Tell me your airline staff stories!

[Karin1984]

Hi all,

I am currently graduating (finally getting my degree at age 36!) and working on my final thesis on the value of personal interaction in the airline industry. As we have a whole board of international and domestic travellers here, I would love to hear your opinion on this.

More and more airline services you can arrange yourself online. From booking your ticket, to arranging seats, upgrades, meals, you can do almost everything without having to interact with a person. Also, at airports more and more check in machines appear, at some airports you can drop off your luggage yourself. Boarding can sometimes be done by yourself.

Do we still need crew on the ground? Does anyone here make an effort to go by a desk? Even when it might not be necessary? Just for some interaction?

In the air on most flights, you see a flight attendant at least 4, times, when you board there is someone to welcome you, during the flight food / drinks are served, trash collection after the service, and when you arrive crew wishes you a good day. Should crew come by more often? Or is this enough for you?

How about in the air? Some airlines only serve a meal and all other drinks & snacks you can get yourself in the pantry. Good thing, as it will probably reduce costs (less people go and get something) but it also less interaction. What about personal touches? Some airlines the staff only wear a badge with their rank/position, while others go for names (like CM badges). Any preference (or do you not care)?

I’d love to hear from you, what do you value when flying in your ground staff (at check in, lounge, at the gate), cabin crew, cockpit crew? What was your best interaction with a crew member ever, what was your worst?

Whether you fly every week, or you’ve only flown once in your life, I want to hear it all, the good, the bad and the ugly

Thank you all for your help!

Karin

PS: This is of course all about the good, old days, pre-covid, when you could still see a flight attendant smile at you.

 

[china mom]

Two best interactions EVER and both were Southwest.

The family and I were flying to Disney and DH took DD to the bathroom. She went in by herself and when she came out, she didn't have her purse - which contained her spending money and a gift card from her grandparents. As soon as I saw her, I realized it was missing and made a mad dash to the bathroom. Of course it was gone. I asked a couple of Ops Agents if it had been turned in - nope. We were on the jetway and tensions were high. DH was mad at everybody in the family over it and DD, DS and I were close to tears.

The flight attendants got wind of the situation and had my kids conduct snack service - they were thrilled.

We had an overnight layover and ended up at the same hotel as the flight crew. Those darned flight attendants had a quick meeting i the lobby, took up a collection amongst themselves and gave my daughter about $30 so that she would have spending money in Disney.

 

[china mom]

Story #2. The kids and I flew to Cleveland OH for Ice cream. It was a hop up and back and timing was extremely close. in addition to the cups o ice cream we ate i the shop, we purchased several quarts packed in dry ice to bring back with us (very expensive ice cream BTW).

We got to the airport and were erroneously told that we could not take the ice cream through TSA (confirmed later that this was not true). We checked the Ice Cream but since we had cut it so close, it did not make our flight.

Made a report at baggage claim and drove the hour home.

I received a call at about midnight from Levi from Southwest. baggage. He told me that my ice cream had made it and he had put it int he employee freezer and marked it with some random something so as not to be eaten by hungry employees.

DH retrieved my package, intact and still frozen the next day.

 

[easyas123]

#1Around about 2005 or 2006 I think. Flying out of Washington Regan on American Airlines, myself, husband at kids who at the time were 10 & 8 I think. Anyway, we were booked to sit together, but aren't uptight about it. Well, another family (of adults) caused a major fuss because they needed to sit together. Had to. So a gate agent came up to me and simply asked if are party of 4 would mind being bumped up to first class, even if we couldn't sit together.
I assured her we were FINE with it! And the looks on the faces of the four adults who insisted on sitting together when they saw us and two young kids getting first class seats - well they threw a fit, a big huge fit. I think they were threatened with calming down or not taking the flight.

And our sons were from that point on ruined! "Hey Mom, can we fly first class all the time"?

I did feel a bit bad for the folks who paid a lot more to be in first class who now had to sit next to a 10 & a 8 year old boy....but, kids were well behaved (if not flummoxed by hot towels they were served) so no issues. Luckily they were seasoned travelers and very unbothered by sitting by themselves. Plus it was only a 2 1/2 hour flight to Miami, so it wasn't that long. Our connecting flight was a puddle jumper, which frankly they always enjoyed more that large planes anyway.

#2When my brothers & I were young, early eighties I guess, my grandfather flew us from our home in South Jersey to his winter place in Destin, Florida. He had to stop somewhere along the way - not sure where, but a airport geared toward private planes, not commercial - for fuel. He sent us over to the greasy spoon type diner to get some lunch and those gals took good care of us! Burgers & milkshakes...they fussed over us so much, they must not have seen many little kids thru there! They made us lunch, and packed up extras for us to take, and kept watch over us for about 45 minutes while my grandfather chit chatted with the guys out on the tarmac. Well, lets just say those burgers and milkshakes didn't agree with one of my little brothers. Dang the back of the plane was a huge mess when we landed in Florida. And my brother didn't fess up to it until the next day - yup, my grandfather had a plane sitting in the Florida sun to clean out!

#3My maternal grandparents died in a plane crash in the mid eighties....I'm afraid I don't recall the name of the airline, but none on board survived. One of the higher ups of the airline wrote the family a letter.

 

[Karin1984]

The flight attendants got wind of the situation and had my kids conduct snack service - they were thrilled.

We had an overnight layover and ended up at the same hotel as the flight crew. Those darned flight attendants had a quick meeting i the lobby, took up a collection amongst themselves and gave my daughter about $30 so that she would have spending money in Disney.

Definitely points for South West for problem solving!

I received a call at about midnight from Levi from Southwest. baggage. He told me that my ice cream had made it and he had put it int he employee freezer and marked it with some random something so as not to be eaten by hungry employees.

DH retrieved my package, intact and still frozen the next day.

Nice! Not just for storing it, but also toaking the trouble to call you about what was going on.

 

[Karin1984]

#1Around about 2005 or 2006 I think. Flying out of Washington Regan on American Airlines, myself, husband at kids who at the time were 10 & 8 I think. Anyway, we were booked to sit together, but aren't uptight about it. Well, another family (of adults) caused a major fuss because they needed to sit together. Had to. So a gate agent came up to me and simply asked if are party of 4 would mind being bumped up to first class, even if we couldn't sit together.
I assured her we were FINE with it! And the looks on the faces of the four adults who insisted on sitting together when they saw us and two young kids getting first class seats - well they threw a fit, a big huge fit. I think they were threatened with calming down or not taking the flight.

And our sons were from that point on ruined! "Hey Mom, can we fly first class all the time"?

I did feel a bit bad for the folks who paid a lot more to be in first class who now had to sit next to a 10 & a 8 year old boy....but, kids were well behaved (if not flummoxed by hot towels they were served) so no issues. Luckily they were seasoned travelers and very unbothered by sitting by themselves. Plus it was only a 2 1/2 hour flight to Miami, so it wasn't that long. Our connecting flight was a puddle jumper, which frankly they always enjoyed more that large planes anyway.

#2When my brothers & I were young, early eighties I guess, my grandfather flew us from our home in South Jersey to his winter place in Destin, Florida. He had to stop somewhere along the way - not sure where, but a airport geared toward private planes, not commercial - for fuel. He sent us over to the greasy spoon type diner to get some lunch and those gals took good care of us! Burgers & milkshakes...they fussed over us so much, they must not have seen many little kids thru there! They made us lunch, and packed up extras for us to take, and kept watch over us for about 45 minutes while my grandfather chit chatted with the guys out on the tarmac. Well, lets just say those burgers and milkshakes didn't agree with one of my little brothers. Dang the back of the plane was a huge mess when we landed in Florida. And my brother didn't fess up to it until the next day - yup, my grandfather had a plane sitting in the Florida sun to clean out!

#3My maternal grandparents died in a plane crash in the mid eighties....I'm afraid I don't recall the name of the airline, but none on board survived. One of the higher ups of the airline wrote the family a letter.

1. Nah, don't feel guilty, sometimes you get lucky. The others who paid want the security of having the seat they want, and not depending on luck Great story!

2. Who cleaned the plane ;-)

3. That's the decent thing to do in such a sad situation

 

[soccerdad72]

Story #2. The kids and I flew to Cleveland OH for Ice cream. It was a hop up and back and timing was extremely close. in addition to the cups o ice cream we ate i the shop, we purchased several quarts packed in dry ice to bring back with us (very expensive ice cream BTW).

We got to the airport and were erroneously told that we could not take the ice cream through TSA (confirmed later that this was not true). We checked the Ice Cream but since we had cut it so close, it did not make our flight.

Made a report at baggage claim and drove the hour home.

I received a call at about midnight from Levi from Southwest. baggage. He told me that my ice cream had made it and he had put it int he employee freezer and marked it with some random something so as not to be eaten by hungry employees.

DH retrieved my package, intact and still frozen the next day.

Being from Cleveland, I'm naturally curious which ice cream? Mitchell's? Handel's? I know if we didn't live here, my wife would fly here just for Honey Hut.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Hi all,

I am currently graduating (finally getting my degree at age 36!) and working on my final thesis on the value of personal interaction in the airline industry. As we have a whole board of international and domestic travellers here, I would love to hear your opinion on this.

Aww best of luck, I went back and got a degree 20 years after I was first in college, so don't feel bad. Life long learning is the way to go

Do we still need crew on the ground? Does anyone here make an effort to go by a desk? Even when it might not be necessary? Just for some interaction?

For the last number of years I self check in online and use the self service bag drop machines at the airport. As a Disney parks regular I am well able to queue and wait in line , but at an airport I don't want to waste time standing in a queue, when I could be shopping and eating. I think its important to have some airline staff floating, to help with those who may have difficulty with the machines, but I think the days of the 2 hour wait in line for check in and bag drop desks are long gone.

In the air on most flights, you see a flight attendant at least 4, times, when you board there is someone to welcome you, during the flight food / drinks are served, trash collection after the service, and when you arrive crew wishes you a good day. Should crew come by more often? Or is this enough for you?

I think this is enough. The welcome is important as it is a security check, they check your boarding card, the meal service and trash collection is fine too. Its always the goodbye I find awkward. Especially after a 10 hour transatlantic I'm really not that bothered, I just want off the plane. The smiling thank you for flying with us is a bit unnecessary.

How about in the air? Some airlines only serve a meal and all other drinks & snacks you can get yourself in the pantry. Good thing, as it will probably reduce costs (less people go and get something) but it also less interaction. What about personal touches? Some airlines the staff only wear a badge with their rank/position, while others go for names (like CM badges). Any preference (or do you not care)?

I prefer when it is served to me. I have never helped myself from the pantry when that has been available. The name badges, again I never take any notice of. Honestly, those personal things are irrelevant to me, I just want my food and drink so I can read my book on a short haul or watch a film on a long haul.

I choose to fly Aer Lingus over Rynair. Its a running joke in my family, especially when me and mom visit my sister. I live with my mom, we get a taxi to the airport, she will fly Ryanair, I will fly Aer Lingus, both flights around the same time. then we meet up at the airport in England and get the train to my sisters house.

I prefer the Aer Lingus experience over the Rynair experience. On a flight from Dublin to London for example, the flight time is the same, but the experience is much different. Aer Lingus I feel is just more calmer and they have a better choice of destination airports. Rynair only fly to London Stansted, whereas Aer Lingus fly to both Gatwick and Heathrow. On Rynair the constant sales during the 1 hour flight is off putting. They sell everything from airport parking to lottery tickets, to train tickets as well as snacks and drinks. And then they have that god awful hooter announcing, congratulations you have just landed on another on time flight.

 

[BadPinkTink]

edit..
Story about an airline

About 2 years ago, me and mom were flying to England for Christmas, her on Rynairair, me on Aer Lingus.

