DUBAI The husband of a pregnant woman flying first class on a Dubai flight to Seoul has accused the cabin crew of “negligence” and sought damages.
Dmitry Rushika, a Russian expat in Dubai, said his wife Ekaterina, six-and-a-half months pregnant, had a business class ticket on an Emirates flight to Seoul on August 9, but ended up flying first class as she was upgraded. “But starting from the boarding till the landing, she was treated in such a horrible way,” he claimed, alleging that the cabin crew did not offer her a glass of water or blanket.
Dmitry alleged: “When my wife called the attendent to bring food, she did not help her to fold the table. Only when my wife told her that she cannot do it, did she help but hit my wife’s belly in the process, When my wife went to the toilet, she pushed her and told her ‘you better hurry’.”
He claimed when his wife landed, she was distraught. “She called me crying and was so insulted, nervous and stressed. She also had to be checked by the doctor at the airport. Even later, she could not sleep all night ...”
Complaint lodged
The man questioned the propriety of his wife’s seat being upgraded to first class and alleged it was done “to get extra profit by selling one more business class” ticket. “We have lodged a complaint and hope Emirates will take action and reinstate damages to (my wife), “
An airline spokesperson said: “Emirates’ focus is always to ensure that it delivers the best possible customer service and experiences for its passengers both in the air and on the ground. Pursers on the flight use the latest technologies to understand how to best meet the personal preferences and needs of passengers. All customer feedback is taken seriously and shared with our headquarters immediately after landing. We have a dedicated Customer Affairs and Service Audit department that tracks and audits customer feedback. As a policy, Emirates acknowledges all customer feedback and conducts a thorough investigation of complaints and a response is sent to the customer. Emirates has responded to the customer and the case is now closed.”
