Please stand and recognize our newest Customer Cup graduating class – the Envoy team at Willard Airport at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois (CMI)! Thanks to the team’s hard work and customer satisfaction in the first quarter of 2026 (1Q26), the team beat out 46 other stations in Category 6 to take home an American Airlines Customer Cup.
With just 22 total employees, team CMI is small but mighty. “We’re a college town, so we have peaks that match the school schedule,” explains Envoy CMI General Manager, Hung Le. “That also means we have a lot of new customers and sometimes first-time travelers each year, which can impact our NPS metrics.”
NPS – Net Promoter Score – is the likelihood for someone to recommend a product or service to friends and family.
So, how did team CMI do on their NPS metrics in 1Q26? “You not only improved, but you did so by more than 3.5 points,” said Envoy Senior Vice President, Customer Services John Jaynes during the team’s celebration. “Similarly impressive is your baggage performance – with a goal of 7.27 you were able to achieve 2.02 in the first quarter, meaning that more bags arrived with the customers at the same time. You all should be proud of what you’ve built here.”
“With new technology comes a greater focus on data and using that data to continuously improve on our metrics,” adds Envoy Vice President, Airport Services Planning, Kevin Ward. “JJ mentioned NPS, and all of our metrics at the end of the day – from D0 and T0 to MBR and many more – impact NPS, so it’s a great way to see how we’re doing – and customers really like the Envoy team here at CMI.”
Assisting the Customer Services team, Envoy contract maintenance partners, Flightstar, also help perform a range of scheduled maintenance tasks, such as engine changes, and line maintenance activities when aircraft need inspections on the line.
“It’s always a team effort, and I encourage you all to reach out and let our partners, such as the airport and TSA, know that they support our success,” adds JJ.
“I want to say how proud I am of this team and all the hard work they have put into this achievement,” says Hung. “As a cross-functional station, every employee plays a critical role in our success. It doesn’t matter whether you work on the ramp, at the counter, at the gate, or in BSO. Passengers may only see a small part of what we do, but I know how much effort goes into every flight, every bag, and every customer interaction. This is your win—enjoy it. You earned it.”
All of this success would not be possible without a commitment to safety. Stations that experience aircraft or major equipment damage are not eligible to win a Cup.
“I’m proud of the team – you plan and work together and stay safe,” said Envoy Regional Managing Director, Kathy Rice. “While team CMI is currently top of the metrics for the second quarter, Bloomington, Illinois (BMI) is right behind you, so keep it up!”
Like any good school, there’s always local rivalries. Keep up the great work and we hope to see you “graduate” again in 2Q26, team CMI!