Originally Posted by
TotalBeginner
The gate agent (often working alone), is... under the constant threat that they will be held accountable for any erosion of on-time performance.
This I am afraid is a significant part of it. The whole thing about delay codes reported back to HQ, attributing it to an individual, combined with minimalist 20 minute turnrounds, etc, encourages this "slam dunk" approach to the job.
I wonder how many memos had been floating around about preventing any delay. I wonder in contrast how many there had been about presenting a pleasant and professional attitude to the customers at all times.
Part of it is that there are numerous situations which, although they repeat constantly for staff, can be one-offs for the passenger. This traveller will not have been travelling with twin babies all their life, and it may well have been their first flying experience with them.