Posted by Christopher Stevenson
I've had the opportunity to travel to Asia twice this year. Back in March, I flew to Thailand and Vietnam for school, and then last week I traveled to Japan to visit family. Both times I flew via SkyTeam Alliance airlines--Korean Airlines in the spring and Delta/NWA this fall--but my experiences on these different airlines couldn't be more different.
On Korean Air, I had a small pouch waiting for me at my seat when I boarded. Inside that pouch were earplugs, an eye mask, a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, my headphones for the movies, and believe it or not, a new pair of socks. Lots of little items to make the 14-hour first leg of the journey more comfortable.
Delta/NWA provided an airline pillow and blanket.
On Korean Air, the flight attendants were responsive and cheerful. Even when it was clear they were getting tired during the long flight, they never appeared surly or unpleasant.
Delta/NWA's attendants were never particularly pleasant. In fact, at times they were downright grouchy. Case in point: I was dozing in my seat with David, my five-year-old son, sitting next to me when a flight attendant came to my seat and said, "He [David] keeps pressing the call button and waking everybody up!" and walked away. I was a bit startled, scolded my son, and then realized 1.) David's hand was nowhere near the armrest and that any button pressing had been inadvertent, and 2.) no one could have been woken up besides the flight attendants themselves. (I'm sorry to have disturbed their rest.)
Korean Air restrooms were tidy and had both soap and lotion. They also had individually wrapped toothbrushes and toothpaste in case you left the one you received in your pouch at your seat.
Delta/NWA? Urine.
When I returned from Thailand and Vietnam I joked that I was going to fly through Seoul for all my business trips going forward, even if I were headed to Florida, just so I could use Korean Air. It's not because the seats were more comfortable (that little white pillow is much more useful under my rear than behind my head) or the interior of the plane was luxurious (the sea-foam green seats reminded me of a school nurse's office), but because of the series of small things, including the staff maintaining a cheerful disposition, that made a grueling flight bearable.
I've said it before, small things make a difference when cementing relationships.
