EF77

As a passenger, yes I do want first class service. But guess what? I pay for my first class tickets for myself and my spouse. I usually always fly with DL (based on where I live) as well in the front cabin. For the amount of money I pay, I should not be talked to like a 5th grader or worse, like a dog. Do I ever interact with the pilots? Hardly ever, the FA's and CSA's, always. So you see, the point is, DL for instance could have the best aircraft and pilots and management in the world but if the FA's and CSA's talk to me like I just slid a 20 dollar bill over the counter for my seat, I would never fly them again. The FA's and CSA's are the face of the airline, some never seem to get that though.

BoredwLife

I think that is illegal.

frozenboxhauler

Why make a stop in JFK when you can go non stop to FRA from SEA on Lufthansa?
fbh

P.S. Welcome home Vaga!

Pilotpip

I sympathize with airline employees. We're not the only ones that are taking concessions and seeing our quality of life erode. It's not hard to become very bitter in this industry and quite frankly, a 15% paycut to a gate agent making $30k a year is going to hit them a lot worse than a 15% paycut to a pilot that's making double that. It's still not right in either case because these are the people on the front line making the airline work.

You couldn't pay me enough to be a gate/ticket agent. I've done it. I actually asked to be demoted back to throwing bags on the ramp. You are the target of all the passengers' anger and it wears on you fast.

Now, having said that. I never take out my frustration on passengers. They are the reason I have a job. Any time I've had a passenger get rude with me, I've found that smiling and saying something polite usually just infuriates them more. However, it makes my day.

Jake Wheeler

You are spot on, EF. The problem, again, goes back to management for failing to "get that". By failing to hire, train and treat their employees as the valuable assets they are, then the entire airline suffers as does the passengers.

From two managers who "get that".


Herb Kelleher inteview, University of Texas.

“If the employees come first, then they're happy, ... A motivated employee treats the customer well. The customer is happy so they keep coming back, which pleases the shareholders. It's not one of the enduring Green mysteries of all time, it is just the way it works.” - Herb Kelleher

"Loyal employees in any company create loyal customers who in turn create happy shareholders" - Sir Richard Branson

Jake Wheeler

A very reasonable expectation. Sorry you didn't get it, but as previous posts indicated, the problem goes deeper than a few frontline employees.

You are a cut above the average person, Vagabond, by following through on your observations and treatment. This truly is the best way to achieve results. While Bravo24 prefers to ridicule front-line employees and "mini-me et" pilots, you've taken substantive action.

The lack of an appropriate response should tell you exactly what the bigger problem is; if senior management doesn't care about their passengers then why would a frontline employee who has seen their wages and benefits cut and their workload increased care? Employees are demoralized as senior managers line their pockets with bonuses and head for the door with golden parachutes.

It's wrong for an employee to take it out on a passenger, but it is also wrong for a passenger to blame the employee when management is no better. Bravo24 doesn't "get that", but you do. Thanks for taking the time to contact them about it.

Jake Wheeler

Nice insult to every regional pilot in the industry. It isn't difficult to see your attitude carrying over to each and every employee you meet. You would make a good airline manager for USAirways or any of the legacies, Bravo24!

Do you measure all people by the size of their equipment or just regional pilots?

BoilerUP

wrx, your first and last problem was a connection at ORD. That place (and PHL, as in the original story) is where on-time performance goes to DIE. If traveling international, I would personally pay a hefty premium to avoid any NYC airport or PHL; with inbound ATC and wx delays its simply not reliable for a connecting flight on a trip of that magnitude.

I, and employees at my company, try to avoid ATL for the same reasons...frequent delayed flights due to poor asset scheduling and personnel management. For where we are located and the places we go, MEM is our best bet on a major (NWA) with Delta second (CVG), or SWA to a couple of our destinations.

As a former 121 pilot I understand gate agents bear the brunt of passengers' frustrations, as do FAs...I find the best course for dealing with them is to kill them with niceness. Sympathizing with the agents during irregular operations, or even even a simple polite greeting and smile, can get you service with a frazzled agent that NOBODY else would be able to obtain.

I do have to say though, the best service I ever received on an airplane was Frontier and Midwest...both as a jumpseater. Due to what I experienced then, I'll always give those airlines my business...but both are or already have pulled out of our home airport.

bravo24

You are offended by the "mini-me jet" remark? Boy, you must be one thin-skinned dude. I don't judge people by the size of their equipment but you seem to be awful sensitive about the size of yours.

As for how I interact with airline employees I try to treat everyone with courtesy and respect - that is how I was raised. My job requires that I deal with almost every type of airline employee on a daily basis - mechanics, engineers, pilots, and all levels of management. I treat everyone with courtesy and respect, even when they don't return it. That is part of my job. I try to follow the same policy when flying as a passenger. If an employee treats me unfairly or shows attitude I will generally give them the benefit of the doubt. But when an employee crosses the line I will let them know that I am not pleased with their conduct. When I do so I'm not rude, I don't yell, and I don't call names. But I will respond. The fact that someone works for an airline does give him or her a free pass to abuse customers.

Jake Wheeler

Nice backpedal, slick, but I ain't buying it. Not offended by your attempted slight. Too old to worry about every stupid thing people say.

An outstanding philosophy, bravo24. Too bad you've forgotten that it takes more than saying something to make it work. You have to walk the walk, dude. Talking the talk without follow-through is typical management lip-service.

You can deny that management has any responsiblities for the actions of their personnel all day long, bravo24, but you'll never be able to change the truth that managers are responsible for the actions of their people. Read up on Ken Lay and Bernard Ebbers to find out how well the management "I didn't know what my people were doing" defense works. Review how adversely the actions of Tilton and his gang have impacted the employees at United or how shocked even the Wall Street moguls were by the largesse United managers rewarded themselves after exiting bankruptcy.

Please convince me how management is not responsible for doing their jobs with more than righteous indignation and thinly veiled insults, bravo24.