How to deliver world-class customer service in the airline industry

“Please place seat backs and tray tables in their full upright position.”

Every regular traveler and member of the cabin crew is familiar with the script. The stock phrases we hear are an expected part of the routine. But what happens when something unforeseen happens? Can the cabin crew still interact in English and deliver an outstanding level of service?

The inflight experience is the biggest differentiator for any airline. No matter how much leg-room is on offer, it’s personal treatment that gets people talking and flying with you again.?

Poor customer service, on the other hand, is estimated to cost organizations of all types up to $75 billion annually. Having a crew that knows how to communicate with English-speaking travelers – and go off script – is therefore a huge advantage over domestic airlines that only operate in national languages.?

Let’s take a look at how interactive English skills can help your airline truly stand out.

The leading lights in customer service in the airline industry

In North America, DELTA Airlines sat top of the pile when it came to customer satisfaction in 2021. This came down to a number of different factors, including flexible fares and attentive flight crews, according to a JD Power study.?

In Asia, it’s Singapore Airlines that soars above the rest. Once again, its success comes down to phenomenal customer service. But Qatar Airlines takes the crown on a global stage, according to Skytrax rankings for 2021.?

The companies mentioned above all have one thing in common: they are examples of airlines with excellent customer service, acute attention to detail, and the ability to put the passenger first. In this respect, top crews know that listening to the customer is key to delivering an extraordinary experience.?

How to develop a passenger-first approach to inflight service

In the airline industry, clear communication between customer-facing staff and passengers is one of the most important factors in customer satisfaction. Let’s take a look at how you can put passengers front and center when it comes to your inflight service:

Focus on clear communication skills:?

Communication is the foundation of all good customer service. A focus on training crews to speak in English as a second language (ESL) to both native and non-native English speakers is therefore key, if your airline is to stand up to the competition on the world stage.

Struggling to communicate with airline employees can be a source of deep frustration, especially for stressed-out travelers. But if your inflight staff can communicate fluently with passengers in a familiar language, it will build that all-important feeling of safety, confidence, and comfort. On top of this, it helps to reduce stress for nervous flyers.?

Leveraging feedback

In addition to fulfilling requests and dealing with common interactions, flight attendants and other staff often need to respond to more direct comments. Whether a customer has something nice to say, or has a real complaint, it is important to listen and respond appropriately in the moment. In the case of a complaint, this can help resolve issues and manage customer frustrations.?

But it is also essential to communicate feedback across the organization. Good feedback boosts morale and can lead to a more consistently good service from individuals and teams. After all, it’s important for staff to know what they’re getting right! Conversely, negative comments often highlight areas for improvement across the organization.?

Without a good level of English, however, key details may be lost – or the compliment or complaint ignored altogether.?

Anticipating and understanding customer needs

The best airlines – Qatar being a prime example – follow the Japanese concept of Omoiyari. That is, anticipating a need, perhaps before even the client knows it exists.?

Knowing when to step in to help (and when not to) is all part of the job. Passengers with physical impairments, parents with small children, and those with a fear of flying should all be top priority passengers. Aside from helping them board safely, reassuring and listening to passengers is the foundation of this passenger-first approach - and a strong command of a lingua franca like English will give staff the tools they need to listen to their passengers’ needs.?

Giving clear instructions?

Unfortunately, miscommunications due to language barriers, confusing terminology, and ambiguous phrasing sometimes lead to accidents and mistakes. While these often occur between colleagues, they can also affect passengers directly. This is more likely when interactions involve safety-related instructions – but not always:

In 1985, a passenger boarded an Air New Zealand flight from London to Oakland, California. Once the plane arrived in LA, travelers were asked to deplane. Passengers heading to other destinations in the U.S. were asked to board other flights. Those bound for Auckland, New Zealand, were asked to reboard alongside other new passengers.?

Our misfortunate traveler misheard Auckland for Oakland. He reboarded with the wrong group. Despite being asked twice, he confirmed he was headed to Auckland. He realized his mistake? some time later. The following day, once he had landed in Auckland, the airline put him on a flight to his correct destination.

In this particular instance, the flight attendants and the passenger all spoke English as a first language. But accents got in the way of clear communication. It underlines just how sensitive airline professionals need to be when it comes to giving instructions to passengers, no matter where they are from.

Why scalable language training is the key to giving travelers the best inflight experience

The ability to speak to passengers in a comfortable common language is a baseline skill and a big step towards high customer satisfaction levels. English language training enables your inflight crews and ground staff to engage with your customers confidently.?

The issue with traditional language learning solutions is that it can only be done in small groups (or individually) at set times. This can be both costly and difficult to manage, depending on the size of your organization. Technologies like ELSA Speak, however, allow your HR and L&D departments to roll out on-demand training programs across business units, airports, and countries.?

Moreover, you’ll be able to maintain consistent quality of instruction and avoid the additional administrative headaches that come with sourcing local language schools and teachers.?

The results of outstanding airline customer service

According to one 2021 study on low-cost carrier airlines, “customer satisfaction is a vital factor for an LCCs to survive in such a highly competitive aviation market.”?

A neutral reaction to your service might not prevent customers from returning. However, it won’t have passengers singing your praises either. A benefit of truly outstanding customer service is the push it gives people to talk about you. Recommendations from friends and peers are powerful: 82% of consumers in the US say they look for ”recommendations from friends and family when considering a purchase.”

No matter the size of your organization, there’s no doubt of the importance of customer service in the aviation industry.?

If you’re keen to improve customer service, drive retention and advocacy, and offer staff professional development opportunities, ELSA Speak can help you advance your employees’ English interactive speaking skills – request a demo today!