News

Airlines increasing self-service in Australia

May 1, 2014

Australian travelers should get used to seeing fewer airline staff in traditional service roles, Virgin Australia Chief Customer Officer Mark Hasselltold Perth Now.

Airlines are moving toward a more flexible model that uses increased automation of the check-in process and sees employees as problem-solvers rather than process drivers, Perth Now quotes Hassell as saying. Cutting frontline jobs will allow airlines to use staff to improve customer service and experience.

According to Perth Now, the Australian Services Union has warned that up to 90 full-time check-in staff at Sydney Airport could be replaced by 30 part-time staff, and that the process could be repeated across Australia. Airlines such as Qantas have been reducing frontline jobs in order to cut costs.

Moving to self-service systems is great for passengers and airlines, provided they work effectively, David Flynn, Australian Business Traveller's editor, told Perth Now. He pointed to Qantas's self-check-in kiosks and automated bag-drop facilities within its domestic terminals as an example of a system that works well.

According to Smart Company, Hassell was involved in Virgin Australia's recent move to new online booking technology, which sent airline bookings and ticketing into disorder for several days. Smart Company said Hassell extracted 300 Virgin staff from their administrative roles in head office, told them to put aside their day jobs, and trained them as "change champions," helping customers use self-service kiosks.