Mesa Airlines, Inc.’s Post

Anyone else notice a significant decline of quality at Southwest Airlines? The last 4 flights in a row in my family have resulted in issues not due to weather resulting in significant delays. Crew issues, plane issues, and just general decline in quality of service at the gate and in flight (awful lot of apathy at the gate and awful lot of "it's going to be a bumpy flight so we won't be able to provide a service...spoiler the flights generally haven't been bumpy). I don't fly as much as I have in the past but I remember a time when I had to start flying SWA instead of American due to a change in job. My initial reaction was "oh no this is going to suck" because I had good status with American. My experience was pleasantly surprising at the time to the point that I almost exclusively fly SWA when I go somewhere and they are an option. To be fair, coming out of STL our other options are usually not awesome so SWA gets a ton of business by default (and I don't blame SWA for the generally horrible T2 experience that's a City of STL mismanagement issue). I just feel like the last 12-18 months they have really struggled to provide the quality of service I once enjoyed. I still feel like the employees at SWA are good folks for the most part...during a recent very confusing and unnecessary 2 hour delay I had a great conversation with a pilot who used his own cell phone to call operations trying to find his crew and then updated the folks in the seating area as the gate agent seemed perfectly content to only update folks who walked through the masses up to the podium to ask. I won't even get into their early boarding policy and the lack of enforcement of the "1 companion" rule or the miracle flights (6 wheelchairs on and maybe 1 on the way off) which could be resolved with assigned seating. At any rate I'm curious what others are seeing...feel free to tell me I am just getting old and curmudgeonly.

Are discount advisors the Spirit Airlines of financial services? Odds are I paid 20x more for the first class seat I’m in right now from SEA to LAS than did the passengers on a Spirit airlines flight doing the same route. Heck I probably paid 6x the price of the people in the back of this same plane, and if Colin Stroud is on this flight he paid nothing (at least in cash). But who got the better deal? If we look only at price, I clearly lost. But what if we factor in that my productive time generates $1,000 an hour and the time saved not waiting in lines is alone worth the difference? What if we factor that I can get more work done with the extra space in first class? Or as comedian Brian Regan jokes: “I’m making money right now!” The same is true for financial services. If you want to be the cheapest option, great for you. Like Spirit Airlines, you provide a valuable service to a demographic desperately in need of the lowest price option. If however you want to provide a first class service, and charge accordingly, just like first class on a major airline, there is a market for people willing to pay for a higher value. Thoughts?

I have to share this, and I have a personal accomplishment... I got a Delta Air Lines trading card... As a self-proclaimed United Airlines customer, I recently had an experience that reinforced customer loyalty and sparked an idea about enhancing customer engagement. While walking through Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport at the crack of dawn (4:47 am EST, to be precise), I encountered a Delta Air Lines captain. Despite my allegiance to United Airlines, I couldn't resist asking him for one of those coveted pilot trading cards—a unique Delta Air Lines specialty. To my surprise and delight, he graciously handed me a 777 card (see below). I have heard about these. You can only get them from Delta Air Lines pilots. I challenge all of you now to get one... This experience prompted a question: What makes such interactions so impactful? The answer is simple: they engage customers on a personal level, turning a routine encounter into a memorable moment. United Airlines Alaska Airlines Allegiant American Airlines Frontier Airlines JetBlue Southwest Airlines Spirit Airlines Sun Country Airlines this presents a unique opportunity for you.... Imagine the benefits of creating a challenge coin, a medallion, or even a special metal card that grants access to exclusive areas or offers discounts on food and merchandise. The potential for customer engagement and loyalty is vast and ready for your innovative touch. Such tokens of appreciation do more than thank customers for their loyalty; they create a tangible connection to the brand, fostering a sense of belonging and exclusivity. In the sports & entertainment landscape, sponsors, suite holders, premium, and season ticket holders could symbolize their esteemed status, enhancing their experience and deepening their loyalty. It's these thoughtful touches that can truly differentiate a brand. I urge brands and other sports & entertainment properties to reflect on how they can deepen their engagement with their most loyal customers and create an environment where every interaction is cherished and valued. It's time to think outside the box and create lasting connections with our customers. We're here to help. Do you know of any other teams, rights holders or companies that do this? #CustomerLoyalty #UnitedAirlines #DeltaAirlines

Yesterday I had the such an extraordinary customer service experience with United Airlines that I smiled all day. I started out with a horrific experience with American Airlines (Background: I'm an AA million-mile flyer!). They found problems that required multiple agents, rules, long hold times, and 'Sorry. You'll need to do that part on line and get back to us.' Finally, after being on hold for the second time (20 minutes) I hung up and called United. My goodness. Kudos to whomever trained them! Everyone was kind, helpful, and creative, seeking to make sure I got my needs met. When switching to a different department (it was quite complex), the original agent stayed on the line with and introduced me to the follow-on, avoiding a long hold. The entire process took less time - with fabulous results! I got exactly what I wanted! - than all the time I spent fighting the AA system. It's exciting to know that with so much automation these days, there's a company that truly serves their customers. Well done, United Airlines. #UnitedAirlines #SharonDrewMorgen #CustomerServiceBestPractices

