June 9, 2017: The US airline industry is under a microscope these days — and rightfully so — for it’s poor customer service tactics — on the ground and in the air. The major carriers are expanding their customer service training to include what they now term Verbal Judo — how to defuse and resolve customer service and overbooking issues without dragging anyone off a plane or creating problems in the gate area. A big part of the new program is just listening to what travelers want to say — and maybe even have the airline take responsibility for the problem. No flight experience — on the ground or in the air is perfect — empathy goes a long ways and applies to both sides!
