David Harvey’s Post

JetBlue - We need to talk.... YOY for the past 2 decades, seat space/leg room has been shrinking, the customer service worse and frankly, it's not very fun back in #Economy! First time flying JetBlue International and I am now officially ruined. 😭 WTH is with all that extra leg room? 😱😱😱 Seriously like 3x the amount on Delta/American and all the other flights I have been crushed into in my trips home to England for the last 2 decades? And can we talk about the food? How are you serving restaurant quality food on an airline? In carbon friendly containers no less? ♻️ When I opened my soft quilt, I thought about asking if I had been accidentally misclassed. 😲 So, here's my ask JetBlue - what are the odds you could maybe work on getting a direct flight from RDU to LGW? I don't know that I can ever go back! I would love to fly you exclusively for the next 20 years! XO A❣️ PS - Your staff was amazing and hilarious(which tracks from the domestic JB flights) PPS - The name of your airplane 🫶: "Understood the AssignMint" PPPS #DALL-E doesn’t know what bangs are. I asked it to remove them so many different ways and then gave up 😂 #InternationalTravel #MintMosaic #TravelGoals #BestAirline #TravelTips #Feedback

We started on our annual #family adventure yesterday, but unfortunately didn't make it past Terminal 1 at #ReaganInternational (Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority) because of the storms and flooding in Florida. It was a LONG 8 hours with 4 kids + 1 kid friend in tow, but even with the disappointment of realizing we would not reach our destination, it was still an #experience I wouldn't trade for the world, for many reasons: 1. While in the line at Dunkin' (because what better way to get #beach-ready than eating #Munchkins), we heard cheers and loud claps. As we turned around, we saw a plane of senior veterans returning from a D-Day memorial trip. My kids quickly jumped into action by clapping, high-fiving, and thanking the vets for their service. It warmed my little #AARP heart to see how they put a smile on so many faces. 2. Even though I think there are opportunities for Southwest Airlines to improve their offerings when a flight is delayed or cancelled (can I get some free trail mix or a coloring activity for my kids?), the desk agent was one of the nicest people I've ever met. She kept a smile on her face the entire 8 hours, answering the same questions, and empathizing with each and every one of us. 3. We got to meet and exchange experiences with people from across the world. And while I felt like a character in the movie #Terminal, it was awesome to learn so much about people as they passed through the airport. 4. My 12-year-old son profoundly told me "Ma, it's okay - it just wasn't meant for us to go this time. Plus, I had fun just hanging with yall". To have my son say this, at a time when I was filled with so many emotions, was heartwarming. While we didn't have the experience we planned, being able to share in the little moments, mattered just as much. So in other words, totally the best #vacation where we actually didn't go anywhere.

This headline is blowing my mind. 🤯 Smart people, help me understand why ditching the most distinct point of the brand makes sense. - - - 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 Southwest Airlines will soon assign seats on flights and sell some with extra legroom, The Wall Street Journal (July 25, Sider) has learned, in an effort to boost revenue and broaden its appeal to passengers. The plans come as the company fends off activist investor Elliott Investment Management pushing for an overhaul of the airline's C-suite and operating strategy. Open seating has been a hallmark of Southwest flights since the carrier's founding more than five decades ago, although it wasn't clear as of press time when flying with assigned seats and premium rows will begin. - - - I know, I know...the #NBA media rights deal is THE headline of the day (HUGE congrats Scott, Charlie, and Rosalyn!) - - - It's just, dang, as a native Texan who has long admired and enjoyed the maverick spirit and sustained success of the National Airline of Texas, this news is mind boggling.(will I board in the A group tomorrow? are the flight attendants in favor? will they have jokes about it? boy, the airline industry knows how to stay in the news!) - - - give me some good news!

When was the last time a flight attendant tracked you down--on the plane--to apologize? That happened to me last night. I was on a flight back to Boise from Minneapolis-St.Paul and I met Patty. She came back about an hour into the flight and asked, "Are you Craig?" I said, "yes," and she replied that she wasn't quite sure why, but that I wasn't upgraded to Comfort+ as I should've been, as there were several empty seats, and that she wanted to find out why and offer her apologies. For perspective, 100,000 Delta Air Lines employees fly 4,000 flights daily on six continents. In 2023, they flew 190 million people where they wanted to go (for me in 2023, one of those flights was with my 3 daughters to Seattle to see #TaylorSwift, but that's another story). Anyway, I love Delta. I don't intentionally fly anyone else--even if it means another connecting flight. I. Love. Delta. My flight last night put me over the half-million miles flown with them, but Patty made those last few miles count for me. She made what can be a very impersonal mode of travel, very much personal. Thanks "Peppermint" Patty. 😉 And yes, for you, I think Delta should allow Birkenstocks to be worn (periodically) by flight attendants--but only with a heel strap because you still have to potentially evac a plane in under 90 seconds, amirite? When I write my business book, I'll probably have a chapter dedicated to Patty and all the amazing people who take their jobs seriously--and raise the customer experience bar in the process. #keepclimbing #CX #customerservice #deltaairlines

