Thank you to our sponsors who make this Project LIFToff incentive possible, including Daniels Bistro and
hotel/restaurant members of Gateway to LA, including:
Photo (courtesy of the Daily Breeze) shows employees at
LAX taking the Resiliency Edge "kick off" class. To view a news story about the class, click
here.
We had a group of senior citizens travelers attending a religious conference who were upset because they were unable to obtain wheelchair service to get them from the baggage area to their respective vans. To solve their problem, we contacted the airline to obtain wheelchairs as only the airlines are permitted to contact the wheelchair employees. We reassured the group that they would soon be taken care of. We stayed with them until the wheelchairs arrived and they got their luggage. Their greeter hadn’t arrived but we made sure that they got to their vans to proceed to their hotels. The customers left happy and asked for our supervisor’s name and phone number. Ms Anita Matthew later called stating that she couldn’t leave the airport without acknowledging the professionalism of Virginia and Yvonne. She said that these two employees went out of their way to make sure that their arrival to L.A. was pleasant. Ms Matthew said that they were polite, helpful, considerate and very professional. She ended by saying that more airports should have employees like these ladies.
Entry Num:
126
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Jan L
Name:
Linda P-C and Midori M
Comments:
I was working TBIT departure when I noticed that the escalator was stopped. I went to the back to get the number to phone it in. I talked to some ladies who were standing at the bottom of the escalator. One lady, Edith Orner, was bleeding from a cut, about an inch long, on her lower leg. She asked for a band-aid. I asked what happened and I said I would take her to first aid. The other ladies, one of which had fallen on top of Edith, declined to go to First Aid and instead wanted to go with the others to the food court. I said I would bring Edith back to find them. I phoned the first aid office because no one answered their locked door. When they answered the phone I told the operator what we needed. He said they would send an ambulance. I said it was not a 911 call and we only needed first aid. They asked the age of the lady (81). And the 911 guys came anyway. They asked, Edith, what they could do for her. She pointed to the gash on her leg; they proceeded to wrap the wound. They then took Edith’s blood pressure, which was a little higher than normal she said but was obvious of no great concern. While this was going on I had gone back to find her friends. Edith was concerned about Lydia, who had fallen on her. Not finding her friends I returned to Edith and together we went to look for them. Edith was grateful for my help in finding some first aid.
Entry Num:
124
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Sandy W
Name:
Midori M
Comments:
A lady arrived into LA ten hours late from Australia, and as a result missed her connection to Minnesota. With flights all booked they could not get her on a flight to Minn for two days, and when she learned that she broke down. She came to me in tears and said she had no idea what to do. She had no money and no place to stay. I engaged her and calmed her down telling her I would not desert her. I took her to her carrier’s counter and explained her situation to a rep, who also empathized with her. The airline was able to get her a voucher for two days for a hotel and meals and now her tears turned to tears of joy. She hugged me.
Entry Num:
123
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Sandy W
Name:
Midori M
Comments:
A man was stranded due to the volcanic ash disruption. He needed to find an internet kiosk where he could make alterations to his travel itinerary and rebook a connecting flight out of London. He was anxious since he could not find a way to get on the internet and he was afraid he would lose his connection once they got him to London. I told him not to worry, I knew exactly where we could go to find a business center in Tom Bradley terminal and I walked him over to it. There he was able to get all his trip alterations accomplished and with each key stroke he calmed down. Finally when everything was done, he looked at me and smiled. I felt good.
Entry Num:
122
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Jan L
Name:
Linda P-C
Comments:
As Linda reported: Jan was in terminal 4 when she approached a passenger and asked her if she needed help. The passenger explained that she had been waiting for the 3 pm Bakersfield Bus, which never came. She and two other passengers waiting for the same bus had called the bus company. They were told that the bus was on it’s way and would be there shortly. Still no bus arrived. The woman decided to phone her husband to come and pick her up. At that point, Jan was proactive and explained to the woman that she could take a bus to Van Nuys and then her husband could pick her up at the Van Nuys flyaway stop. That would save her husband time and distance and get her home faster. The woman called her husband and they both thought that was a great idea. He was bringing their two children with him and the closer distance made that a great option for the family - who all thanked Jan very much for her quick thinking.
