Common Courtesy

Listen with RealAudio          Need audio help?

If you're flying this coming week, pay attention! Beginning Wednesday, the Airline Customer Service Commitment takes effect. It's the airlines' voluntary effort to head off Congress from telling them how to treat passengers. Nineteen auditors from the Department of Transportation begin flying incognito around the country to see if airlines do, in fact, offer timely information about delays, retrieve misplaced luggage more promptly, and generally treat passengers with TLC.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an

So as the busy holiday travel season begins, remember the man or woman behind the counter at the airport wants you to have a flawless flying experience just as much as you do: no one looks forward to a bad day at the office. Get to the airport earlier than usual. Mail your packages ahead of your trip so you're not wrestling them on board. Stay cool. Be reasonable. We're all in this together.

{ View Index }