Think I have come across Eastern's weird "no filming" rules before, a long time ago. There are ways and means of telling people not to film, but a curt "switch that off" instead of a "Hello! Sorry, but you'll have to turn that off please" is not going to win hearts and minds.
I think they are way past being polite about filming on an aircraft. Not sure of FIA rules, but they are rightly pissed off with being filmed without their permission, in what consititutes a work environment, and definitely not a public space. Even the other passengers, who value privacy, might have issues. Public spaces are different.
@@Paul_Lucas having a differing opinion is not abuse. An aircraft is not a public space, and these people are at work (both parties). If you'd like to have a conversation about legalities that's one thing - I'm sure if they'd done some research first they might have found it necessary to apply for a filming permit, and crew permission. Otherwise are we just free extras in, whoever chooses, video blogs,and even me as a fellow passenger would be pissed off. Even if it was just for some stupid social media picture. When out on public streets, or in public spaces, or private land that allows that, that's different. The content matters, and debating this doesn't constitute abuse.
There seems to be a deliberate campaign on Facebook and other aviation websites to slag off Steve Marsh with lies and misinformation by I assume the staff associated with this company or their friends. What a mess that company must be .
It's an amazing thing seeing the view from a plane and filming or even just taking pics of the view should be a part of the experience. At least let people record that.
Did Wick-Aberdeen last week. Same flight attendant, same instruction to “switch that off”. Felt very uncomfortable and OTT. 7 hours on the train from Wick-Aberdeen Is preferable to that standard of customer care. Thanks for highlighting this, I shall be doing the same.
I've also had a bad experience with Eastern the one time I flew with them from Sumburgh to Edinburgh on their E170. When boarding there was no cabin crew by the door, they were in the galley with the pilots eating a pizza and seemed annoyed to have to come and deal with passengers. They went round and inspected everyones phone to ensure it was switched off, not merely on airplane mode. Then during the flight the two cabin crew were either sat in the back loudly giggling and discussing a night out they'd had the previous weekend and up the front chatting with the pilots with the flight deck door open for what seemed a very long time. The only time they spoke to me was to tell me to turn my phone off. I have no issues if the airline has a no filming policy or need electronic devices off for safety, but the total indifference to customers and indeed irritation shown by staff at having to interrupt their gossip to do their jobs is, I think, totally unacceptable.
You were reading my mind Steve. I've just finished a land and sea journey through Wick to Kirkwall. I noticed the Eastern Airways Aberdeen-Wick service and wondered what it was like. Four days later you post the video. Over the years I haven't heard a great deal of positive feedback about Eastern, but your video was a real eye-opener.
I flew Eastern Airways back in 2007 from Southampton to Newcastle. I flew in the Jetstream 41 in thne way up and had no problems from the cabin crew when it came to filiming. The following day I flew back in their Saab 2000 and got the same response as you did "Switch that camera off!" All the tact and subtley of a slit throat!.
What you have to do in this situation, which is something they don't expect and catches them out, is to respond by questioning their abrupt approach so that all in the cabin can hear. They think they are generals and the passengers are soldiers with no right of reply.
As a former flight attendant with the great Flybe I found this Eastern customer service unacceptable. I'd have politely explained what the company policy is although at Flybe we welcomed anyone with a camera. I miss my job and meeting people we flew all over the UK & Europe.
Great airline Flybe used them for a few years, cabin crew were always amazing. Really hope they come back stronger than ever. Loganair is the worst airline ever in my opinion, we had a cruise booked in 2020 we had planned for a few years, and it got cancelled because of covid and Loganair refused to refund our flights.
Flybe were the worst I've ever flown with. As someone with MH issues,which include anxiety, staff on the first flight I took LAUGHED at me when I said to them how I was feeling when I boarded and didn't do anything to help.
@@markc8956 I guarantee if I were operating that day I'd have looked after you. I did it all my career and won many awards for customer service (43 years).
In reply to your question about the approach to runway 13, looking at the approach charts there are a lot of obstacles like wind farms and a radio mast surrounding the area so this has to be avoided by going out for a long final by flying over the airfield and straight out before turning on to the approach.
I can't resist passing on some of my flight experiences from Wick. The first time I flew from there was around 1961 or 2, I was 6 or 7 at the time. We flew from Wick to Manchester and back. The plane was an old Dakota or DeHaveland or some such thing. Whatever, it looked like the original silver bird, all unpainted aluminium. When we landed back at Wick, I can remember watching two men pushing a 2 wheeled barrow with a barrel on it running out of the main hanger to meet the plane. This was Wick airport fire brigade. Another time, when I was a teenager, I flew out from Wick to Aberdeen with Logan Air. I was in a little six seater with a bunch of managerial types, very toffee nosed. As we flew over the Murrey Firth, one of these said "Oh! Look at all the white tops on the waves. It must be very rough down there". To which our pilot replied "No, that's the salmon heading in towards the rivers. Do you want a closer look?" With that he put the plane into a steep dive and levelled out about 100 feet above the water. There were some very pale managers got off that plane. I loved it. The return flight was with BA I believe. It was a flight from Aberdeen to Shetland with a stopover at Wick. It was a VERY foggy day. The plane approached Wick airport from the south-east, which meant we were coming in from the cliff end. All of us in the know started holding our breaths, all you could see under the plane was fog. When we eventually saw water very close underneath, a collective groan went up. Then the plane went into a steep climb and the pilot told us he couldn't land at Wick as the weather was too bad. He then told us he was flying on to Shetland and all us Wick passengers went "WHAT". Eventually, over the Orkney's he told us that Shetland was also fogged in and he was forced to return to Aberdeen. I eventually got home to Thurso in a coach from Aberdeen. In all, I was undeway for 16 hours that day.
Try a winter flight on a Sabb 350 to Shetland 😂😂😂😂 very bumpy all the way then a spectacular hard right bank around Sumburgh heed to the runway. You want to kiss the ground when you get off the plane.
Planning a trip to northern Scotland and now having a rethink, don’t want Eastern Airlines bad vibes in my trip to beautiful Scotland! Thanks for taking one for the team Steve!
and this is one reason why I always try to say thank you for the work you do to bring these videos to us. it doesn't only mean physical work it means mental work by putting up with people that are so unhappy with their job and with themselves that they want to make everybody else around them unhappy too! I think I would be open to going public transportation for the 7 hours, if I had time, than putting up with their attitudes. Too bad you didn't accidentally hit the record button on your phone and get them being nasty to you. I hope everyone on the flight reports them. Say hi to Alicja for me. Happy Easter to you both. Be well, stay safe, hope you travel happily from now on, love from Texas.
Hey from both of us and Happy Easter :) I really had hoped to bring a nice video for the holidays but it is what it is I guess! It genuinely is the only time I've ever not wanted to get on a return flight, I would have much rather just jumped on a train home. Thanks so much for the support and coming along on our wee trips - I felt so bad taking Alicja on this one!
On the plus side, they did make sure your anorak arrived safely. I have fancied seeing Wick, ever since The Big Yin walk down the stairs cut into the cliff. Happy Easter.
Great video again Steve. Wick and surrounding areas looked really nice. I’m glad that Eastern Management picked this up and got back to you. Hope it improves their customer service and the dreadful attitude of their flight attendants. This was almost Faulty Towers !!
We have two staff members who are starting their degrees in hotel/hospitality later this year. We are sending them on a weeks walking holidays before they start. Eastern have been recommended as a live experience in passive aggressive communication, a bit like the John Cleese training vids of the 80’s. Apparently it’s a staggering example of how not to behave, and the reputation is spreading - we are based in the southeast and the degree course is in london - so eastern can expect an upturn in bookings from those wanting to see it for themselves. 🥴👍
This is interesting! A few years ago, me and a friend took a flight with Eastern from Cardiff to Anglesey on the J41, the crew were great and more than happy for us to video and take photo's, even at the end of the flight the captain invited us into the cockpit and talked us around the aircraft. Shame to hear this bad experience!
Hey Steve, you asked why the airplanes fly so far past the airport. Wick's procedure for us to land is solely VOR or NDB, so we have to fly over the beacon for about 8 miles, then double back on ourselves to align with the runway. Much easier on a nice clear day to break off and fly a visual approach. I used to fly EDI-WIK-EDI, but with pax loads like the 5 you had, you can see why the route just didn't work. Would love to have you onboard one of my flights some time! Keep up the good vids.
You two are always so positive, so this experience must have really been bad. Good on you for serving up a roasting! We'll look forward to seeing your video on Wick itself.... hopefully a much better experience than the trip there 😃
Thanks Kimberley! I really hate to post a negative review but I couldn't lie about this experience, and I was probably still a bit too kind in the review! Thankfully the bit in-between was a lot more positive and fun :)
Hi Steve, firstly so nice to see you both out together, sorry for the hostility you faced. Still great to see your adventures none the less. Always great to spend time with you.
Thanks so much Brian! I felt so bad taking Alicja on such a horrible flight, but thankfully the bit in-between was a lot of fun - that'll be the next video :)
Sorry to hear about your terrible experience but thanks for the warning. I haven't even heard of Eastern Airlines but will not use them should I be up in that part of the world. Perhaps viewers should all email the management to alert them of this experience but I suspect they wouldn't care. For flight staff to be like this suggests that the company is rotten at the top as well. Attitudes permeate downwards. Imagine living in Wick and using this airline on a regular basis. It would be one thing if it were budget but paying fares like this........On the bright side I'm glad you had a good day and look forward to the video. Happy Easter! P.S. Strapping your jacket into a seat!!!???!!!