Entry Num:
121
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Robert E.
Name:
Linda P-C
Comments:
I was working arrivals at Terminal 6 when a man asked me for help. His family was coming from London and he had gone to the Tom Bradley International Terminal to meet them, but there was no such flight there. Could I tell him how to get to the carrier’s desk to find out what had happened to the flight? I said: “Not to worry! You have arrived at the correct terminal by mistake. The flight you’re looking for, 6036, is really 935, and it is arriving right now. Stand here and I am sure your family will come through these doors soon.” Just then his wife and two children came through the door. As they left wrapped up in each other’s arms, he said “Thanks.”
Entry Num:
120
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Robert E.
Name:
Linda P-C
Comments:
During the volcanic ash hiatus a young couple came to me and asked for a “holiday store.” Their return to Zurich, they explained in heavy accents but understandable English, had been delayed for a week. They thought they would use the delay to extend their holiday by going to a beach resort; they were thinking of Gulf or Caribbean resorts since they would be on the eventual way back to Zurich. I assumed, mistakenly, that they wanted a retail store to buy appropriate clothing, a “holiday store.” Between their English and my limited German, I finally figured out that what they wanted was a travel agency to help them find a resort and arrange to travel there. I made a personal phone call to someone who travels a lot, but he didn’t know of any near the airport. I was about to suggest a concierge at some LAX hotel when I noticed a computer bag with their luggage. I suggested they walk to the Bradley Terminal North end where there was a concession that offered internet access. If they were computer savvy, they could be their own “holiday store.” This idea really appealed to them, and off they went.
Entry Num:
119
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Meraj Q
Name:
Marivi M-F
Comments:
Working the Tom Bradley International Terminal can be a challenge for many reasons one of them is that we encounter passengers from all over the world and sometimes they are lost and confused. This was the case when an Asian passenger approached me with a piece of paper where she had a phone number written down. I figured it out based on the signed gestures that she wanted to call someone to tell them where she was to be picked up. I used the same piece of paper that she had to draw a little map to show her she was at the TBI Terminal between T4 and T3 she pointed at TBIT on the paper and I said yes. I saw her smiled and looking relieved and then she bowed her head saying thank you then walked away, problem solved!
Entry Num:
118
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Wilmer D
Name:
Marivi M-F
Comments:
During my shift I noticed a cell phone on top of a chair. I asked a couple of people if it belonged to them they said no. I searched for the last phone call that was made and when a man answered the phone I explained who I was, where I was calling from and the situation. He told me it was his father’s phone and his father had taken a fight to Oakland, which had already left. He must have lost his cell phone at LAX (that was not the first time, the son said) and I told him I would leave the phone at the baggage claim office. He said he was at Long beach but he would come to LAX to pick it up ASAP. I talked to the baggage claim office’s supervisor and left the phone with him. As it turned out I happened to be so lucky to see the man when he was picking up the phone. He was extremely appreciative because due to my honesty his father did not have to spend money on replacing yet another cell phone. He said if his father were there he would have kissed me!
Entry Num:
117
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Wilmer D
Name:
Marivi M-F
Comments:
When I was working T1 a passenger approached me asking for the Bakersfield shuttle. I checked my binder and saw that the shuttle had just departed (it was 1pm) and the next one was coming up at 3:00 p.m. I told the passenger that if he took the bus to T 7, where he needed to go,. I would contact my fellow coworker working at T7 so he could be on the lookout for him as well as the shuttle, and my coworker would meet him at the bus and show him where to go. The gentleman was very thankful and he told my coworker he really appreciated the team work that was demonstrated while helping him in his journey thru LAX.
