Remember the old saying that nice guys come in last?
I really try hard not to believe it, but then there’s the story of British airline Monarch.
Last March, the UK-based company decided to be nice.
The airline instructed its counter and gate agents to give automatic upgrades to passengers who were simply nice.
What a great idea. Good manners were being rewarded in an industry that many felt had lost that concept.
The 50-year-old airline said it was enacting the policy to promote the traditional values of chivalry, courtesy, and respect.
But did the program work?
For a few months, yes. But what about revenue for the airline?
In October, Monarch failed, stranding 110,000 passengers, prompting a massive repatriation effort by the British government to bring its citizens home.
I can guarantee you that no one got upgraded on those flights.
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- Why A New Travel Law Isn’t Going Into Effect
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