Getting It Right when Things Go Wrong

[Gibon2]

There is a lot of griping in this forum about bad experiences, poor customer service, nonsensical decisions, and sundry other tales of woe arising from airline travel. That's only to be expected: when things go well - flight on time, comfortable journey, baggage arrives - there's just not much of a story in it.

So I thought it might be interesting to talk about the times Things Went Wrong where the airline actually did a good job of retrieving or at least alleviating the situation. For me, this is the real test of a good airline. Perhaps a staff member (gasp!) Exercised Discretion. Perhaps the airline actually had a well-rehearsed contingency plan ready. Perhaps someone applied unusal imagination or resourcefulness, or went above and beyond what was expected. Whatever the case, tell your stories here: maybe we can inspire repeat examples. (I hope I am not the only one posting...)

I'll start. Returning to Geneva from Jakarta last year, in economy class on Singapore Airlines via Singapore and Zurich, we had pushed back on schedule when the captain announced we had a problem with one of the engines. (Cue groan throughout the cabin.) Back to the stand, engineers get to work. Captain kept us updated on progress, and we were underway a little over an hour later. Alas, it was just too late: I knew I had missed my connecting flight to Zurich, and the next one was not for 12 hours.

I disembarked at SIN, exasperated, fuming, and in a generally foul temper, to be greeted at the end of the airbridge by a cheerful and efficent SQ lady who apologised for the missed connection and handed me an envelope containing:

- boarding passes for the next flight to ZRH and onward flight to GVA
- hotel voucher
- taxi vouchers
- meal vouchers
- instructions for making a free phone call to Geneva
- tourist map of Singapore

Took the wind right out of my sails! No queuing, no fussing, no haggling, no arguing, no waiting. I left for my free Singapore mini-stopover not exactly with a smile on my face, but feeling considerably mollified and much more kindly disposed to SQ than I had been a few minutes before. It was a slick and impressive effort, and very effective at turning customer frustration into customer goodwill.

Anyone else?

[eliptic]

Was flying regular on Singapore Airlines from maybe 40-50 flights have had smaller "incidents" but ALWAYS they took care of the problem with 100% satisfaction.

Stupid as i was i did join KLM`s Flyingblue program (more convenient for my Manila flights) and keep flying KLM,,BUT that was a big mistake compared to Singapore ,,when you have problems 5 times out of 10 they sucks ( flying blue help desk we should not even talk about)

Singapore equals quality ,,period

[radeng]

Some years ago. The Saturday night of the July 4 weekend. BA from Phoenix to Heathrow had tech problems appearing after we boarded. Off loaded us, and all the ground staff stayed on, handing out water ( and champagne and sandwiches in First Class lounge!). Re-boarded and the had an engine refuse to start. Off load again (it was cooler in the terminal) and the ground staff were getting worried - it's obviously not easy at 10pm on the July 4th weekend Saturday to suddenly find hotels for pax from a full 744. They were still good tempered, sympathetic, handing out the water, kept the lounge open. We reboarded about 2245, and got away, to a BIG sigh of relief from everyone - except one young CC member with whom the CSD was heard to have words after she was moaning to another CC member in front of pax about having to go into discretionary time. But BA staff did a first class job on that occasion. I do just wonder if it wasn't helped by the fact that they're a long way from Waterside!

[stevef]

1993: Kinshasa - Brussels - Heathrow.
There was a refueling problem in Kinshasa and our KLM 747 had to short-hop to Brazzaville to top up, resulting in a delay and the schedule fell further behind. It looked as if I was going to miss my Brussels connection to London, resulting in a miserable night on the terminal benches. We made up a bit of time in the air but still landed past the boarding deadline. When I went to the transfer desk to arrange another flight, a rep hurried me to my waiting connection! My bag had been prioritised and transferred too! I'm sorry to admit that I've forgotten which British airline it was but I'm eternally grateful to them.
Some of the delayed pax didn't look too happy though.

