Mitch Cronin Posted September 4, 2004 Share Posted September 4, 2004 "Two separate security incidents"... have led to closure of LAX (according to CNN) 1- corroded batteries in a flashlight "exploded" ???? 2- "a suspicious person" ???? Good golly! Ridiculous paranoid reaction?, or extreme caution based on knowledge? What a state we find ourselves in due to terrorism... Meanwhile, in Russia.... what a horrifying tale... Almost seems to me, the terrorists might be excused for thinking they're winning this war. I knew I should have skipped CNN as I mindlessly scanned channels today... dunno why I didn't. ...then there's Florida! Yikes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Financial Guy Posted September 4, 2004 Share Posted September 4, 2004 On a similar note, Mitch... The media is driving me nuts. Yesterday, I was listening to 680 News in the car, as I do 95% of the time - I guess I like repetition. Anyhow, they report that due to the approaching storm in Florida, US Airways was forced to cancel or reschedule over a hundred flights - fair enough, I guess only US Airways was affected . Not less that ten minutes later, a reporter comes on with a "headline" that went something like this.."Air Canada strands hundreds of people in the Bahamas, who have no choice but to stay in hotels - stay tuned". As if AC has any choice about having to cancel/reschedule flights because of Frances. Bloody ridiculous! Does anybody know of a more responsible news channel in the YYZ area - I'm sick of 680? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 80 Posted September 4, 2004 Share Posted September 4, 2004 Turn off the radio, Expecting editorial quality from talk radio is like expecting objective analysis from Lancaster. A while back one of the mouth-breathers on QR77 in Calgary was ranting and raving about air canada and how it was a "soviet government enterprise" and all sorts of crap, and how he was going to sue Air Canada for canceling a flight or something and how it was all the fault of Pierre Trudeau and Fidel Castro, and that George Bush is a beacon of light to the whole world and Air Canada hates America and all sorts of crap. This guy was just going all over the place and some-how relating it back to trashing Air Canada. Nothing is worse than being stuck in traffic with someone who won't turn off the radio for 10 seconds or even turn it down to use his cell phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted September 4, 2004 Share Posted September 4, 2004 "Two separate security incidents"... have led to closure of LAX (according to CNN) 1- corroded batteries in a flashlight "exploded" ???? 2- "a suspicious person" ???? Good golly! Ridiculous paranoid reaction?, or extreme caution based on knowledge? What a state we find ourselves in due to terrorism... American's, no make that North American's are just learning how to deal with terrorism and overreact due to a lack of experience dealing with a threat and a media so competitive that the dramatization of news is in a out-of-control spin to attract the news hungry audience. A very sad state indeed. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from the Brit's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lavoy Posted September 4, 2004 Share Posted September 4, 2004 ...Does anybody know of a more responsible news channel in the YYZ area - I'm sick of 680? Why don't you try 1280 CFYZ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest long keel Posted September 4, 2004 Share Posted September 4, 2004 1010 and 640 are the best in YYZ AM radio for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 CNN wasn't getting the bang for their buck with the Hurricane coverage today! No good shots of anything falling apart. Just some boats floating around and a guy surfing. I guess they needing something with a little more pizzazz to keep the mindless interested. With the Kobe Bryant trial over, what else do they have to cover????? Michael Jackson has become too passe'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chockalicious Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 I thought the AC flight was actually cancelled because of an engine problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Financial Guy Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 chock, Perhaps. However we weren't to know exactly what happened due to the attempt at being over-dramatic on 680's part. If it infuriates me that AC is the favorite whipping boy of the media, then it must really infuriate those who are dedicated to AC as their employer. I guess that was the point I was trying to make. Cheers, FG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newgirl Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 C'mon guys Don'cha know Air Canada has become the company Canadians love to hate usurping Canada Post from that #1 spot? We should be proud that we are #1! for something. HA ha ha If they are overtly rude in their comments about us in front of me, I will casually ask them what they do for a living and then politely find something to denigrate their company. Or a middle seat in the last row of an aircraft sometimes changes their attitude for the next trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chockalicious Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 If they are overtly rude in their comments about us in front of me, I will casually ask them what they do for a living and then politely find something to denigrate their company. Or a middle seat in the last row of an aircraft sometimes changes their attitude for the next trip! Yes I guess the last thing you would want to do is take the high road, give them great service, and change their opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newgirl Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 Chock Don't worry the high road has been taken in the past for these people but they keep on coming back. There are choices out there and their choice is to stay with us but keep on complaining ad nauseum! Most complaints follow along the lines of "I can never get an aisle seat" , "I had to pay for a hotel when My flight was cancelled during the Power Blackout on the East coast" or "My bag didn't arrive". In 2 cases its because the pax has checked in 15 mins before departure. In the 3rd case no one was flying ! These people are chronic complainers and no matter how superior the service is , they will find fault and voice it loudly to anyone within ear shot. We will never change their opinion nor do I feel we have to try. These