KLM Flight KL 565 TO NBO - flight from Amsterdam - poor flight experience

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on February 25, 2003:

From: Gavin Leiper [Email User]

RE: KLM Flight KL 565 TO NBO - flight from Amsterdam - poor flight experience

I write this with reference to the total disregard that KLM crew staff treated not just myself and partner but the whole passenger compliment in economy. Myself and my partner who were on our way to the Seychelles to become engaged boarded the flight on Sat 1st Feb at Amsterdam, our first indication of the apparent disregard to any kind of customer ethics came when at the gate which had been opened very early we asked how long we had to board, the answer came abruptly and rudely "the gate is open board now!" where we then sat for over an hour wondering what is going on as most passengers did not check in till the normal 20 mins before boarding.

Onboard we were met at the aircraft door by a rather unfriendly looking older stewardess, with no greeting, no instructions to as where our seats were.

Once in the air their appeared to be a large number of older stewardess's than you usually find, all of them, and I mean all were at best rude towards us, complacent at best. Are these people not supposed to be their to ensure the pleasantness of our flight (the paying customer). By 2 hours into the flight my partner had swapped seats with me as one of the older stewardesses had intimidated her that much not just with her lack of friendliness but what can only be described as a down the nose stare.

This behaviour and treatment of passengers I have never seen before, is it a older mature stewardess prerogative to treat people this way, are they in competition with each other to see who can be the rudest. Do they believe they are at the pinicale of their career and this entitles them to be rude, arrogant and altogether unpleasant. When I asked for a second orange beverage I thought (honestly) the look on her face I was going to get the drink thrown on me This was a disgrace to KLM as I have found them to be most reliable and friendly previously I would dearly like an explanation as to why we were treated in such a way Gavin Leiper