Othmanes flying nightmare.

[tatedaoudi 0]

So had to share this with you all so you dont make the same mistake.

a few weeks back we booked a ticket for Othmane to go back to Morocco for a family event. I call airfrance and book the ticket. From Boston to Paris then Paris to Casa. No prob. Then they offer returning, from Casa to Marseille then Marseille to Paris then Paris to Boston. Now when they said that flight I asked the ticket agent (at the Air France office), is it possible for my husband to switch flights in Marseille? I explained he is a moroccan national and has only a US green Card. The agent said, "yes its ok". then I requested for them to double check with a supervisor to make sure that it wont be a problem in any form. He checked and confirmed that it wouldnt be a problem at all.

SOOOOOOOOO

Othmane goes to Morocco no problems. Today he is to return to the states and flies to Marsielle only to be told that he CANT switch flights there without a visa to france. Then they send him on a flight back to Casablanca! So I get a call from Othmane in Casablanca. I call air france and explain what happened and all they can tell me is that I need to purchase a new ticket and see what I can do about this problem later (if they can do anything). then they proceed to tell me that they may not be able to get him on a flight for A WEEK!!!!!!!!! I was beyond furious. and still am. I asked them if this would be a problem, I covered all our bases and they made the mistake. CRAZY.

so then othmane calls and had found a flight on RAM for tomorrow...and i had to buy it from here. After basically begging the office in New York to allow me to purchase the ticket for a soon departure (normally they have a minimum of 48 hours to issue a ticket from abroad). they allow me to buy it considering our circumstance and Othmane now has his e-ticket and will be spending the night in Casa airport without any cash or anything. (he spent everything calling here over and over)...and western union isnt open until the AM. Then to top it off they wont let him leave the airport without paying a 600dh penalty fee for the mishap in Marseille.

Im so mad. so relieved with Royal Air Maroc...but so so so angry at Air France.

I have just spent over 4 hours on the phone with air france only to be told that I shouldnt be so angry and that I will have to contact customer relations to "see maybe if they can do something". I finally said, "well they wont hear from me but from our lawyer". (not that i have a lawyer at all...im ridiculous). but i just feel like this is so wrong. this is theri mistake and completely put us into a seriously stressfull situation. and out tons of money for his new flight was more expensive than any purchance i think i have ever mad.e

and also........i have to drive to New York now too!! nothing was available to Boston.

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

im rambling and sorry for puking this at all of you but i have to get it off my chest. im feeling better now though.

thanks for letting me vent

sarah

[noura 0]

so sorry this happened to you (& Othmane) I have heard many horrible stories of Air France, this one just cinches it!!! I'll never fly AF if I can avoid it. Iberia and RAM all the way!!!! I hope they reimburse you for this drama...

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Durrrrrrr. Hope he makes it home safely soon!

This is one of the reasons I'm pushing DH to get American citizenship when it's available to him. He isn't too fond of the idea, but it's much easier to travel on an american passport. I take it for grantet (sp) that I can cruise around Amsterdam during my 8 hour layover.

[Bosco 1]

What a nightmare. I hope the rest of his journey home goes smoothly.

[amal 4]

I'm sorry to hear about that...I hope the rest of his trip is a good one....

[sarah and hicham 3]

Oh my gosh Sarah the same thing happened to Hicham's Uncle and cousins last week!

They are now Canadian citizens and they went to Morocco for a month through Air France and when they went to Paris going back to Canada they said no you cannot go and they sent them back to Morocco! They took them in a police van and kept them for hours before sending them back to France.

His Uncle was so mad they ended up staying in Morocco for another week then going back- luckily the Canadian embassy gave them their Canadian passports which they didn't have yet.

I'm so sorry this happened! Air France stinks!!!!

[MrsAmera 41]

I HATE AIR FRANCE -HATE, HATE, HATE!! Last summer my sister, myself and my son went to Morocco via Paris. My sister returned a month before myself and my son. (btw. we're all US Citizens) So we had to take a taxi from Marrakech to Casa and it was right around this time of year. The taxi driver was soooo slow and kept stopping to get people and we knew it was going to be really close. We got to the airport and she had missed the flight. Damn. So now they tell us that we can't just rebook a flight (like in the US and like I've done on other airlines) but that we would have to buy a one-way ticket on the spot and it would be about $1600. Also they didn't know when she could leave because it was so busy and everyone was trying to leave Morocco. My sister is incredibly sick as well and just wanted to get home. So we tried and tried everything but we realized we'd have to buy a new ticket. My sister had never flown alone before so we were really hoping this would go smoothly but it was already off to a bad start. We tried BA, RAM, and every other airline that might have flights to the US. And there was just nothing. So we took a flight on AF that was going to leave around 1:30am. I gave the lady my credit card and she told me "oh it's not going through" - I knew there was enough there - but I called my dad to call the bank in the US to make sure. They told me there was a $1600 amount that was pledged but the transaction wasn't completed. I tried and tried to explain this to the woman. There was no way to reverse the charge. We ended up having to stay the night in Casa, with some of Youssef's family and I went to the AF office in Casablanca in the morning as an angry American. I immediately asked to speak with the manager and she said "oh this happens often, the agent should have just completed the transaction for you." well thanks a ton. So we still had to pay the freaking $1600 for a one way ticket and she left the next day on the 1am flight. Meanwhile my mom was here in the US trying to rearrange her connecting flights. She took the flight to Paris, then to NY, then Detroit and finally Minneapolis. However it only cost $25 to change her flights in the US and they said "oh it's not a problem". Not to mention AF lost our luggage on the way to Morocco with my son's crib. So there is my AF hate story!

[hollyw 0]

ARGHHHHH AIR FRANCE!!!!!! I don't know one person that has had good experiences wtih them... lost luggage, missed/late flights, hostile employees.... HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE

[iceyspots 0]

Yup... Heard too many bad things about air France.. hard to believe France is a big country with a good economy...

[tatedaoudi 0]

i just feel like such a shmuck because i alway cheered AIR FRANCE. and now uggg cant even bring myself to go on thier flights. and the worst part is I only have one more flight to go to Morocco before I get a free one!!! OH THE MADNESS.

i just want Othmane to be here. Inshallah tomorrow. and im pumping myself up about the drive to New York. i have my frank sinatra cds ready and a fresh pack of cigs to crank as I drive. I was such a mess...now im thinking...hell now lets charge everything!! just kidding. but i guess you just gotta laugh.

thanks for your stories...i dont feel so alone.

[sarah and hicham 3]

Aww I'm glad he is coming back tomorrow. Can you imagine if he missed the Ben Harper concert?

[~*Dorothy*~ 2]

Sarah, what a nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!! ...I have never heard of such mess before...I am sorry that it happened to Othmanes...I had AF in a very high esteem but now I am just truly shocked that they treat people in such manner ...I can't believe it.!!!!!!!!!!!..Have a safe trip to NY...

Dorothy