Airport Ambassadors

A cadre of volunteers wearing red jackets, “May I help you?” buttons and smiles is now dispensing hospitality and information at John Wayne Airport.

The so-called volunteer ambassadors provide flight information and directions while keeping an eye out for children, senior citizens and others who may need a hand. The niceties appear to be smoothing travelers’ tension.

“They come up smiling [back] at me,” said Maryalice Risdon, a volunteer greeter from Laguna Niguel. “I think it’s great. People seem to be very pleased.”

Risdon and 50 others were picked from a pool of 100 to start working the terminal last month. Another batch starts training soon.

Though she wanted to perform a community service, Risdon also confesses an interest in airport culture. “There’s a lot of drama going on: people leaving, saying goodbye and [being] excited about going on a trip. There’s all kinds of emotions.”

Passengers said the service is a pleasant change from the lines and chaos of air travel.

“There’s not enough goodwill in the country,” said Tom Kammerzell, 61, of Seattle, as he awaited a flight home. “It’s a great idea, especially for the older people.”

In turn, airport officials expect that guests will remember the hospitality and associate it with John Wayne and Orange County.

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The program follows a continentwide trend. Volunteers already greet travelers in Atlanta; Calgary, Canada; Dallas; Denver; Kansas City, Mo.; Oakland; Portland, Ore.; Vancouver, Canada; and Washington, D.C.

Approaches differ to reflect regional flavor and mores.

Take Kansas City and its tradition of Midwestern hospitality.

“We all claim our town is the friendliest,” said Erica Hupp, who runs the volunteer program at Kansas City International Airport. “We have a lot of people who love Kansas City that work as volunteers, and they love to talk about their city.”

At Denver’s new airport, the volunteers come at you wearing cowboy hats. (Denver Bronco hats replaced them during the Super Bowl.)

John Wayne’s program is modeled after successful ventures in Atlanta and Portland, said Kathleen Campini Chambers, manager of public affairs and media relations for the airport.

After watching what her peers in other cities were doing, Campini Chambers tailored the program to what Orange County travelers expect: volunteers with a neat appearance, friendly faces, enthusiasm and a solid knowledge of the region.

And the red jackets?

“We wanted them to stand out,” she said. “We provide the blazer and the button, and they provide the khaki pants and the smile.”

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Many of the “ambassadors” are retired people with a strong knowledge of Orange County who did not have time to volunteer during their professional and family pursuits.

“I like dealing with people,” said Gordon Ashby, 64, of Costa Mesa, who was bored after retiring from his job as an electronics technician a year ago. “I was dealing with people for 38 years in my job, and when I retired I missed it.”

To cover airport peak hours, a pair of volunteers works late-morning and early-evening shifts. During other times, travelers can go to information desks on the airport’s ground floor.

“I travel quite a lot, and you need questions answered,” said volunteer Be La Force, 72, of Corona del Mar. “And I think it’s fun to help people. There’s a certain amount of joy in that.”

Out-of-town visitors often depart John Wayne with one question: Why can’t they do this in my hometown?

“San Diego needs something like that,” said Suzie Berg, 48, of Carlsbad. “It would be wonderful to have it out at Lindbergh airport. Lindbergh’s a zoo.”