Inform Your Passengers

Flying as an airline passenger is to relinquish control. Passengers depend upon flight crews to get them to their destinations safely and on time. When the choreography of this travel is interrupted by non-routine events, most (if not all) passengers want to know why. When flight crews keep them in the dark, they not only wonder why, but they assume that conditions are worse than they really are. For a passenger already anxious about flying, this can be very troublesome and even increase their anxiety. They already have given up control of their environment by becoming an airline passenger, and now they are not being informed about why things are not going according to their expectations.

There comes a point in our piloting careers when we, too, must fly as a passenger while commuting, deadheading, or traveling for personal reasons. Several years ago I was forced to commute on a regular basis. This gave me a unique opportunity to observe my fellow professional pilots from a passenger’s point of view. It was very educational.

One of the things—and there were many—that I learned is what a poor job we do with respect to keeping our passengers informed. At scheduled departure time, a passenger expects the aircraft door to close and the airplane to begin its pushback from the gate. When this doesn’t happen, they begin to wonder why. An announcement from the flight crew acknowledging the delay is appropriate at this time because it immediately relieves passenger anxiety before it begins to develop. Too often, though, it doesn’t happen. This is when passengers begin to assume that something is wrong because things are not going according to plan.

On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, Round II of the DOT Ground Delay Regulations went into effect. The government now requires that the flight crew make a PA announcement to the passengers every 30 minutes during a ground delay. While this communication is a good idea, it is a shame that such common sense must be legislated.

Many delays can be attributed to (but not limited to) weather, air traffic control, ramp congestion, aircraft loading or a mechanical issue with the airplane. My policy as an airline pilot is to inform passengers immediately when things don’t happen according to schedule. If we haven’t pushed back by departure time, I make a PA announcement explaining the delay in detail. I am honest about it. So when I sit in the cabin as a passenger, and departure time comes and goes without a word from the crew, I want to know why. If I wonder why, then so do others. The more time that passes without any acknowledgment or explanation from the crew, the more I become frustrated and thirsty for information. A delay is disappointing to passengers. It is unfair to further disappoint them by not explaining the reason.

Things happen. Things go wrong. This is normal, but most people judge an operation more by the manner in which problems are handled than by the initial cause of the problem.

Many pilots do not provide sufficient detail about mechanical delays. Which of the following explanations would you rather hear?

 “Ladies and gentlemen, we have an illuminated warning light and Maintenance will be working on it.”

or

“Ladies and gentlemen we have an inoperative light that tells us whether or not a door is open—much like the door light in your car. As soon as our mechanics fix this simple problem we will be underway. I anticipate about a 20 minute delay. If I learn that it will take longer than this, I will let you know. Thank you for your patience.”

Most often, something similar to the first announcement is made, which leaves passengers waiting for the other shoe to drop.

During one commute I was sitting in the passenger cabin when the flight attendant announced on the PA that we would be “delayed due to a mechanical problem.” That is all that was said, and it came from the flight attendant. This makes one wonder, is a wing spar cracked or does a light bulb need replacement? How bad is the problem? A nervous flyer will assume the worst. Firstly, this announcement should have been made by the pilot. Secondly, more detail is necessary. At least a half an hour went by without anybody saying anything more to the passengers. I fly the same type of airplane, and I was becoming furious at the lack of information. I watched others around me become equally upset.

On another commute while I was still in the gate area waiting to board a flight, scheduled departure came, and nobody from the airline told the passengers why the flight had not yet begun boarding. Like the other passengers, I was getting hotter by the minute (and they were paying for the experience). Some of us noticed a group of mechanics near the airplane with tools taking things apart. It was not difficult to deduce why this flight was late, but for the inexperienced flyer, there was no apparent reason for not being on the airplane. To pour salt in the wound, we saw the crewmembers jovially leaving the gate area—probably to get coffee or food—without uttering a single word to the passengers. The courtesy of a simple PA announcement explaining to the passengers what was happening and why the flight was delayed would have been a small and invaluable gesture. This would have satisfied their curiosity and quelled some of their anxiety. This common sense courtesy (or apparently not so common) is deserved by all, especially those who pay for their passage.

Departure time should never pass without a word being said to the passengers. In fact, information should be given before the delay occurs so that they don’t have to spend one minute wondering what is going on. To give the passengers a sip of information about the delay before it happens not only brings the passengers into the loop, but can prevent that thirst for information as to why they are being inconvenienced in the first place. It also saves gate agents from being assaulted with questions.

