I Face Southwind Airlines Service Problems And Missing Luggage On Hajj Flight

We experienced very serious problems on Southwind Airlines flight 5118 from Medina to Denizli on June 17, and I believe the entire experience was especially disrespectful toward Hajj passengers.

During the flight, a cabin supervisor named E** stepped on my foot while wearing high heels and did not even apologize. During meal service, food was provided to us, but no spoons or forks were given. We repeatedly asked for utensils, but the crew did not listen to us or fulfill our requests. They then closed the curtain and went behind it, so I pushed the meal toward them from under the curtain. A flight attendant named S***** then scolded me, saying, “This is a blessing, aren’t you ashamed?” After this incident, passengers seated in the first five rows were also not provided with beverage service. I considered both the way I was spoken to and the crew’s behavior insulting and disrespectful.

I would also like to point out that, in my opinion, the cabin crew uniforms were not appropriate or modest for a flight carrying Hajj passengers and appeared more like runway-style clothing. I believe this negatively affected the overall sense of respect and seriousness expected on this type of flight.

We also experienced a major problem with the checked baggage. Bags were reportedly removed from the aircraft, and out of approximately 201 passengers, around 80 passengers did not receive their luggage at the destination. Having such a large number of missing bags created serious hardship, especially for passengers returning from Hajj.

I request that Southwind Airlines first issue a formal corporate apology to the Hajj passengers who were on this flight. I also request that all missing luggage be fully identified and delivered directly to the owners’ addresses.

In addition, I request that the conduct of cabin crew members E** and S***** be formally investigated and that appropriate action be taken regarding how passengers are treated. I also ask that the airline review its cabin crew dress standards for Hajj flights and adopt a more appropriate and modest presentation. I expect Southwind Airlines to take all necessary measures to ensure that an experience like this does not happen again.