I should say that in something like 40 years of travelling, I sadly have come to expect weather delays and screw-ups as the norm, not the exception. Only once do I recall an airline making the inevitable inconvenience more than bearable, actually fun, playing trivia games at the gate, giving away door prizes, and joking with customers (Southwest Airlines, good job).
This morning I turned in a rental car at a regional airport to a key box, no human. Then I went to rebook for a later trip at a counter with a real person. I waited for her to get off the phone. Then I asked, could she tell me how much I might have to pay to rent a car on these particular dates?
“Our computer usually pulls up higher prices. Your best bet is to call the 800 number,” she told me. “OK,” I said, “I will do that,” and I walked away toward her competitor.
“You’re welcome,” she said loudly.
I did not challenge her. A “thank you,” of course, implied that she had done something for which I should thank her. What I thought she did was tell me she didn’t really want my business. What she should/could have said was, “Thank you for thinking of us – we would love to earn your business. But the way to get the lowest rate is really…and I would love to do that for you here, but I can’t.” And so on. Clearly, this car rental company should try harder.
The human at the next counter actually tried to pull up the quotes, but said no cars were available, and could I check the web? “Thank you,” I said, like my mother had taught me.
Then at check-in for the airline, I asked why a boarding pass for the first leg of the trip only printed out, not passes for both legs.
“That’s not the (insert name of airline here, you can tell it’s not Southwest) Way,” she told me, and that I should ask at the gate check-in.
Interesting. I did not know there was a Kool-aid type culture associated with this particular airline in terms of boarding pass policy, which I had experienced differently just three days ago. Also, answers like this do not satisfy my inquiring mind. However, because this was helpful information for the future, I said, “thank you.”
At the gate waiting to board the second leg, I observed a wiry man waiting in a seat near a woman in a wheelchair, behind whom her wheelchair attendant/pusher stood. They woman and wiry man must have just gotten off the deplaning plane to be met by the attendant.
The wiry guy, a bit agitated, went up to the airline gate agent and asked if the second wheelchair was coming for him. “I’m going to miss my flight.”
The gate agent said, “We don’t do that, that’s the wheelchair people.”
He asked the wheelchair guy, who said that he knew one was ordered. The attendant walked a few steps out to the hall and looked both ways to see if it was coming, and his hand made a gesture toward his walkie talkie, but at no time did he use it to call to see where the wheelchair was. The man said they’d better start walking, he didn’t dare wait. Neither the airline nor the wheelchair person apologized.
The ordered wheelchair did show up several minutes later.
Is there no one who is happy, enthusiastic and interested in actually helping their customers?
Just as I am pondering this, to what should my wondering eyes should appear walking down Concourse C?
Santa Claus, carrying a camouflage pack! I smiled when I saw him, in spite of myself!
Away to the hallway I made a mad dash, pulled out my cell phone and opened the camera flash.
“Santa!” I called him by name. He paused for a photo. Clearly, his handlers/elves were not present, as I caught him right in front of the Martini Lounge, not the best backdrop for his non-alcoholically jolly image.
“Where are you going?” He looked like a traveler, just lugging his pack.
“I’m going to meet some older people who need some help,” Santa replied, merrily. I forgot to ask why he was flying commercial airlines, rather than the traditional sleigh thing.
Yes, misguided car rental worker, sanctimonious airline check in person, disinterested airline gate attendant and unempowered wheelchair pusher, there is a Santa Claus! Right there on Concourse C, in front of the Martini Lounge!
We in the airport need him, too, not just the older people.
I was returning from a trip to help my 91-year-old mother adjust to an unwanted move to assisted living. The woman in line in front of me at the first leg check-in was returning from her father’s funeral. My seat-mate on the last leg was flying in to assist her sister, who is dying from pancreatic cancer.
Or…maybe we WERE the older people who needed him…just a glimpse, a reminder ?
Perhaps unhappy people performing jobs they do not like and are not good at are having to stay in them because there are so few other jobs. Perhaps the travelling public expects more for their dollar, with less patience. And we are squeezed in like sardines to planes whose smoke detectors go off by mistake, causing planes to return to the gate and screwing up your entire day’s schedule, making you arrive 10 hours late, with no apology from the airlines (which happened on my in-bound trip).
But somewhere in the North Pole, Concourse C or coming to a chimney near you, someone is still doing something nice for people who need help.
Santa cares. All is not lost. He gave me to know I have nothing to dread.
Merry Christmas, Airport Santa! Carry on with your important work.
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