Telling Stories in Japan

I recently spoke with a chief editor of an influential business newspaper about his experiences with Emirates. As he was based in Dubai, he was a regular customer of Emirates and belongs to its frequent flier program. Many aspects of Emirates airlines has induced him into becoming a regular customer. These include Emirates' high quality veneer of having new aircrafts, state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. However, despite these attractions, he spent much of his time telling me stories of his travel woes -- several of which involved mistakes in booking and cancellations, missing baggage and payment declines.

One unfortunate experience with Emirates that has stood out in his mind, involved a 2-day baggage delay. On this particular trip to Yemen, he was expected to host a group of 30 Japanese investors composed of top executives from major business firms and banks. Upon arrival, he discovered that his luggage had been shut out of cargo and would be trailing behind on a two-day lag. At that point, he had little option but to greet Yemen's prime minister and other officials in his casual attire. Even now, the experience has left him feeling indignant.

The experience, he mentioned, was aggravated because he received little acknowledgement or apologies for the inconvenience despite being a priority member with a gold card. When he sent a claim to the Emirates headquarters, he received a follow-up email a month later from the customer affairs department. "The email was so generic, titled 'Reference no. X' that I almost deleted it thinking it was spam mail."

In recapping his experiences with Emirates, he acknowledges that the airline does offer high quality service on the hard aspects such as its cutting edge equipment but it's the soft aspects such as his experiences with personal service that stands out in his mind when he shares his stories.

Give travelers a story worth telling. Make it personal. Reconcile the space between the hard attractions and the softer ones.

Flying Economy Class

For those who fly quite often, they will gladly tell you that the Economy Class is by far the worst seating in the flight because of small isles and no leg room.

“I feel so segregated when I am flying because as soon as you board an airplane, you are made to feel like you are a cheap customer. When you see the luxury of business class and first clas and the treatment they get, you immediately see that you are just a seat number and possibly a statistic when the plane crashes.”

We spoke to a number of people who had very unpleasant stories to tell about their flying experiences.

Rego is one case who has had the most “un-cool” experience while flying Economy class to one of our local destinations.

She tells us about how she was sitting at the front of the airline in the economy class and she could see the irritation of the air hostesses when she called them for something. She could feel their reluctance in pleasing and tending to her.

Richard also tells us that he has flown a number of times to different destinations and in different seats. What he has noticed from each is the different treatment and reluctance the Economy Class individuals get.

‘Yes, when you're flying Economy Class, you have paid less than the individual who is in business class but why do the air hostesses make us feel like we are not as important or that we have not paid for a service?”

For him, Singapore airlines was the only airline that knew how to treat their passengers with dignity, no matter where they sat in the airplane. Many airlines do not realize that passengers on most flights fly quite frequently and they know what it means to fly on economy, first class and business class. They want to be treated just as luxuriously throughout and want to feel important at every interaction. Passengers want the luxury treatment of business class and the attention that comes with seating on first class. They know that they won't be as comfortable, but they want to feel just as important for choosing that specific airline and destination.

Passengers want the luxury and the approach of royalty. If anything, they want airlines to treat them with respect and dignity as they do their business travelers. For them, being able to fly at any given time whether First Class or Economy Class is a privilege many do not have and they wanted to be celebrated for being able to reward themselves with such a luxury.

Help them feel like royalty all the time.

Traveling and Connecting in Dubai

Imagine visiting and stopping over in Dubai, the rich city of gold and natural resources. With a visa, you can enjoy their delicate cuisine and the visually artistic city out there, but when you're stuck at the airport, there is very little to explore.

All there is to do is to shop the duty free goods at the airport. Whilst this seems like a dream, it also does not really fascinate the traveler whose main purpose is merely to connect to their next flight.

All in the name of Emirates, passengers have chosen the low cost tickets that Emirates offers for a trip from Johannesburg to London. But the ticket comes with the price of having to put themselves through long hours of waiting at the Dubai airport.

We spoke to Robin, a chef working in the northern parts of Johannesburg. She tells about a skiing trip she took to Switzerland with friends. What seemed like a bargain turned out to be emotionally exhausting trip that took away from the fun of skiing.

Robin and her best friend Greg had been planning this trip for months; they had booked tickets via the internet and chosen Emirates as the perfect airline because of their low costs. With the skiing gear neatly packed in their bags, and their airplane tickets ready, they boarded the glam Emirates plane that promised them a wonderful time ahead.

