Giving a command and making a request LESSON OVERVIEW LESSON OVERVIEW

Rules and regulations in the airline industry exist to keep people safe. Cabin crew have many regulations and procedures they must follow and enforce to maintain the safety of a flight. However, it is important to remember that as you do this you must also maintain good customer service. After all, your responsibilities involve ensuring the safety and comfort of your passengers. Remember, happy customers will keep coming back! This lesson will provide you with tips and techniques to help you enforce the necessary

regulations and procedures while maintaining good customer service.

Providing Safety with Service

As you follow and enforce the required safety and security procedures keep in mind that your focus is to “provide safety with service”. That is to say, your courteous behaviour will encourage your passengers to follow the safety rules and procedures without having to impose it on them in an authoritarian manner. Your goal is to be professional and helpful as you explain or enforce safety procedures. In other words, avoid sounding rude or threatening. To help you with this, you will find in the following table, a list of words and phrases to avoid and words and phrases that are service minded. Use a calm, gentle voice and always maintain eye contact for these words and phrases to work with your passengers.

Words and phrases that are service minded

Words or phrases to avoid

Are you willing to…?

It would be best if…

We want your flight to be as pleasant as possible.

May I assist?

We can even check your bag for you…

You should have done it this way…

I don’t make the rules…

Its policy...

You have to find a place for that…

I can’t...

Important Note: Use straight commands and strong forceful tone during emergency evacuations, when you need people to act quickly.

While this seems easy enough, there will be times that you will forget these tips. As you travel more often, you will become so familiar with procedures, that it may be hard for you to understand why

passengers “just don’t get it”. Since the aircraft is your home and environment and because you understand the safety implications of not following prescribed procedure, your good intentions to make things safe can easily be taken as offensive, forceful or rude. In these moments, it is important to have some empathy. Your passengers may be new to flying or may not fly very often and others may be thinking of their work or families. Since you are so familiar and have respect for safety and procedure, it is a good idea to remind your passengers of the things they must do to ensure their safety as you help them feel comfortable in an environment that is not their usual one.

What can you do when a passenger raises objections and does not want to comply with a common safety rule, in a non-emergency situation? Follow these simple steps to help you.

Five Steps for Managing Passenger Interactions:

y Make eye contact, smile and stay calm.

y Repeat the objection presented.

y Use service minded words and phrases to explain why the rule or procedure needs to be followed.

y Make an alternate suggestion using this wording,

“Are you willing to...”.

y Thank the passenger for understanding.

The more practice and exposure you have to objections the better you will be at handling difficult passenger interactions.

When a customer however we can check your luggage for you right here at the gate and it will be carried down to the ramp and placed in cargo. I assure you it will be on the flight and you can claim it at your destination.

It’s not my fault there’s no more room for your luggage. Everyone brings on too much and it’s out of my control.

You’ll just have to check it.

Turn off their cell phone...

Mr. Von, I realize you may be on an important call but it would be best if you end it shortly as cell phones should be turned off at this time.

You are breaking a rule;

your cell phone must be turned off.

Buckle their seat belt...

Miss Stein, You may not have noticed the seat belt sign has been turned on, we’ll be experiencing turbulence for the next few minutes, let’s fasten your seat belt for your comfort and safety.

We’ve announced several times that your seat belt has to be fastened.

Stay seated... Would you be willing to stay in your seat for just a few minutes? We’ll clear the aisles of our service carts and then you’ll have plenty of room to get up and walk around.

Can you PLEASE sit down?

Calm down... I see you are upset, how can I help you?

You are being irrational and I can’t understand what you are taking about.

Progress Check

1. Identify if the following are words and phrases to avoid or words and phrases that are service minded (See answers in the table below)

Word or phrase Category (circle the correct category) It would be best if... Avoid Service minded

I can’t... Avoid Service minded I don’t make the rules... Avoid Service minded Are you willing to... Avoid Service minded I understand your concern... Avoid Service minded

2. When is it appropriate to use straight commands and force?

3. When is it appropriate to be professional and courteous?

4. What do you do if the passenger does not want to wear a seat belt when the captain has turned on the seat belt sign?

Answer Key

1. Service minded, avoid, avoid, service minded, service minded.

2. During emergency evacuations.

3. All the time (always).

4. Acknowledge to the customer that you understand the wearing the seat belt may feel restrictive to them or uncomfortable.

State: “However I need to ask you to fasten it at this time. It’s important that it be worn when the captain advises as he is looking out for our safety. Once it is safe the captain will turn off the sign and you may release the seatbelt again”.

Lesson Learning Objectives

Given a scenario you will be able to:

• Identify the “fight or flight”

reaction in individuals and state how you would respond.

Lesson Summary

The easiest way to get people to follow safety rules and procedures is to build trust first. Use the strategies presented in the previous lessons to build trust and you will see it will be much easier to get your passengers to respect you as you explain and enforce the safety rules and procedures. The language you use will also influence how people perceive you. Remember to “provide safety with service” as you manage passenger interactions.

8.3 Flight and Fight Reactions