people are not the ignorant redneck who had one bad experience and tells the world about. This pax type is balancing a fine line between complaining and verbal harrassement. In my base we have at least on pax who asked by our head office to cease travelling with us as we no longer wanted his custom. How many other letters have been sent over the years ? I do not apologize for my actions as I know how extremely well we treat our customers. Today we had very elderly women give us an old AC flight bag (collectors piece) as thanks . Her story is that when she travelled in Jan/04 , her fathers nail file was refused by Security for carryon. It was very precious to her and she was very upset. One of our counter agents dug through the baggage can , found her suitcase and slipped it inside. When she arrived at her destination , there was her nail file ! Her gift of a very old flight bag was more precious to us than any other present. she could have given So please , refrain from the smug comments of a "high Road" ! In my 31 years with this company I have seen thousands of stories like this which never makes the front page news. Your comment is as unfair as the "Chronic Complainers" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chockalicious Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 I am not sure that my comment to you was unfair. In your lengthy response you never did mention howI will casually ask them what they do for a living and then politely find something to denigrate their company.actually benefits anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newgirl Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 Chock Actually it takes them aback. Then they start to think about their own less than perfect company who over the years receives the same type of inappropriate complaints that they are voicing to me. The adage comes to mind "If you live in a glass house , don't throw stones" or as Mom says " If you can"t think of anything nice to say , don't say anything". Unfair comment , well I hold to my opinion. If you are a CSA, then you should understand where I am coming from. If not , how can you offer an opinion when you 've never worked my job ? Another adage "Walk a mile in my shoes" comes to mind. Lastly , if you read my rare posts , I am not malicious towards other work groups but I am getting tired of the "you should aspire to the higher road etc" for my group of employees. Easy to say when you don't work it. FYI -today we were given a thank you gift for providing great service from a customer. We (2 crusty old females) tried to refuse the gift as it was just the service we provide (10 windsails here for a competion) but she said we deserved it as we actually had to lift them on to the baggage belt etc. Ok too lengthly again -I quit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest long keel Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 NewGirl! You are on to something only when dealing with those that feel AC could do no right. Not only that occasionally it works small miracles. The trick is giving a response that is so outside the box that the client is forced to pause and think. Properly executed they will even laugh and come around. It is all in how the message is delivered. I had a passenger once complain to me loudly that the aircraft I was flying was too small, and therefore unsafe. I simply reminded the lady, (dressed in her finest black stretchy pants clinging for life to her svelte 250lb frame) that "The Titanic was big, and it was supposed to be the safest ship to sail the Atlantic. " Rather than try to take the high road I landed a sarcastic hit to her ego that silenced her, made others around her laugh, and perhaps made her think twice about yelling complaints at the top of her lungs to be heard by all the other pax. I could have spent 5 minutes discussing the safety aspects of the airplane, of air travel, and the training of the engineers, inflight and pilots but it would have been lost. This airplane only had 50 seats and she needed to scream out to the first person in a uniform how angry she was! Sometimes the high road has a little construction and alternate routes need to be found. This isn't something that should be done daily, but when dealing with someone who is trying to belittle the airline or the employee with a hateful ignorant tone, why not have a little fun? None of us took this job to be screamed at. Where in the ticket purchase does it say that screaming like an idiot at the staff is encouraged?!? Alternate situations mean alternative situations. Newgirl, I think you were bang on in dealing with the situation you faced. I have no doubt you are liked by +99% of customers that you see and that the other 1% could not be turned around with a free flight, and a limo ride home. If we only cater to the screamers, then eventually Darwin's theory means everyone evolves to become a screamer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newgirl Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 Longkeel Humor and on occassion sarcasm does work. I rarely use the sarcasm route but in some incidences its a last resort. AC 's doctrine is such that the customer is always right. For 31 years I've put up with snide , derogatory remarks on situations that I or the company have no contol over and have just had to bite my tongue. Everyone has a breaking point and usually its the insignificant remark that triggers sacrasm. Anyway heres one for you, A lady shows up at our counter and asks where the express checkin machines are. She was the only pax in the terminal and we had 4 agents without customers sitting there. So I said " Ma"am , look around , does it look like we need express checkin? Theres no one here but yourself." Yes she laughed at herself but her friends really enjoyed it. Their eyes were still twinkling when they left the counter. Perhaps they'd been listening to " Well , in YYZ we have......." all week! Thanks for understanding where I was coming from , some days dealing with the public can drive you crazy. Our families don't understand how draining it can be unless they work there too. This forum provides interaction between all branches and companies which I beleive is valuable to us all even if we receive negative reactions to our posts. It makes US sit back and think ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest long keel Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 Agreed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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