Airline - Quality service and ticket prices

[flyover]

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My questions:

(a) Did he contact the airline prior to writing the article?
(b) Is this his first flight cancellation?
(c) Considering DCA has a substantial USAir operation, did the author try another gate agent/supervisors, or just stand in line miffed with a stenographers pad jotting down details?
(d) Did he try the reservations line or booking agent?

Granted, the author most likely got a raw deal and the situation was largely mishandled, it seems, by USAir, but take a charge of the situation and use the available resources.



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Agree with the points about society in general. But I find that this bleeds over into customer service. When you take a customer service job you are taking primary responsibility for your customer's satisfaction. How many customer service people do you run into who do that? It's so rare it is really starting to drive me a little nuts. (OK, I heard that).

I mean I rarely have a day go by that I don't get to listen into the personal phone conversation of someone who supposedly is "helping me". A problem is as likely to get a dull stare as helpful action.

So in the case of a delayed flight it is the customer service reps job and responsiblity to communicate with the customers and make sure they know their options and what they can do and what the airline can do. It's not their job to sit there with their t****s up their a*s while the savvy frequent fliers figure out how to end run the whole situation.

[pilot602]

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And you know what, two of the thre restaurants I worked for are out of business .... draw your own conclusions. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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You're bad for business?

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cwm27.gif[/img]

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Damn right! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[kellwolf]

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.Last but not least-people in customer service should have the skills and patience!

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Sad truth to this is that these people are not paid what they are worth. It doesn't take to many screaming passengers (tourists, diners, etc) in your face for you to say "This isn't worth $6.65/hr." Either that or the people that are skilled at customer service get promoted to the dreaded management position. Then they get locked in the ivory tower and lose touch. You also have to look at the population in general. There aren't that many candidates (at least in Orlando) that I would even THINK about placing in a customer service position. It's more of a "take what you can get" marketplace. Same thing is happening with the airlines. And for the love of god, TAKE CARE OF YOU PEOPLE. If the agent is unhappy, I can guarantee you they won't go the extra mile to satisfy the customer since they really don't care if the company survives or not.

[tonyw]

I think you'll find that MOST business travellers are reasonable. Why? Because they do it a lot. They go to the airport, see that it's raining, and say, well, betcha we won't be leaving on time. Do they get mad at the CSR because of the weather? Nope.

I was travelling enough where I could justify to my boss picking up membership in one of the airline lounges, and you can imagine that I dealt with delays, cancelled flights, and so on. One time they lost my luggage.

The thing I remember that struck me as funny was that at least three or four times, I was told, "you're taking this very well, sir." I told them, well, screaming at you isn't going to help things, is it?

What amazed me is that the CSRs always laughed and said, some people think it does.

I don't get it. You need help from someone, and you're going to scream and shout at him? Yeah, like that's going to get him to bend a rule for you.

[pilot602]

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Customers deserve to be treated with out most respect.

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Customers deserve to be treated as well as they behave. Basic human civility overides everything. Whenever someone starts usinghte word "deserve" i get testy. The only thing ANYONE "deserves" is basic civility beynd that a persons own behavior determines how that person will be treated beyond the first encounter. Don't like it? Chang your behavior.

But I agree wholeheartedly with Flyover's last comments. A lot of "customer service" positions are filled with the lowest paid/least trained folks management can find (not just airlines). And THAT is a big problem. Companies don't recognize the skill and importance of these positions and just view them as "another hourly" category. It takes a special person to be able to handle customer service on a long term basis ...

[kellwolf]

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Agree with the points about society in general. But I find that this bleeds over into customer service. When you take a customer service job you are taking primary responsibility for your customer's satisfaction. How many customer service people do you run into who do that? It's so rare it is really starting to drive me a little nuts.

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Another example of "take what you can get." I'd say a good chunk of the people in customer service positions are not there because they like the job, they're there because it's all they could get or because of the money.

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I mean I rarely have a day go by that I don't get to listen into the personal phone conversation of someone who supposedly is "helping me". A problem is as likely to get a dull stare as helpful action.