“Their planes are awesome. They have the best entertainment system and the best service we had ever seen in our lives. They are ahead and I respect them for their wonderful service, but we hadn’t anticipated the mishaps that would take place after our long flight to Dubai.”

With a selection of up to a thousand movies to choose from, comfortable seating and decent leg room, Emirates had quickly scored points for these two, but little did they know that this build up was only to be met with an uncomfortable transit stop and drama.

“I have never waited so long for a plane -- and only to have my luggage lost.”

After four long hours of waiting and airport wandering, Robin and Greg left Dubai feeling exhausted and not so enthusiastic about Emirates and the trip they still had ahead of them. The anxiety of waiting on the uncomfortable chairs made them lose out on an extra four hours of their sleep. And to make matters worse, when they arrived, their luggage had gone missing. For four days, they went without their skiing equipment. What seemed like a dream trip had turned out to be a nightmare, and all of a sudden, Emirates seemed like a catalyst to their misfortune.

Help them feel less anxious about transit stops. 

Robin and Greg are not the only people who avoid Emirates because of their long transit stop.

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“People have nothing against the Emirates brand. If anything they respect them,” says Victoria, a travel agent based in Rosebank. "But clients are not happy with the akward routing the airline offers. And most ask about Emirates but are sometimes not very keen on flying with them again because they just find it unnecessary to go to a destination they did not set their hearts on. It really leaves travelers feeling exhausted and at risk for mishaps."

Whilst people are looking for bargains and a means of getting to their preferred destination, they also weigh up the cost and hours spent worrying and rectifying mistakes made by airlines. Flying for these people, is a risk and not just a life risk but a risk of an incomplete experience. Flying and connecting means more hours of airport scuffle, panic, delayed flights and worst of all,  luggage loss. Flying and connecting means meeting your worse demons of loneliness and anxiety if you are  travelling alone. It means the worry of not reaching your destination in one piece.

So whilst people are keen on exploring, they are also looking for an easier way to get to their destination. They want as little hassle as possible and feel that losing even a minute on their trip are moments lost exploring. It takes away from the fun and experimentation of your destination, it dampens your mood and leaves you vulnerable to fights and misconduct by the airline. To avoid this experience, most people do not even consider Emirates when going to Europe. 

For frequent flyers, Emirates is one of the best airlines in the Eastern part of the world, but it is a limited one. To travelers, Emirates means Dubai. Any other destination brings forward the woes and worries. 

Make travel less of a gamble and more of a reward. 

Getting to the Future First

As times changes and technology changes, the demands of the passenger rises. They want more and more everyday and they will not be lenient about these demands.

“It’s my trip and I expect airlines to understand that I have taken time to plan every last detail.”

With the access of online bookings for flights and hotel dates, people are expecting airlines to be even more in touch with a travelers needs and growing demands. There aren’t any excuses anymore as technology is changing how travelers access and demand information and services.

Mika tells us that he has big dreams for the future and he knows that the world is his oyster. He pictures himself flying the world over and being able to reach every one of his dreams. He certainly looks like the type who’d jump from a moving plane, take up aviation classes, or guide a crashing plane to safety.

For this young man, the future is here and he wants everything around him to help him get to it first. He sees hologram meetings in the future and more socialised flying in the sky. He wants to meet people, talk to people and learn from people and he can’t imagine not being able to do all of this, even whilst on the plane.

“We spend our time Facebooking, twittering and skype-ing people living in other countries. I don’t see why the plane cannot be another avenue to the future. I mean if you are traveling 10 hours to Germany to go meet the Germans, why not start in the plane meeting other passengers. What if technology helped us better interact with our fellow travelers or with the cabin crew?“

Having an airline that offered savvy approaches to communication and a way to personally access and control one’s options would sit well with Mika. In a digital world, everything is interactive.

Give the future a lift off. Start in the sky. 

The UK on Emirates

I spoke with a travel journalist about his thoughts on Emirates.

“Emirates has a good legacy in terms of its brand positioning. It did well to be one of the first to align themselves with sport and other sponsorship deals. These days however, it’s an airline that has become stuck in eras past, what with younger, more innovative airlines cropping up all over the Middle East. What’s interesting about Emirates though, is that it is closely linked to what is good and bad about Dubai. When you think Dubai, you think Emirates. So the airline, like the city, has experienced its rises and falls.”

I met Yasmin Arrigo, an editor, at a Conference on Incentive Travel.

“Because of its tie with Dubai, I don’t really see Emirates as being a green airline. I think a lot of people see Dubai as a developer’s paradise, which isn’t the most environmentally friendly view.”

Make Emirates a representative of Dubai’s future.

I later spoke with Jill Sayles, an assistant editor at Travel Bulletin.

“Emirates is certainly an up-market airline. I would call them more corporate than human in terms of the friendliness and approachability of their cabin crew. Having a great experience with the cabin crew plays an important role in my decision.”

Infuse the Midas touch with the human touch.

He Said, She Said

For Kevin and Rachel, both veterans of the ad game, traveling is a regular part of their job. In a year, he takes about a dozen work trips, and she flies maybe 18 times or so. But for all the time that they are away from home, the one saving grace is: miles! See, when they are off the clock and want to go on vacation, they never have to pay for their own flights. Even upgrades or perks, like access to executive lounges, are comped via the points/miles they’ve accumulated from their business travels. “I don’t remember the last time I paid for a flight. One of the benefits of all the travel I do for work is that it takes care of my personal trips.”

Even free trips come with certain problems though — the same ones we all face when flying. “Its so frustrating. There’s are the lines, the security. The worst part is that you know exactly what it’s going to be like and you have to deal with it.” And that’s before they even get on the plane. “It seems like the seats have gotten smaller, they’re definitely less comfortable. And even if you manage to get an exit row, they’re cold! And they don’t give you blankets anymore. Just like food, you have to pay now.”

What Kevin and Rachel happen to share next is particularly insightful. “There’s so much stress at the airport -- and the plane is just uncomfortable. My vacation actually starts the moment I’m off of [the plane].” If someone could deal with all of that, I’d already be on vacation.”

Help their vacations start the minute they hand over the boarding ticket.

Despite all the problems they have with flying, their wanderlust for travel hasn’t stopped. “We still enjoy it, but things have just gotten in the way. Of course there’s timing and then the economy. It’s not even that we don’t have the money; it’s just that with the exchange rate, it feels like we’re getting ripped off when we travel. And no one likes that. But we want to go. It’s what we’ll do when we retire.”

So there’s still hope for the flight industry in their eyes. Maybe this is a chance for Emirates to step in. And even though neither one of them has flown with Emirates before, they do have some thoughts about it.

For starters, they believe the service to be incredible. “It’s a truly luxurious experience and there’s such a dedication to service.” Every detail is accounted for. Even the flight attendants are, shall we say, “more exotic. They’re attractive, gracious and elegant.”

Kevin likened Emirates to a boutique hotel—where all the little things are considered. Rachel agreed, even saying that smaller airlines, “have a legacy of service. There’s a better overall experience.” Also, this interesting tidbit: “There’s some mystery to the airline. It’s silly, but there’s that whole notion of Arabian Nights and the tradition of their culture.”

Bring the romance of the exotic on board.

Perhaps it’s a way for Emirates to further distinguish themselves from other carriers. Perhaps it’s a way to attract more customers. Or maybe it’s a way to get Kevin and Rachel to try visiting the Middle East on their next vacation.

Cocoon in the Sky

When it comes to travel, Mark knows what he wants and what he doesn’t want. When you’re traveling upwards of 20+ flights per year, both internationally and domestic, you tend to figure those things out pretty quickly. But let’s step back for a minute to learn a bit more about Mark. Mark is a savvy veteran of the ad industry, an avid sports fan and a dedicated family man. So whenever duty calls, Mark is ready with bag in hand— he sees it as a necessary part of his job.

This isn’t to say that he loves all aspects of travel. Of course there are some things he’d like to change: “Little things that could make it easier. No one is asking for the world. It’d be nice if they could just improve a few of the barriers like getting through the whole security and waiting process.” Also, Mark has seen how much the industry has changed in regards to technology. “Things always come up when you fly, business travel especially. I just don’t want to reach a point where there’s no one there to help you.”

In Mark’s perfect world, he’d be able to find his seat, get comfortable and not be bothered until he lands. Mark, like a lot of people, doesn’t want to interact with anyone else when he’s en route and simply wants to be in “a cocoon.” Is this only when he’s traveling for work? “No, even when I’m with my family, I like to do my own thing and be able to zone out on my flight.”

The one thing he does enjoy about his flight experience is the development of in-flight entertainment - namely TV. “When you’re on a plane for 14 hours, [the in-flight entertainment] makes a big difference.” He does warn about a problem certain large US airlines have in regards to their entertainment: “The ones that play their content on a loop drive me crazy because they’re not on your time at all. What if you want to work for a while or sleep? Or you’re coming from a different time zone? Then you end up having to watch a movie half way in.”

