Gulf Air

I find flying with Gulf Air a very humbling experience, while carries such as Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar strive for excellence it appears that Gulf Air aim for poor service, poor food, rude or indifferent cabin staff, poor or unserviceable inflight entertainment, and high prices.

I would like to congratulate Gulf Air for achieving their goals in all aspects of the product. but as a result lost my custom.

I have changed my next flight from Gulf Air to Saudi Airlines, same class, day, and sector and saved nearly SAR3000, so thank you again for prompting me to look else where and saving this money.

There were many things which were not OK on my Business class flight, the seat was old and smelled of the previous occupants, the food, I ordered Salmon which was so over cooked and yet cold that it was un edible, the Steward saying get your tables out to the Business class cabin, the almost impossible task of getting something to drink, the inflight entertainment with very limited movie options displayed on a small screen 2 meters away, accompanied with hissing and popping over the headphones.

Also as this flight was one of several I discovered to my cost that Gulf Air Business class only offers 40kg checked baggage, so after flying several sectors I suddenly had to pay for my bags.

I would brand them the low cost budget airline of the middle east even if they are the national airline of Bahrain. Staff (ALL) Need a wake up call to Middle Eastern hospitality they are the most miserable RUDE staff I have ever encountered with any airline!! Everything seems to much for them. If you request another drink on the plane they staff act as if they are paying for it from there pocket. Check In staff make you feel as if you are taking up their precious time. Above the staff the seat pitch in economy is one of the worst in its class, food and comfort and entertainment just barely settle in the average sector. With Gulf Air the simple old saying goes you pay for what you get and with the low prices they provide you really get nothing for your money.

Had a business class ticket to Bahrain. Got stuck on the M25 due to an accident on my way to Heathrow Airport. Arrived 6 minutes after gate closed. Was denied access to the flight. So far no issue, act of God and all that BUT I was then to that if I wanted to fly later I had to buy a new RETURN ticket as my original return ticket was cancelled as I had failed to turn up!!!! So I paid Gulf air nearly £2000 and got no flights at all. Scandalous. Now having read other reviews on this site I would never consider them again. I have written and visited their offices and can tell you they don't care. So, you have been warned and please fly with somone else

I was denied the flight. I had a return flight (GF0753) from Karachi to Dammam via Bahrain on 1st February 2014. I was not issued the boarding pass even because of a missing the date of return on my visa page. Though the return date was updated on the official Saudi Arabia visa page and the Gulf Air boarding staff could have checked it electronically because the visa number and passport number were available on my visa page but they did not bother to do it. When I got printed the visa page with date of return (30-06-2014) myself, without any help of Gulf Air, forty minutes before departure, they told me that all the seats were sold and boarding was closed. How can a confirmed ticket be sold to some one else?

I lost my flight and had to book a new one. I lost huge money and an invaluable amount of time due to their blunder. Gulf Air is the most pathetic airline I have ever come across.

DENIED CONFIRMED FLIGHT / LOST LUGGAGE

I have the following complaint to lodge against the illegal and irresponsible behavior of Gulf air line

On 17 th of October 2013 my wife and I went to Bahrain airport at 10.30 pm to check in for our confirmed flight to Lahore Pakistan due at 12.55 AM .

My booking # ONWJDF and my wife booking # MCTQRG

We were told there that the confirmed seat was checked in by other passengers and that we have only one person seat available .I told them that my seats were confirmed and that I have only one week vacation .They told me that one of us can fly that day and the other in 3 days when the next flight is available .After my insistence due to the limited vacation time I had finally they got me a ticket to go to

Abu-dhabi on Gulf air and than Etihad Air to Lahore .There was 6 hour stay time at the Abu-dhabi airport .The staff of Gulf air at the Bahrain airport including there supervisor told me that they have arranged the lounge at the Abu-dhabi airport for me and I can stay and rest there for 6 hours and take the flight form there .

I flew to Abu-dhabi after 2 hours stay at Bahrain airport .when went to the transfer desk at Abu-dhabi airport I was surprise and shocked to find out that there was no reservation in the lounge .The lady there checked with the Gulf air people and both VIP lounges and there was no booking or message under my name .

