Airlines…….

Its good to be home! Even if the weather is bad and the amount of things on my “to do list” just went up exponentially since it is now pretty certain I am moving. Even the dulcet tones of the cute little broadcaster on TV Tokyo were joyous to my heart.

I noted with great sadness the day we left to come back, the upcoming merger of Delta and Northwest Airlines. While it may help the profit margins of the two companies, the traveling public has just been handed another bad deal. I thought about this during the long hours of the trip back.

Inevitably what happens in a merger like this is that one carrier gets pulled down to the service standards of the other. Northwest, whom I have had generally positive experiences with,  will be reduced to the same level of crappy service that Delta now typifies. And that’s just sad.

Ah, for the good old days!

There is a lot that US carriers could learn from Asian Airlines if they would just choose to do so. I submit to you that every US air carrier has lost sight of the service aspect of their industry-as well as professionalism by all their employees across the board. As a result, air travel has become, in the United States, the mass transit experience of other countries. Which is sad if you ask me.

With the Northwest merger here is what I think will happen:

1) The two pilots groups are going to have a huge fight about merging their seniority lists. Even if its amicably resolved there will be bitterness on both sides for a while-more so if the airline management does not give the impression of caring about their ideas. There is big money and job security in these things so it will be hard fought. Same too probably with the flight attendants.

2) Both companies will annouce that there will be no changes to the existing route structure or levels of service. Then they will get on with the firings and the consolidation of Northwest routes to Delta’s hubs. This will especially hurt people in the norhteast who have to travel to Asia. ( The saying will be even more true: “Even if you have to go to hell, you still have to change planes in Atlanta.”).

3) Air fares will go up and service will go down.

4) The number of flights available will go down as the new carrier tries to maximize revenue. So more people will be packed into fewer aircraft.

During our trip, the service aspect was the main thing that jumped out at it me-and we were on United and Singapore Air-so the differences were easy to see.

“Oh get off it, all you cared about was that the Singapore Airlines stewardess’s are gorgeous”

Yes they are. They are also, in my observation, very professional and as I watched them both ways deal with surly Sri Lankans- they held their own keeping things under control while providing good service.

The point is though, that Asian airlines, for the most part, have a certain professional image and they take time to cultivate it. And that image permeates across the airline-not just with the cabin crew.

For example, on the way over to Shopping Mall USA, Singapore Air had separate lines for their Gold customers and were able to provide boarding passes all the way. The folks behind the counter are dressed professionally and in a manner that shows pride in their company.

On the return trip? A rather put upon, heavy set, woman,  in a United shirt and rumpled pants, tried to tell me that I would have to recheck my bags in LAX because I was not flying all the way on United. I informed her that was impossible due to our connection time and furthermore, “Singapore Air is a Star Alliance carrier, so what was the problem? ”

“But your United tickets are only to LA.”

” True, but laying on the counter before you is my confirmed reservation with Singapore Airlines and all the info you need.”

” I’m not sure I can do that…I’ll have to ticket you just to LAX”.

” I can’t make my connection if you do that. Please call your supervisor”.

Who immediately told her that yes it is done all the time-and then had to show her how to do it in the computer. Even at that, they gooned up the luggage tags the first time-good thing I checked them.

Its little things like that , which should just drive people up the wall and make them revolt against what the airlines are offering. However good alternatives are not really available. Go to American Airlines? They screw you coming and going with ticket changes-and if you try to upgrade on short notice? Its going to cost you.

Speaking of upgrades-that’s another thing that just rankles me. On an Asian carrier, I have never flown in business class without it being full.  That’s the way it should be, because using upgrades to reward their frequent flyers is a way to build customer loyalty. I’ve been upgraded three times on Cathay Pacific without even asking. Never with an American carrier. A half empty business cabin is just wrong.

The other thing that rankles me is drink coupons or charging for drinks on long over-water flights.

Look too at the differences between economy cabins on a Singapore Airlines 747 and a United one. Headrests and individual TV’s are not going to break the bank. Neither does real silverware.

Sure you pay more many times on the Asian carriers-but if you are careful and shop around there are deals to be had. Like the inexpensive air fare we got from NRT-LAX. The service was still good though.

Ticket prices are competitive-I know that. However there are more than a few people who would be more loyal to a particular carrier if they knew that loyalty was going to be repaid somehow. On an Asian airline it is.