Thanks so much for your comment, I think you are absolutely spot on! I would rather have walked back to Aberdeen, but thankfully the bit in-between the flights was really fun :)
On the comment about strapping a jacket down - if there are no overhead lockers, in the (agreed unlikely) event of an emergency landing and quick evacuation needed, loose debris - e.g. jackets, could hinder this action. (Speaking as someone who has experienced an emergency landing I totally understand)
Good heavens. To meet your easy, cheery "good morning" with that reply? Rude! Thanks for the warning, when we get back to Scotland this autumn we'll surely avoid Eastern. As other subscribers have said...we know it must have been a very bad all-round experience for you to post a negative review. As always, though, we appreciate the honesty! Happy Easter to you both.
Thanks for the heads up on Eastern Airways Steve. I'll strike a line through them on any future flights searches. Two hundred quid to be treat that? Disgraceful. You should have titled your video 'Eastern Airways Get On Our Wick"! Looking forward to your video about your time in Wick though - love a good ride out on a RIB. BTW, just had to cancel our Seafari trip on a RIB out of the Isle of Seil next month as my wife has broken her arm after a fall. Gutted, but we're still going to explore Argyle anyway. BTW2, any sign of Alicja's latest video from Poland.
Haha love the title Davey :D So sorry to hear about the fall, hope the recovery is fast and you're spoiling her :) Alicja's video didn't work out I'm afraid - she had planned to film at the train station but it is a refugee place at the moment, so it didn't feel right to film there.
Eastern will have to up their customer service training but, as I have said to others, I hope these bad reviews do not result in the cancellation of the ONLY flight out of Wick to anywhere.. People here have to pay the full cost, but appreciate the return of the only airlink to other parts of the UK and beyond.
It would appear that Eastern will soon be out of business if they keep treating there customers like dirt and don't get me started on airport parking charges, funny story, Townsville airport which is the tourist destination to the Barrier Reef and all the islands decided to impose a ten dollar charge on all vehicles for dropping off and picking up and this included taxis, needless to say the cabbies where not going to wear this so they simply stopped going to the airport to drop off or pick up the resulting chaos was spectacular and the cabbies won and the charge was dropped, you have to admire the power of the people. Wishing you all the best for a very happy Easter and will be looking out for your video from Wick, take care and stay safe, cheers.
Haha love it Simon! :D Believe it or not, for overnight parking, booked in advance, they were quoting around £60 - our hotel was cheaper :D Aw the best!
Eastern bought AirSouthwest years ago, within a few months they completely screwed the timetable, most of the staff were on the verge of leaving and they forced the company to shut down. For that reason I have never used them and will continue to never use them. I was horrified when Flybe made them a franchise partner.
As I have said to others, I hope bad reviews do not result in fewer bookings, with the potential of cancellation of this flight as this is the ONLY flight from Wick to anywhere in the UK and beyond. People living in this town appreciate the recently restored airlink.
@@janettesinclair6279 I understand your concern but if people are treated badly by the flight staff there will be repercussions, not a lot that can be done about that except get crew trained to be civil to the customers.
This isn't like yourself to complain, so the experience must have been really bad! I wanted to fly them one day but after seeing this maybe not... Anyway, thank you for the video! Even though you couldn't show much it was still pretty dam good! Very informative 😁 much love to you both and happy Easter 😁😁 BanjoMan
Cheers BanjoMan! All the best to you too from the both of us! Yeah, it was such a shocking experience, I really wouldn't recommend, especially for aviation lovers like us :(
The world doesn't revolve around Steve Marsh and his camcorder. A commercial flight is a shared environment not his personal movie set. Nobody buys a plane ticket to be an extra in his homemade movies. He's not showing any respect to the other passengers yet he demands respect. Let him walk if he hates being flown around so much. Talk about spoilt.
A really nice review. I hope the airline makes amends once they see your review. Customer service is so important to all passengers. If cabin crew don't like their job, then find another job. Keep up your great reviews. Kind regards DS
I had thought of taking the train up to Wick and flying back to save a bit of time. Looks like some lucky hotelier will profit another nights stay instead of Eastern Air pocketing it. I look forward to the next video to see if you can recommend a hotel or B&B in Wick. Excellent job as always!
Can't beat Mackay's Hotel in Wick, great food, the entrance to the restaurant is on what is officially the shortest street in the world. The Bank House B&B on Bridge St is also good.
I used to travel Eastern regularly from Norwich to Aberdeen when I worked offshore. This was 10+ years ago, so it's sad to see how they've changed, because they used to be a great wee airline. I remember the complimentary glass of champagne in the air, just what you need after 4 weeks offshore!
Nice! Aye, a shadow of their former self by the sound of it! Although it may just be one person who made the whole experience so miserable for all onboard...
I hope you’ve tweeted the link to this video to Eastern. I wonder what their take on it is. I was a steward for BA for over 31 years and we were never that rude or demanding regarding mobile phones and video recording devices.
Bloody hell! Sorry that you both had to encounter that! Hope you both have put in complaints etc, cos I wouldn't have stood for that myself! Hope you both have a great Easter and looking forward to seeing what you both got upto in Wick itself. :)
In all fairness. Not that you can excuse the dreadful service. The crew are probably fed up. In 2020 the airline culled loyal, valuable staff despite the furlough scheme it what was the most rigged and fudged redundancy scheme ever. The best crew binned off and cheap and cheerful labour kept behind. The HR team are the most volatile and vile group ever known, preaching mental health awareness yet being the biggest reason themselves for the about of stress and anxiety people were feeling. Most of the management were equally as bad, the cabin crew management were fragile and pointless. No support or back bone at all. Some of the cabin crew trainers were the only thing holding it together. And now its probably worse. Those unlucky enough to keep their job were forced on indefinite unpaid leave as bonded, or had pay cut after pay cut, allowances cut and worked like dogs for less than probably universal credit. So they're probably fed up and exhausted. An inexcusable experience agreed but the behind the scenes is worse as the route cause.
I can see what you're saying and agree. But as someone paying them £200 for these flights, I have to review what we experienced and I was probably a whole lot kinder in the video as it was the most toxic cabin atmosphere we've ever experienced. A truly awful service.
@@caz211072 of course management are always behind poor performance of staff, usually playing politics or some other stupid management game BUT, if staff are unhappy as you say they are then for their own sakes and everyone else’s, they need to get out.
A true vlogger .. saying it how it is, … Steve , you are truly brilliant in how you portray your vlogs , wether it’s the best or even a bad experience.. it’s how we all want to see .. Keep em comin’ ✌️🙏
Big bummer from the start! Can’t check yourself in, cold sandwiches gone, over priced food, then rude staff? Dang…. Well at least your jacket was safe on the flight! Haha 😂 Glad to see the Buckeye stuff! Oh, and Happy Easter to you both! I hope you’re enjoying the new place!
Great video Steve, me and Sally were here in Oct 2019. Memorable for the fact that Sally spent 6 nights in the main hospital due to pneumonia!!!!. The fact that I was on my own meant I walked the city, visited all the main football stadia yes 3 of them. The park is fabulous and a great place to relax. The atocha is fabulous and was our exit to Seville to get flight home. I would just add that the staff at the hospital were fabulous and helpful. Would go back as there is so much to see. Thanks again Mike & Sally in Cardiff x
Thanks Steve. Sorry for your bad experience with that airline. I hope it didn’t completely ruin your trip. It’s hard to believe a small regional airline could be so discourteous. I hope you have followed up with a report to the company. That small aircraft needs to be full of passengers to justify the trip. Regardless basic human kindness and friendliness should prevail. If the airline personnel don’t like their jobs, they should try working at McDonald’s. Wouldn’t last one day there.with that attitude. Always a pleasure to travel with you on those interesting trips around Scotland.
01:47 That same type plane was here Estonia durning 32 years domatastic flight Tallinn Kärdla and Tallinn Kuressaare. . Yes max flight hig was 10,000 feet and average speed 120 knots. Each autumn was raff and pumpy flights when winds was over 20 m/sec ( 40 knots ) .
Hi Steve, We thank you for bringing this to our attention. Whilst this is not the service that we expect of our staff representing us an organisation, we do appreciate you have highlighted this giving us the opportunity to investigate and take the necessary actions. A separate email has been returned to you with results of our investigation following this unfortunate incident. Thank you again for taking the time to do what you do, and we wish you all the best for your future content creation. Regards, Eastern Airways
Sorry to watch and hear about your bad experience with eastern airlines. Years ago my wife’s and her parents all worked for and retired from Eastern Airlines, U S A. That airlines, now long gone, was not indicative of the experience you’ve just had. It was a great airlines to work for and to fly. As a former licensed pilot, all I can say is that you walked away from your landing which puts you ahead of the game. Also your previous video was fantastic as the scenery spoke for itself, no narration required. Keep up the good work!
Love Eastern in the states. It was a great service and, of course, that was many many years ago. Certainly, nothing like what was heard on this video. A nice greeting is the start of a more relaxed flight.
Use to travel thru Dyce every two weeks for a few years back in the 80's, prop plane to Sumburgh then chopper, or just straight chopper if we were anchored further south - sounds like little has changed!!! Thanks for the heads up on Moody Air
I can see eastern airways going out of business with attitudes like that. Common curtesy costs nothing I worked in the leisure industry dealing with the general public, even when a person is being awkward you always remain polite and explain things in a calm manner. Hope your visit to Wick itself was enjoyable even if the flight wasn't. Have a happy Easter both of you.
