American Airlines announced on Monday that it will lay off 656 customer service employees as part of a major change to improve how it helps customers. The airline is forming a new team called "Customer Success" to handle complex travel issues. This means cutting 8.2% of its 8,000 customer service jobs, mainly in Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth. These employees, not part of a union, currently help with lost luggage and loyalty program issues.
American Airlines to Lay Off Hundreds in Customer Service Revamp
The layoffs will happen by March 30. According to USA Today, American Airlines is giving these workers a chance to apply first for 135 jobs in the new team or 800 other open positions at the airline. If they don't get these jobs, they will receive help finding new work and severance pay.
Carolyne Truelove, the Vice President of Reservations and Service Recovery at American Airlines, said the goal is to fix customer service problems. The new team will deal with issues like flight changes due to weather. Simpler problems will be handled by international call centers.
American Airlines believes that solving problems on the first call can reduce call volume by 20%. The changes aim to make it easier for passengers to get help by having one team instead of many separate ones.
The airline's focus is on improving the customer experience, acknowledging that there are areas needing attention and improvement. This restructuring is part of American Airlines' effort to enhance its service and efficiency in dealing with customer issues, especially during times of travel disruptions.
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Faces Sewage Leak on Long Journey from Delhi to New York
On a recent American Airlines flight from Delhi to New York JFK, passengers faced a distressing situation when sewage started leaking from the airplane's lavatories. The incident occurred on Monday night during the 16-hour flight on a Boeing 777-300. Passengers had to endure the unpleasant conditions for about ten hours.
The problem began when four lavatories near the front of the plane started overflowing with sewage. In a report released by PYOK, passengers reported that blankets were used to soak up the waste that was flowing down the aisles. This created a very uncomfortable and unhygienic environment for those on board. Anmol Kaushik, a passenger, took a video and photos of the mess, showing blankets on the floor and a sink filled with sewage.
American Airlines described the issue as a "small leak" caused by a clogged toilet. They have responded to customer complaints and offered compensation to those affected by the incident. Despite the challenging situation, the flight crew managed to clean the cabin and prepare the plane for its next journey to London Heathrow within 12 hours.
The decision to continue to New York JFK was tough. The alternative was to land somewhere else for repairs. However, this would have caused additional problems. The crew was already near the end of their working hours due to longer flight times because US planes can't use Russian airspace. Stopping elsewhere might have left passengers stranded in an unexpected location.
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