Pilots don’t give all the information they can to the passengers for a number of reasons. They think the passengers won’t understand the technical aspects of the delay, or they think the truth might be frightening, or they are just plain lazy and inconsiderate. There are no valid reasons for ignoring the paying passenger. Our passengers are smarter than we often realize. They include engineers, CEOs, presidents of companies, other pilots, doctors, lawyers, and a myriad of other professionals. We should address their intellect, not assume their ignorance.

I have found that being straight with the passengers regarding what is going on with their flight is the best policy. I hold very little back. Passengers very much appreciate this. They would rather know the truth than be forced to assume the worst. Bringing the passengers into the loop, and getting them “in the know” gives them a sense of being involved and retaining some control of their situation. Acknowledging and understanding the inconvenience that a late departure or arrival can create goes miles toward creating improved passenger relations.

It becomes mundane when we as pilots have to do this time after time, leg after leg—making excuses for our tardiness. However, talking to the passengers should be considered no less important than performing a preflight inspection of the airplane. It is part of the job. It is why we do not fly cargo. I am often asked why I don’t fly for FedEx or UPS. I reply, “Because of the people.” I enjoy interacting with my passengers. The most boring conversations I’ve had were with boxes.

Some of my most satisfied passengers and most of my commendation letters have been a result of flights that were significantly delayed. A flight delay is a major inconvenience. We are not measured as much by the unforeseeable inconveniences as we are by how we handle them. Keeping the passengers informed is the first step. I tell them exactly why the flight is delayed. If something is broken, I tell them what is broken. I explain the safety aspect of why it is needed. If a bleed valve is being replaced, I say so. Then I’ll explain what a bleed valve is. If the passengers are still in the gate area, I’ll talk to them on the PA. Look them in the eyes. I tell them that I’ll be hanging around the gate area for a few minutes before I go get a cup of coffee. If they have any questions, I tell them that they are free to approach me. Most of the time nobody does, but they seem satisfied that I am there to answer their questions. They are not being ignored. The people who pay for airline tickets and put food on my table really appreciate this. They feel like part of the team. But more importantly, keeping them informed relieves apprehension, anxiety, and fear.

I emphasize safety as the main reason for the delay. I let passengers know that we are not doing this to inconvenience them—the inconvenience is a byproduct of keeping the flight safe. I explain that I have a wife and three younger reasons at home to keep this flight as safe as possible. If anybody is upset when we arrive late, then I am pleased that they are alive and well enough to be upset.

True Colors

Hi! This is my very first blog. I intend to write about my experiences in aviation and in life. I look forward to the feedback I receive from anyone who might happen across my ramblings.

Thank you for reading.

  --  Brian

True Colors

Not long after being recalled to American Airlines from a four-year furlough, I was performing a pre-flight  inspection of the outside of an MD-80 on a cold, clear, windy winter morning. I took note of the shiny, silvery airliner reflecting, no, glistening in the sun. I had not yet become accustomed to the paint-less aluminum livery of American Airline’s jets. I come from a legacy of looking at white airliners with red trim. As I looked up at the American Airlines logo I wondered if I ever would have the same pride that I felt when I saw the TWA logo. Not likely, I thought. My father was a TWA captain. I grew up around TWA airplanes. Plus I was still bitter about being furloughed as a result of the TWA-American Airlines merger.

 

As I approached the tail section I noticed that the brisk winter wind was blowing the rudder to one side. This revealed a section above the rudder that wouldn’t normally be exposed. What I observed gave me pause. It was a tiny section of red paint on the leading edge of the rudder—again not normally exposed but for mother nature kindly displacing the rudder to reveal a little bit of this airplane’s inner beauty and former self. The red paint is left over from when the airplane used to wear TWA’s colors. Immediately Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” song came to mind. And I heard that song in my mind for the rest of the pre-flight. This stirred up a hornet’s nest of emotions for me, but most prominent was pride. I’ve never been a big fan of the MD-80 because I flew Boeing and Lockheed for most of my flying career. Now—after sighting the red paint—I was more proud of this airplane than ever. It made the transition with me, and somehow took on a majestic stance. This little peek at the airplane’s true colors changed my outlook that day. I started out cold and bitter, and then I became proud with song in my step.

I don’t know what was more prominent—the upturn in my mouth or the tear in my eye.

I like to take lessons from my experiences and draw parallels to life. I am not a very spiritual man, but I think a lot and always am looking to better myself. Sometimes I look at people the same way that I initially looked at this airplane. I see what’s on the outside and immediately judge them for what I see. Then upon closer inspection I see a hint of true colors and have an entirely new image of them. This encounter reminded me not to judge until I see what’s inside. 

So next time I am about to form an opinion, I’ll wait until I see—even if only a hint of—true colors.