Originally Posted by
111KAB
The main problem occurs when passengers are not looked after both during and post delay and IMO this is where the airlines could significantly improve their position. Too many times words such as abandoned, treated like cattle occur. If airlines took a more responsible attitude to the very people who have paid their fares a lot of adverse publicity (and indeed delay claims) could be alleviated.
But a lot of what passengers say when they are affected by delays or cancellations is pure exaggeration. I speak from much experience, working in 2 UK airports for many years covering all sorts of airlines, LCC and Full service, long haul and short haul, charter and scheduled.
You can't please everyone even if you stick to the rules and give out refreshment vouchers etc. The bottom line is some people are never happy and will use highly emotive language when things go wrong even if they ARE being looked after perfectly well. Of course there are real, albeit rare cases of actual abandonment and poor treatment but whenever I see these words thrown around by the media I take them with a huge load of salt as I have been on the receiving end of such language.
I've dealt with a lot of airlines in my career and not one has ever "abandoned" passengers or "treated them like cattle" in irregular operations. Food and drink vouchers have always been given out, information has been given as soon as it's known, hotels have always been provided and rebooking have always taken place, but still I've lost count of the times I've been accused of not helping someone simply because the only thing I can do for them isn't what they want.
I have never once lied to a passenger either. If the flight is delayed because of something the airline did, I'll tell them and tell them exactly what they should be entitled to and how to claim. Likewise, if it's outside our control then I tell them that as well, but around 7 times out of 10 that is treated with suspicion and I'm called a liar for even trying to suggest that hurricane force winds, nationwide ATC failure or an emergency landing closing the runway are not the real reason for a flight cancellation. It's an uphill battle and the public seem to automatically jump to the conclusion they are being lied to.
The recent ATC failure at LHR is a good example. I was stuck trying to get back to the UK. I was given plenty of information by the airline I was on. I was delayed nearly 4 hours but I won't even attempt to claim as I know its not their fault. Of course a lot of people on my flight decided it was their fault and that they were being lied to and mistreated, so got very vocal with the staff.
Many friends and colleagues of mine were working hard at the airports to sort people. With thousands of Pre-Christmas travellers affected, it took a long time to do so. My colleagues spent hours working out solutions and finding hotels, trying to get the most up to date information, out only for some passengers to then turn straight to the TV cameras and come out with the usual "No information, total disgrace, no one can help us, too long a wait, total chaos, staff are useless, won't tell us the truth" etc etc etc.