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This is my major pet peeve. Can't tell you how many cel phones I locked up as a lead at Sea World. If I saw you with your cel phone out while you were supposed to be working, I took it and locked it in MY locker. You got it back when your shift was over.

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So in the case of a delayed flight it is the customer service reps job and responsiblity to communicate with the customers and make sure they know their options and what they can do and what the airline can do. It's not their job to sit there with their t****s up their a*s while the savvy frequent fliers figure out how to end run the whole situation.

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Yes, it is the CSA's job. However, they also have about 50-100 other people they need to help that probably have no IDEA what is going on. A frequent flier can help themselves AND the CSA by making a phone call or at least trying to handle it themselves. Shoving to the front screaming "I'm a Rapid Rewards member, help me FIRST!" doesn't cut it. One thing the airline should do is get some help out there (if it's available) ASAP when they know the flight is going to be cancelled.

[Doug Taylor]

Cat Stevens anyone? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[TheWife]

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This is why I carry all the essentials in a carry-on. How many comedians make jokes about lost luggage? We're all aware that it happens, we just never expect it to happen to us. While it's technically not our fault when the airline looses our luggage, there are some intelligent things we can do to help ourselves out.

[/ QUOTE ] I am absolutely aware that luggage gets lost and I had immediate neccesities in the diaper bag (such as diapers and money and snacks) But what I was not aware of, is that you don't GET your luggage if you get stuck some where. See, if my luggage had been lost, but I wasn't stuck in Chicago, I would have either been in FL or been home. Then I would have had family there to pick me up and we could go to the store and get what ever we needed. Knowing that, I was comfortable with what I carried on the plane and with what I put on baggage check. SO if my luggage had been lost it wouldn't have been the end of the world.

HOWEVER, the problem was that I got stuck in Chicago, with a toddler, carseat, diaper bag, and stroller. And no luggage access. It NEVER occured to me that this could happen because I just always assumed they'd give it you. It was late at night by the time we got to the hotel, and I had no idea where anything in that city was, nor did I have a way to get to anything. So off to the gift shop I went. For $10 I could get 3 diapers that were 2 sizes too big for my son. For another $6 I could a trial size of deodorant. For $4 I could get a disposable toothbrush, etc. etc. As I said, it never occured to me that I would not have access to my things if I got stuck some where. It also never occured to me that I would have to pay for the hotel and meals. It cost us over $20 just to get some juice and bagels for breakfast, thank goodness I have credit cards, some people don't!

All my point was with that part of my story is that I think part of customer service is that you should let your customers know what to expect, what situtions could occur. Why not put on the ticket or website something like "It is our policy that customers do not have access to luggage should they miss a connecting flight, so we strongly enourage you to keep personal overnight items as well as money for food and accomodations with you on the airplane.". If I had read some thing like that, I would have been prepared. Now I know, of course, and so I can be prepared next time, but I think it's worth telling people upfront. Think of how much LESS angry people are when things aren't a shock to them. I was shocked and it was very hard to hear that, and not get mad, I didn't, but it was hard. Had I been told upfront, the whole thing would have gone a lot smoother. See what I am saying?

[flyover]

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Think of how much LESS angry people are when things aren't a shock to them. I was shocked and it was very hard to hear that, and not get mad, I didn't, but it was hard. Had I been told upfront, the whole thing would have gone a lot smoother. See what I am saying?

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Communication is the key to customer satisfaction. Over almost 30 years in the biz I found you could literally do almost anything to people if you effectively communicated. Conversly you could do almost everything right and leave them dissatisfied if you didn't communicate.

A mom stuck by herself with a toddler should get special customer service. Period, no excuses.

