Kansas City International - Wonderful!

This may not make my friends at the Des Moines International Airport happy...but I MUST tell you this story.  It is easy to criticize the airlines but not this time..It is all about customer service, remember that?

Two months ago I had a decision to make.  I was flying to Florida for the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association spring meeting.  The price of a ticket out of Des Moines was $520 round trip.  The price of a ticket out of Kansas City International was $235 round trip.  So, I drove to KCI this morning (Tuesday) to catch my flight. 

I need to let you know that I DO fly out of Des Moines often...just this time I thought I'd try something else.  Ahhhhh...what a difference.

At check in from American Airlines they greeted me BY NAME!  Yes...I had used the self check in and a woman came up and said, "Welcome to Kansas City Mr. Libbie.  Let me get your bag for you and you feel free to go ahead and go to gate 78.  It's just fifty feet in that direction.  I'll take your bag to security."  Ahhhhh....

At security I checked through in about 90 seconds.  Nope they did not skimp...but the way KCI is set up nearly every four or five gates have their own security folks.  As I walked through the "machine that goes BEEP" if you have metal on you the TSA guy on the other side looked me in the eye and said, "Thank you for visiting Kansas City, you're OK and I hope you have a wonderful flight."  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....

I collected my laptop bag and behind me was another TSA agent.  There were two empty bins in front of me.  I picked them up to give to the agent and he said, "That's OK sir...no problem, let me get those out of your way."  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

I stood there and said, politely, "I have to tell you ladies and gentlemen, I drove today from Des Moines and you folks made the trip worthwhile.  Thank you."  They nodded...appreciation and went about their work encouraging a little girl of about 6 to run to an agent in front of her mother saying, "Don't worry honey, Mommy will be right behind you...come on through...yippee!"

OK...so what have you folks at KCI done to the "real" travel folks that make our traveling life so...ahhhhh...interesting?

Thanks...you made this customer feel welcome, safe and appreciated. So, the bottom line to you who are reading this and thinking about your business, how are you showing your customers they are welcome and appreciated?  It can't hurt!

Thanks for reading...

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where you can always make contact with us by clicking here.

Comments

[Georgie]

Yep! I've ALWAYS said that Kansas City has the best airport anywhere!!! Easy to get to, easy to find your way around and lots of friendly people! I love them!

[Tom]

You are right. KCI is a wonderful airport. Now for some interesting news about its security. Those are NOT TSA screeners! They work for a private company under contract to the TSA! The federal govt and TSA maintain responsibility for security and they oversee the private company. But it's the private company, FirstLine Transporation Security, that handles it all, including training and making sure that they are courteous as well as security conscious! Tell your own airport that they can have the same thing. all they have to do is ask the TSA!

[Michael Libbie]

Tom: Thanks for the information! I now DO recall their jackets. They said "First Line" at the time I thought it was a slogan for TSA. It really was a remarkable difference. Thanks for reading... MPL

[Georgie]

Yeah, like I said....Kansas City ROCKS!!!