The flight from Aberdeen from Stornoway with Eastern was the most humorous I ever had. The sole flight attendant was priceless. I enjoyed the flight very much because of him.
As someone once said to me, some days you have to experience others personal misery and anger issues for a few minutes or hours - but they have to live with it 24/7 everyday. But by not 'biting' you are the bigger and better person Steve 👍.
Thanks for the heads up. Also thanks for the videos. Left Scotland at 16 and many of the places you visit I had never even heard of. SO interesting and great to see. Thank you. Please let us all know if you ever hear from Eastern……….
That cabin crew had certainly missed a few pages in charm school 😞 Shame because that's such a nice flight up the coast. Just a thought as to why they overshoot Wick by so much - it's in the hope that passengers will remember seeing John O'Groats from the air more than they will remember the cabin crew...
😳😳😳 my reaction as I heard how rude the staff was!! Aghast!! Still shaking my head to the thought….glad y’all had a good time nonetheless. Look forward to your video of Wick. Happy Easter 🐣
I've flow Eastern many times from Teesside, and I also took the Wick-Aberdeen route, on previous routes it seemed so nice, now on the Wick flight, everything changed and the cabin crew were rude, kept telling me to turn off my phone, and more. It was the worst Eastern flight of my life.
I flew to Wick last week , had the same cabin crew (Julia) as in the video - absolutely horrendous attitude from her . Impersonal announcements (even though there were only 8 of us) , didn't engage with 1 single person . Sat on her backside in the back row of the plane and barked orders to SWITCH OUR PHONES COMPLETELY OFF and NOT MOVE AROUND THE CABIN to prevent the spread of Covid . Please tell me how you're likely to move around a Jetstream 41 ?????? Worst cabin crew I've ever encountered , nasty , unfriendly, unwelcoming .... Eastern Airways should be ashamed of employing her on a route they're trying to promote again.
Glad i came across this vid Steve ive had plans to use Eastern on a couple of trips 1 of which wouldve been this ABZ-Wick journey but luckily i managed to visit the area by car last week including John O Groats They wont be getting a penny from me terrible customer service Subscribed btw great vids :) keep them up
An example of telling it like it is, far removed from the sycophants that bend over backwardness hoping to get free flights and train tickets in return for an undeserved favourable revue of their services Steve. Nice one mate, looking forward to seeing the Wick tour...
Nice to see the "terrific two" together again!! Eastern Airways....kept me waiting for ages in Gibralter Airport....at least the viewing gallery made the wait enjoyable. Ah Wick, home to the shortest street in the world. Been there 👌
Hi Steve, what a shame, and hugely embarrassing for them. I've done a lot of flying recently with Loganair, where the cabin crews are nearly always lovely, and even when I recognise a crew member and say oh you carried me on such and such flight last week( like they are going to remember) they always at least pretend to remember which is I think a great sign of customer service. Eastern has never been on my radar as I've never had cause to use them, but I may be in Wick later in the year....hmm choo choo train maybe.
Thanks for the heads up will be avoiding Eastern. FYI Inverness Airport parking is also extortionate. I parked up at 04:55 Tuesday morning, Flew to Gatwick and returned Wednesday Evening around 21:30 £32 for les than 48 Hrs Parking!
Given that you could well be in the running for the most pleasant contributor on UA-cam the title came as something of a surprise! I am sure that someone from Eastern will see the video and perhaps the company might reach out to you. According to their Twitter stream (April 15th) this is a new PSO route (Public Service Operation). Perhaps there is some issue on the rostering or something that is making the staff unhappy?
Aw thanks so much! And I really hate to be negative, but I couldn't lie about this one! I'd love to hear what they have to say about this, I'll update if I hear anything from them :)
Nice to see Wick Airport open again. Pity the flight doesn't continue on to Orkney. First time I visited the North Isles was late 60s. I drove from Perth to Wick, spent a few days around Caithness then flew BA to Orkney. I was there a week then took a BA flight to Shetland. Making that route possible again would be good for tourism.
on that plane - the JetStream41, it is a requirement to turn off all electronic devices for takeoff and landing as they can interfere with the electronics of the aircraft (as it an older and smaller aircraft), on my last Eastern flight the cabin crew politely explained this.
The clue is in your explanation which unfortunately reads more like an excuse for bad behaviour. At the time of boarding, the engines are typically not even running, so to tell someone to 'Switch that off' at that juncture is not only rude, but unnecessary. If the aeroplane is simultaneously attempting to take off whilst passengers are boarding then you have a point.
The reason they fly past the airport and so far north west is the instrument approach to Wick is from the north west; there is no instrument procedure from the south east. So they fly inbound to overhead the WIK beacon on the airfield, then outbound to the NW to turn around and position for the instrument approach which will guide them down to the westerly runway. If the easterly runway is in use (due wind direction) they fly exactly the same approach and once below cloud and in sight of the surface. continue visually (a circling approach) to position for a landing from the south east.
Really hope you will take that up with the airline, never heard such nonsense from an airline crew. I don't fly very often but when I do I always film the take off and landings and have never been told to " switch that off"
Yeah, email waiting for them mate, it was truly ridiculous, and the way the message was delivered just made it worse. She stood behind us and watched us closely, we felt like school kids!
I remember getting off the plane, and took a picture on my phone, I heard lots of yelling and it was the ground staff having a go at me, and told me to delete it. Total nonsense, maybe they are trying to hide something
Good to see somebody is keeping you rowdy UA-camr reviewers in line... Just joking, hehe, what an absolute beltjob. I'll be avoiding Eastern Airways from now on
I worked seven years in UK civil aviation customer services. Eastern, thankfully, is unlikely to last long with that disgusting attitude. You'd certainly have been better off driving up in the van. Looking forward to your vid of your much more enjoyable time actually in Wick. Stay safe both.
Happy Easter Steve if you are struggling for a Summer holidays you could maybe go to Amsterdam You can fly from Glasgow and Edinburgh if you have something else planned I am looking forward to see it Happy Easter Steve have a good one.
Thanks so much for the great idea Matthew! I'd actually thought about doing a wee ferry trip there as well, but the flight may be the better option, all the best!
You should wait until the ferry service to the continent is up and running Steve, the nearest service is from Newcastle, We lost our Hull - Zeebrugge service when brexit came in. A shame I used it every three months or so to take parties to the Western front and a one day shopping trip with the wife....all gone now... The Hull to Rotterdam is running again but I won't use it after the way the crews were sacked by p&o, it's just as though I have Benn abandoned in the middle of nowhere...Tom
Had the same experience a few times myself with Eastern Airways. Some cabin crew are less strict but most won't allow filming during take-off and landing.
sad to hear of the experience. The local papers were talking up our connectivity. I think Wick is an underused airport and could make a difference to the local economy eg for surfing and starting the NC500 and/or LEJOG. I have has horrendous experiences on buses from Inverness to Thurso etc. I have travelled via Loganair Wick Edinburgh. could not be different friendly service with attention to H&S and security. Good coffee and complimentary Tunnocks bar. ABZ left much to be desired but the flight to CDG via Air France made up for it. You hire a car might help around, Yep Mackays Hotel or the Bank. Whaligoe Steps, Old Pulteney Distillery and the Fishery Museum worth visits, check dates. Castle of Mey worth a visit in season too.
Tragic. Some People really aren't in a job suited to them. Flight attendant is an important job, you are literally the face of the airline. I've flown for over 30 years and have never had a bad experience so it really is an unexpected experience I think. Lucky it's only a wee shirt flight!!!! Looking forward to Wick, the wife just said "he's got a great life going all over Scotland". He has I said.👍😁🏴
Iam in my late 60,s and wouid love a job as cabin crew on trips like that. Oh well I will avoid Eastern after the experience this lovely couple had to go through . Must be other carriers we couid use . Hope Easterns management saw the clip .
So I fly up to Wick quite frequently with my job. Wick airport doesn't actually have an ILS approach like Aberdeen, Glasgow, etc, only a VOR/DME approach and an RNP/GPS approach. Eastern and Loganair don't have the approvals to fly the GPS approaches into many airports, so they have to the VOR/DME approaches which is what takes them overhead the airport and then so far out before turning back inbound to the airport.
Always remember emailing Eastern Airways about a delayed flight and getting an email back saying that since the delay of 1hr 55m was under 2 hours please be assured there was no need for a refreshments voucher. Legally correct of course but rather disappointing. Mind you the crew were pleasant and apologetic when the flight did arrive.
That was a disaster Steve, my late husband and I used to work at ‘EMA’ during the days when curtesy was uppermost, and the passengers were always right even when wrong 😑 pleased you and Alicja enjoyed the rest of your trip to Wick, I could make a joke about that but I won’t 🥴 🤗👋
Haha thanks Bernice! Yeah, thankfully the bit in-between was a lot more fun and will be the next video. I felt so bad taking Alicja on this flight though!
@@steve-marsh - Steve, it probably was for the best that she was there to also experience this sad excuse for customer service. It sounded so over the top that she may have thought you might have been dramatizing their displayed attitudes, and of course, 'Misery does love company'. Happy Easter guys.
