July 24, 2006

American Airlines: When 2+2= -8 Just to Get Back to 0

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 9:41 am

Stuck in the Airport

Customer Think Logo

I have traveled 1,481,924 miles with American Airlines. I’m a loyal customer. It means something to me. It should mean something to them. Apparently it does 50% of the time.

Saturday I flew out of Philadelphia. It’s not American hub, but I flew American anyway. My flight was delayed, an unfortunate circumstance that occurs too often in Philadelphia. The delay was 4 hours. I did what I do — got a drink and something to eat. Then I looked for a story. I think of the story I found as When 2+2= -8 Just to Get Back to 0

When 2+2=-8

A four hour delay is a pain or an adventure. It’s an experience as a customer. Every interaction is one that is positive, negative, or neutral. I won’t bother with the neutrals. Here are the two positive and two negatives that happened.

  • Flight delays mean I check my carrryon. In Philly that requires taking it to a bag checking agent. With a big smile, she said, “Let me take that, go have a wonderful flight. The escalator is right behind you.”


  • I passed through security — we know what fun that is — then I realized the Admiral’s Club is before the check point. I wound my way back to the club. My membership card ready, I pressed the doorbell. Nothing happened. The club was CLOSED. Apparently club members travel on Saturday mornings only. I didn’t get the memo.


  • Later — much later — I took a walk outside to entertain myself. On my way back through security, I stopped to consider walking another concourse.

    An American pilot stopped to ask, “Can I help you find your way?”

    I said, “No, I’m 2 hours into a 4-hour delay. I’m just touring the airport.”

    “Ah,” he said. “I understand. I often feel the same way.”


  • At 9:29, I went to the gate. The information posted on the screen said the 4:30 flight would leave at 5:15.

    I waited until the line was gone.

    When the two gate agents were free, I said, “Excuse me.”

    A gate agent answered, “I’ll be with you in a minute.” She walked away and NEVER CAME BACK.

    “Excuse me,” I said to the second.

    She huffed over.

    “Could you update the information on the monitor behind you?”

    “I have no control over that TV,” she said sharply, and walked away.

There were four customer interactions — two positive and two negative. Only two of the four were customer centered — the pilot and the baggage lady. The club and the gate agents weren’t there for this customer.

Getting Back to Even

Positives count as worth passing on, until a negative happens.

I’ve read that it takes five positive experiences to overcome one negative interaction. If that’s the case, then American Airlines owes me 8 positives to get back to even.

2+2= -8 Just to Get Back to 0



In the end, they’ve left me wondering why I’m always delayed in Philadelphia. The problem is more than just the weather. My customer intuition tells me that they’re used to things they way they are.

What do you suppose would jog them out of thinking that this customer will keep waiting for them forever?

–ME “Liz Strauss

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10 Comments to “American Airlines: When 2+2= -8 Just to Get Back to 0”

  1. July 24th, 2006 at 2:23 pm
    Joe said

    Hey Liz,

    Sorry you had a bad experience at our airport. I hate when someone gets a bad impression of Philly, it really is a nice place.

    But at least you got to talk to me during the rain delay. ;-)

    Smile,

    Joe

  2. July 24th, 2006 at 2:29 pm
    Callen Damornen said

    My husband was recently stranded in Washington DC on his way back home from England. He could not catch another flight until the next day. He made it home safely and has put it behind him vowing never to go on United again.

    Sorry to hear about your bad experience. At least you came home to tell the story.

  3. July 24th, 2006 at 3:26 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Joe,
    Thanks for your condolences. I had a great time talking to YOU.

    I didn’t get a bad impression of Philadelphia. Just a bad impression of my favorite airlines’ customer service. :)

  4. July 24th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Callen,
    Bad service on airlines always seems so personal. I think it’s that they come between us and our way to get where we’re going to sleep that night. I understand what your husband went through. I was once stuck for four days in one airport because of weather . . . but they grounded the planes hours before the weather started.

  5. July 24th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
    Scot Herrick said

    Travel, in my opinion, goes straight to the “control vs. influence” argument. The truth of the matter is that we have NO control over the fly/no-fly rules the airlines make. So, we are forced to accept what is, is. How we do that is a measure of our emotional intelligence.

    Liz is right in that all of these interactions at the airport for a delay makes an impression on our view of service of a particular airline.

    I’d extend the point a bit and note that it also tells us a lot about how we deal with the same delays. Would you make a favorable impression if you were asked for help by a fellow passenger? Or were talking to the person responsible for helping you?

    I’ve seen some pretty poor actions from our end too. Haven’t you?

    Scot

  6. July 24th, 2006 at 10:25 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Oh, yeah, Scot, I sure have seen some misbehavior on the part of passengers. But I was quite thrown by someone who would say that she’d be right back and NEVER return. I know she never visually looked at me and so her response was automatic, but even so . . . it was amazing, stunning, awesome in its incredibility.

  7. July 25th, 2006 at 8:27 am
    Starbucker said

    Jeepers Liz, seems like you and I are having a lot of what I call “fun and frolic” at airports these days! (I used to fly American a LOT - I have 1,858,000 miles logged with them) I just can’t get the attitude of counter agents these days - it seems to be getting worse, no matter what the airline. BTW, I bet you’d be interested in an interesting story that I linked to in my blog from the NY TImes about American Airlines and their CEO’s attempt to make peace with the employees - based on your experience I have to say it isn’t going too well! All the best.

    PS: you should be getting the Fawty Towers DVD’s on Wednesday, via Fed Ex - let me know if you want the tracking number. They are a hoot! Oh, and Basil should be there today or tomorrow (and HE’s quite the handful).

  8. July 25th, 2006 at 9:32 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Starbucker,
    Every since I took my first 17 hour flight. I learned that adventure mode is the only way to face an airport.

    I’m looking forward to Fawlty Towers and Basil. I’m taking Basil to Blogher in San Jose with me. He’ll get to see Technorati and all of the women bloggers. That’ could throw HIM for a loop. I think he might fall in love with Janice Myint.

  9. July 25th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
    Starbucker said

    OH yes, that will be very interesting for our dear Basil. Just keep him away from the bar…..
    From your fellow frequent flier.

  10. July 25th, 2006 at 6:03 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Thanks for the encouragement, Starbucker!
    I really need your support.

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