Why are people so rude to the baggage office people at the airport?

Question

I actually watched a conversation where the airline employee asked if she could help by opening a claim and a person proceeded to yell and swear about their missing luggage! I was shocked. I can almost guarantee the airline employee had nothing to do with it. I just don't understand...

Answer 1

Unfortunately, that is what happens. It's not personal. The airline employee is the face of the company. The person yelling and swearing is doing so because they feel completely powerless. The proper response is, I'm sorry for the missing luggage. Let me try to find it. The customer service person needs to act with professionalism, courtesy, and a let's fix this situation as best we can.

It's helpful to agree with the person that it's terrible that it happened. It should not have happened but unfortunately you were not involved. This is what you have to do to try to fix it.

What else can you do? Try to put yourself in the passenger's position.

I've been in situations like the airline baggage person, dealing with an irate customer. The best thing is to listen and do your best to help. Don't argue.

Answer 2

Perhaps you didn't hear all the conversation.  Some of the "rules" for claiming baggage and expenses are ridiculous.

On my recent trip when suitcase was left in Washington, and was not expected to arrive for 24 hours, I very politely explained that I had now been travelling for 21 hours, and asked for assistance to get this sorted out

- I was told I had to call the airline with the hotel number as soon as I got there (the person in front was allowed just to leave an address).

- I was told no reimbursement of expenses, even of the phone calls needed to the airline to make the required reports.

- Then when I looked shocked and suggested a 2 days t-shirt was not going to be fun, I was told "you can make a claim"

- I asked for a claim form , was sent to three different desks before ending up back at the first desk with a supervisor.  THEN the clerk opened the drawer and handed me a form

Yes, at that point I did get upset and cross.  I didn't yell or swear, but I did make it very clear that I was fed up.  No, the desk clerk had not personally lost my luggage, but she did her best to make the process of reporting as difficult as possible.

Answer 3

sad tyo say but 80% (my estimate. lol not a real stat) of tourists are miserable b******s.  I've worked in tourism almost my entire life and sometimes, I wanna smack some of these people.  I don't know why they are so miserable, when I'm on vacation I'm happier than I've ever been.

lost luggage, okay I'm gonna be pi ssed off. but as long as they are helping me I'm not gonna be rude.  All they can do is what they can do.  The luggage lis most likely on some other plane, and me yelling and screaming is not going to make it appear out of thin air.  Now if i said I lost my luggage and they said "hold on" and started talking on the phone to their friend about last night's Grey's Anatomy, then I might lay some sh* t out.  lol.  

But people are just plain miserable, lost luggage would be happy for me: excuse to go shop my @ss off lol.