Nobody likes airline companies.
This is according to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, which ranks hundreds of companies based on customer surveys (and according to anyone who has travelled by air in the past ten years). Of course, it is not entirely the fault of the airlines. Long lines, invasive security checks, and delayed and cancelled flights are often out of the control of any specific company.
By the time passengers reach the plane, they are a tinderbox of frustration and hate.
U.S. airlines, however, are not completely innocent. Since the attacks of September 11, 2001 and through the recent recession, the industry has struggled to recover. Companies have employed a number ofschemes, including costs reductions by cutting passenger services, fees for everything from carry-on luggage to in-flight blankets, and even mergers with competition to fortify positions.
These tactics, however, were for the benefit of the airlines, not the customers. And customers noticed.
As the reputations of airlines continued to decline and consumer sentiment sour, one airline consistently performed well and remained profitable: Southwest. Although their business model differed from other airlines (no assigned seating, limited routes), one thing set them apart from other airlines.
Inflight service.
While most U.S. airlines employed crews that were stuffy, well dressed, dry and often very strict, Southwest’s crews wore khaki pants and polo shirts and were known to joke, laugh and cohort with the passengers and one another. They have long been known for their inflight announcements, specifically their safety instructions, which in 2010 garnered national media attention. Even their captains have gotten into the action on occasion.
Other airlines started taking notice.
Delta, for example, was one of the first airline stalwarts to introduce more humor into the pre-flight instructions with a series of safety videos that pushed the humor envelope, albeit very subtly. They even included a holiday video and, this year, a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eduNjwNvcH4