Our destination airport had very bad weather conditions. We were both boarded on our respective planes and my plane was heading out to taxi to the runway when the pilot announced that the destination airport had closed and we had to go back to the terminal. I texted my mom, but they had not been given this information by Rynair.

When my plane passengers got back to the terminal, we were given food and drink vouchers straight away. I rang my mom, she was still on the plane, waiting at the side of the runway, no information about why the delay.

Eventually while I was back in the terminal eating my free sandwich from my Aer Lingus voucher, my mums plane was told by Rynair that there would be a delay and they were now back in the terminal too, but had not been given a food voucher.

My flight ended up being delayed about 4 hours, Aer Lingus very good about updates, I was ringing my mom with information, as Rynair were not giving the same information. She eventually did get a food voucher but only after complaining.

Our destination airport remained closed for 24 hours. After 5 hours delay Aer Lingus put me on a flight to a different airport in England and then organised bus transport to our original airport. A convoluted journey yes, but Aer Lingus got me to my original destination on the original day I planned to travel, at no extra cost to me.

My mom was not so lucky. Ryanir eventually said the flight was cancelled and rebooked everyone for the following day. They only offered a free hotel to some people, they were not going to give a free hotel to my mom, but she argued her point.

My mum had a very stressful time and arrived a day later, while I had a less stressful time and arrived on the day I was supposed to.

 

[bopper]

Yes, Ryanair and the constant sales pitch...but I guess that is why they are so cheap.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Yes, Ryanair and the constant sales pitch...but I guess that is why they are so cheap.

but they are really not that cheap. I started flying Aer Lingus Dublin to London about 15 years ago, as I price matched the two airlines and there is never more than €10 between the two whenever I checked.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Whether you fly every week, or you’ve only flown once in your life, I want to hear it all, the good, the bad and the ugly

Thank you all for your help!

Best flight - Air North, Canadian airline, best customer service, lots of leg room/seat room. They handed out hot towels to wash up with, passed out warm chocolate chip cookies for snacks. And the attendants would take the time to stop and talk to you.

Another good one - Air India, same thing, flight attendants that wanted you to have a good flight, and excellent food.

Just thought of another - I was flying from LA to San Francisco, on Braniff. Just as they were going bankrupt. When I checked in, I was assigned a first class seat. Lots of room, Recliner-type seats. Linen on the table for the snack/beverage service. So sad it was only a 1 1/2 hour flight.

One of the lesser quality flights - when our airplane was changed just before departure, and everyone was seated randomly onboard by the computer, causing major delay putting parties back together. Once on the flight, the flight attendant managed to open and spill a Pepsi on me. The only comment I got - "here's a towel" as she handed me a barely damp paper towel. So I was crammed in an economy seat, sticky, with a video screen in the seat in front of me that didn't work for a 6 hour flight.

Generally, I found, recently (last 10 years or so) that economy seating is terrible. No padding in the seats, no leg room, maybe 2 flight attendants for at least 75% of the plane. And, many times, not very clean.

 

[kdonnel]

Flew from Atlanta to Miami on Delta.

Arrived in Miami but our bags did not.

At the Delta lost luggage counter while filing out the report the Delta employee told me the computer says the bag missed the connection. When I pointed out that there was no connection between Atlanta and Miami she responded with "Well we lost a lot of bags today."

Ended up not getting our bags until 10pm on night 4 of a 7 night cruise.

 

[tazdev3225]

My husband and I flew to Scotland last year on British Air. From the minute we stepped on the plane they couldn't have been more helpful and attentive. My husband had 2 strokes a couple years ago and this was our first real trip since then. His vision is limited and he has some balance issues but he is stubborn and tries to deny needing help. He also tends to be a very people person and chatty so not only did they listen to him go on and on about me, they helped me with all of the carry-ons and my backpack/handbag. Then to top it off after they helped my husband get settled they brought us 2 glasses of champagne to celebrate our anniversary and him surviving to take the trip with me. That flight meant so much to me because I was not sure how he would handle the trip and it was a wonderful start. The flight home on American was a complete disaster. Raw, cold chicken for an entree and rude stewardesses because I dared to ask for it to be cooked a tad more, they just couldn't get i didn't want to get sick on the chicken. They just did not compare favorably to the experience heading to the UK on British Air.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Best flight crews - Southwest always helpful and friendly In all my years I’ve never had a problem I wish they flew everywhere!!
I myself got to see a Canadian flight person discriminate against a person of color on a very messed up flight we were all on ! When this injustice was corrected by another flight attendant of color - a third flight attendant came by and tried to undo it - well by then I had had enough - the lady got to stay up in first class where she should have been placed with the rest of us for the trouble we experienced . I found this behavior disgusting ! I was very shocked - the lady impacted never said a word - I said plenty. The other crew members were nice but between an 8 hour delay a missed connection and that Horrible treatment of a very nice person I won’t use them again. Sorry it is West Jet
Alaska Airlines - Rude Rude Rude - if they could ever post a schedule and stick to it that would be a great start - for someone as I will never try them again.
I find American Airlines not very friendly - not rude just not friendly. Delta is hit or miss.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

Do we still need crew on the ground? Does anyone here make an effort to go by a desk? Even when it might not be necessary? Just for some interaction?

I’d love to hear from you, what do you value when flying in your ground staff (at check in, lounge, at the gate), cabin crew, cockpit crew?

I rarely visit a desk when flying by myself, but with my family, we always go to the desk. I have top level status with my preferred airline, so I have access to a desk where the line is always short and the people are very friendly. When we're checking 5+ bags, that really helps. And the last time we left from home, the line for the kiosks to check in was crazy long, then there was another line for bag drop-off.

And the thing I want most is efficiency. Check my bags, print boarding passes, and send me on my way at the check-in desk. Board the plane quickly and with a minimum of fuss at the gate. Give me the information I need on the plane without talking too much. I don't need you to be cute or funny. Let's all do what we need to do together so we can each go back to doing our own thing separately.

 

[china mom]

Being from Cleveland, I'm naturally curious which ice cream? Mitchell's? Handel's? I know if we didn't live here, my wife would fly here just for Honey Hut.

I'm sorry, it was columbus - but they are all over ohio... Jeni"s Splendid Ice Cream

 

[soccerdad72]

I'm sorry, it was columbus - but they are all over ohio... Jeni"s Splendid Ice Cream

That would have been my guess from Columbus

 

[MillauFr]

I choose to fly Aer Lingus over Rynair.

Never flown Aer Lingus but my daughter was supposed to fly to Dublin from Seattle to visit friends in Galway last March. Of course with COIVD she wanted to cancel. No problem getting a full refund from Aer Lingus. Great customer service.

 

[MillauFr]

Story #1

My wife and I had been married about 1 year. We were scheduled to fly from Seattle to London on British Air. Got a call at 10a from our travel agent (this was back in 1996 when you used a travel agent to book tickets). She said the London to Seattle inbound had been canceled for mechanical issues. They changed us to a LAX to Heathrow Flight and booked us on an Alaska Air flight from Seattle to LAX. We collected our bags in LAX at the Alaska Airline baggage claim. My wife soon turned white. I asked what was wrong? She realized her Passport had her maiden name on it. She thought our entire 2 week European trip was going to be ruined. Panicked we headed over to the British Air check in counter. The British Air agent was unflappable. Said no problem Just crossed out her married name and wrote aka (her maiden name). Whew. We thought at least we were able to board the flight. We were still worried about customs. Our final destination was CDG (Paris). We didn't have to go through any customs in Heathrow. When we got to Paris it was close to 10p. The place was deserted. The only customs was a moving walkway where the 99% of business travelers were flashing their passports to the half asleep customs agents. We did the same. No one said anything.

We started walking around looking for baggage claim. Saw a flight attend and asked. She pointed and just said to walk that way. All kinds of signs that said "no entry" "restricted area" We went through anyway since the flight attendant said so. Found our two bags on the carousel and walked out. I'm sure things have changed since 2001.