Devoted to customer service and the principles of exceptional customer services

One of my best friends has been a United Airlines flight attendant for almost ten years on and off (She was laid off at 9/11).  When she first started, being a flight attendant was still considered a “glamour” job.  Of course, as with any new job, she was very excited to be visiting all these different cities and countries.  Who wouldn’t love to be paid to do that, right?


First Class United Airlines in 1987/Photo by Alan Light

Well, all that has changed.  My friend calls me and she sounds extremely stressed out...  

“I can’t take it anymore!” she exclaims.  “Everyone - fellow flight attendants, customers, supervisors - are just plain mean!  Flying used to be a stress-free experience, but now flying is just the same as riding the Greyhound Bus!  Customers are angry because we run out of food, First Class flyers are angry because they can‘t get a second meal…Everyone is just angry.”

My friend went on to tell me that United Airlines:

1.  Has given her numerous pay and benefit cuts
2.  Didn’t include good customer feedback in her employee record (something the company is supposed to do)
3.  Schedules her crazy hours in which sometimes she only gets five hours of sleep
4.  Fellow agents treat her like she’s a scab on their arm
5.  Could care less if she left the company because they could easily find someone to take her place who would accept less pay
6.  Supervisors pay attention to the negatives and don’t offer any kind of morale or support

Of course I told her that it was probably time to move on and find something else to do or find another airline who would treat her better…like Southwest Airlines.

Anybody want to hire a person who has a sincere passion for helping people and can treat her better than United Airlines?