ATL gate agents are becoming increasingly unpleasant
Nov 28, 2018, 7:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: BHM LEX NYC
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ATL gate agents are becoming increasingly unpleasant
While standing underneath this silly PREM sign I can't help but notice how rude the ATL agents have become in the past few years. I just witnessed a RC literally say "what do you need?" when a customer approached the counter. Absolutely unprofessional and just plain rude.
I never really paid much attention to the counter conversations but now I'm forced to with the new boarding process when I have a row 1 seat.
I never really paid much attention to the counter conversations but now I'm forced to with the new boarding process when I have a row 1 seat.
Nov 28, 2018, 8:04 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Transit through ATL more than I want to and the GA’s are definitely hit or miss.
The gate areas are so chaotic and crowded in general I almost feel sorry for them. I often think it has to be an unpleasant job at best in ATL when I observe them. Of course no one forces them to do the job and they should be courteous and professional.
During IRROPS it is just utter mayhem in ATL.
The gate areas are so chaotic and crowded in general I almost feel sorry for them. I often think it has to be an unpleasant job at best in ATL when I observe them. Of course no one forces them to do the job and they should be courteous and professional.
During IRROPS it is just utter mayhem in ATL.
Nov 28, 2018, 8:05 am
#3
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Do you really want to generalize from one observation?
Nov 28, 2018, 8:10 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2015
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Nov 28, 2018, 8:21 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2016
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OP - completely agree.
ATL used to me a model hub. Super courteous agents who really took care of their Medallions.
Some of those folks are still around, but many of the new hires are just awful. They wouldn't even qualify for a job at United.
They yell at customers, care more about covering their rear end then making things right when they go haywire, and hand out the phone number for Corporate Customer Care when they want to quickly end a conversation and don't care about your complaint (by the way, this is how Abercrombie & Fitch used to handle things, with their awful CS - shut down the customer if they complain, and hand them a card to a phone number where someone in a different city probably won't care about their problem either, if the person even bothers to call)
I try to avoid interacting with a majority of the ATL staff nowadays because they don't know DL policies, don't care, and communicate that in an unprofessional manner to boot. ATL is now DL's worst hub in terms of customer service skills and friendliness of the staff.
ATL used to me a model hub. Super courteous agents who really took care of their Medallions.
Some of those folks are still around, but many of the new hires are just awful. They wouldn't even qualify for a job at United.
They yell at customers, care more about covering their rear end then making things right when they go haywire, and hand out the phone number for Corporate Customer Care when they want to quickly end a conversation and don't care about your complaint (by the way, this is how Abercrombie & Fitch used to handle things, with their awful CS - shut down the customer if they complain, and hand them a card to a phone number where someone in a different city probably won't care about their problem either, if the person even bothers to call)
I try to avoid interacting with a majority of the ATL staff nowadays because they don't know DL policies, don't care, and communicate that in an unprofessional manner to boot. ATL is now DL's worst hub in terms of customer service skills and friendliness of the staff.
Nov 28, 2018, 8:35 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
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Posts: 438
To be fair, the worst behavior I see at the gate. Some of the best agent interactions I've had or have seen have been at the SC. My gripe is with only GA staff for the purpose of this thread.
Nov 28, 2018, 8:47 am
#9
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How about 48 different experiences in 2018 from 48 flights out of ATL?
Is everyone awful? no. Is the vast majority (70+%) of my experiences or what i witness/hear pretty bad? yes
LAX is potentially the only experiences I have had over the years that might be worse.
SLC is probably hands down the BEST experience. From when you check in at the counter to the sky club to the gate agent I have never seen anyone who is in a bad mood. ALWAYS very nice and courteous and genuinely seem happy.
Is everyone awful? no. Is the vast majority (70+%) of my experiences or what i witness/hear pretty bad? yes
LAX is potentially the only experiences I have had over the years that might be worse.
SLC is probably hands down the BEST experience. From when you check in at the counter to the sky club to the gate agent I have never seen anyone who is in a bad mood. ALWAYS very nice and courteous and genuinely seem happy.
Nov 28, 2018, 8:47 am
#10
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
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I try to avoid interacting with a majority of the ATL staff nowadays because they don't know DL policies, don't care, and communicate that in an unprofessional manner to boot. ATL is now DL's worst hub in terms of customer service skills and friendliness of the staff.
Nov 28, 2018, 8:50 am
#11
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OP - completely agree.
ATL used to me a model hub. Super courteous agents who really took care of their Medallions.
Some of those folks are still around, but many of the new hires are just awful. They wouldn't even qualify for a job at United.
They yell at customers, care more about covering their rear end then making things right when they go haywire, and hand out the phone number for Corporate Customer Care when they want to quickly end a conversation and don't care about your complaint (by the way, this is how Abercrombie & Fitch used to handle things, with their awful CS - shut down the customer if they complain, and hand them a card to a phone number where someone in a different city probably won't care about their problem either, if the person even bothers to call)
I try to avoid interacting with a majority of the ATL staff nowadays because they don't know DL policies, don't care, and communicate that in an unprofessional manner to boot. ATL is now DL's worst hub in terms of customer service skills and friendliness of the staff.
ATL used to me a model hub. Super courteous agents who really took care of their Medallions.
Some of those folks are still around, but many of the new hires are just awful. They wouldn't even qualify for a job at United.
They yell at customers, care more about covering their rear end then making things right when they go haywire, and hand out the phone number for Corporate Customer Care when they want to quickly end a conversation and don't care about your complaint (by the way, this is how Abercrombie & Fitch used to handle things, with their awful CS - shut down the customer if they complain, and hand them a card to a phone number where someone in a different city probably won't care about their problem either, if the person even bothers to call)
I try to avoid interacting with a majority of the ATL staff nowadays because they don't know DL policies, don't care, and communicate that in an unprofessional manner to boot. ATL is now DL's worst hub in terms of customer service skills and friendliness of the staff.
It is the complete opposite, outstations and smaller hubs have the best employees and major hubs/global HQ are terrible. (speaking in general only as there are plenty of great ATL employees too)
Nov 28, 2018, 8:54 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2008
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While standing underneath this silly PREM sign I can't help but notice how rude the ATL agents have become in the past few years. I just witnessed a RC literally say "what do you need?" when a customer approached the counter. Absolutely unprofessional and just plain rude.
I never really paid much attention to the counter conversations but now I'm forced to with the new boarding process when I have a row 1 seat.
I never really paid much attention to the counter conversations but now I'm forced to with the new boarding process when I have a row 1 seat.
Nov 28, 2018, 9:01 am
#13
Formerly known as scootr29
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 976
I was in Atlanta recently and had an exchange with a GA that was well over the top....so much so that the pilot of the plane I was flying on, who was standing close by waiting for his papers, approached me and apologized for her behavior. My brother is a pilot for AA, he says the same thing about GAs at CLT, DFW etc. I believe it is an industry wide issue and not one specific to ATL or Delta. Interacting with people face to face is not a priority in business anymore. I have seen it reduced in my business and I deal with billion dollar accounts. I try to treat people with respect, but if I show up and you do not provide me the same courtesy it is game on.
Nov 28, 2018, 9:06 am
#14
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Being AA based out of ATL, the few times I have taken DL, I , myself have never had a problem
maybe the fact that I always wear Hawaillian shirts, puts a smile on their face?
maybe the fact that I always wear Hawaillian shirts, puts a smile on their face?
Nov 28, 2018, 9:42 am
#15
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It is a shame because sometimes spending a few hundred dollars to shake a hand makes all the difference in the world.