Overseas travel can be stressful at the best of times. But after a Kiwi couple had a bad experience flying from Auckland to London they decided to take the matter further.
Meet Dr Mark Morgan and his partner, who spent a massive $13,000 for their business class seats on an Emirates flight from Auckland to London. But what they experienced on their journey was far from what they were promised.
As soon as they settled into their seats, they realized that the airline had misled them. Instead of the plush leather seats and a reclining chair, they found themselves in a shabby and worn-out chair. To add insult to injury, their entertainment system was faulty too. Not exactly what you expect when you shell out big bucks for a business-class flight, right?
But Dr Morgan and his partner were not the kind to take things lying down. They decided to take the matter to the Disputes Tribunal, and boy, did they make some waves.
Emirates tried to argue that they couldn't guarantee a particular aircraft for every flight, but the Tribunal saw through their excuse. In the end, the court ruled in favour of Dr Morgan, and the airline had to cough up the entire $13,000.
Dr Morgan hopes that his case will help other dissatisfied customers come forward with their grievances. He believes that Emirates should change its advertising in light of his small victory against them: "They should be upfront about what you are likely to get."
