Could Airlines Actually Want to Help You at the Airport?
There's no question that these days, us airline passengers are pretty ticked off at the airlines. Yes, there are some great deals going on these days but there's also a lot of nickel and diming going on in the form of luggage fee, check-in fees, change fees, upgrade fees and even, in-flight food fees. And don't get us started on the possible pay to pee fee or the airline that shall not be named because it couldn't even get off the ground.
So perhaps sensing that passengers need some delicate handling again, a few airlines are trying to bring back an element of customer care.
The New York Times reports that Delta has re-introduced its Red Coats program--named for the jackets Delta employees wear on the ground at the airport to assist passengers.
The Red Coats program, which dates back to the 1960s, “was one of our better-known services,” Gil West, Delta’s senior vice president of airport customer service, said in an interview. The decision to disband the program in 2005, while the airline reorganized under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, was viewed as a mistake by some employees, he said....
The new Red Coats will be able to use hand-held devices to print boarding passes and issue vouchers to airport clubs.
The best part about the Red Coats is that they can do it all without having to get a supervisor's permission, thus saving time and hopefully some frustration.
Meanwhile, American Airlines is doing something behind the scenes--offering bonuses to customer service workers that meet customer satisfaction goals in "major areas" such as baggage handling to boarding experience.
But don't get too excited. Airlines are still seeking ways to minimize human interaction at the airport with their plethora of check-in kiosks and their strong preference for customers to use the airline website for any needs or concerns. (If you don't, you will likely get charged a fee.)
While airports are stepping it up with their own level of customer care for passengers, the complex ability to resolve problems still remains with a good, old-fashioned human being. So we hope more and more airlines bring back services like Delta's Red Coats (can someone bring back "The Pink Ladies?") but we're not picky. We'll take just a regular old counter agent again. Remember those days?
Related Stories:
· Friendly Skies Revisited [NY Times]
· Airline Fees [Jaunted]
[Photo: NYTimes]
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