FOCUS ON AIRLINE TRENDS
Founder of market research agency
airlinetrends.com, Raymond Kollau reveals the latest trends in the air in his new regular feature
Making a difference
Airlines let cabin crew perform more specific roles and equip them with digital devices to offer a differentiated inflight service including prior awareness of all-important passenger preferences
AIRLINE crew are one of the most important assets an airline has. Witness Southwest, who is actively encouraging its employees to make a difference, describing them as someone “who dares to make mistakes, dares to be different, finds a way to utilize people’s special talents, and lives a little on the edge.” While few airlines would actually applaud a pilot holding the plane so a passenger on his way to a funeral could make it, or a rapping flight attendant - to name a few examples of Southwest crew making a difference - airlines in recent years have been investing in ‘softer’ elements of the inflight experience. As the saying in the industry goes: “Running an airline is about the people and the food,” friendly service by crew members that genuinly care is often mentioned by passengers as one of the more memorable experiences of the flight.
Training Asia-Pacific and Gulf-based carriers are especially setting the service standards in the air. The 2011 Skytrax award for best cabin staff is dominated by Asian carriers, with respectively Asiana, Malaysian Airlines and Singapore Airlines in the top three positions. Besides a service-oriented culture, this is achieved by offering thorough training and investing in facilities. For example, as part of a 15-week initial classroom and on-the-job training, one of the highest in the airline industry, new Singapore Airlines flight attendants learn customer service in multiple cabin mock-ups at the airline’s Flight Crew Training Centre, which also features rooms dedicated to make-up and scents training, as well as proper walking lessons. At the opening of Qantas’ Centre of Service Excellence in Sydney, which features experience zones, a wine and food training wing, and image and presentation rooms, the airline’s general manager stated that the training facilities would “result in more consistency in the
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www.onboardhospitality.com
Air New Zealand inflight concierge
airline’s customer service, which will be a big differentiator for airlines competing for high- end customers in difficult times.”
Sky nannies, onboard chefs, inflight concierges Besides investing in cabin crew training, an increasing number of airlines are dedicating crew to a specific role, in order to differentiate the inflight service. Onboard Gulf Air flights, for example, a member of the crew is professionally trained to look after young passengers in order to take the strain off parents travelling with kids. Besides keeping the kids entertained, Gulf Air’s Sky Nanny also arranges dining and helps set up bassinets. Another signature service by Gulf Air, an onboard Sky Chef, is also offered by airlines
“Asia-Pacific and Gulf-based carriers are especially setting the service standards in the air”
such as Etihad, Turkish Airlines and Austrian. The onboard chefs often have a formal culinary training to provide a restaurant-like service in the sky. For example, courses are served from a rolling cart and passengers can choose from a selection of appetizers or desserts presented to them. Although the limitations of the aircraft galley equipment often allows them to prepare little more than a fresh omelette egg for breakfast, Etihad says its First Class chef cooks dishes to order, including raw meats. Gulf Air emphasizes that its Sky Chefs also have the routine to prepare dishes
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