I stayed 6 hours at the airport very tired and sleepy .Just to let you know that we came thru Etihad Air from Frankfurt the same day which is 17th .After 6 hour flight to Abu-dhabi and 2 hour stay at the

Abu-dhabi airport and than to Bahrain to catch our flight to Lahore Pakistan . Now you can imagine how much torture I went through almost awake for 2 days

I finally arrived at Lahore Pakistan 18th October 2013 2.30 pm .There my wife was desperately waiting for me to tell me that the luggage booked at the Bahrain airport was lost and she has not received any luggage .She was told that it probably will arrive 3 days later and we do have to come and pick up the luggage .

Our luggage had our regular daily medications and our daily wearing clothes .

We had to buy the medicine and clothes in Lahore Pakistan to survive next 3 days

According to my knowledge and I have traveled a lot internationally that the lost luggage is always delivered by the airline company .In July 2011 we flew to Egypt an there was a small flight form Cairo to Sherman shaikh where we lost the baggage the airline dropped the luggage to our hotel room very next day

I am very disappointed by the attitude and behavior of the Gulf air line .We have been a regular customer for the airline and we do travel a lot on the carrier but this time we are very disappointed and disgusted by these events

I would like to have a thorough investigation of the matter and to be compensated for my time loss , financial loss ,pain and suffering due to the immature and unprofessional behavior of the airline I will wait for your response otherwise I will have no choice than to send a detail complaint to IATA and hire a legal counsel to take Gulf air to the court

I have been strong advocate of your airline and have always recommended Gulf air to my hospital colleagues but after this kind of attitude I will be actively discouraging every one at my hospital to use your airline

i am travelling from mumbai to athens this month by gulf air. as there were no direct flights available , i have to take a halt at bahrain and larnaca for nearly 3 hours each.

will i require to get a visa for such short stay.

all my 3 flights are of gulf air.

i checked with the embassy website. for cyprus, larnaca-- it is not required.

but nothing is mentioned about bahrain.

I WAS HAVING RETURN TICKET FROM MUSCAT/BAHRAIN/BOMBAY AND BOMBAY/MUSCAT VIA BAHRAIN. ON 06 APRIL 2013 MORNING, I HAVE UPGRADED NY TICKET TO BUSINESS CLASS.

ON 06 APRIL 2013, EVENING FLIGHT I CAME TO MUMBAI AIRPORT TO TRAVEL TO BAHRAIN. TO MY SURPRISED THE MANAGER ON DUTY TOLD ME THAT, I MUST TRAVEL TO MUSCAT, AS THIS IS SPECIAL FARE TICKET AND I CAN'T GET DOWN IN BAHRAIN. MY BAGGAGE WILL GO TO MUSCAT ONLY, AND THEY PUT BAGGAGE LABEL MUSCAT VIA BAHRAIN.

THERE WAS 50 KILO BAGGAGE AND HAND BAG WAS 8 KILO. THEY TOLD ME TO PAY FOR RS.3600/= EXTRA BAGGAGE CHARGES. I TOLD THEM, I WILL REMOVE SOME EXTRA LUGGAGE AND I WILL GIVE THIS EXTRA LUGGAGE TO MY RELATIVE WHO WERE STANDING OUT SIDE OF AIRPORT. TO MU SURPRISED, THEY REFUSED TO DO SO AND TOLD ME TO PAY INDIAN RUPEES 3600/= EXTRA BAGGAGE CHARGES.

GULFAIR WHAT IS THIS, A PERSON CAN'T REMOVE EXTRA BAGGAGE ITEMS FROM THE BAGGAGE TO AVOID TO PAY THE EXTRA BAGGAGE CHARGES.

INSTEAD OF HELPING THE STAFF AT GULFAIR COUNTER IN MUMBAI, INCLUDING THE MANAGER ON DUTY, ALL WERE VERY RUDE BEHAVIOR.

I AM NOT AGAINST OF THE DUTY MANAGER OR STAFF, BUT HIS BEHAVIOR WAS VERY BAD, I DON'T KNOW HOW SUCH A REPUTED GULFAIR KEPT SUCH A VERY VERY BAD BEHAVIOR MANAGER PLUS SUCH A STAFF WHO WERE UNDER THE MANAGER.

