Service Takes Off as Those Empty Planes Give Some Passengers a Lift : Airlines: Consumers have stayed home in droves since the Persian Gulf War began. But for many who do choose to fly, treatment has never been better.

On Jan. 21, five days after the start of the Persian Gulf War, Suzy Gershman, author of the popular “Born to Shop” book series, had a reservation on British Airways Flight 175 between London’s Heathrow Airport and New York.

When she arrived at the deserted airport check-in desk, she presented her business-class ticket to the British Airways agent. “I’d like a window seat, if possible,” she said, and then added, jokingly, “I’d also like you to seat me next to the most handsome man on the plane.”

The check-in agent scanned her reservations screen. Then, in deadpan style, she said, “Madam, I’m afraid I’d be hard pressed to seat you next to anybody .”

There were no check-in delays. No long lines to pass through passport control and security. And no crowds in the duty-free stores.

Indeed, on Gershman’s 747 flight from London to New York, there were only five other passengers in business class. And, Gershman reports, the rest of the plane was virtually empty.

“The flight was a joy,” she says. “And the service was the best I ever had.”

The low airline passenger counts these days tell the story: Hardly anyone is flying, due mostly to fears surrounding the war. But many passengers who are flying are being treated better than ever--with lower prices and improved service.

Consider this internal memo to all employees distributed by the security department at McGraw-Hill in New York on Jan. 29. It is similar to many other directives by U.S. corporations to their executives:

“All McGraw-Hill plans for international travel should be re-examined during the war in the Middle East,” the memo begins. “For those who must go abroad, try to select a carrier that flies nonstop to your destination. . . .”

The memo then says: “Avoid these airlines: All American carriers, all British carriers, all French carriers, Aeroflot, Air Afrique, Air India, Alitalia, Egypt Air, El Al, Gulf Air, KLM, Kuwait Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Malev (Hungarian Airlines), Pakistan International Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, UTA.”

Is it any wonder, then, that few executives of McGraw-Hill are flying?

Some examples of virtually empty planes in the last few days:

--A British Airways Concorde flight between London and Washington: one passenger.

--TWA Flight 235 between St. Louis and Los Angeles: Only 54 passengers in the coach section of the L-1011, which holds 214 people.

On Feb. 10, I flew Pan Am Flight 100 to New York from LAX . When I arrived at the terminal, it was empty. There were no long check-in lines at either the terminal counter or, later, at the gate. For the first time, I walked to my flight in a line, not having to navigate around baggage carts, luggage and other passengers. The plane was a 747, and is configured to hold 414 passengers. The total passenger count: 155 (a dismal 37% load factor).

Almost without exception, each passenger had an entire row to himself/herself. The service was great. The flight left on time and actually arrived early . And most passengers were flying on severely discounted tickets.

“It’s bad for us, but good for passengers,” says Paula Jackson, a 12-year Pan Am flight attendant who was working Pan Am 100. “You have more time to provide good service and spend time with passengers.”

Jackson is right. Want great service? Space? Comfort? On-time performance? If so, now’s the right time to fly, when most planes are empty and the price is right. In recent history, there has never been a time when the prices were this low and the service so great.

Because of travel fears during the Gulf War, it may be the time to learn to love that empty feeling.

“It really is a great time to be a passenger,” says Cindy Yeast, spokesperson for the Association of Flight Attendants, representing 30,000 flight attendants of 18 airlines. “Under FAA regulations, airlines are required to provide at least one flight attendant for every 50 passenger seats, whether the seats are filled or not.

“Thus, with the current situation of empty planes, passengers stand a very good chance of getting very good service.”

To be sure, flight attendants are finding lots of extra time on these near-empty flights.

Recently, on one Northwest flight between Detroit and Las Vegas, flight attendants set up their own version of a Lotto game. They collected passenger boarding passes and had a drawing that matched boarding-pass numbers. Winners received prizes ranging from free drink coupons to decks of playing cards, bottles of wine and cans of soda.

On another flight, the crew held a contest for the passenger making--then wearing--the most creative hat.

A few flights aren’t so empty.

Many international passengers are opting to fly on Swissair, convinced that the carrier is the least likely to be targeted by terrorists.

Worldwide, Swissair’s traffic is down as much as 18% over last year (far less than most other carriers). And on North Atlantic routes, Swissair is one of the few carriers that has not cut back service.

“Our emphasis now is on business passengers,” says Swissair spokesman Jean-Marc Felix. “We want people to know we’re still here and we’re still flying, and to consider using Zurich as their connecting hub.”

In fact, some Swissair flights between the United States and Zurich are now oversold. (In one case, a New York-to-Zurich Swissair passenger who was connecting to Paris could not get a first-class seat. Air France offered him a seat instead--on a half-empty Concorde flight.)

How long will the empty flights and the great deals last?

Perhaps longer than you might imagine.

Every airline does extensive market research and traffic projections weeks, months and, in some cases, years in advance. It is not unusual at this time of year--even without a war--for airlines to engage in some form of discounting.

However, the situation in the Persian Gulf has had such a profound impact on air traffic that airlines have had to resort to formidable schedule changes and staff cutbacks to stay in the air.

And, most recently, they’ve engaged in one of the more interesting fare wars. On the domestic front, America West, hungry for cash, launched a half-price sale on all its routes. American, TWA, United and others matched the deals.

The discounts did generate some additional future business, but not enough to provide the much-needed cash flow for many struggling airlines. Essentially, the airlines gave a fare war and very few people showed up.

Among international carriers, which have been hardest hit, British Airways recently announced major fare cuts across the North Atlantic (as low as $418 for a round-trip ticket between Los Angeles and London). TWA, American and Pan Am then followed with similar offers.

But what’s particularly interesting about both the domestic and international deals is that few of them had limited-time restrictions for travel. Normally, a discount fare war means cheap tickets for a limited time, and then the airline allows travel on those tickets for a very limited time.

During winter fare wars, most cheap tickets usually expire in mid-April or May.

Not this year. With the America West deal (which expired Feb. 9), the half-off tickets are good for travel until January, 1992. And when British Airways announced its new low fares, the airline said it wanted them to be effective (pending U.S. Department of Transportation approval) for travel between April 15 and Oct. 31.

Still, despite all the good deals, some airlines have cut service back and, in a few cases, substituted smaller aircraft on certain less-traveled routes. It’s a good idea to call the airline 2 1/2 hours before your scheduled departure to see if the flight is still operating, or whether the airline has combined your flight with another half-empty flight.

Then go out to the airport, check in for your flight and walk leisurely through the uncrowded terminal to your gate.