Long queues Delayed flights, Overbooked cabins, Frustrated passengers, Intense sense of urgency Are some of the things you encounter at airports during the holiday season. As customer service agents, we're the frontline defenders, tasked with maintaining smiles even as our patience wears thin. Why? Because we understand that behind every traveler's frustration lies a unique story A long-awaited reunion, A missed family gathering, A desire to be home for the holidays or The pressure of last-minute obligations Apart from the customer service team, beyond the visible commotion, lie countless individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the flawless execution of every flight. So as I finally get to celebrate Easter at home with family and loved ones after two years (due to work schedules), I want to express my gratitude to these unsung heroes for their selfless dedication. It comes with the job, but thank you for giving up your holidays, special events,family gatherings,weekend getaways, even quality sleep, so that others can reach their destinations without worry. Happy Easter everyone! #Customerservice #Airline #ceo #qualityservice #commitment #Dedication #holidays

A perfect example of enabling your employees to step outside of their day-to-day to provide customers with memorable "Peak Moments." This moment is ad hoc, but the book "The Power of Moments" also talks about the importance of 'designed' moments that 'wow' customers and leave an impression... highly recommend the read! #ThePowerofMoments #CustomerExperience

Great success

I am quite intrigued by this article about Southwest Airlines loyal members' view of Elliott Investment Management's call for dramatic changes to Southwest's leadership and operation. I have written this year about the fact there has been a shift in how corporations work with stakeholders. There used to be many stakeholders for companies to consider, employees, government, communities, customers, shareholders etc. More and more public companies are optimizing HEAVILY to shareholders. It's particularly interesting to see how the tension between Southwest brand fan sentiment and Elliot's activist activity will play out. For sure Southwest has some changes to make. The preboarding process is abused, the booking isn't as accessible as it could be, and the airline needs more fans from younger generations. However, the siren song of baggage fees seems to be driving some of Elliot's calls for change. That runs contrary to a very unique Southwest brand propsition. You can chase efficiency and profit but kill the brand. Is it worth it in the long run? #shareholders #activistinvestors #brands #brandfans #loyalty #airlines #travel

For the first time since starting Restoration 1 of West Denver/Aurora my family took an extended vacation. Time away from the office helped me to reflect and better understand where I am as a leader and where I need to go. The first day I returned from vacation I found out that we lost one of our most valuable partners. This was a real gut punch and not how I wanted to return from vacation. However, as I reflected on the reasons why that partner chose to go elsewhere and looked back on the same reflections that I had while on vacation I came to a couple conclusions: 1.     Complacency: We have been a very successful business over the past 5+ years. This led to complacency on my part. As a leader in this industry I know when problems exist, you have a natural instinct, I chose to ignore those problems instead of addressing them head on. We can never be complacent as a business owner, once we get complacent, we stop growing and may even contract. 2.     Get to know your partners: We have a phenomenal sales team that does an excellent job of finding new partners. However, I have failed to get to know these partners, to understand their mission statement and values. To understand what a partnership looks like to them. 3.     Be agile: Our industry is changing and there are more companies popping up every day in our market. We cannot stick with the same sales strategy that worked for us three or four years ago. Our strategy needs to change. All of this reminds me of an old United Airlines commercial from the 90s. A business owner loses an important client and decides to make changes. Watch the commercial below, it is and old commercial though. I would correlate the fax machine to an e-mail.

Southwest Airlines is getting rid of everything that made them unique. They used to have the funniest and BEST flight attendants in the industry. Since the AirTran merger experiencing the old school Southwest experience now happens once in while while it used to be the norm and something passengers aniticipated and adored. They have had an open seating platform that has differentiated them for decades. They are now eradicating that. The late and great co-founder and former CEO of Southwest, Herb Kelleher, has to be rolling around in his grave. I understand making subtle changes to a company to refresh its appeal but leaving the core principles of low airfare and best customer service in the business has allowed me to lose my former loyalty. Richard Branson has made it clear that he loves to enter an industry where the large majority of competitors are all going one direction. He went all in on the Virgin Airlines, a larger than life VIP customer experience, when airlines were decreasing comfort and squeezing profits. I truly believe a new airline called South Back or something catchy should come along and bring the old Southwest back. Who is your favorite airline to fly now and a decade ago and why?? Please give this a like and add any comments to further this discussion. Click follow #brandonjamesthompson Careers in Aesthetics LLC BT Medical Innovations Nuvissa #business #travel #airlines #medicaldevicesales #sales