Accelerated Learning: ICAL Airline Case Histories

Case History – Airline Baggage Handling & Ramp Workers Course

Continental Airlines; Houston, Texas, USA

Contact:

Deborah Tholen, Vice President, Flight Operations.

Business Type:

International Airline in USA.

Previous Training Program:

None – this program was developed to reduce number of lost, damaged or improperly routed bags nationwide in 1998.

Client Objective:

To train 1,250 baggage handlers and ramp workers nationwide to correctly handle bags at each station. Course goals were to:

Decrease amount of baggage that was damaged, lost or sent to the wrong city

Decrease damaged or lost bags and replacement expense

Decrease delivery expense of bags delivered to passengers after loss or delay

Decrease customer complaints.

System Implemented:

ICAL established an ICAL Innovation Institute to train Continental employees to design courses in several key business sectors. ICAL also trained a national Continental team of trainers to deliver these initiatives.

Accomplishments:

The 4-hour course was designed by ICAL and a group of Continental SME’s and delivered locally to 650 ramp and baggage personnel by the national training team over 3 months. Lost bags were reduced by 55%, damaged bags reduced by 47%, and bags sent to the wrong city were reduced by 68%. Baggage complaints from passengers dropped by 41% (and dropped by 58% at stations who received the Service Recovery Course). Repeat business customers after lost bags increased by 47% and cancelled memberships dropped by 55% in Service Recovery trained stations.

Satisfaction: