Airlines must improve customer service

[700IAM]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15853027/

 

[john john]

"Giving passengers accurate and timely information about delays and cancellations"

US Airways computers have the capability of use the Internet to check flight explorer to see immediate updates BUT MANAGEMENT WILL NOT ALLOW THIS FUNCTION

 

[rjh]

"Giving passengers accurate and timely information about delays and cancellations"

US Airways computers have the capability of use the Internet to check flight explorer to see immediate updates BUT MANAGEMENT WILL NOT ALLOW THIS FUNCTION

This function wouldn't make much of a difference at all. If the flight hasn't left yet, Flight Explorer (and other ASD programs) only show a delay if the airline has posted it--and then the information is available to the passengers anyway.

The only time ASD has more accurate information than the airline is after the flight takes off. If the flight gets a long reroute that is different from the flied flight plan, then the arrival time would show up differently. But in those cases, the pilot (should have) communicated the reroute to the dispatcher, who then (should have) entered the new ETA.

I agree that there are times when delay information could be posted more quickly. However, many delays (typically maintenance, late crews, etc) are not well known in advance. And even the ones that are (typicall ATC & weather), that can often change. Most ATC ground delay programs are revised by ATC multiple times througout the day; sometimes those revisions are done only 45 minutes (or even less) before the flight's old "release" time.

 

[N628AU]

Once again, something the government needs to get the heck out of. Can anyone point to the location in the US Constitution where the Federal Government is charged with this task?

 

[700IAM]

Once again, something the government needs to get the heck out of. Can anyone point to the location in the US Constitution where the Federal Government is charged with this task?

Just noticed your signature.

That one sentence speaks volumes of the person and the union mentality.

No wonder unions are going away. Every week more plants and places of employment are closing, fact. I have a family member who owns a business and is becoming very wealthy buying up the surplus stock for mere pennies on the dollar from places disappearing or leaving the country escaping unions.

Unions are doing more to make sure membership disappears than anything else.

It's a shame and it's reality. I can post a list, a very long list of businesses either leaving this country or simple closing for go, mostly manufacturing of any sort.

Union officials will also be unemployed the way things are going because the ones turning the cog to the engine are not democrats.

Dues in action and it's the Republicans fault, according to this brain trust. I Love It

 

[pilot]

Once again, something the government needs to get the heck out of. Can anyone point to the location in the US Constitution where the Federal Government is charged with this task?

Where in the Constitution does it show a provision for the FAA, DOT, or any other Federal entity that has some control over aviation?

Poor arguement.

 

[N628AU]

One can argue that the FAA (from a safety only standpoint) is a Constitutionally charged agency under the "Promoting the General Welfare" clause.

As for the "promoting aviation" part of the FAA, it can go too.

 

[john john]

This function wouldn't make much of a difference at all. If the flight hasn't left yet, .

Having Internet capability would help out tremendously with all the express flights we have without ACARS. Some times it takes a very long time to get this information. I live in the real world of never ending express delays

 

[john john]

people on the front lines.
Management Committment to providing the best Customer Service possible.

When it comes to agents the lack of manpower and tools is by far the main reason for the lack of customer service

 

[A380US]

When it comes to agents the lack of manpower and tools is by far the main reason for the lack of customer service

I agree with you, I think a big part of it is the low pay. Honestly for $8.72 a hour what do you expect? And I'm not complaining, because I knew how much I was being paid when I took the job. However I don't think you are going to reel in the brightest and best with that kind of pay. Airline customer service is becoming a low-pay and high turnover job and that does not make for high quality.

 

[A380US]

Agreed! And John-john who determines the staffing levels and what resources will be allocated?

As for wages IMO there is no corellation between customer service and what an employee makes. LL Bean is widely known as the "Benchmark" for good customer serve. Last time I looked they started @ $7.75/hr. The difference is LL Bean is committed to Customer Service and train their people to handle the work

I guess it just varies. You can pay low wages if you are going to treat your employees good, provide good benefits, and proper training. What I find terribly sad about this industry is how the wages have not gone up with inflation. I have co-workers who have been with the company 20+ years who started off making very close to what they start people off with now.

 

[usflyguy]

:angry: yes and selling a shirt and boarding a full airbus are the same. takes the same amount of time and man power. oh yeah and the stress of selling that shirt...wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <_< ll.bean and an airline are two different animals. the problem today is that we all want everything for nothing. you get what you pay for in this world.

 

[john john]

How is answering the phone at at US Airways versus LL Bean any different excepting the Maine accent?

Because you relay on the call to
Get to a meeting to close a million dollar deal
Get to your immediate family or close friend funeral
To take your family on vacation for the first time that you have been saving for 3 years
To send your 12 year old child to grandma house alone
To send your 98 year old grandma to your house alone
To get home to see your family because you just got back from Iraq
I AM SURE THE AGENTS/CUSTOMERS/EMPLOYEES ON THIS BOARD COULD TELL YOU THE HIGHLY VOLUME OF REASONABILITY OF THEIR DAILY LIFE A WORK

The only ways to correct the situation is to provde either better wages or a nicer place to work. NOT Brain Surgery really, just good business.

But if a company does both you have a great company

 

[PhxMama]

I guess I never knew ll bean employees received calls threatening the lives of their customers. I didnt know they needed be trained in case one of their packages didnt arrive or was destroyed upon arrival. No one cries over the price of a coat but we receive calls daily from customers who nn our service due to bereavement trvl. Some unable to afford to trvl. We could go on and on about the differences. No its isnt brain surgery but if there is an emergency WE are the FIRST to field and direct family members calls. I would hope if it was your family calling they would be helped by a compassionate well trained employee who would not only deal with the issue but help your family during what would undoubtedly be the most traumatic moment of their life.