[cmsuav8r]

Shoot adreamer, you are lucky you were even compensated any. Last summer when I flew to Florida, the AA ticketcounter at MCI was having difficulties checking people in and the line ran the entire length of the terminal. We made it on the plane early yet the flight was held for about an hour so a large tour group could make the flight. Well that really f'ed up my travel plans. I arrived in STL with 5 min. to get to my connecting flight, yet nobody at the gate I arrived at seemed to care. As a result me and about 12 other people missed that flight to MCO so I was stuck in STL for 4hrs waiting for the next flight without even receiving an apology or anything. The gate agent wouldn't even talk to anyone. Tell me how that is good customer service! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif[/img]

[TheWife]

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A mom stuck by herself with a toddler should get special customer service. Period, no excuses.

[/ QUOTE ] I like that theory!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[mtsu_av8er]

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With regards to them holding your flight....can't always do that. Remember, you missed that flight because your first flight was late. What about all of the people that follow? Is it fair for them to miss their connections, etc, so that you can be on time?

Doesn't work that way....

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I think you missed some info. His flight landed early, then was held off of the gate until he and the lady missed their connections.

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I did miss that....read it too fast. That does completely change things....What a difference a few words make!!

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As far as the price of the ticket? It doesn't matter. The airline offered the service at that price, they should deliver the service.


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I do agree with that....but I do believe that you get what you pay for.

I think that the legacy carriers are killing themselves by trying to compete with the likes of SWA and JB. If they're going to die, there's not much they can do about it....

[SteveC]

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I think you missed some info. His flight landed early, then was held off of the gate until he and the lady missed their connections.

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I did miss that....read it too fast. That does completely change things....What a difference a few words make!!


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And I still think that the flight was later than originally scheduled, just arrived earlier than they thought they were going to be after the delayed departure from JAX. Then when they were held out from the gate for a few extra minutes they were too late to make the connection.

[eeg]

Only one thing I wanna say here;


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Well, maybe more than ene thing [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[MQAAord]

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Only one thing I wanna say here;


jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img]jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] jetBlue [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif[/img] jetBlue

Well, maybe more than ene thing [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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Hmmm, I don't think JetBlue flies to AZO.

[Kristie]

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[tonyw]

And I'm sure that JetBlue never cancels flights, never has a weather delay and never mishandles your luggage.

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Great one, Amber!

[adreamer]

Good evening, everyone:

First of all, Doug, thank you for this wonderful web site. I appreciate what you have done so far. I also love to see your "picture from the road". I also agree with "You get what you paid" theory. If airlines keep asking pilots to make less paid because they have to pay their passengers for hotels and meals for the night, I would ask gate agents hold for extra three minutes.

Second of all, I could not imagine so many responses. Thank all of you for your opinions. Let me clarify about soomethings. When you fly from One city through the hub, then onto another city. Airlines and travel agents usually schedule you about 2 hours lay over at "hub". Therefore, gate agents said "we could make our connecting flights". We landed at DTW about 20 minutes before most connecting flights departure time. However, we taxied for few, waited for few minutes. If you read my story, remember the old lady, she made the gate also. We missed our flight by stood there for 5 minutes before being push back.

Third, the customer is not always right. That is my philosophy. For my old job - a high school teacher. My students are my "customers." I do not think they are right all the time. Sometimes, I have to question these "customers".

I just think airlines can do a little better customer service job.


adreamer

[tonyw]

Of course they can. Every organization can.

As for the plane taxiing and waiting for a gate for a few minutes, they don't put runways right next to the terminals. Of course you're going to taxi for a few minutes.

And you don't know what was going on before the plane pushed back. Maybe it was already away from the gate, and they were just waiting to be cleared to the runway. Maybe they were hooking up the tug to push the plane back.

Either way, these things happen. They are not pleasant, but that's part of the deal.

[kellwolf]

Michelle, I'm confused. Are you saying the airline HAD your luggage but denied you access to it? If so, then I think that's like a law that was broken or something. Otherwise, it makes sense to me that if they lose your luggage you won't have access to it until they get it to you.

And as far as JetBlue goes.......working the gate next to them in MCO, I've seen they're planes stuck out waiting for their ONE gate (sometimes two deep), I've seen flights cancelled, I've seen one flight loaded and pushed back only to sit on the ramp for two hours (hey, at least the crew was getting paid), and I've seen them late a LOT of times. JetBlue is the current media darling much like SWA was in the 90s. They're an airline just like everyone else, and they can and will make mistakes. To me, all the hype is almost a bad thing for them. Yeah they get a good public image, but what happens when something goes wrong and they can't deliver? "What do you mean you lost my luggage! You're JetBlue!"