Entry Num:
116
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Gemme Del M
Name:
Marlene T
Comments:
An elderly couple was sent back and forth between Terminals 1 and 7. They looked lost and confused. The elderly couple had just arrived from London and was connecting to Philadelphia. They were directed to an airline at Terminal 7 and when they got there another person sent them to US Airways at Terminal 1. After waiting in queue for thirty minutes they were told to go to Terminal 7 again. They were totally frustrated. I used one of my strengths from my Personal Resiliency Profile to solve the problem, I assured them that I worked for the airport and I was there to help assist them. I noticed they only had fifteen minutes to make their Flight back at Terminal 7. They were tired and irritated. I called the Ambassador working Terminal 7 and put her on the alert to look for this couple and assist them. I took them to the A bus and asked the driver to drop them at Terminal 7. My fellow Ambassador was waiting for them and immediately turned them over to an agent for their airline who expedited their way through security. They left me saying, “We appreciate your help, that’s what we call the spirit of team work.” My fellow Ambassador said they were very happy to be met by a friendly face to help expedite them through a tiring experience.
Entry Num:
115
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Gemme Del M
Name:
Marlene T
Comments:
An elderly lady who spoke very little English had spent the night at Tom Bradley waiting for her daughter to pick her up when I encountered her on my AM shift. I used strengths from my Personal Resiliency Profile to solve the problem, I asked her where her daughter was coming from and she answered “Seattle.” Upon further verification I found out that she had exited the wrong way and was supposed to have connected to Seattle the night before. I offered to call her daughter and she was relieved. Her daughter said she was a diabetic and they had not stopped looking for her at the Seattle airport all night long. I took the woman to her airline ticket counter whereby the agent explained her ticket had a lot of restrictions and she would have to pay the corresponding charges. I had the agent explain this to her daughter to resolve the issue and after a few minutes the agent said, “She’s good to go.” I also requested a wheelchair for her from origin to destination to make sure she would be given the proper assistance. She left happy, saying, “God bless you” and “Thank you.”
Entry Num:
114
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Jan L
Name:
Linda P-C
Comments:
I was in terminal #5 baggage claim. All passengers had gone except one lady. I asked if she needed help. She said she could not find her bag and that she had to go to Santa Barbara. I asked if she would be taking the Santa Barbara Airbus. She said no she was flying. I asked to see her ticket. She said she did not have a ticket, that her son made her arrangements. I asked if I could phone her son. I could not get him and left a message. After looking further she found her ticket. It was on AA at terminal 4 and left in 30 minutes. To solve her problem, I walked her to the AA ticket counter and asked the agent to help her and get her a wheelchair. He said she would not make the flight if she waited for the wheelchair. I took her through security, she got searched!!! As we walked I could see she was slowing down as she walked with her cane. I asked if she was OK. She said I’m 97 years old. I was looking left and right for a wheelchair. I got her to the gate and we then had to take a tram. At the end of the tram ride there was a wheelchair. I asked the attendant if she would help the passenger to her plane. She said she would and that the passenger would make her flight. The customer said thank you for all your help and assistance. During the tram ride I called her son in Kansas. Then called her other son in Santa Barbara to let them know that she would make her flight.
Entry Num:
113
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Karyul H
Name:
Sabrina A
Comments:
I saw that a couple of a flight from Asia was having trouble getting processed in the Customs hall. They looked so upset and confused, so I engaged them. Their problem was they didn’t have a complete address to put on their declarations form, and since they didn’t speak English they did not understand that that was the problem delaying them. I spoke to them in Catonese, which calmed them, while I worked with the partial address and their daughter’s name in Phoenix. They had her phone number, but I could not get her on the phone. Instead I was proactive and used Google and I got the full address that way. Then I stayed with them and soon we got them processed. They were so happy they invited me to visit them in Canton province China. But I was just happy that I could help them, especially with their language issue.
Entry Num:
112
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Michael V
Name:
Sabrina A
Comments:
A man from Israel panicked when he saw the Customs officers. The CBP officials called me for assistance, since I spoke Russian and the man spoke no English. I was able to translate to him that he would be OK, they just needed to go through certain steps to process him. The way I spoke to him, in a calm and comforting voice, settled him down. I helped him get his luggage and we got him on his way. He hugged me.
Entry Num:
111
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Edith A.