Emirates, besides being the UAE’s national carrier, is widely known for its incredible and impeccable customer service. And it isn’t simply a matter of standing pat in this regard, but there’s also a chance to create a niche, helping further distinguish themselves from other carriers (budget and even luxury). Because while it’s great, customer service isn’t about waiting on someone hand and foot, but being there when they need you. This is different for every person. Some want to be pampered and have extra blankets and pillows. Some want to be reassured that their flight will be on time. And others, like Mark in this case, simply want to be undisturbed. The key is for Emirates to know who’s who and when to do what.

Offer them a cocoon of security.

Travel: Different Meanings to Different People

Travel and flying has different meanings for different people.

For Pradnya, who is a mom of a 6-year-old, claims that a holiday is a treat for all of the senses.

“It connects us to nature, to people; it re-establishes bonds and relationships when you travel with your loved ones. Most of all, it was a huge growing up experience for our son. He learned how to travel, to live out of a suitcase, to pack and carry his own luggage, to adapt to variations in food, to adjust to a house full of people, to sleep in a new room every other day and to share his precious possessions, a PSP and laptop, with others!”

Make traveling an important part of growing up!

In the past 3 months alone, Vishad has been to over 5 countries across 3 continents. When asked how he feels about traveling, he states, “I only do what I do because of the traveling involved. I get to go to so many places, meet different people, explore cultures, try new things and gain fresh perspectives.” He feels that travel gives him a new lease on life. “It has a kind of peculiar high of its own.”

Get addicted to the high!

Sandeep had a life changing experience. “I traveled for work to Switzerland. It was winter. Beautiful. Freezing cold below 15C. I went from the humidity and heat of Mumbai to such a beautiful, cold place. At one point, our ski lift got stuck for fifteen minutes on top of a mountain. We were shivering for 20 minutes. It was hell. We were thinking that we were going to die and we didn’t want to. After 20 agonizing minutes, the wheels started again. Even now, the memory gives me goose bumps.”

Make every experience count.

For Siddharatha, his best flying experience was the first one. “The best flight experience is always the first one. You will never forget the experience of your stomach sinking inside of you as the flight takes off. You catch the neighbour’s arm in anticipation and wonder if the plane will give way to gravity.”

Bring back the magic of the first time.

For Vishal, his benchmark for the best service comes from another industry. Vishad talks about his stay during his work travels “Working for X, I always have to stay at the Taj Hotels. They have amazing, worldwide customer service. Any complaint, suggestion or special request from anywhere in the world is uploaded into a customer feedback system of the Taj Group. Every complaint is discussed each day and resolved within a few days with a personal letter to the guest. Also, anytime that guest revisits any hotel of that chain, the hotel can see what complaint had been registered under his name at any other unit in the past -- and they will take care to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.” The same is done for requests “If a guest staying at Bombay requests for a Marathi (language) newspaper... and after a few months if the same guest goes to another hotel of that chain Delhi… they will ensure a Marathi newspaper for him”.

Get to know customers personally.

Vishal feels that this level of personalization is amazing. He feels that the success of a service-focused industry depends on the level of care and basic connection that is established with your core consumer. If the consumer feels like they are just one in a hundred - there isn’t that special feeling. However, if you provide services so that they don’t feel grouped with 99 others, that’s commendable. Vishal believes that you need to put people first. If your employees are happy with you, your customers will be too.

Vishad thinks low cost carriers are “awesome”. He really doesn’t see the point in paying 2-3 times the price for a short haul flight. If the flight time is long, then maybe he will consider paying a premium, but he would never pay more than he needs to for a short flight.

Make employees feel special and it will show!

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The Discovery of the Unexpected

Celina is a business consultant and loves novelties and facing challenges that change her day to day. “The unknown attracts me and there is no way not to be seduced by this.” For her the most important thing is to know she has health, peace of mind and friends. She loves teamwork and her greatest fear is not being able to share her victories. “Nothing should exist in isolation. That goes for both people and facts. Everything should blend – when things work in a disconnected way, it’s a problem.”

We asked Celina how she feels in regards to the economic crisis and she replied that seeing the United States and Europe having to re-think its trajectories while nations like Brazil, China and Russia are developing is very interesting. “Because we have faced various crises in Brazil, it is good to know that the next generations will have more hope and peace. The destabilizing of the great powers forces the other nations to march towards an understanding… This is excellent, as long as we don’t end up arrogant.”