[Capetonian]

In February, waiting for departure from JNB to GRJ on a SA Express flight, a CRJ I think, captain announced that there was a problem with a cooling component on one of the displays and that this would have to be checked and possibly replaced if not immediately repairable.

He kept us fully informed all the time, with good humour and wit, without being patronising, and told us that in the worst case scenario we'd be put onto a back up aircraft, and that there was one available.

The cabin crew kept us supplied with refreshments and and when we were finally transferred, via the lounge, and onto another aircraft, there was no moaning and groaning, and we only arrived an hour late.

I realise that this was an almost ideal scenario, small aircraft, not full, home airport, etc, and they had everything in their favour, but I have been in similar situations that were appallingly handled, text book examples of how not do it. Iberia in Madrid comes to mind.

[ExXB]

SQ again

Anyone else?

A few years back but I too was flying SQ Singapore - Zurich. About the time I expected to be greeted with breakfast - the Captain came on.

"Ladies and Gentlemen - If any of you have had the opportunity to open your window shades - you will have noticed that the sun is on the wrong side of the airplane."

Turns out he had to shutdown one of the B747's engines, somewhere over India, and had decided to head home, rather than divert. On landing at Singapore we too were given an envelope. Boarding cards for the rescheduled Zurich flight (with another aircraft) and connecting flight from Zurich. Voucher for a meal at Changi, an invite to the lounge and voucher for telecalls from the lounge and a nice letter of apology! Got home about 18 hours later than expected but their 'recovery' was excellent.

[ArthurBorges]

Lemme see now

I've been mostly Y-class on and off since 1960, which will make half a century of SLFing for me next year.

If I can remember all the carriers, we get Air India, BEA (now defunct), TWA, United, SAS, Linjeflyg, Icelandair, LOT, Air France, Air Inter (gone), Lufthansa, China Southern Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Hainan Airlines, EVA, Finnair, Emirate, Royal Thai (I think it was), Balkan, Egyptair, CAAC, TunisAir, Swissair (another goner now), Air Mauritanie (gone too), Vietnam Airlines and Air Canada, plus a few charter operations with a/c that looked only very moderately reassuring as I made my way up the stairs.


The worst I remember is a two-hour takeoff delay and the odd touch of turbulence to rattle my economy class food tray but not enough to tip over the beverage. Only one grumpy cabin attendant in all that time too. On the other hand, I was looking lost after my first landing in Hanoi when a pair of beancounters with Vietnam Airlines took pity on me outside the main airport entrance and gave me a lift into town.

As far as my firsthand fingers can see and feel, you all do a great job.

[robtheblade]

Garuda

For about six years I had to travel from UK to Bali every couple of months. I would use the cheapest flights I could get. At that time Garuda flew from LGW to DPS via BKK and offered some great deals as well as the best times.
One time I got a fare of about £380 economy with them but flying from EMA with BMI to FRA then on to DPS with Garuda. I had quite an early start and when my lift arrived I went into my bag to check my passport and ticket. Got to EMA check in to find passport but no ticket. A phone call home to the wife confirmed the ticket was left on the office table, but she would come straight down with it. Unfortunately the M1 was closed due to an accident and it became obvious I was not going to get my ticket.
The BMI lady was very nice, phoned Garuda and it was sorted. Garuda would issue new ticket at FRA. All I had to do was buy a ticket to FRA and collect my ticket. Then came the sting, BMI wanted £270. How can it be? Only £110 from FRA to DPS? I told the BMI lady that they were trying to blackmail me and would not pay. I phoned the Garuda office in London and told them my story. The lady there asked if I could get to LGW for the evening flight and that I could collect a ticket there at no extra cost.
Got to Gatwick, collected my ticket and went to the check in. I told the lady there my story, she took pity on me and gave me an upgrade to P/E.
Great airline with great staff and as soon as they resume flights to Europe I will use them.
Also, a couple of weeks ago I was returning from Bali. Got to KUL six hours before check in. Went to the KLM office and asked if they could check me in before the allotted time. No problem sir, go to desk G15 and I will be down in ten minutes. Sure enough, down came the man, opened the check in desk, gave me the boarding cards and went back to his office. Great service.

