The Royal Spanish Academy of Language (RSAL) defines “Gratitude” as “the feeling which obliges us to acknowledge a benefit or favor that has been received or will be received and to return it somehow”. Frequently, that return gets lost among loads of good intentions and is never attained. On other occasions, it gets lost on its way never reaching its final addressees.

There are different sorts of gratitude, but maybe the ones which really thrill us are those derived from the effort of a well-done job. This effort usually requires a higher coordination and effectiveness within the complexity of the airport operations. Many of the operated companies are perfectly aware of this and we learn about it through their congratulation letters.

One of the objectives we have established within the Marketing Unit for this year is to become “the official information channel” of these acknowledgments so that they always reach their final addressees. With reference to this goal, outlines of all the acknowledgement emails, letters or messages from those companies provided with an EXCELLENT SERVICE and which are received within the Commercial Division will be published in our website and from now onwards in our new magazine TOGETHER.

Our customers periodically carry out control audits in the different stopovers where they operate so as to assess and implement improvements, if necessary, in the service provided by Iberia Airport Services. The person in charge of Quality Control of Airlines Belgium, Mr. Thomas Cook, thanked the airport of Gerona for the great service and preferential treatment received during the audit performed last March. The audit result was excellent since no negative aspect was found in the service provided by our company.

The stopover of Málaga has reached the punctuality objective determined by Condor company and a congratulation message has been received:

“Thank you very much for the excellent operation in the handling of Condor - results can be observed….”

Sometimes the passengers themselves are the ones who thank for the provided service. British Airways passed onto the airport of Alicante the congratulation received from a passenger flying from this stopover to London Gatwick and who thanked for the high quality and good service provided by the handling staff: staff belonging to Iberia Airport Services.

It sometimes happens that the everyday service has to cope with added difficulties. In these cases, companies specially value the effort we make. Turkish Airlines informed the airport of Madrid of the following:

“I admit it has been a day to forget which couldn’t have been more complicated. Nevertheless, on behalf of Turkish Airlines and myself I would like to express my congratulations and gratitude to all and each of the employees involved, coordinators,   ramp agents, check-in staff, supervisors, service heads, etc. since they have achieved that both flights could take off on time”

With reference to Barajas we have received one of the most unusual congratulations this year:

“This email is to express my deepest gratitude for the well-organized and accomplished job with regard to the services provided to the 4 charter flights from MAD TO MJI carrying live partridges FEB26th – MAR 19th 2009.

I have been in this airport for 24 years and I have never seen such a fast and efficient service as the one you have provided.

I am very pleased to work with IBERIA AIRPORT SERVICES and to collaborate with great professionals in favor of the companies I represent”

This e-mail was sent by the Chairman of the operating company DUAIR-GSSA.

The great service that our airport staff performs every day coping with situations and circumstances of any kind has become evident one more time thanks to all these acknowledgements.