Colleen Kimberlin’s Post

As a crisis communications professional, I commend United Airlines for the recent statement issued by CEO Scott Kirby, which acknowledges the safety concerns the airline has encountered as of late. I travel regularly for work, and you know my airline of choice? United 🛫 Why? Because they actually treat me like a human being. There are many airlines available, lots of them with cheaper airfares, but as a Mileage Plus member, United has treated me with respect each time I fly. This means I am willing to pay a little bit more for my ticket and remain a loyal customer. My personal reasoning for this loyalty? In an era marked by diminished customer service standards, the value of respectful consideration from a business cannot be overstated. It compels me to prioritize their service, even if it comes at a higher cost. Amid prevalent trends such as #jobghosting, reliance on robo-customer service lines (I really hate those), AI chat-bots, automated rejection emails, and virtual everything, I appreciate a business that engages with me during good times and bad. United did that. This statement might not be perfect, and it might not solve the equipment problems at hand, but at least it acknowledges that there is a problem and that they are working to find solutions to keep passengers safer when flying. You can disagree with me - that's okay! I just applaud the fact that United is following the Crisis Communications playbook and is responding to the situation instead of ignoring it and hoping it will go away. #unitedairlines #crisiscommunication #brandloyalty #stakeholderengagement

Importance of following cabin crew instructions: 1. Safety: •Cabin crew are extensively trained in safety procedures and are responsible for the well-being of passengers during the flight. Their instructions are designed to ensure that passengers know how to react in case of emergencies, such as during turbulence, rapid decompression, or evacuation. •Instructions may include fastening seatbelts during turbulence or when the seatbelt sign is illuminated, adopting the brace position during an emergency landing, and following evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency. 2. Compliance with Regulations and Procedures: •Airlines and aviation authorities have strict regulations and procedures in place to ensure the safety and security of flights. Cabin crew instructions are aligned with these regulations and are aimed at ensuring compliance from passengers. •Instructions may include rules regarding the use of electronic devices, restrictions on smoking, and guidelines for stowing carry-on luggage to prevent obstruction in case of emergency evacuations. 3. Efficiency: •Following cabin crew instructions helps maintain the efficient operation of the flight. For example, complying with boarding and disembarkation instructions ensures that the process is orderly and expedient, minimizing delays. •Proper adherence to instructions for in-flight service, such as meal and beverage service procedures, helps cabin crew manage their tasks efficiently, allowing them to provide better service to passengers. 4. Customer Service: •Cabin crew instructions also contribute to the overall comfort and well-being of passengers. For example, instructions to adjust seats and seatbelts for takeoff and landing are intended to enhance passenger comfort and safety. •Following instructions regarding the use of onboard facilities, such as lavatories and overhead compartments, helps maintain a clean and hygienic environment for all passengers. 5. Legal Obligations: •Passengers are legally required to comply with cabin crew instructions while on board an aircraft. These instructions are enforced to ensure the safety and security of the flight and its occupants. •Non-compliance with cabin crew instructions may result in penalties, fines, or legal consequences. In extreme cases, disruptive behavior or refusal to follow instructions may lead to the passenger being removed from the flight or facing criminal charges. In summary, following cabin crew instructions is essential for ensuring the safety, efficiency, and comfort of flights, as well as for complying with legal regulations and procedures governing air travel.