" The future scared us because it was unknown. Twenty years ago, we thought that the world would end in the year 2000. That did not happen. Look at us now . It’s better than it was. I believe wars will continue to exist, but they’ll be small and concentrated…. We’re not talking about world wars or catastrophes".

Talking about the future, Celine also told us her opinion about how her trips and traveling habits may change. She believes that traveling has evolved significantly. Mainly after 9/11, security around the world has become stricter.

Yet, this does not stop Celina from going to places with different cultures where there are no espresso coffees or McDonald’s. She believes that the most interesting thing is to discover the differences of each country. “Why go to Rio de Janeiro the day you find a samba school in Holland?” For her, globalization only mixes flavors but culture of a country is never truly lost. “The essence is not lost, it’s only on the surface.”

She feels that the resorts and hotels in the future will continue as they are today, keeping some local details whilst maintaining the international standards.

As for airlines, her perception is that all the large airlines praise themselves for being excellent. “You have 10 that are very good, but you can’t really tell them apart. I travel by plane a lot and I find it all very boring. There is traffic, there is stress, there is waiting for the plane to take off. But I love airports. I think that airports look more and more like cities: many simultaneous runways, many terminals.”

Be the airline that brings cities and people together.

Passengers: from a Flight Attendant's View

Manick is a Senior Flight Steward at Jet Airways. He’s a confident young man with a mission, flying twenty days a month across various destinations like New York, Brussels, Singapore, Bangkok and London. Traveling to first world countries, exploring different culture, eating a variety of foods and visiting beautiful locations are perhaps the biggest highs that Manick gets at his job.

When asked about the passengers he regularly attends to, he chimed in with his thoughts. “The frequent fliers are the most painful lot. Just because they are privileged customers, they think they have bought us. Most of the times, they are rude and are very difficult to satisfy. Interestingly, the celebrities (cricketers, singers & Bollywood actors) are very polite. All they want is to be left alone to sleep and rest. The same is the case with the business travelers. They are the least demanding. All they want is their own space. But I personally love the vacationers. They are the most chilled out lot. They are revved with energy; they’re all smiles and very understanding. They even chat up a lot with us.”

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Loyalty

Dipesh’s dad was a corporate jet-setter (he is still in the executive board of some of the top notch MNCs). It goes without saying that he had a pretty pampered and lavish childhood. An annual foreign vacation mixed with ample leisure trips across the country were a common fixture growing up.

Like father, like son, today Dipesh, a business development manager, is a high flier himself, having achieved success at quite a young age. He owns a plush 4-bedroom apartment in Gurgaon. He drives a Toyota Corolla and makes at least one domestic and one foreign trip for leisure.

Until last year, he was a globetrotter, making as often as two trips a month to the UK, Germany, Australia, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. This year, due to personal reasons, he has cut down on his international travel (to once in two months). “My son is 3 years old. This is the time when I should be around him to form a bond. With twenty days of traveling a month. I never saw my son grow up.”

Traveling (especially on business trips) increases his visibility amongst his seniors, something that helps him rise up the corporate ladder faster. Plus, he gets unmatched global exposure that helps him broaden his horizon. He is a frequent flier member with Lufthansa and has gotten free tickets for his wife and a 50% reduction on his child’s tickets. “My relationship with Lufthansa’s frequent flier mile program is like a dance perfected over time. I’ve been with them for many, many years.”

He had traveled with Emirates once (Dubai-Melbourne). The experience was quite good. Emirates doesn’t cater to his frequent flight routes (for instance, the Dubai Melbourne flight was a long haul at 12 hours, but if he had to fly those routes, he says he would choose Emirates).

Give them reasons to shake up the dance and try something new.

POSTED BY AYAN BANIK, SAATCHI & SAATCHI, INDIA, NEW DELHI

The Thrill of It

Karan’s first real interactions with airlines happened once he started earning. His first job at Siemens India gave him his first opportunity to travel abroad (Germany). It was perhaps the most exciting moment in his life then. So much so, that Karan decided to take his newly married wife along with him and extend a business trip to a vacation. It was during this trip he toured Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy. After spending five years at Siemens, Karan shifted to Yahoo India. During these five years he had one more opportunity to fly to Germany.

Good food, warm personalized service and in-flight entertainment are some of the things that excite him in the air. As per his designation, Karan is yet to be entitled for business class tickets. So, getting pampered in a business class, while traveling abroad is still one of his wishful longings.

