Open Letter to the CEO of Alaska Airlines
William S. Ayer
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Alaska Airlines and Alaska Air Group
Dear Mr. Ayer,
I recently took a flight from Anchorage, Alaska to Seattle, Washington on Alaska/Horizon. I can only begin to imagine how difficult it is to run an airline in the current economic and security environment and at the same time create satisfied customers. You have a difficult challenge indeed, but that said, the buck stops with you. Before I tell you what part of the customer experience failed miserably, I would first like to tell you what went well. The pilots and supporting staff got everyone to their destinations safely and on time. The flight attendants did their duty and the staff at the gate did a great job. The automated boarding pass kiosk worked perfectly.
Now for the Alaska Airlines customer service belly-flop. My 91 year-old father and I stood in line for about 40 minutes just to check in two bags. There were a number of lines that were just not moving. The lines were not that long. They just weren’t moving. It was the most miserable baggage check-in experience I have ever had. Travelers were in disbelief. Granted, there were a few people that had boxes of their Alaskan salmon to ship home but is this is not a new experience for the airline or the airport.
Here are some suggestions to speed up this process:
- Have a representative walk through the baggage lines and work the crowd. Is your box taped properly? Do you have any special issues with your baggage that we can resolve before you get to the head of the line? Do you realize that there is a line on the other side of the counter that is shorter at the moment?
- Plan for the peak periods. Are there enough representatives to handle the crowd at a given time?
- Examine the process. Why does it take so long to process each bag? What is the holdup - are the reps properly trained to anticipate all the common scenarios? Why do they seem so confused?
It is exactly because of this poor baggage check-in process that third-party companies have sprung up to fill the service void. Such companies as Bags and Bags To Go will take bags, for a small fee, from travelers before they get to the airport and ensure that the bags are checked and on the correct flight. This is similar to what Clear did, for a fee, to eliminate the need to stand in security lines.
Mr Ayer: I challenge you to recognize that this is a problem and then fix it. Unlike the high cost of aviation fuel, this problem is within your control and is a significant customer “touch-point”.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:43 am
I think Alaska Airlines did the best possible job they could in responding to my concerns. I would like to share with you the very professional and considerate response I received from their Customer Care Representative:
August 19, 2008
Dear Mr. Schmidt,
On behalf of Bill Ayer, I appreciated receiving your email regarding your travel on August 12, 2008 from Anchorage to Seattle. By taking the time to contact us, you have not only given me the opportunity to assist you with your concerns, but also to consider what we can do in the future to prevent a similar situation from occurring again. I sincerely apologize for your experience with Alaska Airlines.
Alaska Airlines genuinely cares about providing you with a safe, efficient, and friendly travel experience. We pride ourselves on our longstanding reputation for providing extraordinary customer service to our guests. Based on the circumstances you have described, it is clear to me that we have fallen short of expectations, both yours and ours.
While we understand the importance of a quick, convenient check in process, there are factors that will occasionally cause long lines at the baggage/ticket counter. I apologize for any inconvenience you experienced. I also appreciate your suggestions concerning improvements to these lines. I have forwarded your comments on to the Anchorage Customer Service Manager for review and consideration.
Mr. Schmidt, I once again apologize for any inconvenience you or your father experienced. As a customer service gesture, I am including two Discount Codes. Discount Codes may be redeemed for a discount off of a future ticket purchase at www.alaskaair.com. The discount is available for your use for one year from the date of issue. Please reference the appropriate code below at the time of booking. Complete rules and restrictions can be found online at www.alaskaair.com.
I hope that you will accept my invitation to join us on another flight. I’m confident that we will once again live up to your expectations.
Sincerely,
Susanne A.
Customer Care Representative