Dear Vanessa,

In the debate over the membership of the Qantas Chairman’s Club, there are forgotten heroes.

In my weekly travels through Canberra Airport, lounge staff are at the centre of things and it’s the opinion of this reporter that they should be commended for their work.

It’s more than just “Checking you in”. I’ve witnessed staff go above and beyond for passengers when disruptions occur, from finding alternative flights to just a simple smile and a chat – their actions have gone a long way.

I’ve witnessed them do more than just their job. It’s that classic one-on-one interaction that makes a huge difference to a passenger.

Hopefully, Vanessa, you will recognise this and embrace further resolutions to make the flying public at the forefront of Qantas.

Allowing staff to make discretionary decisions, whether it’s upgrades, transfers or even rebookings, brings peace of mind for the traveller.

It’s a practice that is seldom seen any more because of company policy that dictates a passenger must call the reservations’ phone number – then you get told about potential change fees.

If you’re at the airport, it’s something that should be up to the discretion of airline staff member. This is where the lounge staff come in.

As I’ve witnessed, there are some actions that can’t performed because of policy. Others staff members have gone out of their way to follow policy, to find a good resolution to the problem involving a passenger’s interrupted journey. All with a smile on their face when dealing with customers.

Policy makers are not on the frontline of service, such as airline agents.

As a former airline employee myself, the lounge agents should be commended for what they do each day to help passengers navigate airline policies and help them reach their final destination.

Yours sincerely,

Scott.