Alaska Airlines has presented eight employees with its highest honor, the Customer Service Legend Award. The employees, who were nominated for the award by their peers, personify the airline's values of spirit, resourcefulness, integrity, professionalism and caring. Together, the veteran employees have a combined 219 years with the airline.
"These Customer Service Legends are shining examples of what sets Alaska Airlines apart from the rest of the industry -- our people and the unique relationship they have with our customers," said Bill Ayer, Alaska Airlines' president and CEO.
The 2008 awards were presented to Jimmy Alford, Seattle-based flight attendant; David Lawrence, Seattle-based 737-400 captain; Michelle Masters, customer service agent trainer in Anchorage, Alaska; Mike Norum, lead ramp service agent in Fairbanks, Alaska; Lyle "Bob" Schroeder, line aircraft technician in Orange County, Calif.; Jan Stork, Seattle reservations agent; Vicky Sullivan, Seattle-based inflight field support supervisor; and Ron Suttell, director of project management in Seattle.
Almost every week since a passenger was bloodied and dragged off a United Airlines Inc. flight in early April, another outrage has swept the internet. Families kicked off planes because of birthday cake. Girls in leggings denied boarding. Heated confrontations about strollers. All-out brawls amid tighter-than-ever seats.
But in what feels like a parallel universe, one airline is racking up nearly every industry accolade. So far this year, Alaska Airlines has been recognized by SmarterTravel, the Points Guy, and FlyerTalk—three authoritative aviation websites—along with U.S. News & World Report, as either being the best U.S. airline of 2017 or having the best rewards program. In some cases it claimed both titles. It has the No. 1 on-time performance record seven years running, according to FlightStats. And this month it earned J.D. Power’s highest customer satisfaction rating among traditional (nonbudget) airlines in North America—for the 10th year in a row.
To everyone else, Alaska can sneak up like a sleeper hit from the indie film festival circuit—one nobody had heard about until Oscar season. But that will change: Parent company Alaska Air Group Inc. recently acquired Virgin America Inc. and is engaged in aggressive cross-country expansion. It’s not just for West Coast-based commuters anymore.
Compared with Delta Air Lines Inc., which operates more than 15,000 daily flights across its network, Alaska is still small-scale, with 1,200 flights per day. But it’s the only major U.S. carrier that’s seen an uptick in mainline passenger revenue (from nonpartner flights) in the last full year, and in 2015 the airline experienced a net income surge of 40 percent. Carrying capacity is growing 20 percent year-over-year (not including the Virgin America acquisition), and in 2017, Alaska and Virgin America will jointly launch in more than 40 new markets.
The J.D. Power survey for airlines ranks carriers according to several factors: Costs and fees, in-flight services, and aircraft quality are the most significant. Then come less-weighted factors such as boarding, deplaning, and baggage handling; flight crew; check-in experience; and user-friendliness in the booking process.
According to Michael Taylor, travel practice lead at J.D. Power, Alaska performs well—or wins—in every category. In-flight services are one exception: Alaska keeps up with aircraft models and onboard technology but doesn’t push these envelopes. (This is expected to change as the carrier inherits Virgin America’s tricked-out fleet.) But cost is a selling point. Flight crew get praise. And the airline wins by its widest margins in the boarding, deplaning, and baggage handling category.
“This [category] represents access,” explains Taylor. “The courtesy of the gate staff, timely flight information, and the time it takes to get on and off the plane.” In his mind, how you’re treated and how quickly you board are related: It takes smart, intuitive crew members, both behind the scenes and in the front of the house, to make the process seamless. It’s about making customers feel less like cattle, he says, and more like individuals. How does Alaska do that? “It’s not a mystery at all,” says Taylor. “They’re just very people-oriented.
"These Customer Service Legends are shining examples of what sets Alaska Airlines apart from the rest of the industry -- our people and the unique relationship they have with our customers," said Bill Ayer, Alaska Airlines' president and CEO.
The 2008 awards were presented to Jimmy Alford, Seattle-based flight attendant; David Lawrence, Seattle-based 737-400 captain; Michelle Masters, customer service agent trainer in Anchorage, Alaska; Mike Norum, lead ramp service agent in Fairbanks, Alaska; Lyle "Bob" Schroeder, line aircraft technician in Orange County, Calif.; Jan Stork, Seattle reservations agent; Vicky Sullivan, Seattle-based inflight field support supervisor; and Ron Suttell, director of project management in Seattle.
Almost every week since a passenger was bloodied and dragged off a United Airlines Inc. flight in early April, another outrage has swept the internet. Families kicked off planes because of birthday cake. Girls in leggings denied boarding. Heated confrontations about strollers. All-out brawls amid tighter-than-ever seats.
But in what feels like a parallel universe, one airline is racking up nearly every industry accolade. So far this year, Alaska Airlines has been recognized by SmarterTravel, the Points Guy, and FlyerTalk—three authoritative aviation websites—along with U.S. News & World Report, as either being the best U.S. airline of 2017 or having the best rewards program. In some cases it claimed both titles. It has the No. 1 on-time performance record seven years running, according to FlightStats. And this month it earned J.D. Power’s highest customer satisfaction rating among traditional (nonbudget) airlines in North America—for the 10th year in a row.
To everyone else, Alaska can sneak up like a sleeper hit from the indie film festival circuit—one nobody had heard about until Oscar season. But that will change: Parent company Alaska Air Group Inc. recently acquired Virgin America Inc. and is engaged in aggressive cross-country expansion. It’s not just for West Coast-based commuters anymore.
Compared with Delta Air Lines Inc., which operates more than 15,000 daily flights across its network, Alaska is still small-scale, with 1,200 flights per day. But it’s the only major U.S. carrier that’s seen an uptick in mainline passenger revenue (from nonpartner flights) in the last full year, and in 2015 the airline experienced a net income surge of 40 percent. Carrying capacity is growing 20 percent year-over-year (not including the Virgin America acquisition), and in 2017, Alaska and Virgin America will jointly launch in more than 40 new markets.
The J.D. Power survey for airlines ranks carriers according to several factors: Costs and fees, in-flight services, and aircraft quality are the most significant. Then come less-weighted factors such as boarding, deplaning, and baggage handling; flight crew; check-in experience; and user-friendliness in the booking process.
According to Michael Taylor, travel practice lead at J.D. Power, Alaska performs well—or wins—in every category. In-flight services are one exception: Alaska keeps up with aircraft models and onboard technology but doesn’t push these envelopes. (This is expected to change as the carrier inherits Virgin America’s tricked-out fleet.) But cost is a selling point. Flight crew get praise. And the airline wins by its widest margins in the boarding, deplaning, and baggage handling category.
“This [category] represents access,” explains Taylor. “The courtesy of the gate staff, timely flight information, and the time it takes to get on and off the plane.” In his mind, how you’re treated and how quickly you board are related: It takes smart, intuitive crew members, both behind the scenes and in the front of the house, to make the process seamless. It’s about making customers feel less like cattle, he says, and more like individuals. How does Alaska do that? “It’s not a mystery at all,” says Taylor. “They’re just very people-oriented.
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