I used to fly Eastern, Norwich-Manchester. Happy days, even got served free champagne one night, there were only 9 passengers. Hand luggage only. Small airline, small and old planes, staff seemed nice enough. Think they pulled out of Norwich years ago, didnt know they were still CAA licenced
I had something a little similar when I flew Loganair during Covid. But it was a polite "I dont think you can film im afraid but I'll quickly check with the captain for you"
Great wee movie I was once offshore so visited Aberdeen often. As for the dreadful hospitality my recent experiences everywhere including pubs.. Who during covid think they are the law and people were so rude, but I made a point of reminding them I am the customer!?.. Much re training needed. Cheers 🍻
One would think most airlines would welcome the free publicity - a friendly (and perhaps humorous) crew and a beautiful flight up the coast. SouthWest Airlines have perfected this model. There are literally thousands of YT videos of fun times aboard SW flights. When the staff is as miserable and lacking in basic customer service training as this one, it signals bigger problems in the company, IMO. I would question what other basic training they lack. I think you're right to speculate about the safety of the airline. I wouldn't fly them after seeing this and reading several other web comments about similar experiences. Wake up, Eastern Airways! #easternairways
I'm sorry to hear your experience on Eastern Airways. The smaller airlines usually are polar opposite and have excellent customer experience. Hopefully Eastern received your review and it can serve as a wake-up call.
Sorry you had such a bad flight experience. In years of flying to the islands from Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Glasgow (sometimes the flight would stop into Wick, but I've never been into the town itself), I never experienced anything like that. Mind you, in those days it was either BEA/British Airways or Loganair. They were matter-of-fact flights, more like a bus service, but I can't think any of the staff were rude in that way. It sounds like the company culture of Eastern Airlines is unhealthy. Anyway, it's good to know that you both had a good time while in and around Wick.
Wick airport probably doesn't have ILS (instrument landing system) so the planes would have to do a visual approach for the runway, they have to fly a long approach out and then can turn on to final approach.
I was also going to comment that you don't normally complain, so this just goes to show the poor level of customer satisfaction that you felt. I wholeheartedly agree with speaking up about the bad as well as the good. I hope your review helps this carrier to improve its business model. Thanks for the warning, though I doubt it's a route I'm likely to make. All the best to you both.
Cheers Michael, I couldn't lie about this one, but at the same time I hate posting anything negative, so I think I was actually still a bit too kind to them in the video, it was the weirdest hostile environment I've ever experienced!
Eastern Airways also owns my nearest airport Humberside Airport. Since taking ownership of the airport in 2012 they have done pretty much next to nothing to grow the airport. They have hardly announced any new routes nor they have attracted any new airlines to the airport. They have done nothing to try to attract passengers in terms of marketing and there is not much in the way of a social media pressnce. All they have done is maintain their route to Aberdeen as well as the KLM route to Amsterdam. So much for the growth they promised 10 years ago.
I feel there are a few problems within that company! The service on the flights and the lack of progress at Humberside may point to something a lot more troubling!
What!!! In your videos you come across as a sound and easy going dude so this really must have pissed you off. Once I came back from London on the train and went in first class because it was a Scottish bank holiday and it was a tenner upgrade. The conductor was so rude and questioning, like I didn’t deserve to be there. This sort of attitude really can waste a trip. Edited to say - “How did you get this ticket?” “Emmmm I paid for it with money”
Wowza what a greetings I just went on a flight to Pisa. Airport yesterday and the smiles and welcomes made a lovely start to the day, then departing the aircraft was the same. I love your videos you guys thanks for this. Your adventures are fabulous Sorry about your journey, I also would be worried about the safety of this airline goodness knows what their getting up to that lot!! Hahahah thanks for the stream Greetings from Dumfries and Galloway 😁
A few years back I worked in Norway and used to fly from Dyce to Stavanger with Eastern many times as they were cheaper than SAS. At the time they had online checkin and were a great wee airline to use and I never had any trouble with them at all. I wonder if cost cutting and the Pandemic has really hit them hard which is a shame. I hope your experience has just been an isolated incident.
I used to fly regularly with Eastern Airways when they operated the oil charters from ABZ to SCS. They were always a pleasure to fly with. Accommodating and always offered a boiled sweet and a drink on takeoff. I suspect that cutbacks have had a real impact on the airline...I suspect that Loganair might start flying some of the routes still operated soon (with the exception of the public service obligation flights to Wick).
Well done Steve and Ailcja for exposing rude, unprofessional, discourteous staff. They deserve to lose business and such employees should be exposed. (Maybe that's the culture of the business???)
In all fairness. Not that you can excuse the dreadful service. The crew are probably fed up. In 2020 the airline culled loyal, valuable staff despite the furlough scheme it what was the most rigged and fudged redundancy scheme ever. Some of the best crew binned off. The HR team are the most volatile and vile group ever known, preaching mental health awareness yet being the biggest reason themselves for the about of stress and anxiety people were feeling. Most of the management were equally as bad, the cabin crew management were fragile and pointless. No support or back bone at all. Some of the cabin crew trainers were the only thing holding it together. And now its probably worse. Those unlucky enough to keep their job were forced on indefinite unpaid leave as bonded, or had pay cut after pay cut, allowances cut and worked like dogs for less than probably universal credit. So they're probably fed up and exhausted. An inexcusable experience agreed but the behind the scenes is worse as the route cause.
Think I have come across Eastern's weird "no filming" rules before, a long time ago. There are ways and means of telling people not to film, but a curt "switch that off" instead of a "Hello! Sorry, but you'll have to turn that off please" is not going to win hearts and minds.
I think they are way past being polite about filming on an aircraft. Not sure of FIA rules, but they are rightly pissed off with being filmed without their permission, in what consititutes a work environment, and definitely not a public space. Even the other passengers, who value privacy, might have issues. Public spaces are different.
@@skydancer4224 Untrue on both counts. I see you joined only yesterday, specifically to give abuse to this channel.
@@Paul_Lucas having a differing opinion is not abuse. An aircraft is not a public space, and these people are at work (both parties). If you'd like to have a conversation about legalities that's one thing - I'm sure if they'd done some research first they might have found it necessary to apply for a filming permit, and crew permission. Otherwise are we just free extras in, whoever chooses, video blogs,and even me as a fellow passenger would be pissed off. Even if it was just for some stupid social media picture. When out on public streets, or in public spaces, or private land that allows that, that's different. The content matters, and debating this doesn't constitute abuse.
There seems to be a deliberate campaign on Facebook and other aviation websites to slag off Steve Marsh with lies and misinformation by I assume the staff associated with this company or their friends.
What a mess that company must be .
It's an amazing thing seeing the view from a plane and filming or even just taking pics of the view should be a part of the experience. At least let people record that.
Did Wick-Aberdeen last week. Same flight attendant, same instruction to “switch that off”. Felt very uncomfortable and OTT. 7 hours on the train from Wick-Aberdeen Is preferable to that standard of customer care. Thanks for highlighting this, I shall be doing the same.
That's dreadful!
@@davet11 I very much doubt the last para. Total nonsense.
Great vid Tim, cheers for posting on this too - so sorry you had to go through the same flight experience though. Truly awful!
@@steve-marsh abysmal
@@alexandermenzies9954 NB Lossiemouth operates Typhoons in the same area.
I've also had a bad experience with Eastern the one time I flew with them from Sumburgh to Edinburgh on their E170. When boarding there was no cabin crew by the door, they were in the galley with the pilots eating a pizza and seemed annoyed to have to come and deal with passengers. They went round and inspected everyones phone to ensure it was switched off, not merely on airplane mode. Then during the flight the two cabin crew were either sat in the back loudly giggling and discussing a night out they'd had the previous weekend and up the front chatting with the pilots with the flight deck door open for what seemed a very long time. The only time they spoke to me was to tell me to turn my phone off.
I have no issues if the airline has a no filming policy or need electronic devices off for safety, but the total indifference to customers and indeed irritation shown by staff at having to interrupt their gossip to do their jobs is, I think, totally unacceptable.
You were reading my mind Steve. I've just finished a land and sea journey through Wick to Kirkwall. I noticed the Eastern Airways Aberdeen-Wick service and wondered what it was like. Four days later you post the video. Over the years I haven't heard a great deal of positive feedback about Eastern, but your video was a real eye-opener.
Cheers Scott, such a shame as I love wee airlines and obscure routes just like you! Hey, we're destined to bump into each other soon :D
I flew Eastern Airways back in 2007 from Southampton to Newcastle. I flew in the Jetstream 41 in thne way up and had no problems from the cabin crew when it came to filiming. The following day I flew back in their Saab 2000 and got the same response as you did "Switch that camera off!" All the tact and subtley of a slit throat!.
What you have to do in this situation, which is something they don't expect and catches them out, is to respond by questioning their abrupt approach so that all in the cabin can hear. They think they are generals and the passengers are soldiers with no right of reply.
As a former flight attendant with the great Flybe I found this Eastern customer service unacceptable. I'd have politely explained what the company policy is although at Flybe we welcomed anyone with a camera. I miss my job and meeting people we flew all over the UK & Europe.
It's pleasing to see Flybe is up and running again.
Great airline Flybe used them for a few years, cabin crew were always amazing.
Really hope they come back stronger than ever. Loganair is the worst airline ever in my opinion, we had a cruise booked in 2020 we had planned for a few years, and it got cancelled because of covid and Loganair refused to refund our flights.
Still miss Flybe!
