Boarding Group 5

Ellen C. Wells

Real life event: I arrived at Boston Logan International Airport’s United terminal. I was headed to the California Spring Trials via an overnight in Chicago. I had already checked in at home and had my boarding pass in hand. I was Boarding Group 5. As someone who prefers an aisle seat situated near the wings—the safest place to be on a plane—I’m always Boarding Group 5. Plus, who wants to sit forever while the unwashed masses yank oversized suitcases down to Row 25? Being one of the last on the plane gives me plenty of time to purchase snacks, send those last emails and savor the sturdiness of terra firma.

What Boarding Group 5 doesn’t allow me is much overhead bin space. I pack light, so I don’t need much more than a small wheelie bag most of the time. Plus at $25 for the first checked bag on United, I’d rather save the money. But seeing as this was a business trip and I didn’t want the hassle, I decided this bag would be on Ball Publishing’s dime (sorry, Chris).

I rolled into the United check-in area where a customer service person greeted me with a big smile and a “What can I do for you today?” I told him I wanted to check my bag. He looked at the size of the bag—a bag that is standard for overhead bins—and asked, “Really? Are you sure you want to check that bag?” I responded with, “I’m in Boarding Group 5.”

“Ah,” he said, with a tilt of his head and a knowing raise of the eyebrows. He totally understood where I was coming from. “Here, let me take care of that for you.” He reached for my bag, walked me over to a self-check bag kiosk and said “This bag’s on me.” We punched in my ticket confirmation code, swiped his official swipey card, printed my luggage tags and he directed me toward the bag drop-off. He left me with a “Have a great flight!” Indeed I will!

He didn’t have to do that. He didn’t have to check my bag for free. He could have followed company protocol and charged me $25. Perhaps, though, he had a feeling the flight would be full and customers would be encouraged to gate check their bags for free anyway (which was indeed the case).

By checking my bag for free—going against company protocol—he left a customer feeling like she had received something special, like he understood and cared about her predicament of limited overhead bin space. He also helped his customer begin her trip on the right note.

Or, maybe his actions were in fact part of United’s company protocol. Maybe United—an airline I have more bad than good experiences with—has given customer service staff the power to decide on the spot the best way to assist clients. Nameless policy writers stuck in a back room pushing paper don’t necessarily have their fingers on the pulse on the terminal floor. Giving employees permission to help however they can goes a long way in creating a kinder and more responsive company.

I’m not saying empower your employees to give away free stuff in droves. Not at all! You have sales goals to be met and that won’t happen with freebies. Maybe, though, an employee sees a parent with a bored child and she gives the kid a small pansy or geranium transplant. Or an employee notices a customer with a furrowed brow in a different department but he goes over to help anyway. There are countless ways to assist. The key is to see with eyes that are understanding and to give as one can.

I just wish United’s flight attendants would see and understand my hunger and offer me some free snacks. GP