Hostile, Indifferent Airline Staff Still A Problem This story -- the link was posted by Roger James -- is well worth a look. Interesting research that highlights some of the problems in the airline industry. I still don't believe that airline execs take passenger complaints seriously and, no matter what the ads say, the service on most airlines is awful except in First Class and even that has its moments. One problem is that, while airlines produce slick TV and Press ads that raise passenger expectations to impossible levels, they don't pay their ground or flight staff enough to attract (and keep) the calibre of people who can deliver that kind of service. One thing that bugs me about cabin staff is that, on longhaul flights, once they've fed-and-watered the animals and turned off the lights, they disappear and relax in their alcoves. Rarely do they take turns to watch the cabin and, if you ring the service bell once the lights are out, no-one comes because no-one is listening. You could be having a heart attack but, unless another passenger noticed your plight, you'd just die in your seat. Back to the Canada complaints page, is there any other passenger research available on the Net? Geoff in Harare PS For those who missed Roger's email, the link to the Canadian story is at http://cbc.ca/stories/2002/04/18/Consumers/travelcomplaints_020418