Name:
Sabrina A
Comments:
A passenger from Argentina arrived, but she could not be processed because she did not have her daughter’s address or telephone number in LA. I used all my resourcefulness to try to help her, but no luck. Then I got an idea, to be proactive, and I went outside the FIS area and looked around for anxious people. Sure enough the first one I went up to with a worried expression told me that the lady from Argentina was his relative, and he was the son in law. I got his address and went back and gave it to the lady so she could add the address to her documents. She said, “May God bless you!”
Entry Num:
110
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Raha A
Name:
Sabrina A
Comments:
A father came to the Information Desk with two small children, three and four. The littlest one, his daughter, was crying and I could see the father was getting frustrated. I put him the “box” and focused on his need, which was to calm the girl first and get the info he needed. I spoke to the little girl and I asked her why she was so upset. She told me she had left her kuola backpack on the airplane. I knew what to do – I called the carrier and asked if they could check. While I gave the father the info he needed, the carrier did a search and sure enough they found the backpack and soon the little girl had it in her hands. No more crying, now she was cheery and dancing. The father thanked me.
Entry Num:
109
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Sara J
Name:
Sabrina A
Comments:
A passenger from Israel looked weak. She told me he had recently had brain surgery, and I could see she was nervous and confused. I spoke Farsi to her and that calmed her. I explained that everything would be OK, that I was there to help her, and I conducted the translation for her to get through primary Immigration. The lady hugged me with tears in her eyes.
Entry Num:
108
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Christina S
Name:
Sabrina A
Comments:
A traveler from Korea had to stay overnight in Secondary Two. She was upset, lost and confused because she had no idea why she was there and she could not communicate because of the language issue. I spoke Korean to her and immediately her face got color back into it. I used a gentle voice to explain her situation, and explained what she needed to do to be processed and this worked. She nodded that she understood and she was able to communicate what the officers needed. The whole time she held my hand, very tight. Soon the sad look went out of her face and she brightened as she made it out of the FIS and it made me feel good to help her.
Entry Num:
107
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Richardo V
Name:
Chris G.
Comments:
While I was working in the FIS area I saw an arriving passenger in her 80s trip and fall. I rushed to her and comforted her. She was OK but she was scared. I stayed with her and I used my proaction skill to get her to the head of the line so she could be processed quickly. Her face softened and she calmed down and thanked me.
Entry Num:
106
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Robert E.
Name:
Linda P-C
Comments:
A couple came up to me during a slow period at Terminal 6 and asked for directions to a shopping center. It seemed they had been on a two week cruise, and their next flight would leave around 1 am, in ten hours. I mentioned how important it was that wherever they go, they had to be sure to get back in time to check in, that a taxi would cost about $30 each way, and that it would be getting dark around 8:45 or 9 pm. They asked for alternatives, so I explained that the Howard Hughes Center and Westfield’s Mall to the North and the La Plaza el Segundo and Manhattan Beach Mall to the south could be reached by public bus. That would also give them a sure way to get back to the airport in time, and the cost would be less than $5. I happened to have timetables for the Culver City Bus 6 and the Metro bus 232. I took them to the Lot C bus stop and explained that the Lot C driver would show them how to get to the LAX City Bus Terminal. They were so impressed that I could be such a full service local tourism guide!
Entry Num:
105
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Robert E.
Name:
Linda P-C
Comments:
A well dressed young man came up to me at the Bradley Terminal Departures Level and asked if I could show him to a mail box. I explained that there were no mail boxes at LAX, but, if he had time, he could take his mail to a Post Office off the airport. He explained that he had been driving from his home in Santa Clarita to begin a business trip that would take him out of the country for more than three weeks when he got a ticket for speeding. His flight was scheduled to leave in one hour. He was afraid that if he didn’t mail in the fine before he left the country that the fine might multiply. I suggested that he go to the desk of his airline. They might be able to mail the letter for him . A few minutes later he stopped by with a smile on his face and said he had taken my suggestion and at the airline desk he had run into an acquaintance from his office who had agreed to mail the fine for him.
