Airline Cabin Crew Training

CUSTOMER SERVICE AND

INTERACTION WITH
PASSENGERS

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 CREATING A CUSTOMER SERVICE ENVIRONMENT
THE IMPACT OF GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE
By winning the passengers over, a cabin crew member will find it easier to maintain an
orderly cabin and make a memorable experience for themselves and passengers.

To provide excellent customer service, cabin crew need to demonstrate knowledge,

skills,and attitude in everything they do.

Knowledge - Cabin crew should be knowledgeable about the airline they are working for, the
airports they fly to, the customs and immigration regulations that apply there, onward
transportation, the local time at the destination, operation of connecting flights to popular
destinations, inter terminal transfers and local customs.

Skills - There are several interpersonal skills that distinguish a good cabin crew from a
mediocre one. These are: Listening; Communication; Empathy; Body Language; Managing
personal Emotion; Situation Evaluation.

Attitude - the hardest part of customer service to train as it relates to a crew member's
manner. Attitude can be hard to change since it is based on one's life experiences. Cabin
crew's attitude towards customer service impacts their willingness to help passengers.

Desirable Attitudes Undesirable Attitudes

Positive Outlook Cold
Cheerful , Helpful Closed
Caring, Empathetic Miserable
Calm, Relaxed Couldn’t care less
Warm, Friendly Stressed
Imaginative Negative outlook
Willing to do more than is expected Just doing my job

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 The Value Of Good Customer Service

BEST PRACTICES OF GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

➔ Responsible for their well-being, comfort and safety
➔ Provide passengers with what they may need to make their journey more comfortable
➔ Looking out for passengers who may be upset or nervous
➔ Adapt their behavior to suit each individual passenger
➔ Treat all passengers as individuals and interact with them on their items.
➔ Respect their culture and customs
➔ Always aim to use positive language when dealing with customers
➔ Rather than focus on what they can’t have, Offer what they can have, or a suitable
alternative
➔ Add extra touch or memory
➔ Never over-promise and under-deliver

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

Being assertive is often confused with being aggressive, but the two are not the same. In
fact, to be assertive one always needs to remain calm and collected.

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. As cabin crew follow and enforce the required safety and security procedures they
need to keep in mind that their focus is to “provide safety with service”. The goal of cabin
crew is to be professional and helpful as they explain or enforce safety procedures. In other
words, cabin crew should avoid sounding rude or threatening.

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 Words and phrases that are service Words or phrases to be avoided
minded
Are you willing to...? You have to...
It would be best if… You must...
We want your flight to be as pleasant You need to...
as possible. That's against the rules...
May I assist? Sit down...
We can even check your bag for you You should have done it this way…
I understand your concern… I don't make the rules…
Its policy…
You have to find a place for that…
I can't…

FIGHT OR FLIGHT REACTIONS

The “fight or flight” reaction is a set of processes that occur in the body when confronted
with some form of physical or mental stress.

The “fight” reaction can be seen in the airline passenger who is extremely angry over a
situation or series of situations. It can also be seen in people who have had other personal
stress in their life and they can react in a nervous way in situations that are not related to
their stress. While the person is living this “fight” reaction mode, they are not thinking
rationally and can say or do things that are strange.

The cabin crew need to recognize when a passenger's anger and disruption is threatening
the safety of the flight. The best approach is to stay calm when dealing with a passenger
who is in “fight” mode. Cabin crew must stay away from becoming irrational, sarcastic, and
angry and should not enter into “fight” mode with the passenger. It is critical to avoid
counterattacking and responding with defensive statements.

It is the cabin crew's responsibility to recognize high stress situations in others and avoid
confrontation. Using authority will not solve the problem but only make things worse.

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 Here are some examples of situations that have caused passengers to become angry:

● Missing a flight connection or important meeting because of a flight delay or

cancellation.
● Boarding a flight to find out that there is no room for their carry-on luggage and it
must be checked (tagged and carried in cargo and claimed at baggage claim at their
final destination).
● Being misled about delays or lack of information during delays or cancellation of a
flight.

A passenger in “flight” reaction mode will generally want to leave the aircraft or their seat.
This is more of a physical reaction as compared to the mental state of the passenger in the
“fight”. The following are some examples of situations that have caused passengers to
become fearful and respond with a “flight” reaction:
● Mechanical issues with the aircraft
● Fear of Flying
● Turbulence

Keep in mind that you should approach such passengers with care and gain their trust,
empathize and reflect their feelings.

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