Centerlines - June 2008 - (Page 10)

A S S O C I AT E S ’ C O R N E R Travelers Aid Assists Airports in Providing Service to Stressed Passengers FOR SEV ER A L M O N T H S the media has issued warnings about the air travel nightmares travelers can expect this summer. Once again, in this peak travel season, airport operators are stuck in the unenviable position of promoting a quality journey for travelers while having little or no power over airline maintenance issues, air traffic control, the Transportation Security Administration, delays at a distant hub, or Mother Nature. But who gets the blame when a trip goes badly or unfortunate delays ensue? These days, when a customer has a bad experience Picture all the unaccompanied minors you may see over the summer as children visit relatives or attend sleep-away camps. Imagine the growing number of elderly travelers and people with disabilities who need extra care. Think about the passenger who shows up, expecting to be met by family or friends, but they’re waiting at the wrong airport. Not all of these persons are armed with cell phones and credit cards, and they need some tender loving care. Consider the mother with a longer than expected layover who needs diapers; a crying child separated from her parents; a senior whose required medication is in his checked baggage; or the foreign visitor who needs to overcome WITHIN the Travelers Aid network, our staff and volunteers routinely reach out to other programs within the network to ease the journey for stressed passengers. it often expresses itself in a statement like: If I have to go to the West Coast again, I’m never booking a ﬂight through “Airport X.” Or, I’ll ﬂy into City ABC and rent a car for the rest of the drive rather than visit “Airport X” again. Travelers Aid, with a network at 26 North American airports, assisted 6.5 million passengers in 2007. Travelers Aid knows that the only way to counteract the potential negative experience that a passenger might have at your airport is with a quality customer service program—one that not only provides a friendly smile and a warm welcome but can help solve problems during a stress-ﬁlled journey. four-airport-hopper trips. This only compounds the chances for delay, missed connections, etc. Within the Travelers Aid network, our staff and volunteers routinely reach out to other programs within the network to ease the journey for stressed passengers (especially when a person at their origination airport realizes that they will need help at an intermediate or destination airport). Your airport customer service program can become a part of the Travelers Aid network, and as a result share in our best practices, participate in bimonthly airport network conference calls, help connect your customer service operation with others at progressive airports, and ensure the kind of quality service effort that will keep customers coming back. The Travelers Aid name equals excellent customer service. R AY F LY N T P R E S I DE N T T R AV E L E R S A I D I N T E R N A T I O N A L As president of Washington, D.C.–based Travelers Aid International, Raymond M. Flynt oversees an association of 51 member agencies, including a 26-airport customer service network. Travelers Aid operates programs in every one of the top 13 U.S. airports. Mr. Flynt frequently serves on panels on airport customer service. Contact him at rayﬂynt@travelersaid.org. language barriers. Solving these problems keeps Travelers Aid busy year-round. For all your customer service efforts, the reality is that a traveler’s journey these days includes at least two airports, and in many cases three or more. Internet travel booking sites have empowered consumers to make the choices Travelers Aid’s mission is to advance and support a netthat work best work of human service provider organizations committed for them, and to assisting individuals and families who are in transition, not surprisingly, or crisis, and are disconnected from their support systems. those shopping For more information, visit the Travelers Aid website at: for a bargain www.travelersaid.org are willing to do those three- and WEBLINK 10 CENTERLINES | JUNE 2008 http://www.travelersaid.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Centerlines - June 2008

Centerlines - June 2008 Contents President’s Message Canadian Airports Associates’ Corner Guest Column On the Hill and On the Stump Policy Center Cover Story: Hotter Than Last July? Revenue Arena: Building Non-Aeronautical Revenue Environment: Wind Turbines at Boston Logan Passenger Focus: Des Moines Deals with the Iowa Caucuses Safety and Security: Inline Explosives Detection Systems Air Service Recruitment: Holding on to What You’ve Got On Management: Managing Capital Programs Now Underway Grand Opening Conference Previews and Reviews New Members Index of Advertisers/Advertiser.com Box Scores

Centerlines - June 2008

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