Coordination: The Symphony of Airline Safety In the dynamic world of aviation, safety is not just a priority but a symphony orchestrated through seamless coordination. Airlines operate within a complex web of challenges where effective teamwork and collaboration are paramount. This intricate dance of coordination ensures not only operational efficiency but also the safety and well-being of passengers and crew alike. At the heart of airline safety lies coordination— the synchronized effort between various departments, personnel, and external stakeholders. From flight operations and ground handling to maintenance crews and regulatory bodies, every component must harmonize to ensure smooth and secure operations. Imagine an orchestra where each instrument plays a crucial role in creating a masterpiece. Similarly, in aviation, pilots navigate the skies, air traffic controllers orchestrate movements, and ground staff ensure smooth turnarounds—all working in unison to guarantee safe flights from takeoff to landing. Coordination in airline safety extends beyond operational logistics. It encompasses robust communication channels, clear protocols for emergencies, and meticulous planning for unforeseen circumstances. This comprehensive approach minimizes risks, enhances preparedness, and fosters a culture where safety is ingrained in every action and decision. Effective coordination also involves timely information sharing with passengers, ensuring transparency and reassurance during disruptions or emergencies. Clear and concise communication builds trust and ensures that everyone involved— from passengers to crew members— understands their role in maintaining safety protocols. Furthermore, regulatory compliance forms a critical part of this symphony. Airlines must adhere to stringent safety standards set by international and national aviation authorities. This adherence not only ensures compliance but also reinforces the commitment to maintaining the highest levels of safety and operational integrity. In essence, coordination is the backbone of airline safety, weaving together the intricate threads of operational efficiency, emergency preparedness, and regulatory compliance. Like a symphony conductor guiding each section of musicians, effective coordination ensures that every aspect of airline operations functions harmoniously, delivering passengers safely to their destinations. As we continue to navigate the skies, let us appreciate the symphony of coordination that underpins airline safety—a testament to the dedication, expertise, and teamwork that make air travel not just a mode of transportation but a triumph of human collaboration and ingenuity.

Passenger grievances during flight delays often overlook a crucial irony. Crew members, resplendent in their uniforms and seemingly ready for duty, may not be compensated until the aircraft doors close and it taxis from the gate. For many, their paid duty concludes upon the flight's arrival at the destination, doors open for passenger disembarkation. Occasionally, airline crew contribute to delays or cancellations, whether due to exceeded duty hours or unavailability caused by late inbound flights. While airlines typically schedule standby crews to mitigate such issues, success hinges on effective planning and coverage. Resource scarcity, a common issue, can stem from staff no-shows or unavailability despite prior planning. In such cases, technological limitations hinder proactive standby scheduling, especially for smaller airlines facing significant cost overheads. Integration woes exacerbate operational challenges, often stemming from antiquated IT infrastructures and siloed systems lacking integration and proactive alerting mechanisms. Addressing disruptions necessitates a multi-faceted approach, integrating technology with human expertise. A robust technology platform, fostering situational awareness and enabling management by exception, enhances decision-making and streamlines operations. The concept of intelligent "triage" parallels medical prioritization, guiding airlines to identify critical issues and allocate resources judiciously. Yet, without comprehensive reporting structures, human decision-making relies on guesswork, magnifying the risk of errors. Key features of an ideal operations platform include situational awareness windows, management by exception capabilities, what-if analysis, and mobility/cloud capabilities. These empower airlines to make informed decisions and streamline operations, leveraging technology and human expertise in tandem. In conclusion, effective disruption management requires a symbiotic relationship between technology and human intervention. While #technology provides data and processing power, human judgment remains indispensable. IMPORTANT: The goal is not to replace human expertise but to augment it with intelligent tools and timely information, enabling effective decision-making during disruptions. https://lnkd.in/eWv8ahfm #airlinesandairplanes #aviation #innovation #airtravel

when auhorities in civil aviation are an obstacle.. and a regresive force due to nepotism and lack of professionalism Civil aviation authority failures can have serious consequences for the aviation industry and public safety. Some common examples of failures include: 1. Failure to enforce safety regulations: The civil aviation authority is responsible for ensuring that airlines, airports, and other aviation entities comply with safety regulations to protect passengers and employees. Failure to enforce these regulations can result in accidents, incidents, and violations that jeopardize safety. 2. Inadequate oversight of aviation operations: The civil aviation authority is responsible for overseeing and regulating the operations of airlines, airports, and other aviation entities to ensure compliance with regulations and standards. Inadequate oversight can lead to safety lapses, operational deficiencies, and risks to public safety. 3. Lack of transparency and accountability: A lack of transparency and accountability within the civil aviation authority can undermine public trust and confidence in the regulatory process. This can lead to regulatory capture, corruption, and conflicts of interest that compromise safety and oversight. 4. Inefficiency in regulatory processes: Delays in regulatory processes, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and lack of resources can hinder the civil aviation authority's ability to effectively regulate and oversee the aviation industry. This can lead to regulatory gaps, inconsistencies, and enforcement challenges. 5. Failure to address emerging safety risks: The civil aviation authority must proactively identify and address emerging safety risks and trends to prevent accidents and incidents. Failure to do so can result in regulatory gaps, inadequate safety measures, and increased risks to public safety. 6. Lack of collaboration and coordination: Effective regulation of the aviation industry requires collaboration and coordination among regulatory agencies, industry stakeholders, and other entities. Failure to foster collaboration and coordination can lead to fragmented oversight, inconsistent regulations, and safety vulnerabilities. Overall, civil aviation authority failures can have wide-ranging impacts on the aviation industry, public safety, and regulatory oversight. It is important for authorities to address these failures, implement corrective measures, and enhance safety and oversight practices to maintain a safe and efficient aviation system.

