinks,  and a meal with no choice, a vegetarian meal. 

   When I really got hungry, I finally asked one of the air stewardesses if I could have some light food, she turned me down immediately, “Sorry there was no food remained on board.” And this could happen to SIA? Why do you think I believe that was an SIA air stewardess’s white lie?

   I didn’t understand why I was ignored by those SIA stewardesses up to these days - as I didn’t bother them during the whole journey except asking once for the extra light food after the vegetarian meal. Now I thought perhaps the air hostess thought that a “fat” single lady likes me better don’t eat too much, and that’s I was only served twice and that’s why I was the last one on board to be served?”! Do I have to announce to those air stewardesses, “Look, I am pregnant; I want a meal with meat not vegetables!” So obviously from my bad experience, you need to tell the airline that you are pregnant, so that they won’t arrange you to a “hinterseat”!

   After the flight, I ended up wolfing up McDonald burger right after baggage claim! I planned to take the seat and flight record to make a protest to SIA, but I decided how about if these stewardesses were my nieces or daughters who would get fired, warning or demoted due to my complain, they received enough punishment by wearing such high heel and retained that professional smiles to serve more than hundred of passengers, I wouldn’t be able to stand and walk with such high heel for even 4 hours, and they had to work for more than 9 hours although they could rest a bit in between.

   I could find a right time to tell SIA what’s its loophole as one of the world best airlines!

   After flying economic for so long, I grew wiser, these days I only booked cheapest air tickets, as long as I think the airline is quite reliable. I would choose to fly Jetstar with no meal provided.

   Ten years ago, such fetus couldn’t talk when it was hungry when I flew SIA, but now my daughter and her older brother have grow older enough to nag for foods when they saw other passengers were eating, “Sorry, Jetstar won’t accept cash like Airasia, mommy can’t use the credit card, as I won’t be able to settle the credit card if we don’t return Malaysia, also you don’t have a daddy who ever settles his wife’s credit card once!”

   Being traveling poor has its fun as well,  I think most poor mothers with chauvinist husbands who have to fly international route know what I am talking – they would be busily packing, running errant and settling everything before leaving their home, most mothers were drop-dead tire by the time they finally sat on the airplane. I would make sure to bring extra fully charged batteries for the laptops to settle kids for sometimes, that’s the time they could play Mario or whatever forbidden games they could play normally, that would suppress their hunger at least for a few hours. I also made sure to bring along headphones as well, so those Glick zip zi chop, xi shit annoying noises won’t disturb you and other passengers. “Leave me alone, I need a good rest after last three restless days!” 

   Meal-less cheapest airline is the best airline for me as a poor tai tai, I don’t need to suffer sitting over the first class or business class where I was an anonymous called as Ms. Yellow but being judged if I was someone mistress, who was my husband or if I was rich enough - under some scrutiny eyes on what handbag I carried and what shoes I wore? In short I know and accept my class and my fate, and I am just the overwork poor tai tai who is realistic – get real but not hypocrite or snobbish.

   As a jobless tai tai, Jetstar is one of my best choice to fly Asian-pacific routes, they would offer ticket upgrading, but I would never upgrade it, even with the minimum amount of just a hundred dollar, I think my kids and I could enjoy a reasonable good meal during the transit stop over Melbourne airport.

   Often there were surprises by flying Jetstar even it was meal-less long distance flight- when the children were behaving reasonably adorable enough, some nice and sensitive Asian chief air-stewardess or stewardesses from business class would even end up giving them some complimentary tidbits during the flight or before departing the cabin!