Entry Num:
94
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Wilmer D
Name:
Marivi M-F
Comments:
During my shift at terminal 1, I encountered a passenger who had a panicked look on his face. He told me he had just gotten off one of the airport shuttles and had left a folder with his passport in it. He was desperate because he did not know what to do. I comforted him by saying I would go and get one of the shuttles and would ask the driver to communicate via radio with the dispatcher so he/she could let all the drivers know about the folder and would look for it. I could see the color coming back into his face. Within 20 minutes a driver arrived and delivered the folder with his passport. The passenger kept on thanking me for what I had done. He said he could not believe some one had gone the extra mile for him and said I had saved his life! He wanted to give money, but of course I would never accept money. I did it because that was my duty and because I love helping people!
Entry Num:
93
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Anna H
Name:
Marlene T
Comments:
A French lady arrived at the airport early to find that her connecting flight from LAX to HOU was departing two hours late. This would mean she would miss her international connection to Paris. She was crying and asked me for help. I engaged her and immediately took her back to the airline counter whereby an agent placed her on standby for the earlier Houston flight so she could make her connecting flight to Paris. Thinking creatively like this worked and the lady was so happy she hugged me and couldn’t stop thanking me.
Entry Num:
92
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Novella K
Name:
Marivi M-F
Comments:
A couple came out of an international fight and looked confused. I asked them if I could help and they proceeded to tell me they wanted to go to Santa Monica but did not know how to get there. To solve their problem I gave them all their options: they could take city transportation bus, a taxi or the share ride vans. This might seem like a little thing, but not to them. They were extremely grateful that I took so much time to make them feel welcome to LA and went through all the details on each potential transportation choice. The couple decided on the shared ride van services. They were happy, which made me happy!
Entry Num:
91
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Anna H
Name:
Marlene T
Comments:
A Serviceman and his family came into Terminal 5 from Hawaii. He was extremely agitated. He had left all his pertinent information, transfer orders and tickets on the aircraft. He was continuing to North Carolina. I immediately realized his distress and engaged him in conversation then took him and his family to the baggage claim service so agents from their carrier could make a call to inspect the airplane. He remembered his seat number. This proactive step worked! The agents found his documents and returned them to him. He and his family could not have been happier!
Entry Num:
90
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Wilmer D
Name:
Marivi M-F
Comments:
I was working terminal 6 at the gate area. There my main duties are to direct passengers with connecting fights to the shuttle before having to go out of the secure area. This particular day I noticed more that the usual number of passengers who required the shuttle services. I found that due to the long lines at terminal 5 the passengers were being directed to go thru security at T6 but were departing from T5. I encountered an elderly lady who expressed to me that if she had to walk the long tunnel leading to the shuttle she would not make it in one piece. So I told her to wait a second and I went to get one of the wheel chair employees to take her to the shuttle, which they did. The lady was very happy. She smiled, held my hand and said “Thank you”.
Entry Num:
89
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Sandra W
Name:
Marivi M-F
Comments:
I was engaging as I approached a person that looked confused. He asked me what the process was for a diplomat arriving from Melbourne, Australia. He told me he was an Australian commissioner and the passenger he had come to meet was the Governor of Australia. He wanted to know if he could go and meet the Governor at the gate. I found out that the Commissioner had the proper ID and paper work that would allow him to enter the US Customs’ area, so I took him to the Security guard’s desk to inform them about the situation. Then the Commissioner proceeded to the gates, but before he left he told me how impressed he was with my decisive action, but also he said that he was pleasantly surprised to see LAX so service minded and so geared up to meet a need such as his.
Entry Num:
88
Company:
CSR
Employee:
Sharon R
Name:
Marlene T
Comments:
A lady came to me at Terminal 6 at the gate area very upset. She was crying hysterically, and I stepped forward to soothe her. She had missed her flight to Honolulu, and she was upset because she thought she would lose the money she paid for her ticket plus lose her chance of getting there. I engaged her with eye contact and calming words, telling her everything would be all right and that I was with her now. She calmed down enough for me to walk her back to the airline ticket counter where I found someone who would help her. The agent saw how upset she was too and immediately rebooked her on the next flight. Right away she began smiling and that made me feel very good.