🛫🛫SAFA Program🛬🛬 Safety assessment of foreign airlines is a process by which NAA or other organizations evaluate the safety performance of airlines that are not based in their own country. This assessment typically includes reviewing the airline's safety management system, accident history, and maintenance practices. The goal of safety assessment is to identify airlines that may pose a safety risk to passengers and crew, and to take steps to mitigate those risks. There are a number of different organizations that conduct safety assessments of foreign airlines. Some of the most well-known include the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The first step in a safety assessment is to gather information about the airline. This may include reviewing the airline's safety management system documentation, accident history, and maintenance records. The assessors may also interview airline personnel and conduct site visits to the airline's headquarters and maintenance facilities. Once the assessors 🦺have gathered enough information, they will begin to assess the airline's safety performance. This assessment will typically focus on the following areas: 1. Safety management system: The assessors🦺 will review the airline's safety management system to determine whether it is effective in identifying and mitigating safety risks. 2. Accident history: The assessors 🦺will review the airline's accident history to identify any trends or patterns that may indicate a safety problem. 3. Maintenance practices: The assessors 🦺will review the airline's maintenance practices to determine whether they are adequate to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft. Based on their assessment, the assessors 🦺will issue a report 📃 that identifies any safety concerns they have identified. The report may also include recommendations for how the airline can improve its safety performance. NAA and other organizations use the results of safety assessments to make decisions about whether to allow foreign airlines to operate in their countries. For example, the FAA may deny an application from a foreign airline to operate in the United States if it has identified serious safety concerns. Safety assessment of foreign airlines is an important tool for ensuring the safety of international air travel. By identifying and mitigating safety risks, safety assessments help to protect passengers and crew from harm. How to enhance and implement? To enhance and implement safety assessment of foreign airlines, NAA and other organizations can take a number of steps, including: 1. Strengthening international cooperation 2.Sharing information 3. Providing technical assistance 4. Taking enforcement action I hope will be helpful 👋

Scott Kirby, CEO United Airlines, sent me the following email yesterday. This CEO apparently makes according to an “April 2023 report by a leading Investment Adviser firm, United CEO Scott Kirby has a net worth of at least $44.1 million and collects an annual salary of $16,779,500 as Chief Executive Officer and President of United Airlines at United Airlines Inc.” I am traveling on United this week to go from the East Coast to the West Coast to my son’s and future daughter in-law’s wedding in LA. Mr. Kirby, CEO of United, sends me this milk toast email and tells me, “I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus.” Mr. Kirby, how about an apology for these incidents and it won’t happen again! My God Scott Kirby, I want some assurance that you are going to get me to LA on your flight without the plane losing parts in the sky, or screw-ups in the cockpit with flight attendents serving pilots food! Your email just doesn’t do it for customers! _______________________________________ Email From A message from Scott Kirby, CEO United Airlines, 3/18/24 Dear Robert, Of all the things that make me proud of our team at United Airlines, I'm most proud of the culture we've built around the safety of our employees and our customers. Safety is our highest priority and is at the center of everything we do. Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety. While they are all unrelated, I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus. Our team is reviewing the details of each case to understand what happened and using those insights to inform our safety training and procedures across all employee groups. This is in addition to some changes that were already planned, including an extra day of in-person training for all pilots starting in May and a centralized training curriculum for our new-hire maintenance technicians. We're also dedicating more resources to supplier network management. We empower our team to speak up and raise their hand if they see something wrong. You can be confident that every time a United plane pulls away from the gate, everyone on our team is working together to keep you safe on your trip. In the past few years, we've done a lot at United to build a new culture, improve our business and earn your trust. I'm confident that we'll learn the right lessons from these recent incidents and continue to run an operation that puts safety first and makes our employees and customers proud. Thank you for flying United, and I hope to see you onboard soon. Sincerely, Scott Kirby CEO United Airlines https://lnkd.in/ezgVy8tt

