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Christmas list: five things I want from the airlines
'Tis the season, right? Regardless of beliefs, we're all secretly wishing for something, even if we're not hoping for a big fat guy to slide down a slim chimney to deliver it. And, I don't think I'm unusual in having my own list of wishes. I'm not so naïve as to think the airline industry will turn my Christmas list into its New Year's resolutions, but I can always dare to dream!So, here it is – air travel industry, take note. I want five things I want for Christmas.
1. Name change: stop calling me a passenger, and start calling me a customer. I know, I know ... I've asked for this before. Pay attention: I'm still asking for it. Without me – and a lot of people like me – you wouldn't have had such a fantastically profitable year in 2010. Don't get me wrong: I'm not begrudging you the profits. In fact, I want you to be profitable (I am a capitalist after all). Just show me that you realize I'm the guy spending, and extend this courtesy to everyone else who does.
2. Be realistic: I know there are some things you can't control, such as weather and the TSA. But, there are plenty of ways you can improve. Take a long, hard look at your operations, and make some tough decisions. It's not easy to admit your shortcomings, but in the end, doing so will benefit everybody (even you).
3. Add a clause: every frequent traveler has heard it said by a flight attendant: "Our primary job is safety." We know this ... good god, do we know this. I'm asking for a simple statement to be appended to that: "but we're also committed to service." Now, put it all together:
"Our primary job is safety, but we're also committed to service."
That sounds incredible. I could definitely get on board with that kind of thinking. And what does it cost the average flight attendant? Six extra words. The whole thing could be pushed out on Twitter, with plenty of room for hashtags and retweetin!
4. Leg room: okay, I know I'm getting greedy on this one, but I'd really love a little more. I'm not a tall guy, and I still feel cramped.
5. More a la carte pricing: maybe I'm the only guy out there who's a fan of getting nickel and dimed ... but I like choosing which nickels and dimes. I'd much rather pay only for what I use. Let the other guy pay for his own damned sandwich.
[photo by morberg via Flickr]
"Our primary job is safety, but we're also committed to service."
That sounds incredible. I could definitely get on board with that kind of thinking. And what does it cost the average flight attendant? Six extra words. The whole thing could be pushed out on Twitter, with plenty of room for hashtags and retweetin!
4. Leg room: okay, I know I'm getting greedy on this one, but I'd really love a little more. I'm not a tall guy, and I still feel cramped.
5. More a la carte pricing: maybe I'm the only guy out there who's a fan of getting nickel and dimed ... but I like choosing which nickels and dimes. I'd much rather pay only for what I use. Let the other guy pay for his own damned sandwich.
[photo by morberg via Flickr]
Filed under: North America, United States
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Four Feet In The Air Dec 22nd 2010 6:42PM
Hey there! What may only be "six little words" to you is more than likely a 14-hour duty day, only GETTING PAID after the aircraft door is closed and 1.38 an hour the rest of the time. I make $15,000 a year and am NOT in a mediocre hotel a grand 10-11 days a month. We're lucky if we get to eat or use the restroom. And we are --over and over many time a day-- treated RUDELY by travelers (usually the worst by those "high value frequent fliers"). While I love my job, and most of my passengers, you must recognize the reality of a FA's job and remember: you get what you pay for...
Bradleigh Dec 25th 2010 8:17PM
I do respect FA's but if you're going to complain about only getting paid after the cabin door closes...go find another job. American carriers should take lessons from Asian carriers...they have FA's who truly understand what customer service is and have impeccable grooming standards AND they are in shape!
Bruce Dec 25th 2010 8:31PM
If the Asian carriers do it that good..............go move to China.
kuke00@aol.com Dec 25th 2010 9:02PM
And you work for free? & you have you never complained about your job? ...right
Ian Dec 25th 2010 10:08PM
You knew what you were getting into when you signed up for the job. The airlines don't over represent the job to applicants, other FA's certainly are honest about the duties, and I would guess you had probably flown as a passenger at some point. If you don't like what you're doing then it may be time to change fields.
Al Schrader Dec 25th 2010 9:59PM
It's all perfectly safe. Always sit next to the passenger that went through the TSA scanner. Then, if your plane goes down in a wooded area, they can find you using a Geiger Counter.
FA Dec 26th 2010 12:28AM
Here;s the thing...I have said it before and will repeat it until the day I die....I am here to save your ass, not kiss it. That may seem a little harsh to some of you, but the thing is...we all are away from our families' taking you to see yours. Taking you on vacation, etc...I know that is our job...but we are still human. So...as I was told during training not to wake a sleeping passenger/customer....do not scream at me and tell me I "SKIPPED" you during service. I will not wake a sleeping passenger. Yes, you are a customer to my airline....but most importantly you are a passenger that I myself am in charge of your life for the time you are with me. That is why you are called a PASSENGER with me. If you were a customer I would serve you and be done, but I AM IN CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE!!!!! So...just remember those of us who put our lives in front of yours...yes we are trained to get YOU out of the plane FIRST!!!! We come last. I am so sick and tired of taking grief for bad waitress/bar-tending service when that is not what I am there for. I deserve a smile every once and a while.
