Squeaky wheel gets airlines' attention

When frequent flier Israel Switzer doesn't
like something, carriers hear about it

ANN KERR
Special to The Globe and Mail
Thursday, March 8, 2001

Over the years, frequent flier and squeaky wheel extraordinaire Israel (Sruki) Switzer has lobbed hundreds of letters and e-mails at airline executives to improve business travel.

Mostly, it's been a fruitless endeavour. So when something he's complained about actually changes, there's nothing so satisfying.

Last year, Mr. Switzer complained to Air Canada about its policy of prohibiting passengers from using cellphones and other electronic devices aboard craft before takeoff, for fear they would interfere with navigational systems.

"The rule on U.S. airlines is that you can use your phone until the door closes. That's reasonable. Not Air Canada. They made me get off the plane to make a call. So I wrote to them to tell them it's ridiculous, and they agreed," says Mr. Switzer, a Calgary-based consulting engineer specializing in telecom.

As of February, fliers can use their phones until the plane door closes. Although Mr. Switzer believes he had something to do with the decision, Air Canada spokeswoman Laura Cooke says the airline was already reviewing its policy.

"Since the Canadian Airlines takeover, we're looking at operations of both airlines to determine best practices," she says.

Nevertheless, it feels like a sweet victory to Mr. Switzer, who usually gets form-letter responses from the airlines to his concerns about service and safety standards.

As a licensed pilot of his own twin-engine Piper Aztec and a veteran business traveller who has flown more than 3.2 million kilometres, he finds plenty to complain about.

Even though he's now semi-retired and living part-time in Phoenix, Mr. Switzer still travels extensively. And at 71, he continues his daily scouring of published on-line reports about the airline industry and aims his letter-writing campaigns at airline presidents and other officials when he finds that something in-flight or on the ground isn't up to snuff.

The missives are often provocative and peppered with expletives to get attention.

Mr. Switzer's biggest continuing complaint is substandard business and first-class service, especially on U.S. carriers.

After a first-class flight on United Airlines Inc. last year from Los Angeles to Sydney, Mr. Switzer wrote about the lack of caviar.

"The flight attendant made some flimsy excuse about 'environment' and 'conservation.' B. . .! We all know it's about money. You are 'nickel and diming me' with economies even though I paid almost $10,000," he fumed in his letter.

Mr. Switzer was also peeved his seat didn't convert into a flat bed for the 14-hour flight.

United Airlines spokesman Chris Braithwaite says the airline doesn't serve caviar on any flight because of environmental concerns about harvesting of the eggs, not for cost-saving reasons. All of United's planes on the Sydney route were to be fitted with flat beds as of December, 1999, he says.

"Perhaps there was a delay making the change on that particular plane. I really don't know the circumstances, but all our 747s and 777s which fly that route would have flat beds now," he says.

Travelling first class on another Continental Airlines Corp. 737 from Calgary to Panama Citylast year, Mr. Switzer was incensed with the tight seating and lack of power for his laptop computer. In an e-mail to Continental chief executive officer Gordon Bethune, he said, "I pay top dollar for these trips to Latin America and I want maximum-pitch seating on whatever aircraft you use. I need laptop computer plugs on these flights! AA (American Airlines) has them --- why not CO?"

Mr. Switzer says electrical outlets for computer hookups are essential for business travellers on long-haul flights, but most airlines aren't supplying them in all business cabins, including Air Canada.

"We recognize that this is something that the business traveller wants and needs, and it's something we're implementing as we add new planes to our fleet," Ms. Cooke responds.

Most of Air Canada's Airbus planes provide computer ports in business class, Ms. Cooke says, but she wasn't sure about the number of Canadian Airlines planes.

You'd expect Mr. Switzer to be among the loudest critics about service since the Air Canada takeover of Canadian. Despite his beefs with the sole national carrier, Mr. Switzer, a shareholder in the airline, generally gives it good marks for service.

"I don't really think things are any worse over all than before, although I'm sure there have been a number of extra problems. Just because of all the publicity, people are complaining now about things they've overlooked all along."

The best news in air travel, Mr. Switzer says, is the growth of small discount Canadian carriers.

"For personal travel or low-cost business travel, this is the way to go. My hope is that they'll grow into the Canadian equivalent of Southwest," Mr. Switzer says.

In fact, Southwest Airlines Co. is Mr. Switzer's benchmark for cheap, efficient transportation that delivers what it promises. "You don't get fancy extras, but, for that price, I don't expect any."

Every now and then, Mr. Switzer actually will send a complimentary note to one of the airlines. He commended a United Airlines airport check-in agent in Phoenix for taking an hour to straighten up a mixup concerning his ticket.

He gives American Airlines Inc. full marks for its "gutsy" decision to remove seats in the back of its planes to improve economy class.

He says Air Canada's service to Israel is head and shoulders above El Al Israel Airlines Ltd., even though his baggage hasn't made it with him on two recent flights.

Last June, there wasn't a power outlet for his laptop and, because it was a 767, the plane had only two engines. Mr. Switzer considers anything less than four engines inadequate for long distance, over-water flights. You can be sure Air Canada heard about it.

Mr. Switzer readily acknowledges a lone business traveller tilting at windmills isn't likely to alter the operating practices of huge airline corporations, but he just can't keep himself from trying.

His latest beef is with an Air Canada emergency policy he contends is actually unsafe. Recently seated in an over-the-wing emergency exit row on a flight from Vancouver to Los Angeles, the flight attendant asked him whether he knew what to do in case of an emergency landing -- remove the door and place it on the seat before exiting. He said he did but wasn't going to do it.

"It's too time-consuming to get people out of their seats so you can place the door down. Other airlines tell you to throw the door out the opening and get the hell out as fast as you can," Mr. Switzer says.

The attendant threatened to move him to another seat; he said he'd comply, but last month he wrote to both the airline and Transport Canada to protest.

It turns out Air Canada is planning to change its policy this spring or summer to have passengers throw the door out, Ms. Cooke says.

Although the carrier says Mr. Switzer did not influence the change, he figures he was right again and, in that, he can take some small pleasure.