How Airlines Bluff Their Way

As a Professor of Marketing my lectures and workshops on Customer Relationship Management often begin with this scenario:

“You’ve spent two gruelling weeks of non-stop business in London and are ready to head home. Virgin Atlantic Airways sends a driver to fetch you at your hotel and bring you to the airport. Upon arrival at Heathrow, the driver stops at an outdoor kiosk. Your window magically rolls down to reveal a uniformed Virgin associate, who politely requests your ticket. As the associate checks you in, the driver retrieves your baggage from the boot- tags it, and deposits iy on the baggage conveyor belt. The Virgin associate smiles and hands your boarding pass.

The driver then proceeds to the terminal, pointing the way to the Upper Class lounge, which features sleek décor, lap top hook ups, and a beauty salon.. As you enter and stow your carry-on bag, a waiter asks you for a drink order. Midway through your haircut, Peter Frampton walks by on his way to the bar and gives you a little wave. Once in flight, you are offered a pair of fleece pajamas and a free massage.

Everyone has been super friendly, in fact you made no special requests since you left hotel, have barely lifted a finger, and still have the cash you left the hotel. As you take the last sip of your complimentary drink and prepare for preferred boarding, you make a mental note: You’ll be flying Virgin Atlantic again: (The CRM Handbook, Jill Dyche)                    

Sure enough all the airlines must be looking after their upper class passengers with equal attention and care. After all, airlines make money only on business fares. My experience as a business class passenger has been very ordinary, aside from the regular advantage and facilities over economy class. The attention of the ground staff, flight crew or even customer care turned out to be horribly wrong. Is it discrimination or the volume of dollars one brings to the airlines? Airlines need to learn not every person who doesn’t want to argue and doesn’t want to show unhappiness can be treated casually and empathy is a great virtue in customer service.

Along with my wife we make our annual visits to our sons who are settled abroad. Recently, we planned our visit to London, our son sent us two business class return tickets by Trans-Asian Airlines (name changed). As senior citizens he wanted us to have an unforgettable experience flying business class. The flight from Delhi to London was indeed a memorable experience for both of us especially for my wife who was recovering from a bout of chickungunya. For the first time in many years we did not have to wait in long queues during immigration clearance and check-in process. Apart from priority boarding, the service in the waiting lounge was courteous and we could help ourselves with champagne and cheese. Once inside the aircraft, the upper-class seats were convertible into beds and tasty meals served on board made the flight comfortable and enjoyable.

The evening return flight a month later, however, was an altogether different experience. The check in process followed by the world class lounge at Heathrow International airport` was very impressive. But our happiness was short lived as we were stopped at the boarding gate suddenly and asked to wait. Minutes ticked by and boarding was almost over. We started getting nervous. A priority boarding had gone horribly wrong for us two. Just as when boarding was to be complete, a young man in Trans- Asian uniform addressed me, “Sir, I am sorry to inform you that the electrical system on your seat is not working. Your seat will not recline and convert into a bed.” By then we had become so anxious and were feeling so harassed that I suggested spontaneously “You can reassign me another seat, I am willing to move.” But the airline already had a devious plan. “We are completely full Sir. If you agree to fly, we will compensate you with Euro 50 and credit 40,000 miles in to your frequent flyer account”. He left us with no choice. We are Jet Privilege member and the thought of 40,000 miles delighted me momentarily being equivalent to two Delhi- Kolkata return journey tickets a trip that I regularly make. A little discomfort during the 8-hour night time flight was worth its value, I thought, and I already started planning to pass time by watching movies and drinking wine My wife, however, did not think that the offer was good enough, but the young man ignored her objections rather rudely, and me, too eager to board the flight thought it wise not to discuss the matter any further.

Once on board, my complacency started waning slowly. For, not only the bed, the tray table was dysfunctional too and I wasn’t able to watch any movie. I had to sip my drink and eat my dinner putting the plate on my lap. I had also to ask the attendant several times to handover Euro 50 which was promised to me. Finally, the attendant declared, “Sir, we cannot give you cash. Instead you select a product from our duty-free catalogue worth the amount please.” This was the final shock. Controlling my anger, I quietly ordered a Diesel Eau de Toilette perfume. This too was handed over to me early in the morning a little while before landing was announced and after the third reminder. I spent the entire 8-hour long flight sitting up in the business class section, dozing off uncomfortably, while my fellow travellers were nicely tucked in their comfortable seats. I felt cheated and taken for a ride by the airline.

Further disappointment was to follow. Even after two weeks of reaching Delhi the promised 40,000 miles had not been credited to my Jet Privilege account. I felt it was time to retaliate. I complained to Trans- Asian Customer Relations describing how the airlines staff rushed me into taking the flight.

a)     I was promised Euro 50 without specifying that there would be no cash transaction;

b)     That it wasn’t mentioned the food tray table or the movie system would also not work;

c)     40,000 miles was not credited to my Jet Privilege account even after 3 weeks of arrival.

Responding with the usual apologetic note, the airlines insisted it was against their policy to credit the miles to a partner account and a credit 50,000 miles which was equivalent to a one way upper class ticket London to Delhi could only be credited to Trans- Asian Frequent Flyer program. The ‘like for like’ offer notwithstanding the hardships I had undergone wasn't acceptable ; secondly to avail of this offer I would need to buy another business class ticket for my wife when we travel next and thirdly, I wasn’t bound to any particular airlines and whenever we travelled we looked around for the best available fares. As a reputed airline I expected a better understanding of my situation and requested for a credit of miles equivalent to two one way premier economy tickets for the both of us by Trans Asian which was 70,000 miles. I had boarded the flight though I was under no obligation to travel that evening and had we chosen not to fly, the airlines would have had to undergo expenses towards unloading our baggage, providing us with hotel accommodation, putting us back on their next evening flight and losing revenue for the two empty seats. The cost to the airlines would have been significantly higher. Repeated e-mails remained unanswered. The airlines did not consider it necessary to show any flexibility. As a last resort, both me and my wife took membership of their Frequent Flyer Program informing the customer relations executive. Promptly my account got credited with their offer of 50,000 miles. This was an unilateral decision and once again a demonstration of high handedness, I wrote back. For Trans Asia, it was a chapter ticked.

Finally, Google search resulted in locating the name of the Vice President, Marketing & Customer Service Trans- Asia, but there wasn't any mention of his email. I searched on Linkedin and locating him on premium membership sent a mail with the head line “Business Class Customer Duped” giving a short synopsis of the events that had followed. As compensation I demanded two return premier economy class tickets for me and my wife equivalent to 70,000 miles in each membership account. The caption must have attracted attention and three days later a conciliatory mail from Customer relations is received that our accounts had been credited with 2 x 70,000 miles.

The resolution was certainly to my liking but no where did it match the scenario that I began with. It was simple 'satisfaction' not 'delight' either and no where close to bonding that we focus upon these days. How many people have the time and the tenacity to follow up? Several questions however, arise in my mind.

1. There is a hierarchy in every organization. The customer relations lady communicating with me in exchange of mails was she the only individual attending? If her decision making authority was limited , why didn’t she escalate the matter to her senior who could have possibly intervened and resolved?
2. There was a strong chance of a negotiated settlement with two one way premier economy miles (2 x 35,000) rather than two return journey tickets that the VP marketing may have sanctioned..

Finally, a lesson for passengers, taking commitments in writing, and noting down their names of individuals with whom passengers has interacted is the way to safeguard interest.