I hate Ryan Air. But I have a grudging respect for them. For the first time in years, I flew Ryan Air for a weekend break in Copenhagen.  Only because their times suited me better than the other airlines. Ryan Air is a beacon of strategic light in a world full of foggy thinking. Ryan Air know that in order to be excellent at one thing you must have the courage to be terrible at something else.  They know there is a huge market for flyers who want the cheapest possible price and are prepared to be treated like sub-humans in the process.  So that is what they do, and they do it rather well. My experience?  They must pay the lowest amount for slots at Copenhagen airport because their gates are a full 20-minute walk from departures (inconveniencing the customer in the service of cheap prices means nothing to them). To meet a quick turnaround, they process the boarding before the plane arrives and force everyone into cattle pens for half an hour. They profitably sell priority boarding with no apparent limit so that the queue for non-priority is about half the length of the priority queue.  They use buses to get passengers to the plane which totally negates the point of the priority boarding you paid for. On and on it goes. They don’t even pretend to clean the aircraft during the turnaround. Ryan Air took the Southwest Airlines model (which still had room to care for your customers and has unparalleled customer loyalty) and took it to another, darker level. I get it, and I loathe them as much as they loathe me.

I don't know anything about #antitrustlaw but I do know that JetBlue should consider this blocked merger a blessing in disguise and find another partner. I can't imagine 2 airline brands that I have such strong contrary opinions about and experiences with--- JetBlue always a positive experience; Spirit Airlines always a terrible experience---- and I am not alone: From The Atlantic: "No doubt Spirit Airlines has its admirers. And by offering super-low fares, it has expanded access to air travel for many customers. But it has also long been seen as the epitome of everything that’s gone wrong with flying, a leader in an industry-wide race to the bottom. Always on the brink of insolvency, the airline’s never-ending search for cost savings has made it notorious for pioneering unpopular practices such as restricting refunds, shrinking seats, and, most controversially, charging for even the most basic amenities. It tends to show up near the bottom of on-time-arrival rates and near the top of the consumer-complaint rankings, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Maybe, as Young reasoned, competition from Spirit Airlines keeps other airlines’ nominal ticket prices lower than they otherwise would be. But it has also helped normalize loss of quality throughout the industry, which must be factored into the true cost of flying." https://lnkd.in/gCRp7RRZ #travelindustry #airtravel #businesstravel #leisuretravel #travelandtourism #airlines #airlineindustry #airlinenews

Open letter to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines CEO Marjan Rintel I hope this message finds you well. I am writing with a heavy heart, fueled by profound disappointment and frustration over an unresolved issue that has persisted for far too long. On the 15th of March, 2022, I opened a seemingly simple claim with #KLM, which involves an amount not exceeding $600 in value. However, to my utter dismay, this small claim has been lingering in processing limbo, subjecting me to countless hours of distress and anxiety. As a middle-class individual, every penny matters to me, and the small claim I submitted holds significant importance. It is disheartening to witness how the claim process has unfolded, with little to no communication from #KLM's customer service representatives. Their lack of transparency and accountability has only intensified my frustration, as I see the big corporations' disregard for individuals like myself, who place their trust in their services. I have dedicated precious time and energy in pursuit of a resolution, only to be met with silence and unmet promises. The impact on my #mentalhealth cannot be underestimated, as this prolonged uncertainty has caused immense stress and distress. The toll this situation has taken on my overall well-being cannot overstated, This unresolved #claims has left me in a state of vulnerability, feeling unheard and unimportant in the eyes of a company I had hoped to trust. With this heartfelt message, I implore you to intervene and ensure that my claims are addressed promptly and fairly. I understand the complexities of managing a global airline, but as a valued customer, I deserve better treatment and timely resolutions for my concerns. It is my sincere hope that you, as the #CEO, can exercise your leadership and compassion to bring this matter to a satisfactory close. Considering the significant emotional and Mental compensation for the #stress and anguish I have endured. Such acknowledgment and action on your part will not only rectify the current situation but also reaffirm my faith in KLM's commitment to its customers, regardless of their financial standing. I understand that you are incredibly busy, but I hope you can spare a moment to address this pressing matter personally. Your attention to this appeal would mean the world to me and would showcase #KLM's dedication to resolving issues and supporting their customers, irrespective of the scale of the claim. Thank you for taking the time to read my plea. I eagerly await your response and look forward to a resolution that upholds the values of fairness and #empathy, which I believe #klm stands for.

Dear American Airlines: “Every organization is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.” I am impressed with AA’s consistency - two flights this week both delayed. It’s what I expected and why I have started flying Southwest Airlines almost exclusively. No weather to cause delays - must be internal organization turbulence. The plane is here with nobody to fly or staff it. Side note to those wondering why in the world I would fly AA when I have regularly had experiences like this - it’s the difference in getting home on Friday night vs Saturday morning 🤞. Of course, no apology from AA, just a chance to rebook my flight for tomorrow morning for free. What an offer! Southwest was delayed two weeks ago due to weather and sent me a $100 luv voucher without me saying a word! Not even their fault… Strategic choices are hard to make and many companies don’t consciously make them. But this example offers a great contrast… AA, if you’d like some organization effectiveness consultation I know a guy!

I'm back on the American Airlines status hamster wheel.. Here's my tips and tricks for flying AA and earning Loyalty Points

Southwest Airlines' adjustment of its Rapid Rewards loyalty program illustrates a strategic response to shifting customer dynamics. It emphasizes a trend in loyalty programs: adaptability and personalization. By lowering tier requirements and recalibrating credit card benefits, Southwest acknowledges the evolving expectations of today's travelers. This move is pragmatic, reflecting the airline's necessity to remain competitive in an ever-changing market. If your brand is ready to elevate your customer experience, check out this blog: https://lnkd.in/g2vRytWq   #loyaltynews #customerexperience