Austrian Airlines. Hitler's favourite Airline.

After arriving 3 hours early in Vienna for our flight to Tel Aviv, we watched the screen from the Sky Lounge with dismay whilst the flight continued to be announced as delayed by increments of 1/2 an hour or so. Until although other flights were being called, ours continued to not be called. The moment it was, we got up and made our way to Gate 12, which is only 5 minutes away. We didn't stop to pee. We didn't stop to buy duty free. We didn't stop to smell the roses. Despite the attitues of the appalling ground crew, we are not toddlers who have never flown before. Whilst walking through the terminal, we noticed the words 'boarding' alongside our flight number on one of the bigger monitors. When we arrived at the gate a minute later, it was empty except for a lady who blamed us for delaying the flight and who wouldn't let us on. The plane was still there. We pleaded with her to help and when she couldn't/wouldn't, we insisted she call a manager, who on arrival was the most bald arrogant piece of dejectable poorly customer service trained nonsense I have met in my entire life. I think his name was Adolf Wienerschnitsel or something like that, but I can't remember. I was going to film the situation, since although I am able to feign righteous indignance, a video speaks a thousand words. He wanted to call the police, so I didn't film him and I encouraged him to call them anyway. When they arrived with the usual gestapo puntuality, it became clear that they considered this man with the same contempt as I did and proceeded to yawn their way through his complaint. Another 'operations manager' appeared, a Ms Garcia and proceeded to calm the situation down somewhat and sent her baldheaded companion in need of retraining away. He told me he was 46. I found that useful. For a few minutes at least it seemed she would help us and took us down to the ticket desk to change our flights, however, on arrival at the ticket desk, it became clear that she actually wanted to take another 300 Euros from each of us to change our flights. Change our flights? We don't want to change our flights, we wanted to be on the one they called and didn't let us on. She pretended to call to head office and then decided that the logic from our side would probably prove overwhelming, so she did the best thing she could have. She told me the office was closing and that the head office would help me in the morning, therefore leaving her free to go home. The hotel attached to the airport was fully booked, but there was a no show, so we Managed to get in after midnight. God knows what would have happened if they had no rooms. Austrian airlines had left us in a foreign city with no flights and nowhere to stay for the night. In the morning, Ms Sahin, or Ms Nemec, she had recently married, so her badges did not match, proceeded to arrogantly tell us that there was nothing she could do and that despite having been told that someone at head office would help us the following day, that in fact head office was closed today, as it had been the day before too. So Ms. Garcia had lied and pretended to us. In the end we had to pay 185 Euros for 'changed flights per person', but not before I made a nuisance of myself at the counter for a while. If I were to sum up Austrian Airlines, it would be arrogant, rude, inflexible and unprofessional. The comment was made by a couple of people that other passengers made it. Yes, this is true, but since the tannoy didn't announce anything in the private Sky Lounge and the board in the Lounge wasn't up to date, how could we have known? Austrian airlines business customers in their lounge were told, but we were not. Economy passengers heard the announcement, but there wasn't one in the lounge. If the screen had been updated, then it would have been fine. Austrian Airlines blame the airport, but I find it hard to believe that the screens are automatic as they claim. Someone at the gate must be updating the status of the flights. Either way, be careful using a private lounge, since the facilities may be poor and overall, stay clear of Austrian Airlines. They are a shower of .... And I will use anyone else I can in future. I would give them no stars if possible. I will tell everyone I know this story and over time, the damage to Austrian Airlines will be greater than the money they took from me for their failure to adhere to basic procedures and in the face of their mistakes, rectify them.