A Day in the Booth

By: Tim Adams, GSA Southern NH University Class of 2014

I expect that everybody who has returned to volunteering at the Airport has seen how slow it really is.
With reduced flights, reduced airlines, and even reduced seating on many of those flights that are arriving, the passenger flow by and around the information booth just isn’t what it was a year ago.
Well, I’ve done something a little different on several of my last shifts, and yesterday afternoon on the 3-6 shift, I helped over 40 people! With those results, I thought I’d mention what I had done. While you might feel it’s not for you, the passengers were happy with the help.

I’m in the booth, wearing my mask, when the passengers start down the escalator. As always, when somebody comes by the booth, I offer to help and answer those typical question about which baggage claim and where is the bathroom.

When the luggage starts arriving, if there are no more people at the booth, I leave and go over to the area between the up escalator to the walkway and the monitors showing the flight information to those entering the airport. Standing where I was, I could also keep an eye on the booth to see if people were stopping there and might need me also, so I was covering my bases.

Positioned there, when I see people looking at the signs above the escalator, I ask if they need help! Not surprisingly, I’m asked where they can get their rental car. 

From my first flight yesterday, I answered that question for 15 people. Directing them out the center door and across the street to the Rental office. A couple of people did comment on the sign and I did explain that, Yes, you can go that way, Up, over, down and back this way. Were it inclement weather, I would be directing people that way, but the direct way today was the quicker way.

On my last flight yesterday, I had a couple of people come by the booth so I didn’t get out onto the floor as early as I would have and so I missed at least one couple. I did get to see them, however, as they came back, down the elevator from the walkway and back into the terminal. I saw them with their bags and asked if I could help – they had gone up and across the walkway, apparently didn’t go so far as to see the signs about the escalator for the Rental car office, and returned to ‘look’ again. Once I got them turned around, they could see the sign across the way and were off for the Rental office.

This process, however, raises one question and that is, should I sign in as being in the booth or doing a walkabout?