[jimworcs]

Let me offer up a scenario:

The family are highly stressed.. they have been held up after an accident on the freeway and they knew they were going to miss the flight. The parents are arguing about whether they should have left earlier. The kids are cranky through a mixture of excitment of the trip and getting up so early. They get to the airport, and their worst fear is realised. They have missed the flight. They are now anxious, agitated and worried about the whole trip...and what they are going to do.

At this point... AA could offer two scenarios.

1. A calm, sympathetic customer service advisor, who tells them don't worry, we will try and see what we can do to help you. This person tells them that we will try to book them on the next flight for a $50 per person re-booked fee.
Outcome: Happy passenger and $200 in extra fees for AA. Unhappy bean counter in Dallas, Tx who will be unable to pay massive, unearned bonuses to senior management. This will be fed back to the supervisor, who will make the life of the check in clerk a misery.

2. A nasty, ****** off airline employee, who hates her boss... rolls her eyes at yet another edgy family telling her about an accident on the highway. She's thinking.. "it's always an accident, never their fault..jerks". She tells them, in a deadpan manner.. look you either book new tickets on the next flight at $4,700 or you can't travel. Take it or leave it... do you want me to check you in for the next flight or not? Family in a panic, stressed and not thinking straight accept, desperate to get the trip back on track.
Outcome: Unhappy passenger, but who cares, we operate a monopoly at this airport. They have to use us. Extra $4,700 for the airline. Bean counter, senior management happy. We can pay the $4,000 towards the massive bonuses and $700 into the pot that bribes politicians to protect our monopoly and prevent regulation. Supervisor and managers stay off the back of the check in clerk.

Which of these do you think is most likely to have happened?