Case Name :      United Airlines and Captain Denny Flanagan

Authors :           Colin Campbell, Niall Piercy, Michael Parent, Karen Robson

Source :             Ivey Publishing

Case ID :            W14253

Discipline :        Marketing

Case Length :    08 pages

Solution Sample availability : YES

Plagiarism : NO (100% Original work)

This case follows a day in the life of Captain Denny Flanagan. A United Airlines pilot for nearly a quarter of a century and a former naval aviator, Flanagan has created and championed a campaign to radically change the nature of air travel – putting good customer service at the heart of everything the airline does and reaching back, in some way, to the golden age of air travel. Examples of his service include ordering food for passengers of delayed flights and phoning the parents of unaccompanied minors to reassure them of their children’s safety.The success he has achieved is significant for a company that has historically received very poor customer service ratings. It raises questions about whether such exceptional service is good or bad for the organization. How can Flanagan’s approach be replicated? Is it possible or even desirable to replicate it?