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Flight - AF1905/0573938535553/Rome – Paris/Economy/
13 September 2013.


Carleen Hoover +27820418868

15 Elstree Court
9 Denham Road Flat 15
Durban KZN 4000
South Africa


On this flight [Rome flight AF1905 to Paris -Johannesburg final destination]; I was not allowed to carry my irreplaceable religious statue of The Virgin Mary which I had purchased from Medugorje. This statue was my hand luggage as it weighted 6.5kg. I was told by the Supervisor of security that I*would be able to carry my statue on board if I had taken out of the box. And then another gentleman then instructs I had to pay for it as additional luggage. It was a situation of two opposing decisions from your assistants; rude and abrupt service and unfriendly attitude. Not a single promise was displayed or the values displayed by any of your staff. I questioned the safety of my fragile statue. I was assured that the statue will be safe and due to it being FRAGILE it will be well taken care of and will not be damaged in any way. With the airlines assurance and to my resistance I eventually had paid the 100 euros and booked the statue in. The Italian Airport terminal did not even have FRAGILE stickers available. These are your staff members representing your brand; I am the customer keeping your airline in the sky...surely their experience and training could have assisted me better and represented your promises better?* Surely they could have advised or assisted me better?*

On arrival to Johannesburg air-port I picked up my statue and the box was damaged and smashed. Clearly it had been thrown in and out the plane; other boxes packed on it and definitely no care taken of it at all. I opened the box and discovered the statue completely shattered. I then go to your claims counter and I think you should rename it the" I DON'T KNOW" counter rather than CLAIMS because all the assistant could tell me was I DON'T KNOW...to all my questions. The one time she was almost helpful was when she suggested that I should have went to Pick and Pay in Rome (there is no Pick and Pay in Rome) and bought a large plastic crate. I was speechless with that comment. Air France should be worried as this is the level of service from your highly trained staff. I am not an expert but I can suggest you spend less money on advertising and more on training your staff on your promises for a good start.

Air France has failed on all your promises....Air France doesn't know what should and shouldn't be hand luggage allowed on a plane...Air France doesn't* know what FRAGILE handling is or how to handle FRAGILE valuable items....Air France is rude; unfriendly and* poorly trained in Customer Service and in dealing with Customers valuables. Air France is more interested in me paying 100euros and leaving their sight. I am the customer that keeps Air France flying.

My statue is badly damaged shattered and irreplaceable. To assist me in the slightest Air France can refund me my 100euros I paid for Air France to shatter my statue and the cost of 80euros for the statue. And I promise to grate out of my mind the awful Air France experience.