Galley Gossip: Frequent flier pet peeve - rude flight attendants {Gadling}

Aug 13th 2009 12:59PM While fully sympathising with the unreasonable requests flight attendants get on their many many flights, one a flight from LHR to JFK, I had to polite remind a flight attendant in First Class, that I was probably the only passenger who had paid for a First Class ticket and was not upgraded.

In my life, with over a million flown miles on Singapore Airlines, and the highest level of frequent flier (Solitaire PPS) achieved after 5 continuous years of loyalty, I have been upgraded only once. Incidentally, PPS status is only given for a base 50K+ paid miles in Business and First class travel not including the bonuses.

Quoting from an article in my blog http://www.bangaloreaviation.com/2008/11/singapore-airlines-5-star-no-more.html "The US "full service" carriers led the world in, to the glamorous world of air travel, and also in, to the decline of mediocrity, with their generally poor service, all the way from the reservation till baggage collection, or in many a case, attempted baggage collection."

The US airlines have diluted themselves, their service levels and their brand, with their upgrade policy.

I may sound elitist but passengers, just like any other customer, expect to be treated valuably regardless of class of service. The Japanese sum it up best -- Customer is like God.

Do take the time to read this story as well. "Ugly Indian replaces ugly American" http://www.eturbonews.com/10951/ugly-indian-replaces-ugly-american . Despite poor behaviour, tourism boards across the world are chasing the Indian tourists. Bottom line -- customers are valuable.

Even after living in US for 20 years, what still amazes me is that the United States is an extremely hospitable and friendly country with some of the highest customer service levels in the world. Even at a fast food restaurant one can expect a smile, hello, thank you. Retail shops have customer friendly liberal return policies. In comparison, in the five years I lived there, Singapore has some of the worst customer service I have experienced, from restaurants to retail.

How is the situation so completely turned around in the air?

US airlines seem to have forgotten that ultimately customer friendliness, hospitality, and service are crucial ingredients. Just as a hotel is not merely in the sleeping/resting business or a restaurant in the food business.

It could be that my Asian origin makes me offer and expect a higher level of hospitality/service towards a guest/customer, but what is wrong in being nice to a person, even if he/she is a complete jerk. Did our elders not teach us to ignore the barking dog. Eventually it will stop barking.

If any flight attendant cannot be hospitable, may be the passenger will be better served by not having any flight attendant at all.