[Doug Taylor]

True. If you checked your baggage, there's no way on this green earth that an airline is going to risk an enormus fine and give you access to it on the secure side of the terminal.

Not Delta, not United, not Southwest and not Jetblue. Aint..gonna... happen...

Put a bowie knife in your carry on, have the operative's wife carrying an infant say "I need access to my checked luggage!", obtain said object and the party begins.

[flyover]

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Third, the customer is not always right. That is my philosophy. For my old job - a high school teacher. My students are my "customers." I do not think they are right all the time. Sometimes, I have to question these "customers".

I just think airlines can do a little better customer service job.

adreamer

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Well way to go with getting a thread fired up and roaring. It was a good exercise.

BTW, on the students as customer thought. Don't know where you teach, public, private, whatever. But in high school your students are your "products". The customers are either taxpayers or parents depending on public vs. private. And while the customers may not always be right they too have a right to an expectation of good products from the schools and teachers they support.

[TheWife]

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Michelle, I'm confused. Are you saying the airline HAD your luggage but denied you access to it? If so, then I think that's like a law that was broken or something. Otherwise, it makes sense to me that if they lose your luggage you won't have access to it until they get it to you.


[/ QUOTE ] My luggage was not lost. I was supposed to go from Tampa to Chicago and then to SLC. We boarded the plane over an hour late in Tampa because it was late getting in and then sat on the plane over an hour through a storm. By the time we got to Chicago the last flight to SLC had left. So I had to wait for the first flight to SLC in the morning. They had my luggage but would not let me have access to it unless I had a medical emergency such as needing diabetic supplies etc. I said, "I am pregnant and I have a toddler, and only a few diapers left, is that a good enough emergency" and they said no. I had to find a hotel, the options were Hilton for $90 across the street, or take a shuttle to something else that was $45. Since I had a screaming tired toddler, a car seat, a diaper bag that weighed a million pounds, and a stroller to push, I took the Hilton. I had no change of clothes, no personal hygeine items, no toothbrush, etc. They did not lose my luggage, they just wouldn't let me have it.

[flyover]

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They had my luggage but would not let me have access to it unless I had a medical emergency such as needing diabetic supplies etc. I said, "I am pregnant and I have a toddler, and only a few diapers left, is that a good enough emergency" and they said no.

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That just about says it all. It's a new industry, whoever's fault it is.

[Raskolnikov]

Speaking of not having access to your luggage...

This past winter we had a pretty bad storm with lots of freezing rain in Seattle and Portland. SEA and PDX shut down, all flights canceled. We have about 30 flights a day to PDX from SEA. When the airport shutdown all flights were canceled and all hell broke loose. Our airline decided to place all the bags from the canceled flights (about 30 or so) be put in the baggage claim area at the same time. It was chaos! We tried without success to organize the bags into different piles: YVR, YYC, YEG, YLW, and YYJ in one pile; EUG, MFR, BOI in another, PDX got its own pile… But lots of bags were thrown into the wrong pile and other piles spilled into other piles. People were everywhere looking for thier bags, not even sure where to begin looking. Some people were dumbfounded, others angry, still others found it quite entertaining. I was there trying to sort out the mess. People kept coming up to me asking “where can I find my bag?” or “I’m looking for a black roller.” Finally someone decided to stop dropping bags in the claim area and keep them all in the well. We kept getting requests to retrieve luggage because people had packed important medication or other can’t-live-withouts. Chaos. Pure chaos.

The best part was while we were in the claim area trying to sort out the mess, bags EVERYWHERE, the recording kept playing “unatended luggage presents a security risk, and will be confiscated and destroyed.” That really set some people off!

Never pack anything you can’t live without in your checked luggage. Better yet, if you can try to get by with just a carry on, do that. You’ll be better off.

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