Stay Classy, Spirit passengers

Woah, fights and angry mobs of Spirit passengers when over 300 Spirit flights have been cancelled the past few days. Pilot slowdown. Photos posted of fights at the counters at FLL airport around the 'net.

Sure hope none of our CCers have been caught up in this. It could be very messy trying to get a replacement flight for days.

It is one of my least favorite airlines. Saw angry mobs when I flew with my mother years ago.

In an airport in Florida, they bought in the terminal police.

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Rechecking.... Spirit does NOT fly out of SMF..... that's a good thing.

 

Sure hope none of our CCers have been caught up in this. It could be very messy trying to get a replacement flight for days.

Me too! As many here know, Spirit doesn't interline with anyone, so pax are just out of luck. No choice but to buy a last minute ticket, at last minute prices, on any other airline that has seats available. Yikes!:eek:

This new feeling of "passenger empowerment" is going to create problems for a while at all the airlines. The 1% of passengers who now feel emboldened to act out inappropriately when things go wrong will create problems for all the traveling public.

I would hate to be a front line customer service airline employee right now.

 

I would hate to be a front line customer service airline employee right now.

You got that right. Sure doesn't pay enough.

Knuckleheads hiding in the corporate offices making policy, while your out there on the front line trying to implement those policies and you're the face of the corporation catching all the heat from the customers.

I've started to use a disclaimer when I'm frustrated with customer service either via phone or face to face. I'll start of with something like " look, what I'm about to say, please don't take personal. I'm frustrated and I understand you have a job trying to feed your family just like I do,,, However",,, then I'll vent my frustration

This new feeling of "passenger empowerment" is going to create problems for a while at all the airlines. The 1% of passengers who now feel emboldened to act out inappropriately when things go wrong will create problems for all the traveling public.

 

I would hate to be a front line customer service airline employee right now.

Well said. Some pax are totally out of control, and unfortunately the media is doing nothing but adding to the frenzy.

Well said. Some pax are totally out of control, and unfortunately the media is doing nothing but adding to the frenzy.

I see the media did it again tonight ...Southwest the latest target...by both the media and those that are either trying to find their Dao payout or some short term fame. I pity the poor passengers that just wanted to get off the flight to make a connection or an appointment.

You got that right. Sure doesn't pay enough.

Knuckleheads hiding in the corporate offices making policy, while your out there on the front line trying to implement those policies and you're the face of the corporation catching all the heat from the customers.

 

I've started to use a disclaimer when I'm frustrated with customer service either via phone or face to face. I'll start of with something like " look, what I'm about to say, please don't take personal. I'm frustrated and I understand you have a job trying to feed your family just like I do,,, However",,, then I'll vent my frustration

I've long done something similar with *any* "customer service rep" who is about to "hear from me/us" about something that wasn't in any way their own "fault":

"I apologize for any 'tone' in my voice [or I might say "for any 'attitude'"], but I'm angry/furious/enraged at your company, NOT at you..."

And I try to smile at that point, or at least keep a pleasant tone on the phone, if at all possible.

And if my rant gets heated, I try (that's *try*) to interrupt myself with something like, "... again, I'm NOT mad at *you*, but your company....!!!"

In person, that latter not infrequently gets a slightly masked smile, a nod, and possibly some rolled eyes.

Those front line folks are in a dreadful situation, and some of them handle these situations with remarkable pleasantness (and in some cases, remarkable restraint).

And then there are those... who... manage to make just about any "situation" much, much worse...

You do have to be a good actor and have a thick skin to work in front-facing positions with the public. Nothing like being called a liar, incompetent, lazy or stupid to make you smile. Rolling eyes only happens when encountering these people on the phone. I roll my eyes multiple times a day ;) There have been times when I've had to just walk to the back and let loose. I've been threatened physically by a few - that's when it gets scary.

I felt so sorry for those Spirit employees standing at the desks. They were helpless and had nothing to do with the situation everyone found themselves in at that time. Screaming at and threatening them is just low class.

We are currently witnessing Yellow Journalism at its highest form with the media. Couple that with idiots that over perform when they see the cameras rolling and you have all the ingredients for a cf.

I learned long ago that my chances of a successful outcome were significantly higher when I spoke kindly and rationally with the service reps. Only idiots believe that verbally abusing and ranting at some counter clerk, that is rarely the cause of the problem, is going to help their cause.

Things happens all the time with the Airlines. Weather, mechanical, TSA, computers, and employee issues. Buying a ticket on a major airline is an insurance policy that provides options. When one buys a ticket on the various CheapO airlines, they are self determining they are uninterested in options, fully prepared to assume all elements of risk, and that only price matters. Decisions matter and they made their decision when they bought the ticket.

