InternationalShannon
Veteran
:down:
We all know that this and all airlines are going through hard times. They've been going through hard times for quite a while and we are all seeing how the airlines are trying to figure out ways to squeeze a penny or two more out of the pax.
I don't know about other stations, but it is getting hard core here at the front lines. Not only are we pressed to shut the door ten minutes prior *no matter what* but we are also being told that there is no longer a grey area.
I personally have been on vacation a bit, but I keep hearing that such and such got fired for waiving bag fees, free upgrades, etc, and the management and auditing is really starting to get fierce.
Every free upgrade is going to be scrutinized. Every bag fee, change fee, etc must be accounted for and no waivers accepted unless it is thru a CSS. There aren't always CSS around.
I have to wonder if certain agents have abused the tools we've been given or are they really serious about firing us for giving the occasional free upgrade?
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to give away the farm, I understand the state of the industry and enjoyed my profit sharing check....however, certain circumstances call for special actions and it is then when we use the tools of the upgrade, the waived change fee, etc...
For example, f/c on an international flight is wide open but coach is grossly oversold. We can't sell the seats in the front for the $800 or whatever and we can't get volunteers in the back. We're already boarding.
I would take my highest tier elites who were in business class and bump them to row one and attempt to sell the $500 seats. continue to board. If that didn't work, you move the highest tier elites from the coach cabin into envoy to free up the coach seats for the oversales. I would also explain to the elites that this was a courtesy and that I'm not normally allowed to do this, discretion is appreciated. That way they don't expect it every time like management argues they will.
To me, this is good customer service and saves the company the TFC and the hotel and food accomodations, right?
This is no longer acceptable unless a supervisor does it. I can't tell you, in a hub city, how often the supervisors are spread too thin to do something I'm capable of doing.
You know what else I like to do? Block the bassinet and handicap access seats on the A330 because those planes are always full of infants. IF you don't block them, the first person to walk up to the kiosk will snatch it, they'll walk up and be two teenagers who just wanna put their feet on the bkhd.
NOPE. No longer allowed according to what we're hearing. I heard that one direct from a shift manager. No more seat map blocking.
Now we are supposed to charge $5 per seat that isn't middle?
Let's say the flight oversales, we let the Envoy cabin go empty and took 8 volunteers who can't be rebooked until two days from now. They've lost several days in their itinerary and hotel nights (very $$$ in europe) and they wonder if we can change the return for two days later.
Nope!! Not without a change fee!! (is what we are hearing from management)
How am I supposed to do my job! I am not a RULE ENFORCER I am a CUSTOMER SERVICE agent. Where is the customer service? Now you want me to worry about the aisle and window and $5 crap?
If we take that carry on from them and check it , they better pony up $25? Even though I need the door shut in three minutes and it's not my fault the outstation sent them with too many carryons?
Seriously, how are we supposed to keep up with all this and still please people? Certain situations call for certain courtesies that are now blackballed. Especially for my elites (who treat me like a human and not a slave - - i could care less about the disrespectful counter smacking F bomb dropping "i pay your paycheck" ones)
Anyway, I am just frustrated and wonder if anyone at the front lines feels this way as well. Where has the service gone??????
Why not give us shiny badges at least then if we're going to be policing things? :down:
We all know that this and all airlines are going through hard times. They've been going through hard times for quite a while and we are all seeing how the airlines are trying to figure out ways to squeeze a penny or two more out of the pax.
I don't know about other stations, but it is getting hard core here at the front lines. Not only are we pressed to shut the door ten minutes prior *no matter what* but we are also being told that there is no longer a grey area.
I personally have been on vacation a bit, but I keep hearing that such and such got fired for waiving bag fees, free upgrades, etc, and the management and auditing is really starting to get fierce.
Every free upgrade is going to be scrutinized. Every bag fee, change fee, etc must be accounted for and no waivers accepted unless it is thru a CSS. There aren't always CSS around.
I have to wonder if certain agents have abused the tools we've been given or are they really serious about firing us for giving the occasional free upgrade?
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to give away the farm, I understand the state of the industry and enjoyed my profit sharing check....however, certain circumstances call for special actions and it is then when we use the tools of the upgrade, the waived change fee, etc...
For example, f/c on an international flight is wide open but coach is grossly oversold. We can't sell the seats in the front for the $800 or whatever and we can't get volunteers in the back. We're already boarding.
I would take my highest tier elites who were in business class and bump them to row one and attempt to sell the $500 seats. continue to board. If that didn't work, you move the highest tier elites from the coach cabin into envoy to free up the coach seats for the oversales. I would also explain to the elites that this was a courtesy and that I'm not normally allowed to do this, discretion is appreciated. That way they don't expect it every time like management argues they will.
To me, this is good customer service and saves the company the TFC and the hotel and food accomodations, right?
This is no longer acceptable unless a supervisor does it. I can't tell you, in a hub city, how often the supervisors are spread too thin to do something I'm capable of doing.
You know what else I like to do? Block the bassinet and handicap access seats on the A330 because those planes are always full of infants. IF you don't block them, the first person to walk up to the kiosk will snatch it, they'll walk up and be two teenagers who just wanna put their feet on the bkhd.
NOPE. No longer allowed according to what we're hearing. I heard that one direct from a shift manager. No more seat map blocking.
Now we are supposed to charge $5 per seat that isn't middle?
Let's say the flight oversales, we let the Envoy cabin go empty and took 8 volunteers who can't be rebooked until two days from now. They've lost several days in their itinerary and hotel nights (very $$$ in europe) and they wonder if we can change the return for two days later.
Nope!! Not without a change fee!! (is what we are hearing from management)
How am I supposed to do my job! I am not a RULE ENFORCER I am a CUSTOMER SERVICE agent. Where is the customer service? Now you want me to worry about the aisle and window and $5 crap?
If we take that carry on from them and check it , they better pony up $25? Even though I need the door shut in three minutes and it's not my fault the outstation sent them with too many carryons?
Seriously, how are we supposed to keep up with all this and still please people? Certain situations call for certain courtesies that are now blackballed. Especially for my elites (who treat me like a human and not a slave - - i could care less about the disrespectful counter smacking F bomb dropping "i pay your paycheck" ones)
Anyway, I am just frustrated and wonder if anyone at the front lines feels this way as well. Where has the service gone??????
Why not give us shiny badges at least then if we're going to be policing things? :down:
