Customer Service Observations in CLT

When I have rude people on the airplane I generally try to deal with them as quickly as possible and be on my way. I write it off to them not being raised properly, and frankly not being very smart, because rude people get NOTHING from airline employees. We see too many. No one will go out of their way for a jerk.

At the same time, I wouldn't be an agent for the world. Between all of the pressure for OTP, enforcing the VERY unpopular rules and having to stand behind a counter and wait for THEM to walk away, I'd go batty. At least I can go to the galley and vent.

Having said all that, I think that the previous poster who cited the uneducated traveller is correct. Every airline worker should be forced to go on vacation with two toddlers, a stroller and the requisite paraphenalia. Go through the whole process. Get everybody in the car, have tickets, passports and luggage (including diapers!!!), check in with the oh so friendly kiosks, try to get the attention of the agent because you desperately need your bags to actually get to their destination and you want them marked properly.

Then Security!! It's a METAL DETECTOR. Yes, you have to take your belt off. And your shoes. Yup, watch, no your kid can't have his binky holder on because it's a metal clip. DVD player has to come out. Oh, you walked through and forgot your cellphone. Back you go. No, you leave your toddler here. Not my problem he has separation issues and is now crying. Okay, finally through. Gather ALL your stuff, you're holding up the line. Umm, can you hurry up? I know your kid is having a meltdown, but you're holding up the line.

Reassemble.

Where's the gate? The flight's delayed? They didnt' say anything about that at the ticket counter! Oh, but no one talks to you THERE anymore. Okay. Toddlers need an apple juice. $3.50 for a six ouncer. Milk is $4 for a little carton. Sigh, it's vacation.


Set up camp at the gate. Where else? Ignore all of the people who stare at you, your stuff and your rapidly tiring children.

Five hours later you finally board. Thank God you're allowed early boarding. Push the stroller, the carseat, the diaper bag, and the roller boards down the jetway. Schlep everything and get pissed off because you don't know that flight attendants are only covered to lift their own bag and therefore studiously avoid your eyes as you heft your too heavy carryon into the overhead. Get even more pissed as you're finally getting situated and the f/a informs you that you're at a bulkhead and EVERYTHING has to go up. But you need your diaper bag. You're welcome to take it down after takeoff. But everyone else has boarded and there's no room over my seat! Too bad. We'll put it in the back of the plane where you can't get it. Sorrrrrrrrrrrrry.

Your toddlers cry 3 out of the four hours of the flight. You try to ignore the increasingly hostile stares of those around you. The f/a asks "is there something wrong?" Uh, yeah, we're nine hours past where we thought we'd be and my kids are over it.

You get to your destination and your bags aren't there.

Now you're in tears, your kids are in tears and your spouse hates you. Whose idea was it to go on vacation anyway?

And we wonder why we see airport meltdowns.
 
When I have rude people on the airplane I generally try to deal with them as quickly as possible and be on my way. I write it off to them not being raised properly, and frankly not being very smart, because rude people get NOTHING from airline employees. We see too many. No one will go out of their way for a jerk.

At the same time, I wouldn't be an agent for the world. Between all of the pressure for OTP, enforcing the VERY unpopular rules and having to stand behind a counter and wait for THEM to walk away, I'd go batty. At least I can go to the galley and vent.

Having said all that, I think that the previous poster who cited the uneducated traveller is correct. Every airline worker should be forced to go on vacation with two toddlers, a stroller and the requisite paraphenalia. Go through the whole process. Get everybody in the car, have tickets, passports and luggage (including diapers!!!), check in with the oh so friendly kiosks, try to get the attention of the agent because you desperately need your bags to actually get to their destination and you want them marked properly.

Then Security!! It's a METAL DETECTOR. Yes, you have to take your belt off. And your shoes. Yup, watch, no your kid can't have his binky holder on because it's a metal clip. DVD player has to come out. Oh, you walked through and forgot your cellphone. Back you go. No, you leave your toddler here. Not my problem he has separation issues and is now crying. Okay, finally through. Gather ALL your stuff, you're holding up the line. Umm, can you hurry up? I know your kid is having a meltdown, but you're holding up the line.

Reassemble.

Where's the gate? The flight's delayed? They didnt' say anything about that at the ticket counter! Oh, but no one talks to you THERE anymore. Okay. Toddlers need an apple juice. $3.50 for a six ouncer. Milk is $4 for a little carton. Sigh, it's vacation.