I mostly agree with what you are saying.

However, all the incidents that have taken place could have been prevented had leadership at the corporate level empowered their front line employees to do most anything to prevent these issues from arising.

1. Can't where leggings. That is/was correct. However, they could have got ahead of the social media storm and prevented the hoopla.

2. Dragging someone off the plane because crew members needed those seats? The social media storm costs them a billion dollars the next day all because they didn't give the front line people the ability to keep raising the offer.

3. This current Spirit Airline issue,, settle the freaking labor dispute

Instead, corporate leadership is chasing bad money over good money and preventing their good front line employees from properly caring for the company's customers and making sound business decisions.

Frankly, consumers are getting fed up with the airlines. A few years back we rallied and requested a flyer bill of rights. Congress made a show of doing something but ultimately deep pocket airline lobbys won out. That quieted the consumer for a while. Airlines are getting stupid again. They can either become proactive and at least kiss us and make us feel good while sticking it to us or consumer rebellion will continue. Nothing changes in the US without rebellion. That's not a bad thing,,, that's how we roll as Americans. From the Boston Tea Party all the way through our history.

Are you confused? Settle the labor issue! Spirit passengers fly that Airlines for one reason. They want the absolute lowest ticket price they can get. The pilots want more pay! More pay= more cost=higher ticket prices. Higher ticket prices = Spirit's passengers look for someone cheaper. The last thing Spirit's riders want is more money to the pilots, and Spirit's executives know that!

People can't continue demanding lower prices and exceptional service. That, however, is what we now have in America. Just like with government, people want more and more and more in services, along with a tax cut! Those that can't handle can take a train or drive. Amtrak would love the business. See what kind of on time service they get with those options.

Are you confused? Settle the labor issue! Spirit passengers fly that Airlines for one reason. They want the absolute lowest ticket price they can get. The pilots want more pay! More pay= more cost=higher ticket prices. Higher ticket prices = Spirit's passengers look for someone cheaper. The last thing Spirit's riders want is more money to the pilots, and Spirit's executives know that!

 

People can't continue demanding lower prices and exceptional service. That, however, is what we now have in America. Just like with government, people want more and more and more in services, along with a tax cut! Those that can't handle can take a train or drive. Amtrak would love the business. See what kind of on time service they get with those options.

Okay, I'll accept that.

However, it's easy to sit back and complain and criticize

I was taught long ago to never bring a complaint unless I also brought 2 two possible solutions.

What are your possible solutions to airline customer service?

Maintain status quo?

To survive the economic downturn, starting back in 07/08, the Airlines slashed routes and prices. I can rattle off names of Airlines that didn't survive. The economy has improved and Airline traffic is up. As the Airlines recognize sufficient demand, on the various routes, they will add capacity. It won't happen quickly because that means hiring and training more crew, but it will happen. With Additional capacity, the airlines have traditionally lowered their overbooking percentages. This alone will take care of many of the perceived customer relations problems.

This will take time and there will be a transition. Also, some routes will never merit additional capacity. Therefore, part of the onus is on the flyers. Don't expect/demand Bloomingdales service at KMart for starters. There is a reason you get bargain basement prices on some carriers. Be knowledgeable of the Class of ticket you are buying! If you are buying an E Class ticket that doesn't allow seat selection until the gate, that should be a warning for you! If you have no status with that Airlines, and bought a basement Class ticket, you should be kissing their bottoms if you get on the plane, especially on heavy volume routes.

The Masses fly across our skies and beyond every day, without a bleep of problems. 24/7 Yellow Journalists are always there to tell us about the 0.01 %ers. They also are quick to tell us about the small % of employees that make stupid decisions. Those employees need constant training, but let me tell you, a small percentage of my employees made stupid decisions occasionally also, regardless of their training. I was just lucky because the Media didn't cover us and I didn't have a union to deal with when addressing employee problems.

The solution to the issues is not one sided as you suggest. Both sides have training and work to do, and both sides will probably have to pay more money, in the future, to see things improve.

 

What are your possible solutions to airline customer service?

Maintain status quo?

It's relatively simple: Vote with your dollars. If you don't like an airline's overall customer service, and it's the service that is most important to you, don't book with them. Book another airline, take a train, take a bus, drive your car, or choose a different destination that's more accessible than the one on which you believe you have no choice but to fly airline X. But it's been shown time and again that while folks complain about service, the thing that's really important to them is getting the rock bottom price.