Quote:
Originally Posted by MissyB
You clearly misunderstood my entire point. My complaint is with the (lack of) customer service experienced with American Airlines, not with the regulations outlining compensatory rewards. However, it was noble of you to stand by your fellow man and try to defend Ms. Harrington's deplorable behavior.
I wonder then, was it the airline that told the gate agent to suggest an inconvenience would involve "falling out of the sky"? As a mere gate/ticket counter agent I can see why you wouldn't want to go beyond the call of duty and spare compassion for those you serve. After all, you're not in the business of helping people, but instead you're there to board passengers PERIOD, right? Imagine the public outcry if a teacher or firefighter made similar callous remarks: an inconvenience would be having a stupid kid fail out of school, or an inconvenience would be having your house and worldly possessions lost in a burning inferno. There must obviously be differing definitions of customer service in the airline industry.
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The agent should have had compassion, and not made that remark. As far as going beyond her duties; I've seen several fellow agents fired, for going above their duties, including one, who was offering upgrades to inconvenienced customers. Someone from Human Resources, and Corporate Security came in, a few days later, told her she had cost the airline thousands by doing this, not being authorized, and she was fired. As an agent, anytime I rebook you, on a flight other than the one you were origninally booked on, or any time I give out a voucher, if given permission to do so by the manager, I have to give documentation on why I did it. We all, as agents, have a sign in to the computer system, and it logs EVERYTHING we do. Whether you agree with this, or not, that is the way it is, and again, as agents, we just work there, and do what we are told. Nobody is hiding behind policies, etc., we have to follow them. I don't agree with all of the policies, but when I was hired, I agreed to obide by them, or else I will get written up, or terminated. Like any business.
I did say in my first post, that it was unfortunate what happened to you, and I agree that the agent shouldn't make comments regarding the airplane falling out of the sky.
Customer service, is customer service, but certain agents are hired and trained to deal with specific issues. Gate agents are hired to board, and deboard passengers, ticket agents are hired to check passengers in, and "ticket" passengers. Baggage service agents deal with the baggage. There are other agents trained to deal with complaints, and authorized to deal with those complaints. If one is not, they should get one who is, or the supervisor, or manager to come handle the situation.
I understand you are frustrated, but in your response, it sounded like you are trying to blame me, and other agents for how the airlines operate. I just work there, I don't make policies, or outline what employees duties are. I don't understand why passengers make it a point to try to tell agents about how things shouldn't be like this, or that, and what if a policeman or fireman said that, etc. What if they did? I don't have control over that, and I don't have control over what management tells me I am, and am not authorized to do.
You need to bring this complaint, and the issues you raised, to the airline executives, not an agent, like myself. I am at the bottom of the totum pole, and at the mercy of these greedy executives, just like you. My last day as an airline agent, is May 31, and I cannot wait.