Set up camp at the gate. Where else? Ignore all of the people who stare at you, your stuff and your rapidly tiring children.

Five hours later you finally board. Thank God you're allowed early boarding. Push the stroller, the carseat, the diaper bag, and the roller boards down the jetway. Schlep everything and get pissed off because you don't know that flight attendants are only covered to lift their own bag and therefore studiously avoid your eyes as you heft your too heavy carryon into the overhead. Get even more pissed as you're finally getting situated and the f/a informs you that you're at a bulkhead and EVERYTHING has to go up. But you need your diaper bag. You're welcome to take it down after takeoff. But everyone else has boarded and there's no room over my seat! Too bad. We'll put it in the back of the plane where you can't get it. Sorrrrrrrrrrrrry.

Your toddlers cry 3 out of the four hours of the flight. You try to ignore the increasingly hostile stares of those around you. The f/a asks "is there something wrong?" Uh, yeah, we're nine hours past where we thought we'd be and my kids are over it.

You get to your destination and your bags aren't there.

Now you're in tears, your kids are in tears and your spouse hates you. Whose idea was it to go on vacation anyway?

And we wonder why we see airport meltdowns.


Well said!

IMO it's a reason not an excuse for bad behavior. Frankly it's on of the reasons I drink when I fly. It takes the edge off and that's good all the way around as I am a very happy drunk. "Delayed? OK, where's the bar?"

I only ever chewed on a agent once and that was one of the "Stepfords" in LAS. I was polite but very firm in my request. Sadly I had to pull out my copy of the CoC which is in my laptop to this very day and show her in black & white. She then got someone quite senior to her who was beyond helpful when I said "I guess being a Chairman's means nothing." (First & only time I ever did that) The new lady, after a brief discussion of what I was trying to do worked feverishly and found me not only a way home but a First Class upgrade. I accepted and as I picked up my bag she says."Hurry it's 2 gates up on your right and they just started boarding." Even got my pre-departure beverage.

The "Stepford" thankfully is the exception and could you imagine if your imaginary family got one of them on vacation?
 
Customer service rep abuse is never acceptable. But at least your airline is receiving revenue from a paying customer.

Try visiting an urban hospital emergency room to witness truly outrageous behavior by people without health insurance. It is a sport over there.

Hey Art -- miss WN much? I remember when you castigated them too.
 
Customer service rep abuse is never acceptable. But at least your airline is receiving revenue from a paying customer.

Try visiting an urban hospital emergency room to witness truly outrageous behavior by people without health insurance. It is a sport over there.

Hey Art -- miss WN much? I remember when you castigated them too.

Hey Fresh, I fly WN occasionally....and will probably fly US again too..... I am the first to admit when I am wrong...

But one good experience doesn't mean there aren't underlying problems which need to be addressed...

I support the FRONT LINE employees wholeheartedly- I learned alot talking to many of them over the past 5 days, and I do realize how much I have missed you guys and gals....keep it up...

My BEST To you all...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Once had a guy run up as a plane was pushing back, throw his carry-on against the counter, and demand I bring the aircraft back. When I told him I was sorry, I couldn't do that, he said, "your a jerk, I wish your mother would drop dead." Well it's never a good idea to wish harm on an irsh boys mum, and had this been the real world he would of been on his back, spitting teeth. These guys know that you can't say or do anything because your on the job. There is no way this guy would have the stones to say that to someone outside of the airport. Hey, 95% of the passengers are great, it's that 5% that can make it a long day.
 
It's not just the rude, nasty ones. It's the ones that are so wrapped up in themselves that they don't listen to a word anyone says. About 4 years ago, I came to the realization that passengers don't listen to the agents any better than they listen to us (the f/as). I was standing at the counter talking with the agent one day about 20 minutes prior to boarding. I was working a DFW-STL 757 from that gate. A passenger walked up and and the following conversation ensued.

Passenger: "Is this a full flight?"
Agent: "Yessir. As a matter of fact, it's oversold."
P: "Well, I have a lot of work to do; so, I need a whole row to myself in coach."
(At this point if I had been the agent and armed like the cockpit, I would have just shot him and done the "Cleanup on Gate 27" pa.)
Agent: (most wonderful response I've ever heard) "Well, sir. As it looks right now, even if you gave me your credit card and purchased two additional seats, they wouldn't be together." :lol: