CEO of British Airways Aims To Fix Poor Customer Service

The airline industry can’t catch a break these days. Ongoing pandemic restrictions and worker shortages are causing many airlines to drop flights, forcing customers to reschedule their plans or cancel them altogether. To make matters worse, customers are having a difficult time connecting with service agents to remedy situations, causing reputational harm for many legacy airlines.

According to a recent article by BTN Europe, Sean Doyle, the CEO of British Airways, sent a message to BA Executive Club members over the weekend regarding BA’s recent dip in customer service quality. Doyle also made a pledge to improve service, and will be introducing new call center enhancements to reduce call wait times and create better experiences.

“We are mid-way through replacing our phone systems to create a better customer experience and are also already recruiting more people to ensure your calls are answered, social media messages are responded to and problems are solved in the moment, wherever possible.”

Doyle added, “I hope that in the coming months you’ll notice a significant move towards a better BA, driven by our people to deliver a better experience for you, our most loyal customers.”

Customer service problems are not exclusive to British Airways. In fact, both American and Southwest Airlines have experienced major customer service issues over the last year, with both attempting to fix the problem by hiring additional staff and integrating contact center technology. Although many of the problems the airline industry is currently facing are a result of circumstance, customers have a right to be frustrated if they feel their business isn’t appreciated. 

Doyle made a wise decision to speak openly about BA’s customer service issues, and his personal commitment to fix the issue could be critical for saving the airline’s reputation. Hopefully with a more capable phone system, British Airways will soon be able to move beyond this customer service nightmare and move into the post-pandemic era better than ever.