Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport was
rated America’s Friendliest Airport™ this week, a rating painstakingly decided — and trademarked — by itself.

This year, the airport launched the FLY©, or Friendly Let me help You®, customer service incentive program for its 33,000 employees, along with officially adopting its new, friendly slogan. It says the rating comes from 94 percent of 5,000 passengers it interviewed.

More than 300 employees have been recognized for demonstrating a “FLY attitude^SM,” the airport said, including a Cab Driver® who helped to find a customer’s lost wallet and a City Employee™ who helped a woman in getting a new flight and overnight lodging after her trip was canceled.

I suppose there need to be incentives to make Customer Service Great™, if not Really Great®, because Good Samaritan Ethics^SM aren’t just assumed anymore. (Aren’t officials supposed to help get their customers on flights when they’re cancelled?)

Employees who do have that FLY™ attitude get a purple clip with their airport security badge, as well as a handsome silver pen.