Thank you and have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!
from a flight attendant who ran off the icy road trying to get to work to get people to see their families.....and got punished for it by work.......
baz Dec 26th 2010 12:08AM
Amen to this article.... I cannot believe that it really has been deemed "safe" for the seats to be so close to one another. There "is NO leg room". I'm 5'5" and my knees always touch the seat in front. With all of this education about blood clots in one's legs (BTW... I'm of medium build, exercise and walk 4 miles daily). This is inhumane for a flight over 1 hr. Let's face it, everyone can't afford Business or First Class... but do we deserve to be tortured for it? Couch is the backbone of the industry. I liked it when Flight Attendants were paid well, were well groomed, friendly, and courteous; when we had leg room and looked forward to traveling even in coach. Keep writing these articles.
Chris G Dec 30th 2010 10:01AM
Dear FA.
You are exactly what is wrong with society as a whole these days. You are not in charge of my life. You are the customer facing representative of your company to me. You are in the customer service business regardless of what you may think. You sir should get out of this business because as evidenced on this posting of yours, you do not do it well.
Complaining that you are the last one out when something happens just means you're too selfish and self-centered to realize you chose this job. No one put a gun to your head and told you to do it. Yes, everyone's job can be complained about at times, but to show a total lack of understanding of your actual reality is just poor.
Good luck with your future career change. You need it.
Chris Dec 23rd 2010 9:59AM
I don't think an FA should have the right to be rude to the passengers, but no one should ever expect an FA to bend over backwards to satisfy ridiculous passenger demands. Beverages, snacks, meals, blankets, headphones, these are all done as a courtesy to the passenger. The FA is there to see to the SAFETY, not the comfort and happiness of the passenger. Once safety is taken care of, if they have time they can engage in a little bit of customer service, but safety is, and always should be the number one priorty.
Justruss Dec 24th 2010 6:29AM
I never invest in Pharmaceuticals or Airlines and Airlines are the riskiest of the two. It is my opinion that airlines should increase prices in order to improve the levels of service provided to customers. Service varies from dreadful to fairly acceptable depending on the carrier. FAs should be paid living wages and passengers should be provided adequate seat room. And I agree with the Author regarding a la carte pricing.
Four Feet In The Air Dec 25th 2010 8:36PM
a) They are paid differently- and significantly better- than American FAs (Do your homework) My intent was not to complain (AGAIN: I LOVE my job!), merely to educate the apparently UNeducated...
b) You do not know my customer service record, nor what I look like...This "reply" is not really relevant to the discussion and is a beautiful example of the attitudes of the customers we get to serve in the US...
c) Note that Asian culture places much more value in EVERYONE behaving in a respectful manner; not just "subservient" flight attendants.
baz Dec 26th 2010 4:33AM
If you are as good as you say, then you are the exception and should not take this article or these comments personally. The majority of attendants, unfortunately, are not as wonderful and personable as you. There is definitely a major drop in the standards of civility and good customer service in the industry (in coach class). Thanks for being an exception and really, this article targets Airline management.
Karen Dec 25th 2010 8:45PM
The airlines were profitable because they pushed the cost of security onto taxpayers via the TSA. Maybe if they called passengers "customers", and the TSA "Taxpayer Support of Airlines", we'd all be clear on who's paying for what.
M Dec 26th 2010 5:10AM
Maybe you need to get your ears checked....many passengers do say those magic words you want to hear. Oh, or perhaps you're too busy being righteous?
Yvonne Dec 25th 2010 8:48PM
Ok, I'll play your game if you will play mine. As a flight attendant, here are three words, I'd like to hear from the customers..."please" and "thank you." You want better service...treat me with the dignity and respect with which you expect to be treated.
clr4tkoff Dec 25th 2010 10:40PM
yea a " please" and " thank you" does go a long way....working on the ground is just as hard as a F/A job
Sharon Dec 25th 2010 10:56PM
I do say "please" and "thank you" and I am patient as I understand the flight attendant may be very busy, but I am finding that when I ask for something, which is rarely, I feel as if I'm really putting the flight attendant out. It seems that over the years, the flight attendant does the bare minimum to make your flight a happy, comfortable one. I've worked in healthcare for many years and its the same for us, not enough employees and too many patients, so the quality of time that is spent talking to the patient, is greatly reduced to, just getting the requirements of the job done. Is it tightening down of the budget ? Are their less flight attendants and more passengers ? Is it that the rudeness of one passenger on the flight ruins it for the rest ?
BTDT Dec 25th 2010 8:47PM
Take the booze off the planes and out of the airports.
If someone shows up drunk send them home.
This alone will improve everyone's life on the plane.
Christie Dec 25th 2010 8:58PM
I am not going to pick on FA's because I don't know how they deal with the average public without hitting someone nor do I know if they get paid a reasonable income. I will say that when airlines started finding it acceptable and standard practice to bump people from flights (purposely overbooking by quite a few) I stopped flying as often. Now, with kids in tow and with the airlines charging for what I consider normal baggage, I will not be robbed of my money so that I can arrive and not even know if I'll get on the flight. That's just wrong. I never liked the lack of leg space much either but it's the airlines' attitudes as if I'm lucky to get on their plane that stops me from air travel.