Anonymous
map-marker Berlin, Berlin

If you have options and really want to enjoy your journey, stay away from AirBerlin

Hi I would like to share some of my flying experiences with Air Berlin. Actually I flew with them 2 times and the latest was on 28th of July 2015 from Abu Dhabi to Berlin. I was waiting for the restroom for really a long time( I guess it was in the morning and ppl just woke up)->Here is the hint->everybody was hungry as well from the long flight and desperate for a breakfast. And then the crew started to deliver meals and the female crew was stuck in the corridor so I could not pass through. Then another male crew showed up and asked me to sit in front of the restroom where there is a seat for the crew. Later the female came and asked me what she could help and I explained to her I could not pass through so I was asked to sit here to wait and she was like unhappily saying that is her seat and I could not sit there...Ok it is not done , and then I was back to my seat and I had no idea why she did not put anything at my seat while I already left my book at the seat suggesting that there was a person sitting here...I was one of those who were desperate for a breakfast as well... I flew with couples of airlines and Air Berlin is seriously the worst I have ever taken. I flew with them last time again since I had no choices during the time and I ordered the ticket at the last moment. I personally really suggest not to fly with them if you have options.
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Cons:
  • Bad service on board
  • Crew on board who act very racist
  • No smile
Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Let the company propose a solution

Anonymous
map-marker Stockholm, Stockholm

Air Berlin Baggage Policy Review

My luggage is missing! ! Staff hardly ever smile. Its like we the customer, are just a hindrance. So unhelpful and impolite. First and last time with AB.
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Wesleigh Zul
map-marker Helsinki, Uusimaa

Air Berlin Racist

Off all the passenngers on the flight with missing baggage I am still waiting at the airport after 48 hours. Is it because I am British? No AB desk at arriving airport, Swissport system practically useless, hotel costs and fresh underware out of own pocket. The missing bags were reported as per the system and there were a further 3 flights that day all of which I waited for and no bags. The company dealing with the issue could not even tell me where the bags were, some system. I made a few phone calls to KLM who were most helpful and found the bags were definately in Berlin. Still that meant a second night in the hotel but a late phone call ensured me the bags had been found in Berlin and would be on the flight arriving 00:30. Came back to the airport in the morning to be told my bags had not been loaded and were not there. Did the flight arrive? Yes. then why not my bags, is it because I'm not German? Still here waiting. If I had not been re routed by KLM then I would never had come across such a incompetant and useless airline.
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Loss:
$540
Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Full refund

Anonymous

Cancelled flight and terrible "customer service" by Air Berlin

I bought my return ticket for a certain date. Air Berlin decided to postpone the flight by 24 hours. I was not notified directly, but only thru a travel agent 2 weeks after Air Berlin had made the change, that is, one week before my departure. I had no chance of getting a replacement flight with another company in that time. Air Berlin did not provide me with accommodation for the extra night. Now I'm waiting their *** customer service to get back to me to get some explanations and my money back for the extra costs they caused. It will take appr. one month. No help from customer service. I will never fly with Air Berlin again. Worst service ever and very unreliable! Also my flight to destination was rescheduled causing me extra trouble but less than a cancellation and postponing by 24 hours.
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Reason of review:
Not as described/ advertised

Preferred solution: reimbursement of costs and EU compensation

1 comment
Guest

One problem with buying through a travel agency, on-line or local, is that they are the customer of the airlines and the airlines may have only their contact information listed. Thus, when a change occur, the travel agent is the one notified.

I would go to the travel agent and ask when they were notified and if they passed that notification on to you immediately. You may have a claim or complaint against them if they sat on the notice for those 2 weeks.

This is one reason it is better to buy directly from the airlines. JrOrland

Anonymous
map-marker Alicante, Valencia

Mickey Mouse Berlin!