For 3 hours American Airlines has been saying the flight is departing on time. Every 15 min to 30 minutes after the newest departure time is passed they update to say it will be leaving in 15 or 30 minutes. The never have updated boarding information. It was incorrectly stating that boarding was starting when the plan was not boarding. After arriving at the gate they informed us the plane was not cleaned (but all flight staff was on board already). 3 hours since they said boarding started it still hasn't started. The explanation is that many cleaning staff didn't show up for work. They may well have not shown up. But is that what is causing customers pain? No. For many years Southwest paid staff to treat customers well and the flight crew would help clean the plane. American Air executives chose to pay people poorly and create a very fragile system. They also chose to create an IT system that as far as I can tell is intentionally designed to post false information. Only after the flight departure time passes do they update the time to say it is now 15 to 30 minutes later. Only to fail again and update again with unreliable info. The staff have nothing they can do except blame the lowest paid contractors. Obviously many planes have been cleaned (and departed after this was delayed) while those on this plane delayed hours now sit without any explanation. The lack of concern for customers is profoundly built into a broken system. You could have a similar challenged system that cared about customers and the difference would be enormous. The regards for customers is the most frustrating thing. Their system is built just for spreadsheets and no care for customers. And no way to react to broken customer promises.

Flight Turnaround Activities: A Comprehensive Overview In the fast-paced world of aviation, efficient flight turnaround is pivotal to airline operations, directly impacting on-time performance (OTP) and customer satisfaction. As professionals in this dynamic industry, daily activities encompass a broad spectrum of responsibilities, ensuring safety, efficiency, and service excellence. 🔍 Pre and Post-Flight: The Crucial Briefings Every turnaround begins and ends with a thorough briefing with the Duty Manager and our customer airlines. These sessions ensure alignment on expectations, safety protocols, and service standards. 📚 Adhering to the Ground Operations Manual (GOM) Our operations are guided by the GOM, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and best practices for safe and efficient turnaround processes. ⏱ On-Time Preference (OTP) & Service Level Agreements (SLA) Prioritize OTP without compromising safety, aligning goals with the SLAs established with customer airlines, and underscoring commitment to reliability and punctuality. 🚨 Safety and Compliance: DGR and Quality Assurance Adhering to Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) and implementing rigorous safety and quality assurance protocols safeguard passengers, crew, and ground staff alike. 🛬 Operational Excellence in Aircraft Handling From precise aircraft loading and offloading to managing weight and balance, the team ensures that every aircraft is ready for a safe departure. The matching of the load sheet with the actual plan and accommodating last-minute changes (LMC) demand accuracy and agility. 📦 Passenger and Technical Services Provide comprehensive services for passengers, addressing their needs and ensuring a pleasant travel experience. The technical operations team works tirelessly to maintain fleet readiness and provide tailored fleet solutions. 🔧 Solving Problems and Managing Risks The ability to analyze and coordinate solutions for flight delays, coupled with effective risk management systems, exemplifies a proactive approach to solving problems. 📞 Seamless Communication and Coordination Effective ground/cockpit headset communication and coordination with the basement for receiving baggage records are vital for a seamless operation. 📈 Beyond Operations: Ensuring Customer Airline Satisfaction The ultimate goal extends beyond the immediate turnaround activities. Strive for excellence in customer airline satisfaction, reflecting dedication to service excellence and operational efficiency. As we navigate the complexities of flight turnaround, the focus remains on safety, quality, and efficiency. Let's continue to elevate operations and set new benchmarks for aviation excellence. #Aviation #GroundHandling #AirlineOperations #SafetyFirst #CustomerSatisfaction #OperationalExcellence

This week's blog discusses Safety & Compliance and the advantages airlines could gain by outsourcing some or all of this particular function to a specialist and experienced provider... If you are working for an airline who are considering outsourcing some or all of the Safety & Compliance function then please do get in touch with me at tomanderton@bostonair.co.uk https://lnkd.in/e5UnZm85