AFTER REACHING BAHRAIN, I WENT TO BAGGAGE CLAIM DIVISION, WHERE ONE BAHRAINI STAFF WAS THERE, I TOLD HIM THAT, I DON'T WANT TO TRAVEL TO MUSCAT, PLEASE CANCEL MY BOARDING PASS AND ARRANGE MY BAGGAGE TO BRING ITS OUT FROM THE BAHRAIN AIRPORT, WHO HELPED ME AND WITHIN 15 MINUTS I GOT BACK MY BAGGAGE.

NOW IF SUCH A BAD MANAGER IN MUMBAI WILL BE THERE, THAN I WILL NEVER TRAVEL BY GULFAIR ANY MORE.

FOR YOUR KIND INFORMATION, I HEARD FROM SOMEBODY THAT SAME MANAGER IS TROUBLING ALL PASSENGERS WHO WANT TO TRAVEL FROM MUMBAI TO BAHRAIN BY GULFAIR.

I was on a hurry to get back home for an emergency, my brother died, and I have no time to choose a flight. I just took the fastest and shortest flight from dammam to philippines. i was happy when i saw the monitors, but to my horror they dont show channels. after tinkering for about 10 minutes i found out that it needed to be scanned first, then they close the lights after serving the main meal, and it went on like that for almost the rest of the flight, as if they want their passeengers to be asleep for 9 fockin hours. it was the worst flight i ever had. flight attendants keep closing my monitor as if she wants to tell me SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP.

GulfAir is one of the best airlines in region. My review would not be based on one bad journey but based on years of journeys.

Before 2009 I used to expect the delays. by 2010 their fleet renewed. They are usually on time.They have good service on board and on ground.

I beleive if their main station was another airport than Bahrain Airport they would have the best ranking becuase that airport has no facilities which affect their reputation.

Staff are cooperative and would help passengers with rebookings and alternatives in case of delays if the booking was made with GF but if seperate tickets they cannot help.

anyway, all airlines face technical problems and stochastic disruptions. All airlines oversale their flights and GF is no exception.

The bottom line is that GF is usually on time and provides good service.

On September 13, 2012 I booked a flight via Gulf Air for my in-laws to travel from Boston, MA to Abu Dhabi, UAE leaving October 9th to see their daughter (my sister-in-law) who had had severe pregnancy complications resulting in the emergency c-section (8 weeks early) to deliver the baby and my sister-in-law ended up with a brain hemmorhage. The tickets were purchased to give my in-laws time to get everything at home taken care of and get there to be with her. Well, my sister-in-law passed away on September 19th and her body was brought back to the US to be laid to rest. Obviously my in-laws have no need to to take the trip anymore and, with their jobs and everything else that has gone on, have no need to do so in the 6 month time that Gulf Air gave them to use the tickets. On September 24th, an email was sent to Ravin, the General Manager of Gulf Air here in the United States, per my phone conversation with him, requesting a courtesy from the airline since travel vouchers would be of no use to them and $2300 is a lot of money to just take as a loss. Ravin said he would do what he could and be back to me in a few days. A week later I called him to make sure he had received the email as I had not even gotten a confirmation from him that he had received it and he said yes, that he would be back to me in a few days. By October 4th, I hadn't heard anything and my in-laws were supposed to leave on the 9th so I was getting nervous about the time frame and he said he was waiting to hear back from his office in Bahrain and, after a very rude conversation with him, he told me he would get back to me that afternoon. Once again, I did not hear from him. Finally, last night, October 7th, I received an email saying this tickets were strictly non-refundable and there was nothing they could do. So now, we are just out that money and are devastated with the loss of our dear family member at not even 30 years old. I can not believe that in a situation like this, there was absolutely nothing they could do for us...other than to be rude and then say we had to pay a $190 booking fee per ticket to change the tickets that we can not even use. Because, by the way, we can't change the name on them either. We are all extremely frustrated at the horrible customer service we received! I cannot give a review based on a flight we've taken because we didn't get too...but if given the chance I would use any other airline but this one.