An open letter to Jeff Smisek, CEO of United Airlines

Dear Jeff Smisek,

We hope the holidays find you and your family well.

We wanted to drop a letter to you to know how your airline is doing and to give our appreciation for some of the remarkable people you have working for you. We know the airlines are an easy target. Since deregulation and then 9/11, it has a been a struggle over profitability and a story of diminishing services. Remember when airlines used to compete on the quality of in-flight meals? Air travel has come a long way since then, and more of a descent than any take off.

We fly United more than any other, partly because it’s a big player in Los Angeles and because we have a history and status. We know the quick ways to get through Terminal 7 at LAX. We know your hubs and where to grab a quick bite. We’re very loyal because being loyal pays dividends. We realize not everyone can be a customer service guru, we’ve come across plenty of great people.

13 years of being outstanding

Two of your employees stand out for their service in 2013. The first didn’t come to our attention this year because we’ve known Bruce Lesher at the United Club for the past 13 years. He knows our names and can never let us come into his club without shaking hands and spending a minute chatting. He’s a competitive advantage for United in just one person. He’s not the only friendly person at the Club, but he’s an ambassador for United in every small and big way.

Help when we really needed it

The second person is Maria Watts in the “Lost on Board” department, also at LAX. Though I stupidly left my jacket in the overhead space, she helped us find a way to get it back from Houston and in our hands the day before we traveled to France. It came today, in fact, in a FedEx box that we thought was a Christmas present and it in fact, it was. Thank you, Maria.

We spend a great deal of time talking about technology, and there are certainly ways the airlines can use technology better, but there’s an enormous amount to be said about getting the basics right. These two understand that and we appreciate them.

My Christmas present back to United is to let you know about the people who are in the trenches making United look good and earning more business. Thanks for listening and happy holidays.

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Christopher Taylor