With rising cost of air travel, all organizations (including Yahoo) are putting a cap on foreign trips. Increasingly, people are depending on technology (Skype, tele-conferencing etc) to avoid these costs. But in his line of field, he has to make off-shore trips to the US, because training is something that cannot be handled off-location. However, he feels that in the coming days, his traveling will be reduced from once in three months to two trips in a year. He is mournful about this.

Quoting Leonardo Da Vinci, he said, “When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

The thrill of air travel will never be out of vogue, no matter how many times you have traveled.

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The Luxury of Experiences

Nikhil, a managing director, symbolizes the face of today’s entrepreneurs - young, dynamic, good humored, yet affable and down to earth. Someone who knows the power of his wealth but somehow has managed to remain unfazed about it.

A man who has seen the bigger, brighter, prettier things (that we all die for) so early on in life and from such proximity that today, it’s the smaller, grainier details that excites him more. Like discovering a new tooth in his son’s gum, waking up early to catch the first rays of the morning sun or spending some quiet moments with his dad.

So he doesn’t find it odd to drive his Audi Q7 all the way from his spacious bungalow in Jor Bagh to his cosy office in Noida every morning, while his driver takes a small nap in the back seat. “I love the sheer thrill of the beast in full throttle. Plus, the poor chap needs some rest as well,” is all he nonchalantly says.

Nikhil has been traveling abroad, since the 4^th standard, every year without fail. Though foreign trips were with his parents in the plush business class, his trips back home to Delhi from his boarding school were usually alone and in the economy class. It was a simple way devised by his parents to ensure he had global exposure early on in life. The earliest flying memories include being cajoled and pampered by beautiful air hostesses, painting tattoos on coloring books and his first taste of Pepsi, way back in the early ‘80s.

“When I’m in a flight, I need space for myself and I need to be pampered. I don’t want to engage in conversations. And I don’t want to doze off endlessly.” For a guy like Nikhil who must have spent half his life flying, it’s very important to be pampered so that his mind remains diverted, or else the long haul flights can be pretty boring and stressful. The whole thought of being stuck in one place for 8-12 hours without having much to do is pretty unnerving. So he wants to indulge in food, drinks and entertainment as a means to de-stress himself. The food and drinks have to be the best.

He fondly remembers that when Jet started its first class cabin services they were the first to serve Dom Perignon champagne on board. And he also loves to have a wide choice of movies. “I’m a big movie buff - Bollywood, Hollywood, everything. And I don’t get time to watch the latest flicks while I’m at home. So this is the only time I can catch up on my favorite movies.”

The Virgin Lounge experience in London was a wow moment for Nikhil. “The funky bright colored décor with the 60s retro look with swiveling chairs straight out of an Austin Powell movie set, completely blew me off my feet. Coupled with the whole host of services on offer - sauna, steam, massage, haircut, sushi, I mean….gawd!, there was so much to do that I didn’t feel even for a moment that I was at an airport lounge waiting endlessly for my flight to take off.

Another time, I was on my way back from London and also traveling on Virgin Airlines. The chauffeur, who had come to pick me up from my hotel, did my security check with his device right in the car itself and checked me in. When I landed at the airport, someone took care of my baggage right away while I headed directly for the waiting lounge. That was one hell of an experience.”

Nikhil also experienced a great travel moment with Lufthansa. “This one happened while I was traveling from Frankfurt. The distance between the baggage check in the terminal and the lounge is quite far. Some lucky ones get a car ride. But I guess I had the best experience. Neither did I have to walk nor was I driven. I was flown from one terminal to the other in a private chopper. That’s the privilege I got by being an Amex privilege customer and a Lufthansa frequent flier.”

Personally speaking, he’s never had any rude moments with an airline, what with a retinue of people ensuring he has the best travel experience. But he quoted one incident that happened with a fellow passenger at United Airlines that left him aghast. While the passengers were entering the flight and settling down in their respective seats, an elderly gentleman picked up a bottle of water from the shelf while walking towards his seat. A flight attendant immediately lunged towards him and snatched away the bottle, muttering about the privilege only being available after the flight had taken off. “Look, being concerned about the security and doing one’s job well is okay, but that doesn’t permit you to be rude and uncouth with your passengers. I still think the situation could have been handled in a better way.”

Nikhil sums up his loyalty with airlines this way: “It’s a quid pro quo relationship between the airline and its privileged customer. I expect to be treated royally because I choose you over others. You treat me in a special way because I fly you the most.”

Give courtesy and respect as a “luxury” for all. Treat them royally and they’ll remember the experience forever.

POSTED BY AYAN BANIK, SAATCHI & SAATCHI, INDIA, NEW DELHI