I can’t imagine what it’s like to work in social media for an airline. Just go to the Facebook page of any airline and you’ll find that it’s full of people complaining about everything. So I guess on some level you have to appreciate when someone complains in a unique way.
That’s what one passenger did on Norwegian Airlines’ Facebook page. Specifically, he wrote the airline the following poem:
Why can’t you be fair
Norwegian Air
No headphones do you include
Nine hours with no free foodThe stress of a sixty quid bag
Would make the plumpest of mammories sag
Aviational scandals from Scandinavian vandals
You’re a disgrace to the Norwegian flagAnd Kiwi.com you’re just as bad
Helping these rogues as there’s money to be had
Is it hard to operate with decency?
To cooperate and offer leniency?I admit it was wrong to put his first name as Bill
William Edward Gabriel, the seat who’s bum will fill
One hundred and twenty euros for what?
For two minutes of typing that’s rather a lotWhy can’t you be fair
Norwegian Air
Just skip that ammendment fee
And just let us change it for free
Hah! So it seems like the booking was made for “Bill” rather than “William,” and the airline wanted 120EUR to fix that error.
How did Norwegian respond to this? With a poem of their own, of course:
Dear Gus,
We understand all the fuzz
We try our best to reduce all the buzz
But fear not because’
we do not throw anyone under the buss
especially not a person like you
since diamonds in this world are so fewWe are sorry for any inconvenience that may have occurred
It can seem like our vision is sometimes blurred
But I can promise you that we try to fly like a birdWe thank you for your rhyme
We had a really great time
You thank us for being fair
We thank you for joining us up in the airWe wish you a great trip
With us the world is on your finger tip
Just be sure to follow the landing stripWe wish you an awesome day!
Best regards, Mats & Natacha
Brilliant, especially since they agreed to waive the fee.
Apparently there’s a bit of a backstory to this. BBC reports that the flight already had a schedule change of a few hours that entitled the passenger to a free flight change or a refund, though not a free name change (and presumably the fare had gone up). So that’s supposedly one of the reasons he was hoping the airline would take mercy on him. That’s logical and fair enough, though at the same time airlines are often guided by policies rather than logic.
Well done, Gus and Norwegian!
(Tip of the hat to AJ)
British Airways Owner IAG Weighs Takeover Bid for Norwegian Air https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-12/british-airways-owner-is-said-to-consider-bid-for-norwegian-air
Gus actually replied with another poem:
Thanks for being fair
Norwegian Air
You waived the fee
So glad are we
The same can not be said for kiwi.com
Their service is like weewee and vom
Thanks for replying so politely and quick
Unlike Kiwi, they make me sick
I'm sorry for my anger was quite misplaced
And I responded with unnecessary haste
The booking agent is who...
Gus actually replied with another poem:
Thanks for being fair
Norwegian Air
You waived the fee
So glad are we
The same can not be said for kiwi.com
Their service is like weewee and vom
Thanks for replying so politely and quick
Unlike Kiwi, they make me sick
I'm sorry for my anger was quite misplaced
And I responded with unnecessary haste
The booking agent is who lacked any manners
They do not deserve to be professional planners
Cheers for being so easy to reach
The robots on phones can be hard to breach
I commend you again, would recommend to a friend
You've saved me and my friends 40 euros each!
Thanks for being fair
Norwegian Air
We look forward to when
We can get right up there
Now, this is customer service.
Maybe my reading skills are in decline as I age but I fail to see where anything in the response poem says they'll refund the fee
But fear not because’
we do not throw anyone under the buss
especially not a person like you
since diamonds in this world are so few
We are sorry for any inconvenience that may have occurred
other than admitting it was a problem...again, maybe my literary analysis skills are in decline...
I don't think that is even a "name change". Bill and William are the same name. So is Liz and Elizabeth. Airlines like Norwegian should not even be allowed to charge "name" change fees" when the person flying is the same person and all they are doing is changing the spelling of their name from Ben to Benjamin, for example.
minor point: in his poem, he states the charge was 120 euro not GBP
still a great story
@Aman: a moderate beating carried out by private security contrators
Wonder how United would have reacted.
The rhymes get them a lot of free press (good press on top of that). 120£ seems like very good value for that free air time.
Love this. Hahahaha.