Margot and I were recently in Stockholm, Sweden, the last leg of a month long trip around Europe. We were checking in at the SAS ticket counter at Arlanda airport. When it came our turn to present our baggage and tickets to the very attractive check-in agent, an interesting look came over her face when she looked at my employment date on the ticket. She asked if I was indeed an employee of SAS for the amount of years stated and I had only to confirm that those years were true. She processed our baggage and tickets and just before giving us our temporary boarding cards to help process us through security............she simply asked.............WHAT HAPPENED ? I can only imagine that this question was to do with the financial condition of a once proud airline and now an airline going through the termoil that all the airlines find themselves in presently. Simply answer...................I don't know. Anyway, on that six and a half hour flight to NY, a layover time of four hours in NY and another 6 hour flight to Seattle I kept thinking back over those 39 yrs and tried, in my mind to answer that question............WHAT HAPPENED. I can only offer that very nice young lady my comment of.............I don't know, but I do have my opinion.
When I joined SAS, it was only about 14 or 15 years after its formation. That in itself gave all the employees the inititive to be the best. Like all the other carriers flying, with a few exceptions, we all belonged to a common organization named IATA, based in Montreal, Canada. IATA (Internation Air Travel Association) was the controlling association of all its members for everthing from the food it served to the price it charged. There was no compitition between carriers in anything...........except.......service. I still remember a law suit placed against SAS by PAA over sandwiches. PAA believed that when they served their sandwich of 2 slices of white bread neatly stuffed with baloney, ham and cheese, salami, peanut butter and jelly or whatever else it had, that IT was the true meaning of a sandwich. When it was discovered that SAS was serving one piece of bread neatly covered with, decorative sliced egg with a little dill decoration and a cute little squeeze of majo on top, or a decorative little roll of salami in the shape a pointed hat on top with an olive and not covering it with another slice of bread,............... or that slice of bread, little lettuce and some great tasting cheese and served along with a knife and fork it was seen as a meal. .............well booo hooo to you PanAm.!!! Little did they know that Scandinavians create these decorative little OPEN FACED SANDWICHES, that can be eaten either with a knife and fork or by holding it ones hand for centuries. The makers of these little sandwiches still take great pride in how each sandwich looks. Well, needless to say, PAA lost that case. Now, I mention this .....not to put down PANAM but to point out the fact that people think of service in totally different ways. To explain this I compare the same two airlines. PAA would place a bunch of different kinds of sandwiches neatly labeled in a wicker basket and make their offer to the passenger. SAS would lay out a tablecloth, over the top of the cart , place a variety of open faced sandwiches on a silver tray and make the total presentation , serving each passenger their choice 1 , 2 , 3, with a silver serving knife by a steward dressed in a chefs uniform including the high hat, checkered pants with a serving towel hanging from the string tie of the apron. Best though it was served on a china plate with knife and fork and one thought.....OH, my gosh....how will I finish all this food. In those days, stewards were all men trained in culinary arts. Hostesses were all woman trained in assisting passengers with grace most being trained in the nursing field. Now-a-days, its all mixed up and some pride has been lost. Now, its carts being rolled down the isle by both men and woman, and pre made up trays placed in front of you. The personal end has long gone. Food is served in little aluminum trays and eaten with plastic utensils that usually break during the meal and you must learn the art of STABBING the food. Now who do I blame for this ?? both the airlines and the personnel. Everything happens much to fast. service is the thing of the past. Even on the ground one can see that people are moved like cattle from one station to another by people that either do not speak in sentences but in some kind of mumbled vocabulary and hand jesters............when we finally got to NY and had to go through the government facilities all we would get from the so-called welcome committee is.............Americas here. no Americas dare. WHAT DID SHE SAY?? If she can't speak the language how will she be able to read enough to help someone fill out those forms needed by the authorities. Now, I mention all of this for the simple reason to point out ...............people just seem to work ...........for the wage, not for the pride. Companies seem to be in business for the big profits, to satisfy their investors and board of directors..........not for the services they provide to passengers.. The airlines just move people from point A to point B. Employees no longer seem to have pride in their jobs, themselves or their companies. "I'm here for my 8 hours, which includes an hour for lunch and 2 coffee breaks of 20 minutes each, 4 bathroom breaks of 15 minutes each and whatever time I can waste talking jibbish with my friends. What else do you want from me?" I was always taught that if a customer is standing in front of me, I was to acknowledge their presence, THEY were the people paying me. I noticed on this trip the sad fact that some agents never lifted their head and continued talking with their colleague, more so in America than in Europe. Europeans still have the sense of giving more service but lack the one skill of smiling. Now, in my opinion, the reason for all this is very simple. In order for the airlines to make the desired profit they must reduce costs. One of the most expensive costs seem to be people and their demanded amenities.Sssooooo ! the airlines go and employee handling companies, that usually offer minimum wage and reduced or no amenities. In all due respect, these employees are capable of handling a specific job, under stressful situations for the under wage they receive. Most speak broken or incorrect English, Spanish, Italian,German, Swedish, etc. etc etc ..............but have the willingness to work...........others may have the willingness to work....but.....only for the wage....they think they deserve. The last group of employees lack the proper training..............and inititive to do more than they think they should.
Now, back to the pretty young lady at the ticket counter. This is all I have to offer. I still do not know WHAT HAPPENED.
