Chairperson's Welcome Dear Airline Industry Colleague:
It's my pleasure to welcome you to WACRA, the Worldwide Airline Customer Relations Association. We are an organization of airline professionals focused on providing value to our respective companies, partnering with each other to share best practices and discuss industry trends, and offering our customers the very best in service recovery.
Today, the airline industry is still faced with fuel costs that have soared to unprecedented heights, lowering their cost per available seat mile (CASM), new legislation that has been passed like the EU Regulation 261/2004 and for example changing procedures for the allowance of handluggage. As Customer Relations professionals, we are responsible for creating and maintaining customer loyalty throughout our respective company's financial and operational initiatives. Through this change of the environment, now we have to deal with a new type of customer: an emancipated customer, aware of new rules and the rights; a customer who requires a new kind of approach. This means that we all have the challenging job of redefining the relationship with our customers in this rapidly changing environment.
To aid in accomplishing this mission, WACRA is dedicated to providing you with customer relationship management techniques, service recovery tools/information to maximize customer loyalty and value added innovations for your business.
Consider joining WACRA if you are not already a member. You will find opportunities to network, an annual conference to meet and learn from your colleagues, and access to the WACRA membership directory. In addition, we are focused on updating our current web site the end of this year to offer you an additional tool and resource. Our annual conference includes panel discussions that focus on industry topics (Regulation EU 261/2004 for example was a major topic at the Amsterdam 2005 and San Francisco 2006 conference) and speakers/workshops for business & personal growth.
The three-day conference presents an ideal platform to exchange information, broaden your knowledge and learn from the speakers. By exchanging experiences with colleagues from other airlines and by gaining further insight into current developments, you will hone your ability to take on your day-to-day activities. As the leading global organisation in its field, WACRA offers a wealth of knowledge on Customer Relations in the airline industry.
The 2007 conference will take place in Bahrain and is hosted by Gulf Air. For the upcoming conference in Bahrain we do hope that airlines are willing to sponsor an event (could be a coffee and tea break or a lunch for example) in order to keep the costs down for all delegates. Approach one of the Board members in case your airline wants to have more information.
Companies, who are interested to participate as a vendor, have a look at the vendor page on this site and contact Brad Bray (brad.bray@delta.com) for further information.
New board members, chosen at the San Francisco conference) are Barbara Boudreau of Air Canada Jazz and Brad Bray of Delta Airlines. On behalf of the Board, we sincerely appreciate the efforts and commitment of our current membership. WACRA aims to increase the number of participating airlines during the Bahrain 2007 conference. Has your airline been a member in the past but are you not familiar with our organization? I encourage all those considering membership to contact a member airline for feedback about WACRA and our Membership Director Stefan Skantz (stefan.skantz@sas.se) for additional information. A membership information package can also be obtained via New Membership Inquiries (section Join WACRA).
Come join us as we take WACRA to new heights in 2007, let.s meet in Bahrain!
Harald Braakman
Chairman |
