I can appreciate if the writer is just giving a personal view.
There’s a whole lot, if not the entire article, based on speculation.
Please allow me to say that not many of us, myself included, understand the dynamics of the airline industry to comment sensibly about the business model, the courses of action, the calls made etc etc.
Add to the above the lack of real and real time quantitative, qualitative info related to airline ops. How to comment reasonably what should or should not, can or cannot be done?
At best, we should and can stick to talking about a bad incident – or a positive one – that we experience personally or someone we know relate to us. Anything more is speculation – and it’s ok to ‘talk cock’ about it but admit upfront that we do not know enough.
On the matter of the Singapore Girl, from a marketing perspective, I think ditching that image built over decades – just because some think it is ‘Quite sexist and embarrassing IMO, not to mention degrading for the women’.
First of all, I think it’s an insult to Indonesian culture to criticize the sarong kebaya as ‘sexist, skimpy and degrading to women’. In fact, it is reasonable to say the sarong kebaya is outstanding not only in celebrating the female human form in all its natural beauty but it also supports the wearer in cultivating a graceful gait in all its feminine glory.
That is why ‘Prior 1600, kebaya on Java island were considered as a sacred clothing to be worn only by the Javanese monarchy. During the dutch colonization of the island, European women start wearing kebaya their formal attire.’
There is nothing, nothing wrong for stewardesses to dress as femininely as they can so long as their serving function role is not affected by their attire.
Secondly, it’s about branding. Not unlike Classic Coke, the Singapore Girl is perhaps our only national brand image tt comes close to sharing the same awesome brand recall as Coca Cola does. You’re insane to ditch it.
Lastly, from my personal experience, there is nothing seriously wrong with SQ service that can’t be enhanced with 2 un-magic bullets, i.e. more training and headcounts.
Training to the extent tt response to any normal service situation onboard becomes second-nature or a ‘good’ habit by staff similar to greeting one’s elders for the first time each day, or washing one’s hands before a meal. That’ll take care of 80% of all customer encounters.
Next is a matter of penny-wise-pound-foolish. Top mgt’s knee jerk way to increase profit is to cut cost – not persuade loyalty into passengers via exceptional service. Having a lower passenger-to-staff ratio cost more but likely to bring in even more revenue.
I admit I hv not the info to say for sure my last point holds. But it’s worth a try if all else hv failed.
As a SGn and sometime SQ passenger, I usually get great service ‘cos it never fails to bring a smile to say, ask for ‘teh tarik’ or ‘roti prata’.
Help lighten yr fellow SGn’s work & u get back good service.
2cents