NORWEGIAN EXPERIENCE -HAND BAG 40€
NORWEGIAN AIR SHUTTLE CEO
Dear Geir Karlsen *Customer satisfaction matters!*
I am a customer (after a 36y carrier in the airline industry just retired as station manager and PPL owner). I have Norwegian travel agent friends and felt sympathy for Norwegian Airlines. I, with my large family in STO and HEL have flown DY a couple of times to AGP and been satisfied with the airline: 8/10.
Last week, (even though AY had a lower fare) I booked D82614/23 HELARN at EUR82, just wanted to check DY flight experience after the pandemic!
I had a light (3kg) Samsonite cabin bag that all other A/L (AY,SK,FI,TK,PC,AA,BA,LH etc) accept as a cabin bag. At boarding, I saw several pax had similar handbags, a couple even had several carry-on baggage, handbags, and backpacks and there was no problem. But when I with a Finnish lady passenger were at the boarding gate, two Airpro staff informed us in an unpolite way: Hey hey, stop! Norwegian has new regulations and you two must pay 40€ each for handbags…
We were shocked by this behavior and they claimed our credit cards for payment. Another (lady) passenger just told the staff that she didn’t know this DY’s new rule and she was embarrassed by the staff’s behavior at the gate and said loudly “I will never fly Norwegian again!” The staff took the payment but didn’t say “Tack, Trevlig resa” at all.
The airplane was half empty, clean and the cabin crew (except terrible Finnish accent of a hostess) OK. Onboard I read my ticket with a good time and realized: according to new “Norwegian” rules pax should pay for a normal-size traditional handbag!
Mr. Karlsen, I am some years older than you and probably have more airline experience. I’ll tell you how ‘a sales-minded educated airport gate agent’ should proceed in this case:
“Dear Ms/Mr, we have a ‘new’ hand baggage rule beginning from XX. But since you declared you didn’t know it, we do not charge 40€ this time. We hope you are satisfied with Norwegian Airlines. Welcome on board again! Have a good Norwegian flight!”
The result of such a passenger treatment: You get satisfied and faithful customers, more bookings, and increased sales and turnovers! The airline avoids an anti-sympathetic theatrical show in front of a hundred pax at the airport. But you lose 40€.
You decide Mr. Karlsen, would you educate your service staff as “customer service agents”, pay back unfairly and unfriendly earned 40€ for customer satisfaction, or not!
Customer satisfaction matters!
I expect to hear from you Mr. Karlsen soon. Kind regards
PNR 080ZG3 Retired station and sales manager, PPL, BSc.
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