While I fully understand the fact that GAs don't exactly have a break room, I can never understand why they hang out behind the podium when they're not working a flight. Example: I was at BOS and watched as a line started to form at the gate about 50 minutes before the flight was scheduled to depart. There were three GAs chatting behind the podium with their backs to the customers. The line was about 10 deep by D minus 40 and the three agents hadn't turned around (I didn't see whether any of the customers tried to get their attention or not.). At D minus 30, one of the agents started to help people, one started to board people and the other walked away.

As I said above, I know that there is no break room at the airport, but it makes no sense to have customer service people standing with their backs to the customers at the podiums and not help them if for no other reason, than the optics are so bad. Right or wrong, the message it sends is, "I know you're there, but you don't really interest me." I did customer-facing customer service for two years and rule #1 was if you're not helping a customer, don't hang out where the customers can see you.

Any thoughts?

Mike