WindyCityBrother

I stopped flying UA because of the horrendous customer service. Maybe someone should talk to Capt. Flanagan about teaching a customer service course. People like this keep you IN business and attract and RETAIN business.

Sounds like a really great guy. Isn't it refreshing to hear stories like this?

planeluvr

Here is the thread that was mentioned in the article.

p1cunnin

Clearly, this is a guy who "gets it" and loves what he does. He understands what customer service means and how you treat pax. Sure, he has a few gimmicks, but, by and large, what he is doing is what we should expect on the "Friendly Skies". For all the business-like grey and pinstriped paint jobs of the past, I suspect that if UA really re-adopted their old "Friendly Skies" approach -- and lived it every day -- they could turn this thing around. And I would nominate Capt. Denny to lead the parade.

This isn't about silliness or singing songs or telling jokes on the flight. It is about basic customer service -- anticipating the needs of the customer and keeping the customer informed. The bottles of wine and McDonald's are bonuses.

If every captain would simply say hello, pass around a few business cards, and keep pax really informed about what is going on, I think we'd see a lot of that good will extended on both sides of the cockpit door.

Now, add in some seriously refurbished aircraft and attitudes (I don't have to have new -- just clean up the 757s, put on some winglets, and give me a crew that enjoys their jobs) and I think we could have a real winner.

The earlier post about how an FA was surprised to get a GTEM is telling -- and, unfortunate. I think the culture at UA is so used to being beat upon that they find people like Capt. Denny to be so out there that they don't absorb the lesson. I suspect that there are 50 (or maybe even 500) Capt. Grumpys to every Capt. Denny and FAs come on board with a sense of dread for many flights. They are so shell-shocked that it takes a while to figure the guy out -- and then they part ways. On the one hand, you'd think that constant exposure of various crews to guys like him would tend to spread the culture of friendliness and customer service. Unfortunately, he really seems to be a rare bird. He's probably a very nice exception in a long line of jerks.

Hello WHQ -- are you paying attention?

WindyCityBrother

If everybody at UA HALFWAY treated their customers like this, I'd fly UA again in a heartbeat.

ShaneCulver

Why don't more pilots or any service orientated staff follow the lead of these people. Its takes so little and it means to so much to the passengers. With airlines battling for market share the best asset isn't the fare or the miles/points, it is the service. (Frustrated flyer speaking .....)

.....SC

MatthewLAX

Wonderful article. Doe Capt. Flanagan fly both both 757 and 767?

haddon90

i've never had the pleasure of flying with him, but i have had some good pilots in the past. in terms of customer service, i have had many more good experiences than bad one's. with that said, i don't fly nearly as much as other people on this board. but UA has done more for me than the other airlines i have flown. i'm curious to see what the service will be like this friday in F on UA 915. i will have a full trip report when i get back from SFO.

UpgradeMePlz

While I might agree on this with some of the FAs, I consistently would rate the pilots above and beyond. When I'm on other airlines, I don't get nearly the same amount of information announced by the pilots or in as friendly a manner. They might not do what Capt. Flanigan does but he and his colleagues consistently get us safely to where we are going and IME have always kept us as passengers informed of delays, weather in the sky, etc...which I cannot say the same for of other airlines, particularly US but CO and AA as well.

tracon

The 757 and 767 have a common type rating. If you are qualified to fly one you can fly the other.
A friend was first trained on the 757. A bunch of his co-workers got together and took a one day differences course which gave them the 767 rating.

xj47

I don't believe I've flown with him... I do remember being on a 757 once where the pilot handed out trading cards, but there weren't any of his other trademarks. Any way to find out when/where he'll be flying? It sounds like SFO-ORD is his route of choice.

SEA1K4EVR

The other Captain Flanagan, Molly Flanagan who is based in SEA (also a 757/767 captain) also passes out personalized cards to F and elites and she comes out and gives a quick pre-flight briefing to the F & C cabins on her flights...always a pleasure. Wonder if they are related.

mlasser

The point of the thread is that this pilot is great but is also an incredible exception. The pilot refelcts well on himself and should be lauded and compensated so that he is the most highly paid guy in the air at UA.

His service level though is in no way indicative of UA and the company would in fact do well to recognize best practices and should institute procedures whereby emulators are recognized as well.

RichardInSF

I wonder if we can get this guy to talk to the matrons in the IFL at SFO, the RCC at ORD B, and all the RCCs at IAD sometime?

BankofJosh

My first thought was "Why is this guy still in the cockpit at all?" He clearly is too valuable a resource to waste on 200 passengers at a time. He needs to be training other pilots so that this can be replicated. With just a few hundred Captain Denny's United could turn it's reputation around.

lucky9876coins

Just my opinion, but I don't think he would be as respected if he weren't a pilot. I think he would be viewed by his colleagues as an opportunist if he took a job at WHQ, so right now he has the best of both worlds.