Flybe were the worst I've ever flown with. As someone with MH issues,which include anxiety, staff on the first flight I took LAUGHED at me when I said to them how I was feeling when I boarded and didn't do anything to help.
@@markc8956 I guarantee if I were operating that day I'd have looked after you. I did it all my career and won many awards for customer service (43 years).
In reply to your question about the approach to runway 13, looking at the approach charts there are a lot of obstacles like wind farms and a radio mast surrounding the area so this has to be avoided by going out for a long final by flying over the airfield and straight out before turning on to the approach.
I can't resist passing on some of my flight experiences from Wick. The first time I flew from there was around 1961 or 2, I was 6 or 7 at the time. We flew from Wick to Manchester and back. The plane was an old Dakota or DeHaveland or some such thing. Whatever, it looked like the original silver bird, all unpainted aluminium. When we landed back at Wick, I can remember watching two men pushing a 2 wheeled barrow with a barrel on it running out of the main hanger to meet the plane. This was Wick airport fire brigade.
Another time, when I was a teenager, I flew out from Wick to Aberdeen with Logan Air. I was in a little six seater with a bunch of managerial types, very toffee nosed. As we flew over the Murrey Firth, one of these said "Oh! Look at all the white tops on the waves. It must be very rough down there". To which our pilot replied "No, that's the salmon heading in towards the rivers. Do you want a closer look?" With that he put the plane into a steep dive and levelled out about 100 feet above the water. There were some very pale managers got off that plane. I loved it.
The return flight was with BA I believe. It was a flight from Aberdeen to Shetland with a stopover at Wick. It was a VERY foggy day. The plane approached Wick airport from the south-east, which meant we were coming in from the cliff end. All of us in the know started holding our breaths, all you could see under the plane was fog. When we eventually saw water very close underneath, a collective groan went up. Then the plane went into a steep climb and the pilot told us he couldn't land at Wick as the weather was too bad. He then told us he was flying on to Shetland and all us Wick passengers went "WHAT". Eventually, over the Orkney's he told us that Shetland was also fogged in and he was forced to return to Aberdeen. I eventually got home to Thurso in a coach from Aberdeen. In all, I was undeway for 16 hours that day.
Thanks so much for this comment Derek- a pleasure to read! And oh I wish I'd had the opportunity to fly on an old silver bird!
Try a winter flight on a Sabb 350 to Shetland 😂😂😂😂 very bumpy all the way then a spectacular hard right bank around Sumburgh heed to the runway. You want to kiss the ground when you get off the plane.
Brilliant adventures & memories, now that's worth paying for! How times have changed.
All that to get back to thurso? 😂😂
Planning a trip to northern Scotland and now having a rethink, don’t want Eastern Airlines bad vibes in my trip to beautiful Scotland! Thanks for taking one for the team Steve!
and this is one reason why I always try to say thank you for the work you do to bring these videos to us. it doesn't only mean physical work it means mental work by putting up with people that are so unhappy with their job and with themselves that they want to make everybody else around them unhappy too! I think I would be open to going public transportation for the 7 hours, if I had time, than putting up with their attitudes. Too bad you didn't accidentally hit the record button on your phone and get them being nasty to you. I hope everyone on the flight reports them. Say hi to Alicja for me. Happy Easter to you both. Be well, stay safe, hope you travel happily from now on, love from Texas.
Hey from both of us and Happy Easter :) I really had hoped to bring a nice video for the holidays but it is what it is I guess! It genuinely is the only time I've ever not wanted to get on a return flight, I would have much rather just jumped on a train home. Thanks so much for the support and coming along on our wee trips - I felt so bad taking Alicja on this one!
Thanks for the honest, even handed review, and well done for not letting it ruin your day. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
HOW CAN ANYONE BE RUDE TO YOU GUYS! So sorry you had a bad experience with Eastern, but thanks for sharing so we'll all avoid that service.
Well done Eastern Airways, that was brilliant PR...
Their Fawlty Towers Experience will be getting a load more bookings for sure
You two made sure you enjoyed wick
On the plus side, they did make sure your anorak arrived safely.
I have fancied seeing Wick, ever since The Big Yin walk down the stairs cut into the cliff.
Happy Easter.
Haha true! :) Heyyy - those stairs will feature in the next video (but from the sea - I'd love to walk them as well) :)
Great video again Steve. Wick and surrounding areas looked really nice.
I’m glad that Eastern Management picked this up and got back to you.
Hope it improves their customer service and the dreadful attitude of their flight attendants. This was almost Faulty Towers !!
We have two staff members who are starting their degrees in hotel/hospitality later this year. We are sending them on a weeks walking holidays before they start. Eastern have been recommended as a live experience in passive aggressive communication, a bit like the John Cleese training vids of the 80’s. Apparently it’s a staggering example of how not to behave, and the reputation is spreading - we are based in the southeast and the degree course is in london - so eastern can expect an upturn in bookings from those wanting to see it for themselves. 🥴👍
Could be an interesting marketing strategy to have an airline that openly abuse their passengers. I'd fly with them just for the laughs.
this post should be added to their twitter page and see how long it stays up?
This is interesting! A few years ago, me and a friend took a flight with Eastern from Cardiff to Anglesey on the J41, the crew were great and more than happy for us to video and take photo's, even at the end of the flight the captain invited us into the cockpit and talked us around the aircraft. Shame to hear this bad experience!
Hey Steve, you asked why the airplanes fly so far past the airport. Wick's procedure for us to land is solely VOR or NDB, so we have to fly over the beacon for about 8 miles, then double back on ourselves to align with the runway. Much easier on a nice clear day to break off and fly a visual approach. I used to fly EDI-WIK-EDI, but with pax loads like the 5 you had, you can see why the route just didn't work. Would love to have you onboard one of my flights some time! Keep up the good vids.
You two are always so positive, so this experience must have really been bad. Good on you for serving up a roasting! We'll look forward to seeing your video on Wick itself.... hopefully a much better experience than the trip there 😃
Thanks Kimberley! I really hate to post a negative review but I couldn't lie about this experience, and I was probably still a bit too kind in the review! Thankfully the bit in-between was a lot more positive and fun :)
Hi Steve, firstly so nice to see you both out together, sorry for the hostility you faced. Still great to see your adventures none the less. Always great to spend time with you.
Thanks so much Brian! I felt so bad taking Alicja on such a horrible flight, but thankfully the bit in-between was a lot of fun - that'll be the next video :)
@@steve-marsh She's tough as nails. You're really lucky
Sorry to hear about your terrible experience but thanks for the warning. I haven't even heard of Eastern Airlines but will not use them should I be up in that part of the world. Perhaps viewers should all email the management to alert them of this experience but I suspect they wouldn't care. For flight staff to be like this suggests that the company is rotten at the top as well. Attitudes permeate downwards. Imagine living in Wick and using this airline on a regular basis. It would be one thing if it were budget but paying fares like this........On the bright side I'm glad you had a good day and look forward to the video. Happy Easter!
P.S. Strapping your jacket into a seat!!!???!!!
Thanks so much for your comment, I think you are absolutely spot on! I would rather have walked back to Aberdeen, but thankfully the bit in-between the flights was really fun :)
Imagine living in Wick if this, the only air connection, gets cancelled due to bad reviews.
On the comment about strapping a jacket down - if there are no overhead lockers, in the (agreed unlikely) event of an emergency landing and quick evacuation needed, loose debris - e.g. jackets, could hinder this action. (Speaking as someone who has experienced an emergency landing I totally understand)
Good heavens. To meet your easy, cheery "good morning" with that reply? Rude! Thanks for the warning, when we get back to Scotland this autumn we'll surely avoid Eastern. As other subscribers have said...we know it must have been a very bad all-round experience for you to post a negative review. As always, though, we appreciate the honesty! Happy Easter to you both.
Thanks for the heads up on Eastern Airways Steve. I'll strike a line through them on any future flights searches. Two hundred quid to be treat that? Disgraceful. You should have titled your video 'Eastern Airways Get On Our Wick"! Looking forward to your video about your time in Wick though - love a good ride out on a RIB. BTW, just had to cancel our Seafari trip on a RIB out of the Isle of Seil next month as my wife has broken her arm after a fall. Gutted, but we're still going to explore Argyle anyway. BTW2, any sign of Alicja's latest video from Poland.
Haha love the title Davey :D So sorry to hear about the fall, hope the recovery is fast and you're spoiling her :) Alicja's video didn't work out I'm afraid - she had planned to film at the train station but it is a refugee place at the moment, so it didn't feel right to film there.
@@steve-marsh that must have been really powerful for Alijca to witness Steve. Hope she's doing ok.
Eastern will have to up their customer service training but, as I have said to others, I hope these bad reviews do not result in the cancellation of the ONLY flight out of Wick to anywhere.. People here have to pay the full cost, but appreciate the return of the only airlink to other parts of the UK and beyond.
Why do that ? Strike a line......for gods sake why not take the fight and enjoy its uniqueness. Only if you have a sence of humour, and your own man.
It would appear that Eastern will soon be out of business if they keep treating there customers like dirt and don't get me started on airport parking charges, funny story, Townsville airport which is the tourist destination to the Barrier Reef and all the islands decided to impose a ten dollar charge on all vehicles for dropping off and picking up and this included taxis, needless to say the cabbies where not going to wear this so they simply stopped going to the airport to drop off or pick up the resulting chaos was spectacular and the cabbies won and the charge was dropped, you have to admire the power of the people. Wishing you all the best for a very happy Easter and will be looking out for your video from Wick, take care and stay safe, cheers.
