An ode to gate agents, the unsung airline heroes.
Flight attendants and pilots receive a lot of praise, and rightfully so. But gate agents are the unsung heroes of the frontline airline business. They receive the brunt of passenger pushback and must solve many problems that are not of their creation.
On my recent Sydney trip, there was a man absolutely berating the United gate agent at SFO.
“How dare you deny me those seats! I am tired of talking to you! Stop talking. Let me speak to your supervisor. NOW! Stop talking. This is an outrage. This is a crime!”
He apparently had not bothered to reserve seats in advance or booked late in the game and his family of four was separated. These were not young kids, but looked to be teenagers. It wasn’t clear if they were split 2-2 or all seated in different rows. I got the sense that he noticed there were open rows in EconomyPlus and he asked for one of those, but was told there would be an upcharge. This seems to be what caused him to fly off the handle.
Let’s take a brief tangent here. I fully support the gate agent denying a free upgrade to these extra-legroom seats. Why should someone get for free what others pay for or MileagePlus elite members have to fly often to earn access to? It’s always nice to keep families together, but if you want to sit together…pay up or avoid Basic Economy fares. But that’s a topic for another post.
As tempting as it was to pull out my camera and start recording, I decided to board since there were still some emails I wanted to send out. Thus, I have no ending for the story.
But my story is not about the anecdote I witnessed, but about how poorly passengers can treat gate agents when they get angry.
Be Nice To Your Gate Agent
Gate agents truly have to put up with a lot. They become punching bags for mechanical or weather delays. Often they have to deal with pretentious–and clueless–passengers who demand to know why they did not receive an upgrade…when there were dozens on the waitlist in front of them. And of course they face pressure not just from their customers, but from their employer.
Airlines place tremendous pressure on gate agents to get flights out on time, which sometimes makes friendly chatter and a laid back spirit literally impossible.
I’m really tired of seeing gate agents berated by passengers. There’s simply no need for it and most of the time it is for issues the gate agents have no control over.
It’s important to recognize that throughout this process, they are still ambassadors of their airline. I’m not giving them a free pass here. But at the same time I feel like gate agents work hard and do not recognized. There is a target on their head that is far too broad.
With rare exceptions, gate agents want to serve you. When they seem frazzled, do not take it personally and try not to approach them with stupid questions or small talk.
The good news is that airlines are giving gate agents more discretion to solve problems and issue compensation. That surely helps.
> Read More: How United Airlines Will Empower Gate Agents with More Discretion
CONCLUSION
Going back to my flight, If I were the supervisor, I would have upgraded the four passengers in the middle section of the last row of the aircraft to EconomyPlus then dropped the displaced family there.
There are bad apples at every airline. I’ve seen some horrific gate agent antics over the years. But far more often than not, gate agents are just trying to get the flight out on time and serve passengers as best they can. Next time you run into a delay, cancellation, or any sort of ticketing snafu, please don’t take it out on your gate agent.
image: Alaska Airlines
I sometimes lose my cool but only when i think i am not being able to convey my seriousness. Sometimes shouting can raise the bar and they might take you more seriously or more likely they might just shut off in which case you got to curse them a few times before giving up on an unfairly lost battle anyway.
Shouting can “raise the bar” … interesting concept. I’m in a very public facing job and I can assure you shouting will result in you being dealt with accordingly: lowest possible accommodation. What gets you what you want is to be aware that the person in front of you isn’t responsible but that you are nonetheless deeply appreciative of his/her efforts on your behalf.
Umm, I’m pretty sure that was him being facetious, based on lots of prior comments. Everyone has a different sense of humor.
“I’m really tired of seeing gate agents berated by passengers. There’s simply no need for it and most of the time it is for issues the gate agents have no control over.”
But it is much more tiring to actually say something in favor of the gate agent in person than to write a blog post about it?
I write into the airline to praise flight crew but it didn’t occur to me to write in for gate agents. Fortunately (knock on wood) I haven’t talked with a gate agent for a few years.
All I can say is that it is a tough job that I am not sure I could do. There are some fantastic gate agents with Delta at MSP and TPA, they have been helpful when I have needed something. It always seems like they have so much to juggle, so it seems like a really tough job.
Like anywhere else, be pleasant when you speak to the gate agent and they will almost do their best to help you. It’s quite easy really but some people just don’t get it!
I don’t disagree with your comments, but I find gate agents to be some of the least friendly and often aggressive people I interact with in any facet of life on a regular basis.
For what it’s worth, I am always polite, I never raise my voice, and I don’t even correct them when they’re wrong because I know it will gain me nothing. I appreciate that they do have a tough job, but the way myself and other passengers are often shouted at or talked down to for no reason just puts them in a bad light IMO. I view GAs as whole as people on a bit of a power trip that have little regard for a customer’s treatment and are merely there to enforce the rules that they decide to create at any given moment.
I can’t see how anybody who regularly flies AA through DFW or MIA could disagree, but perhaps I’m off base.
I have had some very helpful interactions with UA gate agents and check-in staff. Also an Alaskan Airlines lady when things went south last year on a trip with them. I think they have a tough job.
The job of the gate agents have changed when the airlines started charging fees for checked baggage. Now most are baggage handlers at departure time taking roller boards when there is no more space on the aircraft.
Most gate agents are fine. A few are bag Nazis.
Discrimination is rampant in society. Look at that picture. That gate agent is better looking than the average gate. They don’t show an unattractive gate agent. In real life, the pretty get ahead.