Falco Peregrinus

Happened to me twice or three times over the last 5 years, the last time was in 2006. A nice touch, all the more nice since it is extremely rare.

chunk73

Hmmm - i got the BS letter 'looking after our Elite members' the other day as well. Cutting all benefits and then they have the brass neck to send that out....quite funny really.

I have always seen KL staff as being more in touch with the customer anyway. Though AF crews have on occasion introduced themselves and thanked me by name, it was standard practice on KL flights - at least the ones I was on whether in Y or J. In fact, on my last KL flights a couple of months back, the crew addressed me by name for the whole of both flights. I don't really care, but it is an indication of good service i guess.

San Gottardo

I don't mean to be the party pooper, but could it be that we're making a big fuss about something that is indeed a very nice touch - but seems to happen only very very occasionally? Going from the few instances to claiming "Air France is specifically taking care of their Elite plus customers" - does that claim hold in light of the sparse evidence? I am somewhat reserved.

I certainly do welcome any move by AF to improve service and recognition of its loyal customers, but so far there is little indication for that happening. The OP being greeted once and the first time on his very numerous flights with AF is great, but it may be premature to declare Air France as being a caretaker airline.

I am glad to see signs of AF still having traces of true customer service, and I am looking forward to them making even more improvements to their service and Elite recognition in a more systematic way, i.e. less hit-and-miss.

beaubo

I seem to get nice treatment on ANY ST partner, have had FA greetings this past year on:
DL
CO
KE
AE
SU
not to mention on
TK

jms_uk

I've seen this few days ago flying MSQ-FRA in Y, purser came to greet couple in front of me, and also asked them if everything is ok once/twice more...

San Gottardo

LH does it much more often than AF, but not 100% of time. From personal experience, I'd say 60-70% of time, more on longhaul than shorthaul. However, what LH does 99% of time: address people by name when they serve drinks, meals. This is true for shorthaul and longhaul, in all classes. They pin the little manifest to the cart when they go round the cabin.

The one company that I know that personally greets 100% of its top customers and asks them if they need anything further is Swiss. Again, on all flights, in all classes. The Maitre de Cabine comes round, introduces himself. When traveling in Eco in Europe, they systematically bring the little bottle of water and the refreshment towel that is otherwise only for Business Class service, and they offer to bring a newspaper usually only for Business Class as well. That typically happens right after the pax sits down, as the FAs have looked at the manifest before pax board, so they see "ah, the chap sitting down in 7F must be our top customer".

Air France doesn't seem to pre-read the pax list or at least doesn't do anything with that knowledge. The second chance for them to recognize their top customers is when they annoy us all with their useless checking of BPs at the aircraft door. But they do not seize that opportunity either, or how many times has it happened to you that an FA at the door, when seeing your BP with your status says "Hello Mr./Mrs. xxx" and then comes round to your seat and asks you if you need something? Never to me, but maybe the occasional occurence to some of you other top customers?

The basic philosophy is different: all these airlines provide a manifest to the cabin crew which spells out which pax is which status. However, the difference lies in what is done with that information. AF doesn't seem to care too much, or do they?

PS: I just have to add this, because it so fits into the context. Whilst I typed above post, I just received an e-mail from Swiss with a reply to a complaint I never made... Basically, the airline had gotten wind of me having suffered through some bad experiences with wheelchair assistance on flights from Paris CDG to Zurich. I never complained to the airline, as I know it is the airport that is at fault there. Still the customer care department of the airline called me and apologized (for something out of their responsibility), asked some more information and promised to press the issue with the airport operator. They also got in touch with the Station Manager at CDG. I now got an e-mail from LX, with yet another apology and the copy of the e-mail exchange with the CDG station manager.

Compare this attitude of proactively "sensing" when a good customer needs something special with the experience at Air France: almost never ever would proactively anticipate or recognize if pax needs something special. Be it a pillow or something more complex like wheelchair assistance. On board, if you ask and the request is reasonable, there is some chance that you get what you want, but not even that. If you write to them, you get either no reply, or they send you a bla-bla standard letter after about two months.

There for me lies the difference in "specifically taking care of their (Elite plus) customers". Air France simply doesn't have the right reflexes, attitudes and as a consequence under-invested and under-staffed for proactively taking care of its good customers. I am glad the OP's and some other posters have had the occasional experience to the contrary, but I still believe these are one-offs. Happy to recognize if I am wrong.

Klm is Dead - Long Live KLM

In the Flying Dutchman Royal Wing days they went to the very back of the plane to upgrade me to Business Class or even Royal Class.

Klm is Dead - Long Live KLM

Culture is what companies and people do automatically when no one is looking or forcing them. AF does not have the culture nor stomach for this. I blame the French Revolution.

ajamieson

Most airlines have been doing this for some time. Even airlines like United manage to do this. That fact that this comes as a surprise to AF passengers speaks volumes about AF.

It should not need a recession to make this common practice in any case!

San Gottardo

You may have a point there, but without wanting to go that far back in history, I blame two other things:

• A corporate decision to learn from US airlines and emulate their efficiency and cost consciousness. Unfortunately, by doing so, AF has also emasculated all its financial means that would have needed to be devoted to providing superior customer service
• A "the company is for our benefit" attitude of far too many employees. Self-helping themselves to upgrades, enforcing privileges that go beyond those for paying passengers in premium cabins, whimsical attitude to any effort that needs to be done and threatening to strike against them or demand extra compensation are just symptoms of that

I have my theories about the impact of the ideas of the French Revolution on a number of attitudes in French society. However, the French Revolution has not turned us (the French) from charming and caring individuals into egocentric lazymongers. However, more and more Air France employees seem to be drifting that way, obviously feeling that an extra effort for a customer would be too "servile" and thus below them. So I wonder, what is it that Air France has done that the French Revolution has not?

It's actually quite brutal to recognize that Air France does not succeed in playing out one of France's strengths: attentionate and sincere hospitality whilst at the same time remaining elegant, classy and serene. Lufthansa has "pushed" its German employees to levels of hospitality that is foreign to German culture. Leveraging discipline and fail-proof processes they can be sure that there is a minimum of hospitality happening. Hospitality comes more natural to the Swiss (albeit without the French "class") and the airline plays that card. Air France should do the same.

The CdC who came up to the OP and greeted him as a loyal customer of Air France did exactly the right thing: he welcomed him, he was attentionate. The fact that the OP posted here about that experience shows to what extent passengers - especially in France - are sensitive to sincere hospitality and welcome such signs (OK, it also shows that he's an "AF apologizer" - sorry nicolas75, I had to tease you on this).

FD1971

Reality check please !!!

JOUY31

Somewhat nitpicking, and in no way agreeing with you on this issue , but wouldn't apologist be more accurate ?

San Gottardo

Sorry what do you mean...?

San Gottardo

It actually is, you're right. ^

stimpy

As someone else said, United is good at this. As a 1K Million Miler I am almost always recognized and often the Captain visits and gives his business card.

But United tried a not-well-thought-out practice back in the 90's where they would thank all the 1K's out loud on the speaker system. A lot of CEO's and such were not at all happy about being outed on the plane!