Haha love it Simon! :D Believe it or not, for overnight parking, booked in advance, they were quoting around £60 - our hotel was cheaper :D Aw the best!
Eastern make their money from Royal Mail and sadly won’t go bust anytime soon
They don’t give a hoot about passengers
Eastern bought AirSouthwest years ago, within a few months they completely screwed the timetable, most of the staff were on the verge of leaving and they forced the company to shut down. For that reason I have never used them and will continue to never use them. I was horrified when Flybe made them a franchise partner.
As I have said to others, I hope bad reviews do not result in fewer bookings, with the potential of cancellation of this flight as this is the ONLY flight from Wick to anywhere in the UK and beyond. People living in this town appreciate the recently restored airlink.
@@janettesinclair6279 I understand your concern but if people are treated badly by the flight staff there will be repercussions, not a lot that can be done about that except get crew trained to be civil to the customers.
This isn't like yourself to complain, so the experience must have been really bad! I wanted to fly them one day but after seeing this maybe not...
Anyway, thank you for the video! Even though you couldn't show much it was still pretty dam good! Very informative 😁 much love to you both and happy Easter 😁😁
BanjoMan
Cheers BanjoMan! All the best to you too from the both of us! Yeah, it was such a shocking experience, I really wouldn't recommend, especially for aviation lovers like us :(
The world doesn't revolve around Steve Marsh and his camcorder. A commercial flight is a shared environment not his personal movie set. Nobody buys a plane ticket to be an extra in his homemade movies. He's not showing any respect to the other passengers yet he demands respect. Let him walk if he hates being flown around so much. Talk about spoilt.
A really nice review. I hope the airline makes amends once they see your review. Customer service is so important to all passengers. If cabin crew don't like their job, then find another job. Keep up your great reviews.
Kind regards
DS
I had thought of taking the train up to Wick and flying back to save a bit of time. Looks like some lucky hotelier will profit another nights stay instead of Eastern Air pocketing it. I look forward to the next video to see if you can recommend a hotel or B&B in Wick. Excellent job as always!
Can't beat Mackay's Hotel in Wick, great food, the entrance to the restaurant is on what is officially the shortest street in the world. The Bank House B&B on Bridge St is also good.
I'd rather WALK to Aberdeen :) Aye, Mackay's looked lovely :)
I used to travel Eastern regularly from Norwich to Aberdeen when I worked offshore. This was 10+ years ago, so it's sad to see how they've changed, because they used to be a great wee airline. I remember the complimentary glass of champagne in the air, just what you need after 4 weeks offshore!
Nice! Aye, a shadow of their former self by the sound of it! Although it may just be one person who made the whole experience so miserable for all onboard...
Yeh, i used to work for Eastern Airways on the ground (mainly the ticket desk) at Aberdeen.Its dissapointing to see this.In my day we had standards.
Also do they not still have the lounge in Aberdeen. All Eastern passengers can use
Flown Eastern on and off years ago, can't believe you were [I do believe you friend] spoken to that way, outrageous.
I hope you’ve tweeted the link to this video to Eastern. I wonder what their take on it is. I was a steward for BA for over 31 years and we were never that rude or demanding regarding mobile phones and video recording devices.
Thanks for the warning mate, won't be using them and I'll make a point of passing it on.Enjoyed the video, cheer's.
What on earth, that is ridiculous that the crew acted that way. Good thing it was a short flight and I am anxious to see more on your time in Wick!
Thanks for the heads up on Eastern! Good to see you both! Happy Easter! Counting our days!
Cheers Gwendolyn! :D
Bloody hell! Sorry that you both had to encounter that! Hope you both have put in complaints etc, cos I wouldn't have stood for that myself! Hope you both have a great Easter and looking forward to seeing what you both got upto in Wick itself. :)
In all fairness. Not that you can excuse the dreadful service. The crew are probably fed up. In 2020 the airline culled loyal, valuable staff despite the furlough scheme it what was the most rigged and fudged redundancy scheme ever. The best crew binned off and cheap and cheerful labour kept behind.
The HR team are the most volatile and vile group ever known, preaching mental health awareness yet being the biggest reason themselves for the about of stress and anxiety people were feeling.
Most of the management were equally as bad, the cabin crew management were fragile and pointless. No support or back bone at all. Some of the cabin crew trainers were the only thing holding it together. And now its probably worse.
Those unlucky enough to keep their job were forced on indefinite unpaid leave as bonded, or had pay cut after pay cut, allowances cut and worked like dogs for less than probably universal credit.
So they're probably fed up and exhausted. An inexcusable experience agreed but the behind the scenes is worse as the route cause.
I can see what you're saying and agree. But as someone paying them £200 for these flights, I have to review what we experienced and I was probably a whole lot kinder in the video as it was the most toxic cabin atmosphere we've ever experienced. A truly awful service.
Cheers Graeme! Thankfully the bit in-between the flights was a lot more fun and will be the next video :)
@@caz211072 of course management are always behind poor performance of staff, usually playing politics or some other stupid management game BUT, if staff are unhappy as you say they are then for their own sakes and everyone else’s, they need to get out.
A true vlogger .. saying it how it is, … Steve , you are truly brilliant in how you portray your vlogs , wether it’s the best or even a bad experience.. it’s how we all want to see ..
Keep em comin’ ✌️🙏
Cheers for this! I hate posting negative stuff, but I'll never lie to you guys!
Big bummer from the start! Can’t check yourself in, cold sandwiches gone, over priced food, then rude staff? Dang….
Well at least your jacket was safe on the flight! Haha 😂
Glad to see the Buckeye stuff!
Oh, and Happy Easter to you both! I hope you’re enjoying the new place!
Great video Steve, me and Sally were here in Oct 2019. Memorable for the fact that Sally spent 6 nights in the main hospital due to pneumonia!!!!.
The fact that I was on my own meant I walked the city, visited all the main football stadia yes 3 of them. The park is fabulous and a great place to relax. The atocha is fabulous and was our exit to Seville to get flight home.
I would just add that the staff at the hospital were fabulous and helpful.
Would go back as there is so much to see. Thanks again Mike & Sally in Cardiff x
Thanks Steve. Sorry for your bad experience with that airline. I hope it didn’t completely ruin your trip. It’s hard to believe a small regional airline could be so discourteous. I hope you have followed up with a report to the company. That small aircraft needs to be full of passengers to justify the trip. Regardless basic human kindness and friendliness should prevail.
If the airline personnel don’t like their jobs, they should try working at McDonald’s. Wouldn’t last one day there.with that attitude.
Always a pleasure to travel with you on those interesting trips around Scotland.
01:47 That same type plane was here Estonia durning 32 years domatastic flight Tallinn Kärdla and Tallinn Kuressaare. . Yes max flight hig was 10,000 feet and average speed 120 knots. Each autumn was raff and pumpy flights when winds was over 20 m/sec ( 40 knots ) .
Hi Steve,
We thank you for bringing this to our attention. Whilst this is not the service that we expect of our staff representing us an organisation, we do appreciate you have highlighted this giving us the opportunity to investigate and take the necessary actions.
A separate email has been returned to you with results of our investigation following this unfortunate incident.
Thank you again for taking the time to do what you do, and we wish you all the best for your future content creation.
Regards,
Eastern Airways
Thanks, appreciate the reply, will respond when I'm back home.
@@steve-marsh Spill the beans.
Pity someone had not faked an Eastern Airways post with some rude and obnoxious remarks!
Can you clarify your filming policy for us, would be much appreciated. Thanks.
@easternairways1678 what is the filming policy?
Sorry to watch and hear about your bad experience with eastern airlines. Years ago my wife’s and her parents all worked for and retired from Eastern Airlines, U S A. That airlines, now long gone, was not indicative of the experience you’ve just had. It was a great airlines to work for and to fly. As a former licensed pilot, all I can say is that you walked away from your landing which puts you ahead of the game. Also your previous video was fantastic as the scenery spoke for itself, no narration required. Keep up the good work!
Love Eastern in the states. It was a great service and, of course, that was many many years ago. Certainly, nothing like what was heard on this video. A nice greeting is the start of a more relaxed flight.
Use to travel thru Dyce every two weeks for a few years back in the 80's, prop plane to Sumburgh then chopper, or just straight chopper if we were anchored further south - sounds like little has changed!!! Thanks for the heads up on Moody Air
Wow, sounds like you had some cool adventures in the 80s! Love it!
Sorry to hear about your unfortunate flight ✈️ from Aberdeen to wick but wick looks nice
I can see eastern airways going out of business with attitudes like that. Common curtesy costs nothing I worked in the leisure industry dealing with the general public, even when a person is being awkward you always remain polite and explain things in a calm manner. Hope your visit to Wick itself was enjoyable even if the flight wasn't. Have a happy Easter both of you.
And to you Les! Cheers, and you are spot on mate!
I thought they had gone out of business, haven't they?
We would have loved to see more of Wick. Happy Easter
It will be the next video mate, and a lot more positive :)
At Eastern, they don't call their cabin crew cabin crew, they are Flight Utility Directors (FUDs).
😁
Richt, I'm off! 🥳
Beautiful! :D :D :D
The flight from Aberdeen from Stornoway with Eastern was the most humorous I ever had. The sole flight attendant was priceless. I enjoyed the flight very much because of him.
As someone once said to me, some days you have to experience others personal misery and anger issues for a few minutes or hours - but they have to live with it 24/7 everyday. But by not 'biting' you are the bigger and better person Steve 👍.
Well said! :)
Thanks for the heads up. Also thanks for the videos. Left Scotland at 16 and many of the places you visit I had never even heard of. SO interesting and great to see. Thank you. Please let us all know if you ever hear from Eastern……….
Cheers Ross, will do! Be interesting to hear what they have to say! And thanks so much for watching the videos and supporting the channel :)
That cabin crew had certainly missed a few pages in charm school 😞
Shame because that's such a nice flight up the coast. Just a thought as to why they overshoot Wick by so much - it's in the hope that passengers will remember seeing John O'Groats from the air more than they will remember the cabin crew...
Haha love it Rob :D
Obviously went to j,macinroes school of charm and decorem.
Sorry to hear you guys had a crap experience but glad you uploaded as needs to be addressed. Happy Easter and look forward to your next upload 🐣
Cheers! I hate to upload negative stuff, but the truth had to be told :)
😳😳😳 my reaction as I heard how rude the staff was!! Aghast!! Still shaking my head to the thought….glad y’all had a good time nonetheless. Look forward to your video of Wick. Happy Easter 🐣
Thanks Inga! Yeah, thankfully the bit in-between was a lot more fun :D Happy Easter!
Off all the other flights, there has to be one. Never mind Flybe soon. A nice start to a Sunday Steve and alicja
Cheers John!
I've flow Eastern many times from Teesside, and I also took the Wick-Aberdeen route, on previous routes it seemed so nice, now on the Wick flight, everything changed and the cabin crew were rude, kept telling me to turn off my phone, and more. It was the worst Eastern flight of my life.
Sorry to hear you’ve had the same experience Oliver! What a horrible experience they crest onboard eh? And so unnecessary!
@@steve-marsh What you should really do is send this to Eastern (as high up the chain as possible). And invite them to leave a comment.
Had the flight been full of passengers, where would you have been expected to put your coat? Weird.
Happy Easter guys, Thx for sharing sorry the flight was so bad. Cant wait for the Wick video .
I flew to Wick last week , had the same cabin crew (Julia) as in the video - absolutely horrendous attitude from her . Impersonal announcements (even though there were only 8 of us) , didn't engage with 1 single person . Sat on her backside in the back row of the plane and barked orders to SWITCH OUR PHONES COMPLETELY OFF and NOT MOVE AROUND THE CABIN to prevent the spread of Covid . Please tell me how you're likely to move around a Jetstream 41 ?????? Worst cabin crew I've ever encountered , nasty , unfriendly, unwelcoming .... Eastern Airways should be ashamed of employing her on a route they're trying to promote again.
Can i have Julias cell number ? Sounds a bonny brai girl !
She was worried that by people moving around would spread Covid...on a plane? She's a clown, pure & simple. I hope she's had her marching orders.
Happy Easter! 🐣 I wish I could send my photo of the mermaid in the fence. It’s a very cool fence. Yes, this Texan briefly visited Wick.
Happy Easter Susan! I'd love to see the photo too! Feel free to disclose my email address on my channel and send it :)
I've posted this on Eastern Airways Facebook page! 😄
Beautiful! Cheers Martin!
Glad i came across this vid Steve ive had plans to use Eastern on a couple of trips 1 of which wouldve been this ABZ-Wick journey but luckily i managed to visit the area by car last week including John O Groats
They wont be getting a penny from me terrible customer service
Subscribed btw great vids :) keep them up
An example of telling it like it is, far removed from the sycophants that bend over backwardness hoping to get free flights and train tickets in return for an undeserved favourable revue of their services Steve. Nice one mate, looking forward to seeing the Wick tour...
Nice to see the "terrific two" together again!!
Eastern Airways....kept me waiting for ages in Gibralter Airport....at least the viewing gallery made the wait enjoyable.
Ah Wick, home to the shortest street in the world. Been there 👌
The Wick video will be a whole lot more positive than the flight bits :) Love GIB airport!
@@steve-marsh look forward to it 👍
Hi Steve, what a shame, and hugely embarrassing for them. I've done a lot of flying recently with Loganair, where the cabin crews are nearly always lovely, and even when I recognise a crew member and say oh you carried me on such and such flight last week( like they are going to remember) they always at least pretend to remember which is I think a great sign of customer service. Eastern has never been on my radar as I've never had cause to use them, but I may be in Wick later in the year....hmm choo choo train maybe.
Thanks for the heads up will be avoiding Eastern. FYI Inverness Airport parking is also extortionate. I parked up at 04:55 Tuesday morning, Flew to Gatwick and returned Wednesday Evening around 21:30 £32 for les than 48 Hrs Parking!
Love these Scottish short flight options. Eastern look to be avoided though.
Me too mate, they are always my favourites, so this was a big disappointment.
No not at all. This is a life experience dont miss it !!!
A lovely part of the world that I visited on my rail, bus and ferry to Orkney. Loved it.
Given that you could well be in the running for the most pleasant contributor on UA-cam the title came as something of a surprise! I am sure that someone from Eastern will see the video and perhaps the company might reach out to you. According to their Twitter stream (April 15th) this is a new PSO route (Public Service Operation). Perhaps there is some issue on the rostering or something that is making the staff unhappy?
Aw thanks so much! And I really hate to be negative, but I couldn't lie about this one! I'd love to hear what they have to say about this, I'll update if I hear anything from them :)
Nice to see Wick Airport open again. Pity the flight doesn't continue on to Orkney. First time I visited the North Isles was late 60s. I drove from Perth to Wick, spent a few days around Caithness then flew BA to Orkney. I was there a week then took a BA flight to Shetland. Making that route possible again would be good for tourism.
on that plane - the JetStream41, it is a requirement to turn off all electronic devices for takeoff and landing as they can interfere with the electronics of the aircraft (as it an older and smaller aircraft), on my last Eastern flight the cabin crew politely explained this.
The clue is in your explanation which unfortunately reads more like an excuse for bad behaviour. At the time of boarding, the engines are typically not even running, so to tell someone to 'Switch that off' at that juncture is not only rude, but unnecessary. If the aeroplane is simultaneously attempting to take off whilst passengers are boarding then you have a point.
The reason they fly past the airport and so far north west is the instrument approach to Wick is from the north west; there is no instrument procedure from the south east. So they fly inbound to overhead the WIK beacon on the airfield, then outbound to the NW to turn around and position for the instrument approach which will guide them down to the westerly runway.
If the easterly runway is in use (due wind direction) they fly exactly the same approach and once below cloud and in sight of the surface. continue visually (a circling approach) to position for a landing from the south east.
Really hope you will take that up with the airline, never heard such nonsense from an airline crew.
I don't fly very often but when I do I always film the take off and landings and have never been told to " switch that off"
Yeah, email waiting for them mate, it was truly ridiculous, and the way the message was delivered just made it worse. She stood behind us and watched us closely, we felt like school kids!
I remember getting off the plane, and took a picture on my phone, I heard lots of yelling and it was the ground staff having a go at me, and told me to delete it. Total nonsense, maybe they are trying to hide something
Good to see somebody is keeping you rowdy UA-camr reviewers in line... Just joking, hehe, what an absolute beltjob. I'll be avoiding Eastern Airways from now on
Haha love it, I hope Scotrail are ready for me tomorrow as well :)
I worked seven years in UK civil aviation customer services. Eastern, thankfully, is unlikely to last long with that disgusting attitude. You'd certainly have been better off driving up in the van. Looking forward to your vid of your much more enjoyable time actually in Wick. Stay safe both.
Glad to hear it mate! Thankfully the Wick video will be a lot more fun to edit :)
@@steve-marsh You did right to call them out, Steve.
Learnt to swim in those “ Baths” when I was 11 lived in Wick for a while moved from Aberdeen as my Dads work relocated him there
Happy Easter Steve if you are struggling for a Summer holidays you could maybe go to Amsterdam
You can fly from Glasgow and Edinburgh if you have something else planned I am looking forward to see it
Happy Easter Steve have a good one.
Thanks so much for the great idea Matthew! I'd actually thought about doing a wee ferry trip there as well, but the flight may be the better option, all the best!
You should wait until the ferry service to the continent is up and running Steve, the nearest service is from Newcastle, We lost our Hull - Zeebrugge service when brexit came in. A shame I used it every three months or so to take parties to the Western front and a one day shopping trip with the wife....all gone now... The Hull to Rotterdam is running again but I won't use it after the way the crews were sacked by p&o, it's just as though I have Benn abandoned in the middle of nowhere...Tom
Had the same experience a few times myself with Eastern Airways. Some cabin crew are less strict but most won't allow filming during take-off and landing.
Thank you for this---a timely warning.
Thanks Janet! I don't like to make negative content, but no choice with this one!
Looking forward to you report on Wick! But if I go, I’ll definitely be taking the train instead.
A wise move! It really was a horrible experience and I was up for taking the train back!
sad to hear of the experience. The local papers were talking up our connectivity. I think Wick is an underused airport and could make a difference to the local economy eg for surfing and starting the NC500 and/or LEJOG. I have has horrendous experiences on buses from Inverness to Thurso etc. I have travelled via Loganair Wick Edinburgh. could not be different friendly service with attention to H&S and security. Good coffee and complimentary Tunnocks bar. ABZ left much to be desired but the flight to CDG via Air France made up for it. You hire a car might help around, Yep Mackays Hotel or the Bank. Whaligoe Steps, Old Pulteney Distillery and the Fishery Museum worth visits, check dates. Castle of Mey worth a visit in season too.