I had the back of my seat fall off on take-off from Dusseldorf, and suffered a severe whiplash which has accelerated into more complicated ailments, and I am still without treatment as I need a claim number to get specialist treatment. I have time and time again tried to contact them but there is actually no phone number you can call to get the help you need - only an online feedback form - which promised someone would be in touch within 24 hours. 3 weeks later Im still waiting...When you try to go back and complain that nothing has been done, you have to fill in a ref. nr. which of course I do not have as they haven't answered me yet! They are trying to avoid any confrontation, but I can assure them This one won't give up! Their service is a total disgrace, and I cannot understand why Etihad is involved with them. My flight nr was incidentally Etihad, but they passed the buck to Air berlin, and assured me I would be hearing from them as they had passed on all my information. Never again - neither Air berlin or Etihad.
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Injury compensation

1 comment
Guest

I have complained 3 times to Air Berlin about charging for XXL seats and then not refunding the money when they were not available! Good luck with your claim.

Alania Xcb
map-marker Waukesha, Wisconsin

Delay, paid for lugg. hotel and was put on a bus.

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Plane broke on runway in Stg. delayed 10 hours,flown into Milan instead of Florence and put on a bus. Missed checking in our apt. so had to get a hotel .Had to pay extra for baggage ,run over and broken. Did not conform to E.U. rules no food no phone no wifi. Have received 2 letters in German even though I wrote to them in english. They want to give 2 of us a 250 euro credit to fly with them again Never never wil I fly with them again. I booked though american airlines and this is one of their partners and they refuse to help in the situation
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Loss:
$1100
Reason of review:
Bad quality

Preferred solution: Full refund

Emie Ayq

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer
| map-marker Florence, Tuscany

DELAYED LUGGAGE and no reimbursement after 4 months, no responses

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Updated by user Dec 11, 2014

I received an email 2 days ago from Air Berlin. They will be glad to consider my reimbursements if I supply then with:

1.

The air tickets/booking confirmation AND baggage identification tags.

2. Property irregularity Report (P.I.R) issued at the airport.

3. The receipts for items I had to purchase (they acknowledged they have my receipts)

4. My bank details

5.

A short statement that I did not have any baggage insurance. They are making this very difficult. I did not keep the tag that was put on the luggage (the one they stick on the handle for identification and transferring luggage). I do have a sticker on the back of my boarding pass that says I had one bag so maybe that will work.

I cannot find the PIR report that I got at the airport in Vienna. I would imagine I threw it away once I got home. I will NOW TRY to go with what I have and we shall see what happens. It has cost me much money in time than I can ever hope to recover, but this has turned into a mission now.

I am so disappointed in AirBerlin.

I have flown with them for years and I always thought there were wonderful. I would never recommend them to anybody now.

Original review Nov 11, 2014
I flew from Krakow to Vienne, with change of planes at Tegel. My luggage did not arrive in Vienna. I finally received it 4 days later, but I had to purchase things so that I could get by until the luggage arrived. These items amounted to 247 EUROS. I PAY IN Dollars so it cost me $332.70. When I returned home, it took me several days and a phone call to figure out how to submit for the reimbursement. The appear to make it very difficult to even find out how to submit for reimbursement. I finally was able to submit the claim 3 weeks later (Aug 5, 2014). On Aug 15, I received an email confirming that they received my documents and would get back with me. I heard nothing. On Sept 14, I emailed them about it and heard nothing. I emailed again on Oct 30 and the website said my voucher number (that I was given by them) was not in the site. I emailed them and had no response. I emailed again on Nov 4, 2014 and still have had no response as of today (Nov 11, 2014). I have flown this airlines repeatedly throughout the years. Absolutely loving this airline. Everything had been perfect for me, even the food on the airline when I traveled internationally. I think their service has gotten bad since they joined One World. The last time I flew AirBerlin (this particular time I am talking about here), the flight attendants were not as nice. When I got on the plane and they had newspapers available - I did not ask for any, but merely looked at them and started to walk by since they were all in German or other languages, but nothing in English. That is OK, I do not expect one in English. However, one attendant said "We do not have any in English. This is a German airline." I asked how they knew I wanted one in English, and maybe I spoke German. Then they started drilling me in German. I made a short reply as my German is limited. At was then that they started tag-teaming me with German (2 attendants). I could not keep up with advanced German so I just walked away. I am very disappointed in Air Berlin now. Maybe they are disgruntled because they have teamed up with One World and things are not the same for them. However, this is no way to run a business.
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Loss:
$333
Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Munich, Bavaria

