CHAPTER 1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND ON THE AIRLINE‟S GROUND
1.1. Airline‟s ground service quality at the airport
1.1.4 Airline’s ground service classification
There are many ways to classify ground services of airlines at airports such as classification according to service objects, service stages, service nature, and consumption structure.
Classification according to service objects
Depending on the passenger position, the ticket fare, the travel frequency with the airline, Vietnam Airlines has developed a set of separate service standards and ground service procedures at the airport, specifically:
- Ground service for business class passenger.
- Ground service for VIP-CIP passenger.
- Ground service for Lotus mile program member - Ground service for high turnover economy passenger.
- Ground service for VIP foreign passenger.
- Ground service for SkyPriority passenger.
Classification according to service stages
By this classification, the ground service of the airline at the airport consists of three main groups of services: check-in services, airport services, and boarding services.
Check-in services include welcoming passengers at the airport, check-in procedures for passengers: economy class passengers, business class passengers, group passengers, web check-in passengers, VIP passengers, CIP passengers, Lotus mile program passengers ...In the process of check-in procedures for passenger, the staffs comply with the procedures: greeting, receiving tickets and relevant documents according to the regulations of the airport authorities, asking passengers about the needs of the seats, issuing the boarding pass, asking passengers about checked baggage, weighing and printing checked baggage tags, and guiding passenger for follow-up procedures (security check, boarding gate, time passenger
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must be present at the boarding gate for the flight ...).
Service at the airport is determined from the time the passenger completes check-in procedures until boarding time. This service includes 2 groups: airport services for passengers and airport services for luggage. Airport services for passengers include: passenger assistance at security, border police, customs;
notifying passengers on board on time; guiding and welcoming guests to the hotel;
serving food or beverage in case of delayed flight, cancelled flights; welcoming and guiding passengers on international and domestic flights; transfer procedures;
assisting passengers with special needs, medical services, business lounge services... Airport services for luggage include: lost and found services (tracing for lost luggage, instructing passengers about luggage compensation procedures, passengers' luggage preservation and, abnormal luggage handling, special luggage service (government documents, diplomatic bag ...).
The boarding service is determined from the time passengers are notified to board the plane until they sit on the plane. It is carried out by two ways: by aero- bridge or by bus. Boarding staff will be present at the boarding gate 10 minutes before boarding time for preparation, passenger invitation, instruction and passenger control to ensure that passengers aboard the plane on time, without causing excess or lack of passenger which affects the safety and timeliness of the flight.
Classification according to service nature
Based on the nature of the service, Christopher H. Lovelock (1983) classified the services into two types: tangible services and intangible services corresponding to people and object.
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Table 1.1: Table of classification according to service nature Services for
People Object
The nature of service
Tangible
- Check-in
- Meal and beverage - Hotel accommodation - Business lounge.
- Taxi, hotel service in case of irregular flight
- Checked baggage
- Baggage loading on airplane
- Service for oversized and special baggages
Intangible
- Annoucement - Medical service - Transit tour
- Boarding
- Tracing and resolution for irregular baggage cases.
(Source: the author synthesized) Classification according to consumption structure
According to the consumption structure, the ground service of the airline at the airport is divided into two groups: basic services and additional services.
Basic services are the main services that the airline provides to its customers to satisfy basic, indispensable needs of customers such as check-in services, airport services, and boarding services.
Additional services are services provided to customers to satisfy non- mandatory needs but must be available in the service business such as excess baggage service, seat upgrade service at the airport, through check-in service, destination language support service, web check-in service, kiosk check-in, transfer support service, unaccompanied minor suppoty service...