Tragic. Some People really aren't in a job suited to them. Flight attendant is an important job, you are literally the face of the airline. I've flown for over 30 years and have never had a bad experience so it really is an unexpected experience I think. Lucky it's only a wee shirt flight!!!! Looking forward to Wick, the wife just said "he's got a great life going all over Scotland". He has I said.👍😁🏴
Cheers Michael and wife :) Yeah, I echo your flight experiences as well, so this was a really nasty surprise!
Iam in my late 60,s and wouid love a job as cabin crew on trips like that. Oh well I will avoid Eastern after the experience this lovely couple had to go through . Must be other carriers we couid use . Hope Easterns management saw the clip .
So I fly up to Wick quite frequently with my job. Wick airport doesn't actually have an ILS approach like Aberdeen, Glasgow, etc, only a VOR/DME approach and an RNP/GPS approach. Eastern and Loganair don't have the approvals to fly the GPS approaches into many airports, so they have to the VOR/DME approaches which is what takes them overhead the airport and then so far out before turning back inbound to the airport.
Always remember emailing Eastern Airways about a delayed flight and getting an email back saying that since the delay of 1hr 55m was under 2 hours please be assured there was no need for a refreshments voucher. Legally correct of course but rather disappointing. Mind you the crew were pleasant and apologetic when the flight did arrive.
Ahhh a lovely considerate reply eh!? :D I wonder what kind of reply I'll get...
AJL Aviation video flight to Wick was up recently, and they filmed the flight. Maybe they could explain to you. Your videos are great. Thanks
That was a disaster Steve, my late husband and I used to work at ‘EMA’ during the days when curtesy was uppermost, and the passengers were always right even when wrong 😑 pleased you and Alicja enjoyed the rest of your trip to Wick, I could make a joke about that but I won’t 🥴 🤗👋
Haha thanks Bernice! Yeah, thankfully the bit in-between was a lot more fun and will be the next video. I felt so bad taking Alicja on this flight though!
@@steve-marsh - Steve, it probably was for the best that she was there to also experience this sad excuse for customer service. It sounded so over the top that she may have thought you might have been dramatizing their displayed attitudes, and of course, 'Misery does love company'. Happy Easter guys.
@@steve-marsh you could regard the experience as training for Ryanair service but in their case indifferent service comes a lot cheaper .!!!
I used to fly Eastern, Norwich-Manchester. Happy days, even got served free champagne one night, there were only 9 passengers. Hand luggage only. Small airline, small and old planes, staff seemed nice enough.
Think they pulled out of Norwich years ago, didnt know they were still CAA licenced
I had something a little similar when I flew Loganair during Covid. But it was a polite "I dont think you can film im afraid but I'll quickly check with the captain for you"
06:45 The Eastern sign saying “Why fly any other way?” Well bad customer experience is one reason why.
Spot on mate! Reading their website now is cringe compared to the service they provide in reality
@@steve-marsh Well false advertising appears to be their business model.
Great wee movie I was once offshore so visited Aberdeen often. As for the dreadful hospitality my recent experiences everywhere including pubs.. Who during covid think they are the law and people were so rude, but I made a point of reminding them I am the customer!?.. Much re training needed. Cheers 🍻
One would think most airlines would welcome the free publicity - a friendly (and perhaps humorous) crew and a beautiful flight up the coast. SouthWest Airlines have perfected this model. There are literally thousands of YT videos of fun times aboard SW flights. When the staff is as miserable and lacking in basic customer service training as this one, it signals bigger problems in the company, IMO. I would question what other basic training they lack. I think you're right to speculate about the safety of the airline. I wouldn't fly them after seeing this and reading several other web comments about similar experiences. Wake up, Eastern Airways! #easternairways
Thank you! Oh I'd love to sample the SouthWest experience :)
I'm sorry to hear your experience on Eastern Airways. The smaller airlines usually are polar opposite and have excellent customer experience. Hopefully Eastern received your review and it can serve as a wake-up call.
Here's hoping! Small airlines, planes and airports are always my favourites so this was a BIG disappointment!
Sorry you had such a bad flight experience. In years of flying to the islands from Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Glasgow (sometimes the flight would stop into Wick, but I've never been into the town itself), I never experienced anything like that. Mind you, in those days it was either BEA/British Airways or Loganair. They were matter-of-fact flights, more like a bus service, but I can't think any of the staff were rude in that way. It sounds like the company culture of Eastern Airlines is unhealthy. Anyway, it's good to know that you both had a good time while in and around Wick.
Cheers Barney! We were able to shake it off and have a lovely couple of days. We still had the dread of the return flight though!
Wick airport probably doesn't have ILS (instrument landing system) so the planes would have to do a visual approach for the runway, they have to fly a long approach out and then can turn on to final approach.
Ahhh thanks so much for this Abbie!
@@steve-marsh no worries 😁
I was also going to comment that you don't normally complain, so this just goes to show the poor level of customer satisfaction that you felt. I wholeheartedly agree with speaking up about the bad as well as the good. I hope your review helps this carrier to improve its business model. Thanks for the warning, though I doubt it's a route I'm likely to make. All the best to you both.
Cheers Michael, I couldn't lie about this one, but at the same time I hate posting anything negative, so I think I was actually still a bit too kind to them in the video, it was the weirdest hostile environment I've ever experienced!
Liked and subscribed! Hi from Dublin and a huge Happy Easter from the Emerald Isle to everyone
Eastern Airways also owns my nearest airport Humberside Airport. Since taking ownership of the airport in 2012 they have done pretty much next to nothing to grow the airport. They have hardly announced any new routes nor they have attracted any new airlines to the airport. They have done nothing to try to attract passengers in terms of marketing and there is not much in the way of a social media pressnce. All they have done is maintain their route to Aberdeen as well as the KLM route to Amsterdam. So much for the growth they promised 10 years ago.
I feel there are a few problems within that company! The service on the flights and the lack of progress at Humberside may point to something a lot more troubling!
I remember they used to tell you switch off electronic devices at take off and landing but even lately airlines haven't bothered at all.
Aye, and even then I'd be fine, but it's the way you say it I guess, and all the other stuff made for a very tense cabin atmosphere :D
You delivered good advice for fellow passengers. Avoid that airline 👍
Here here! I hate to post a negative video, but I couldn't lie to you all!
@@skydancer4224 Hi Julia!
I agree that there is a need for more cabin crew training for this one individual, but it seems a pity to tarnish a whole airline for one bad apple.
Ah memories. My Aberdeen to Wick flight in 1984 on a Shorts 330.
Awesome aircraft! :)
What!!! In your videos you come across as a sound and easy going dude so this really must have pissed you off. Once I came back from London on the train and went in first class because it was a Scottish bank holiday and it was a tenner upgrade. The conductor was so rude and questioning, like I didn’t deserve to be there. This sort of attitude really can waste a trip.
Edited to say -
“How did you get this ticket?”
“Emmmm I paid for it with money”
Aye shocking, has similar to that before as well in upgraded cabins! But this was flight was so bad it was (almost) funny!
Wowza what a greetings I just went on a flight to Pisa. Airport yesterday and the smiles and welcomes made a lovely start to the day, then departing the aircraft was the same. I love your videos you guys thanks for this. Your adventures are fabulous Sorry about your journey, I also would be worried about the safety of this airline goodness knows what their getting up to that lot!! Hahahah thanks for the stream Greetings from Dumfries and Galloway 😁
A few years back I worked in Norway and used to fly from Dyce to Stavanger with Eastern many times as they were cheaper than SAS. At the time they had online checkin and were a great wee airline to use and I never had any trouble with them at all. I wonder if cost cutting and the Pandemic has really hit them hard which is a shame. I hope your experience has just been an isolated incident.
Glad you had a better experience Bob, it may well be just one bad apple, but boy did she make the flight a misery for everyone onboard.
I used to fly regularly with Eastern Airways when they operated the oil charters from ABZ to SCS. They were always a pleasure to fly with. Accommodating and always offered a boiled sweet and a drink on takeoff.
I suspect that cutbacks have had a real impact on the airline...I suspect that Loganair might start flying some of the routes still operated soon (with the exception of the public service obligation flights to Wick).
Well done Steve and Ailcja for exposing rude, unprofessional, discourteous staff. They deserve to lose business and such employees should be exposed. (Maybe that's the culture of the business???)
In all fairness. Not that you can excuse the dreadful service. The crew are probably fed up. In 2020 the airline culled loyal, valuable staff despite the furlough scheme it what was the most rigged and fudged redundancy scheme ever. Some of the best crew binned off.
The HR team are the most volatile and vile group ever known, preaching mental health awareness yet being the biggest reason themselves for the about of stress and anxiety people were feeling.
Most of the management were equally as bad, the cabin crew management were fragile and pointless. No support or back bone at all. Some of the cabin crew trainers were the only thing holding it together. And now its probably worse.
Those unlucky enough to keep their job were forced on indefinite unpaid leave as bonded, or had pay cut after pay cut, allowances cut and worked like dogs for less than probably universal credit.
So they're probably fed up and exhausted. An inexcusable experience agreed but the behind the scenes is worse as the route cause.
Very true.