Unethical behavior

Air Berlin is an airline with no conscience and practices unethical behavior and should be banned from operating. I was scheduled to fly from Dallas to Frankfurt, however when I tried to get on the flight, they told me that the check-in was too late. Apparently they moved the departure time 45min early and didn't inform me about it ahead of time. In panic I called a customer service line hoping for some answers and some help... after all who would want a customer to be stranded across the ocean with family waiting for them on the other side. Air Berlin told me that there was nothing they could do...they couldn't reroute me and that I had to purchase a brand new ticket.... mind you a one way ticket was around $3000. Here I was stranded in Dallas with no money and nowhere to go. Could they have put me on the next flight, absolutely. Their policies and practices need to be examined and questioned. I would like to warn everyone.... don't expect any service or sympathy from this budget airline.
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
2 comments
Guest

You were late. Departure time does not mean when you can show up, but when the plane departs the airport.

That is why every airline requires you to be check in some period of time before the plane departs, e.g. 1 hour, and at the gate at a shorter time before it departs,e.g. 30 minutes. For international flights the times are longer.

This is not a bus, it is not simply a matter of letting you on. The airlines prevents anyone from getting on 15 to 30 minutes prior to departure, because the pilots have to do calculations based on the weight of passengers to determine *** speed, fuel consumption, weight balance and any number of other requirements. When they add a person, they have to do all these calculations again, which would delay the flight. Additionally, on international flights they have to send reports of persons on the flight for reasons of security and terrorism.

Your contract with the airlines was to make that flight. You bought a low price non-refundable ticket and gambled you would make the flight. You did not.

That's your fault, not the airlines. Be on time for your next flight

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-945280

The airline should provide notice of a change to the person in an acceptable time frame; not just post it on their web site. The customer should also be provided the proper information to include:

1) Correct Terminal number (if applicable)

2) Correct Gate number

3) Statement on the ticket that the check-in counter will close at a predefined specific time before departure, not just state that the doors close 15 minutes before departure.

Air Berlin codeshares with American Airlines.

They could have put this person on the next plane or found an alternate.This policy of no compromise on a non-refundable ticket is ludicrous. This lack of customer service is what makes people angry.

Having worked in sales myself, we are trained that the customer is always right; if I would have treated a customer in this manner, I would have been heavily censured or terminated. Businesses like to say that they provided excellent customer service, but when they have to do the "extra" to ensure a satisfied customer, many fall miserably short.

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Anonymous
map-marker Stockholm, Stockholm

Flight delay and lost baggage. No Claims !!

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I booked flight with Air berlin later connected and operated by Etihad Air. Air berlin Advertise Etihad Air as their Gold partners and exclusive destinations. although I booked the whole itinerary with Airbelin, the flight operated by etihad air was delayed 15 hours furthermore, left the luggage for whole flight at AUH. The luggage arrived after 4 days!! Despite calling many times to AB office no response was given for compensations and or claims. Later on I decided to file a claim through solicitors, to my ignorance Etihad air is not registered with EU and no complains and compensation were provided. AB didn't response at all !!
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Loss:
$500
Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Brownfield, Texas

Boarding denied

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Booked this flight nearly a month ago and paid with my debit card. AB took the money out on the 17th of November. All was fine until yesterday when they would not let my wife board here flight from Cancun to Dusseldorf to Moscow. They offered no explanation and dumped her on her butt. They claim it was because the billing address on the card didn't match their records.....BUT they already have the money, my card company gave it to them. I am fighting with them to get a refund and filing a disputer with me card company. This caused her to miss her connecting flight from Moscow to Abakan which has cost me $104 to change the departure date. Further more, this is the same card I used to fly here from Moscow to Cancun in July!! There confirmed the flight via email that states; "Please note that receipt of payment is only confirmed after this email has been sent. If your payment is not carried out successfully, you will subsequently receive a further request for payment by email." They clearly received payment but still refused boarding. I am worried that she will be stuck again tomorrow!!
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Loss:
$1300
Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Anonymous
map-marker Des Plaines, Illinois

