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When it comes to which flight attendants provide the best customer experience, attractive ones soar to the top of the list, according to a study.
In a recent study, researchers from Dicle University in Turkey revealed that airline passengers believe they get better customer service from attractive flight attendants.
The study gathered data from 19 men and 18 women who travelled with airlines in Turkey within the last 12 months. Participants ranging from 19 to 47 years old were asked to watch videos rating the cabin crew’s customer service.
Easy-on-the-eyes attendants received higher rankings than less-appealing workers, regardless of their level of service. Passengers were less likely to report bad service from attractive crew members.
Researchers deployed a novel neuromarketing method that measured the level of satisfaction in survey respondents with electroencephalography (EEG).
Some people were more likely to say they felt more comfortable asking an attractive attendant for help, but researchers found their EEG readings didn’t correlate with their verbal report.
“Although participants expressed higher satisfaction with the services they received from flight attendants they deemed attractive, the EEG results did not reflect this level of satisfaction,” Akan, an assistant professor of aviation management at Dicle University, explained.
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Akan and Atalik encouraged airlines to hire “attractive attributes” employees to enhance customer experience.
“Implementing various programs and incentive systems to maintain the attractiveness of flight attendants is essential,” Atalik said.
However, frequent flyers should avoid flirting with attractive attendants.
“Do not hit on a flight attendant in flight … during flight, whatever,” urged Tyra, an experienced skyway steward, in a TikTok video. “Do not do that because you are making it awkward.”