[James 1077]

Virgin on the way back from Dubai.

I was booked into PE and had requested a window seat. When it came to check in there was a large group of ladies in front of me who wanted to be seated together in PE so much rearranging of seat requests. This left me with a seat in the middle of the middle - which isn't the best way of spending 7 hours.

I didn't even need to say anything to the check in agent when she told me that she would "see what she could do". A quick chat to the supervisor and I had an Upper Class boarding pass in my hand. I was still in the middle row with no view but, somehow, this didn't matter as much!

[nicolai]

American Airlines, LAX/BOS/LHR, about a month ago.

Boston has a problem in some wind conditions where they end up with most of the runways unusable; the effect on airline schedules is as expected.
I had about 1.5 hours to connect in Boston. We were held for 3 hours in LAX waiting for Boston to accept us, and arrived about 2.5 hours late in Boston.
Flights out of Boston were running about 1.5 hours delayed when I left LAX, so I wasn't holding out much hope for a connection.
When we arrived at Boston the crew announced firmly that passengers not transferring should wait for those who were transferring, and about 17 of us hotfooted it off the aircraft, across the concourse, and onto the waiting flight to LHR which AA had held for us a bit longer than the weather demanded.
About 15 minutes later we left, and I felt glad I would be getting to London, even if my bags seemed unlikely to follow me.
When I arrived in London, definitely feeling rather tetchy, one of my bags emerged onto the luggage belt, and I waited for the other one, still expecting something to have gone badly wrong.
After a few minutes a cheery AA baggage handler walked up with the other bag.
I really wasn't expecting that. Some people in the AA baggage handling Boston (and probably also the LAX, for initially loading the bags sensibly) were definitely doing their jobs that night.

[Final 3 Greens]

There is a lot of griping in this forum about bad experiences, poor customer service, nonsensical decisions, and sundry other tales of woe arising from airline travel. That's only to be expected: when things go well - flight on time, comfortable journey, baggage arrives - there's just not much of a story in it.

With the very greatest of respect to Gibon 2, when things go well, the passenger has received the level of service s/he paid for.

In fact, things didn't go well, they went normally. When I take my car for a service or repair, I don't come back delighted because it was fixed to the manufacturer's specification.

Over the years, I've taken thousands of commercial flights and the laws of probability mean that a certain amount encounter problems.

Often these are resolved satisfactorily, occasionally not.

Rather than point out a particularly kind or efficient act by an individual, I would prefer to focus on a particular airline policy that impresses me.

In my opinion, no business should rely only on the good nature/goodwill of the employees to service their customers, they should provide them with tools to do the job and then give them the training they need to operate within the framework. This is the best approach to create a consistent business operation.

Such a tool is the easyJet extraordinary delays policy, which to summarise means that if your flight is delayed overnight, for reasons beyond easyJet's control, the unlucky pax will be given transfers to/from hotac and meal vouchers.

Contrast that with British Airways "We will give you additional assistance, such as compensation, refreshments and other care and reimbursement, if required to do so by any law which may apply. We will have no further liability to you."

So a big thumbs up to easyJet for having an unequivocal policy.

Whilst getting the BA quote, I noticed the following important information on the company website.

"Due to high passenger volumes at London Gatwick Airport, passengers should allow extra time at the airport for security processing."

What a non message, dross would be lavish praise. All this does is raise the passenger anxiety level by highlighting a serious issue (you might miss your flight), without giving any clear guidance on how much extra time to allow.

Whoever wrote this should be beaten around the head with a wet fish and sent on a remedial customer care course.