How a Flight from Miami to Madrid Became a Case Study in Customer Service Failure
Christina Sarmiento
Managing Director | Specializing in Leadership, Business Development, and Team Growth
What happens when an airline denies its staff proper training and all systems begin to fail? How does it recover customer trust—or does it even try?
This is the story of how a 10-hour flight from Miami to Madrid turned into a three-day ordeal filled with chaos, confusion, and a lack of empathy, leaving me questioning the integrity of a global airline.
Day 1: The First Cancellation
On Friday, November 15, I was ready to fly from Miami, Florida, to Madrid, Spain. At 11am, I received an email and text message from Iberia : my 10 PM flight was canceled.
“No problem, more time with my sister and her family” I thought. I called their customer service line and rescheduled for the following day at 5:20 PM. Seat confirmed, priority boarding secured—crisis averted.
But this was only the beginning.
Day 2: The Line That Went Nowhere
On Saturday, I arrived at Miami International Airport 2.5 hours before my flight. The check-in line was pandemonium, stretching endlessly with a mix of frustrated and resigned passengers. “They must be dealing with rebookings,” I thought.
I stood in line for over an hour, observing the frontline staff navigate the chaos. Having worked in customer service for years, I empathized with them. Resetting emotionally between customers—providing excellent service even after being yelled at—is an often-overlooked superpower.
Three Types of Customer Service Staff
As someone with years of customer service experience, I know the challenges frontline staff face. Watching the team, I identified three personalities—all of whom I’ve either been or worked with at some point:
The Empath: Man, did she feel for people. She felt passengers’ joy and frustration while softening blows and empathizing with their plight. Given the chance, she would have upgraded us all to First Class.
The Policy Police: I am not her, but I love her. She is definitely the work wife of the Empath. Firm but fair, this colleague kept processes running, ensuring rules were followed. She kept the Empath from crying, gave bad news directly, quoted the textbook, AND told you what to do next.
Karen: Karen hates you. She projected disdain onto passengers and colleagues alike. She left no one unscathed.
When it was my turn, I drew…Karen. I’m pretty sure she didn’t even look at my passport before she declared, “You have no seat. Talk to the supervisor.”
A Supervisor Who Was MIA
The supervisor wasn’t present, leaving a chaotic team to absorb the blows. When he finally arrived (looking very well rested), his response was underwhelming.
“You have two options,” he said flatly:
I asked about other possibilities—a refund, rebooking for another day—but he dismissed these options. Then, the entire check-in team disappeared, leaving passengers feeling stranded.
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I know, I know. They had to go to upstairs and help board the plane, but it didn’t leave the people left behind feeling any kind of security.
The Call Center Disconnect
Looking for clarity, I called Iberia’s customer service line again.
The agent was baffled. “In our system, you’re confirmed for the flight. Just go to the counter, check the bag, board the plane.”
I explained that the Miami team wouldn’t check me in. The agent accused me of lying, insisting everything was fine on their end.
By now, I had zero faith in Iberia’s internal communication. I asked for a partial refund or to reschedule for February (when I fly again). Both requests were denied. I was stuck.
Day 3: The Unexpected Twist
Determined not to rely on Iberia, I booked a Monday flight through American Airlines. Relieved but just momentarily because the American Airlines flight I booked… it was operated by Iberia.
At this point, I had no choice. On Monday, I returned to the airport, I was anxiety, anxiety was me. I expected to be turned away, I questioned my own existence. Can people actually see me? Am I real? My palms were definitely sweating. Everything was fine. I boarded without issue and made it to Madrid.
Lessons Learned
While my flight eventually took off, my faith in Iberia remains shattered. This ordeal exposed a deeper issue: a lack of training, support, and communication within their teams—both customer-facing and behind the scenes.
The frontline employees I encountered reflected the culture of their workplace. Some tried their best under impossible circumstances; others revealed their frustration in ways that hurt passengers. The absence of leadership only made things worse.
A Call for Change
This experience raises important questions:
Customer service is the backbone of any organization. It takes empathy, professionalism, and teamwork to deliver positive experiences—even under pressure. Without these qualities, an organization risks losing not just customers but its reputation.
For now, I’ll remain wary of Iberia. But as someone who has worked in customer service, I’ll also root for its employees to get the training and leadership they deserve.
What about you? What are your stories? Have you been The Empath or The Policy Police? If you are Karen, who did this to you?
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