Posts Tagged ‘terrible’

Thank God for the freedom of speech and the internet! At least we can share our resentment for what is probably the worst airline on the planet!

// September 9th, 2009 // 7 Comments » // frontpage, letters

Letter from “Dan” sent to us on 09/08/2009:

Here is my story, in progress, as I am committed to do everything in my power to make it right!

To start off, I’d like to point out that this was our honeymoon flight, Cluj – Venice, to start off what should have been the beginning of our beautiful married life. I am a Platinum Star Alliance Member.

August 25th, 2009 10:30 AM: we got in a hurry at the CLJ airport, traffic and a new terminal barely visible made us get there 45 minutes before scheduled departure. Shock when we got to the check in desk, THERE WAS NO ONE THERE!!! Not a single person from WIZZ Air!!!

August 25th, 2009 10:32 AM: shocked and in disbelief, I rushed to the WIZZ ticketing counter to ask someone to get us boarding passes. Shock again, when the agent told us “tough luck”, grudgingly showing us a big sign that said that check in closes 40 min before departure. When I said there’s 43 minutes to departure and we have no luggage, he simply walked away….

August 25th, 2009 10:35 AM: frantically I called WIZZ Air Customer (or should I say lack of Customer) Service… for 60 EURO cents a minutes, I got to experience the worst customer service of my life!!! It ended in the lady agent slamming the phone in my face!!!!!! Ouch….

August 25th, 2009 10:38 AM: after paying about 3 EUROs to be abused over the phone, I realized that we might not make the flight… none of my desperate calls or my wife’s tears to the security desk, the ticketing agents or any person that seemed remotely official to call someone from WIZZ Air from the gate to give us our boarding passes had any luck…. We were being denied boarding this flight!!!!

August 25th, 2009 10:40 AM: back at the ticketing desk, I tried to see what flight accommodation they can provide us, considering that we have just been denied boarding our scheduled flight. Now comes the shock of all shocks, the mother of all surprises, when the agent told us that the next scheduled flight will be 2 days from now and we will be charged 120 EUROs for the both of us!!!! If we wanted to leave that day, there was only one option, to buy a new ticket and be re-routed through Germany. And we needed to be fast as the flight was leaving at 12:00 PM. By the way, the price for this was a whopping EUR 1,300!!!!!!!! Ouch, ouch….

My jaw dropped and I tried to explain that there are international regulations concerning denied boarding situations (didn’t knew at the time Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, but I am a frequent flyer and I know in the US all airlines are trying to accommodate passengers in their flights or code-share flights in situations like this.

August 25th, 2009 11:10 AM: we had no choice….. we paid the EUR 1,300 and got on board Lufthansa flight to Venice through Munich. Star Alliance partner Lufthansa had no issue checking us in 45 minutes before departure…..

So now, I’m left fighting WIZZ Air for some retribution for this “unpleasant situation” as they referred to it in their reply to my claim request. I’m planning on cancelling the credit card payment for the tickets, that covers about $250 and trying to recoup the rest through Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 either by suing them in small claims court in the US or reaching out to the Romanian authorities. If anyone has any experience as to what the best way would be to reach any civil authorities in Romania or Europe that would have a saying in this, please reply to my message.

Thanks for this website and I hope some of these stories and hopefully resolutions to issues presented here will help people be more informed before being trapped and screwed by WIZZ Air.

Dan

Wizz Air review by B Zemljic

// May 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // feed, frontpage

Arrived at Wroclaw airport Friday 18th – flight to Luton cancelled. No Wizzair staff at airport. No explanation, no information. By the time we got seen, last flight to any London airport that day had left. Offered (if room) seats on Wizzair Monday, or pay 1800 (£450) for 2 tickets Ryanair to East Midlands that day. Took tickets and were assured would get refund from Wizzair. No offer of food, hotel, phone calls – as stated in their documentation. No warning of cancellation – again as stated. Got claim form from airport staff – but looking at details, only applied if we get a Wizzair flight – even though their Conditions of Carriage say that an alternative Low-cost carrier is acceptable.

Wizz Air review by Iwona Kohanek

// May 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // feed, frontpage

A regular traveller between UK and Eastern Europe. Do not expect information about delays and cancellations until the last minute – there is no way to speak directly to Wizz staff and the only way to contact them is via e-mail to customer service – even then, don’t expect a reply! Take your own food – the onboard catering is a disgrace! The ground service varies massively between countries and on the aircraft. Taxes and surcharges – make sure you factor them in, they are excessive on Wizzair compared to easyJet. The low fares of the first 2 years are gone now – check regular carriers such as LOT and BA for similar priced tickets with advantage of mainstream airports and facilities. Its one of the new breed of low-cost airlines so expect to pay heavily for any extra’s such as over baggage allowance / food / drink etc. etc.

Wizz Air review by Tim Jones

// May 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // feed, frontpage

Luton to Budapest – just before check in for homeward journey from Budapest and after already rescheduled delay by 2.5 hours, flight cancelled, no explanation, no assistance of any kind, (Wizzair main offices are next door to airport), and left to own devices to get home as next day flight offered was already full. After paying out for another carrier to get us back to East Midlands airport, only option, then had to travel most of the night on coaches to get back to Luton to collect car. After several emails and fax and 2 calls to premium rate call centre we still have had no response of any kind. This flight was way back on Feb 18th. Our extra return costs worked out more than the whole weekend break. They seem to have no customer service level or skills at all, and it seems do not appear at all bothered. If things run to plan they are just there, but if things go wrong, beware.

Wizz Air review by A Warrington

// May 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // feed, frontpage

Luton-Zagreb-Luton. Free seating scrum like no other, but anyone can pay £5 to sit in one of the 12 over-wing emergency exits. You are also invited to pay another £5 for priority boarding which you may or may not be given. Usually on time, but no contingency plans for flight delays or passenger care when things go wrong. There are no Wizz staff or agents in Zagreb and the Wizz air crew only seem to have lip service for the airport. You can call a premium rate customer service line in Hungary for flight information (if you get through). Zagreb airport staff have heard it all before and treat Wizz passengers like unwelcome guests. Apparently Wizz are supposed to have taken delivery of new A320 Airbus jets, but most of the seats seem to be from another aircraft. Friday 11th April 2008, they delayed the plane for 20 hours in Zagreb telling passengers that the aircraft had been struck by lightning. 17:00 became 20:00 which became 22:00 however the crew had left hours before. The airport told us to be in the airport at 06:00 the next morning for a 08:00 departure, but the crew did not turn up again until 10:00 when they haggled with ground staff over catering costs and landing fees until mid afternoon. My suggestion to anyone thinking of flying Wizz is that this airline is best suited to the very young and/or the very poor.