Was charged 210 USD for slightly overweight carry on bag

There was no reasoning whatsover with the airberlin checkin agent-- she simply kept repeating "you must comply with the strict policy"...... and this was a double connection long haul flight no surprise I had a bit more in my carry-on. They should not charge me 760 PLN (210 USD) for it. I paid A LOT for the flight itself already. If you insist to check it do it for no charge. Especially since the size is perfectly OK and the weight was only slightly more. Who weighs the carry on anyway? What is this RyanAir???? Mindless check in agent ruined the flight for me before takeoff
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Loss:
$210
Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Nijmegen, Gelderland

Damaged luggage not handelde properly

My Newly bought guitar was damaged. After filing a complaint there is only dead silence, i wonder i will ever gonna hear from them. I am trying to get. In touch already for two week, but iT Seems like noone one THE other site even bothers to answer. I would have liked to have an email from a REAL person saying hè is going to look into iT. I already made several phone calls at 0,20 CTsa minute, but i am not getting any further. I do not have THE feeling that my complaint is taken seriously. I do not NOS *** much time a have to wait begroet i am going to dak my lauwer to dive into this matter
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Loss:
$250
Reason of review:
Damaged or defective

Preferred solution: Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Bonita Springs, Florida

What Bonus?

Currently sitting at gate at RSW. Tried yesterday to upgrade flight online, using topbonus miles. Their website is dreadful. It would not update retrospective miles despite several attempts, nor let me upgrade my flight to DUSS. Check in staff here were lovely, but the guy on ticketing was not. I explained the situation, but he was unhelpful, simply saying I needed 37,000 miles to upgrade, not the 25,000 I needed when I tried online. I told him he was unhelpful. He shrugged!! Just shrugged! How rude. They need to get their online act together, and make it easier to track their alleged 'partners' topbonus miles, and upgrades. I am very unimpressed right now, and very unhappy not to be able to have upgraded for my overnight flight. Trued 6 times to submit online complaint form. Guess what? Yep, wouldn't submit!!!
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Let the company propose a solution

Anonymous

Late luggage. New items bought. No refund

A flight from Berlin to Tel Aviv in April. The lugagge was lost, arrived 4 days later. In the meanwhile I had to buy a few items. Not much: approx. 175 euros. I sent the original bills to Air Berlin right away. We're in August, and I still haven't received anything from them. When I write they never answer, or only with strange automated messages. Sad. A flight from Berlin to Tel Aviv in April. The lugagge was lost, arrived 4 days later. In the meanwhile I had to buy a few items. Not much: approx. 175 euros. I sent the original bills to Air Berlin right away. We're in August, and I still haven't received anything from them. When I write they never answer, or only with strange automated messages. Sad.
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Anonymous

Verspätung- Ritardo AB8841 -Fiumicino-Düsseldorf

Gentilissima Direzione Air Berlin, desidero protestare per come sono andate le cose prima, durante e dopo il volo AB8841 da Roma Fiumicino diretto all´Aeroporto di Düsseldorf il giorno 20.07.2014: - un inspiegabile ritardo di più´di due ore - mancanza di informazioni (o informazioni discrepanti) a Fiumicino, durante il volo e all´aereoporto di Colonia/Bonn dove siamo atterrati in emergenza, visto che sembra che l´aeroporto di Düsseldorf fosse già chiuso - i problemi derivanti dall´atterraggio a Colonia/Bonn Ringrazio per il servizio ma devo dire che rimango perplessa e arrabbiata per i problemi di questo volo. In volo ci hanno detto di rivolgervi a voi per un eventuale rimborso o accredito miglia. In attesa di una spiegazione, porgo distinti saluti Barbara Colacchia Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, ich möchte herzlich Beschwerden wegen den schlechte Bedienung der Flug AB8841 (FCO-DUS) am 20.07.2014: - Verspätung über 2 Stunden - schlechte info am Fiumicino Flughafen, am Board und am Köln/Bonn Flughafen - Falsche Flughafen, Köln/Bonn statt Düsseldorf Ich danke Ihnen weil ich wieder zum Düsseldorf Flughafen gekommen bin, aber ich ärgere mich viel wegen die Verspätung und die Problemen. Wahrend der Flug wurde uns gesagt ihnen zu Beschwerden. Ich erwarte Ihre Antwort mit große Interesse. Mit freundlichen Grüßen Barbara Colacchia
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