Will holiday crush bring a service meltdown?
More than 16.3 million passengers are expected to head to the airport this holiday, up from last year's record 15.9 million, according to the Air Transport Association. Unfortunately, they'll be greeted by smaller airline staffs as the struggling industry has cut pay and shed thousands of jobs. On top of that, fliers will be boarding smaller planes and facing longer security checks. That could be a recipe for a customer service meltdown, reports Keith L. Alexander, Business Class columnist of The Washington Post. Putting a positive spin on the situation, however, is US Airways CEO Bruce Lakefield, who called the holiday rush a "big opportunity" for workers to win over travelers. "An efficient operation and friendly service will go a long way to instill confidence among our customers, those who pay our bills and salaries," Lakefield said in his weekly recorded telephone message to workers. If you are looking to avoid the crowds, Sunday appears to be your worst bet: United said it has sold about 94% of its seats for the day, and Delta about 90%. Airlines urge travelers to arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before departure. Several, such as US Airways and Delta, advise passengers to print boarding passes from Web sites so they can go straight to security.
POST ARTICLE:
More Fliers, Fewer Workers For the Holiday
Tuesday, November 23, 2004; Page E01
Airlines and airports are bracing for their busiest Thanksgiving weekend in history as passengers flock to the skies thanks to the lowest airfares in 17 years.
But the swarm of travelers will find smaller planes, fewer airline employees and backed-up security lines. The record Thanksgiving weekend hits as many airlines, including US Airways, United, Delta and Northwest, have cut jobs and workers' pay and benefits, presenting a challenge to customer service. Smaller planes are in use to reduce fuel costs at a time of record fuel prices, said Air Transport Association spokesman Doug Wills.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...v22.html?sub=AR
More than 16.3 million passengers are expected to head to the airport this holiday, up from last year's record 15.9 million, according to the Air Transport Association. Unfortunately, they'll be greeted by smaller airline staffs as the struggling industry has cut pay and shed thousands of jobs. On top of that, fliers will be boarding smaller planes and facing longer security checks. That could be a recipe for a customer service meltdown, reports Keith L. Alexander, Business Class columnist of The Washington Post. Putting a positive spin on the situation, however, is US Airways CEO Bruce Lakefield, who called the holiday rush a "big opportunity" for workers to win over travelers. "An efficient operation and friendly service will go a long way to instill confidence among our customers, those who pay our bills and salaries," Lakefield said in his weekly recorded telephone message to workers. If you are looking to avoid the crowds, Sunday appears to be your worst bet: United said it has sold about 94% of its seats for the day, and Delta about 90%. Airlines urge travelers to arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before departure. Several, such as US Airways and Delta, advise passengers to print boarding passes from Web sites so they can go straight to security.
POST ARTICLE:
More Fliers, Fewer Workers For the Holiday
Tuesday, November 23, 2004; Page E01
Airlines and airports are bracing for their busiest Thanksgiving weekend in history as passengers flock to the skies thanks to the lowest airfares in 17 years.
But the swarm of travelers will find smaller planes, fewer airline employees and backed-up security lines. The record Thanksgiving weekend hits as many airlines, including US Airways, United, Delta and Northwest, have cut jobs and workers' pay and benefits, presenting a challenge to customer service. Smaller planes are in use to reduce fuel costs at a time of record fuel prices, said Air Transport Association spokesman Doug Wills.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...v22.html?sub=AR
