American Limits Ability For Employees To Kick People Off Flights

Everything can be made safety and security related at the end of the day.

Those who are overly reactive now will continue to be so, except that they will cite safety and security as the reasons for their action going forward.

Typical American, still missing the point but the propaganda projects positive optics.

Like @Sean M said, safety and security is subjective and discretionary.
What they need to be doing is having accountability.
You kick someone off for the wrong reasons, the company will kick you out. You divert a flight for absurd reasons, it's comes off your paycheck.
Intoxicated passengers punching each other would unlikely crash the plane, but for 'security' reasons let's divert because it's "safer" to delay everyone and let the cops along the route deal with them sooner instead of my problem for the next hour until the we reach the destination then hand them over to law enforcement.

i think the fundamental problem is US is giving power to those do not know how to authorize it morally, this extends to TSA agents, police officers, flight attendants and pilots. I am not saying all of these people are bad but they are given nearly unlimited power without checks. Some will abuse the power, with or without clear intentions. Maybe it is easier for them to complete their job if they abuse the power or they just don't like certain people etc. Sadly, many of these people are not well educated so they are not educated about the existence of the social problems.

I wonder if the FA who made the decision to remove those 8 black men off that flight was ever held accountable. I'm guessing no?

If so, that's a huge part of the problem, in that nobody is really held accountable for the decisions made.

If you know ahead of time that your decision will be scrutinized and analyzed, then you'd probably exercise a little more discretion.

This is a positive decision. I was myself a victim of an employee ‘in a power trip’. I reported it to AA VP of Customer Services years ago. The committed to investígate the case and get back to me… 3 years later I am still waiting. I am an Executive Platinum, never in 30 years flying experienced anything like it, just because I demanded to be treated with respect by the cabin crew.

@Sean M

Agreed. If someone is causing behavioral problems while still on the ground why take the chance of further issues once in the air? Red flags. Refusing to fasten your seat belt for takeoff , refusing to power down your device , telling a flight attendant to move their seat or they might not have a job tomorrow , etc

I have never flown on American. For one, Delta serves my needs and is a hub in my city. Second, it seems from the flight blogs I follow, most issues of customers being removed occur on American. I will choose American for this reason. I have had one experience with American ground staff last summer. My daughter and her family were traveling overseas. This was their first time on American and was due to a last minute change that left them without a flight that worked on their usual airline. They fly first class and while that should mean one person or group is treated better, it was shocking to them what happened at check-in and they fly long haul often. I'll keep it short but in my 40 plus years of flying, I have never experienced the rudeness of two American check-in staff. Viscerally, I felt like handling the situation on my terms but knowing that is never a good idea, and not wanting to jeopardize my families flight for the reasons American is already known for, we remained firm, but patient. That experience alone, and understanding that are likely many very good American employees, I will not fly American.

This could be a double edge sword. The next time someone with really bad body odor sits next to you (and they're out there) and if you say anything to the flight attendants not wanting to spend the next 2 or more hours trying not to gag and the flight attendants say there's nothing that can be done. Just wait, this is going to happen.

Pissheads cause flights to be diverted on short 2 hour hops around Europe. It's not unique to USA airlines.

I was thinking exactly the same! I understand the new rules in light of recent misjudgements from FAs (in the news, not saying at all that most FAs misjudge!), but as a customer I also value FAs proactively removing someone due to hygiene issues as it can be quite awkward as a customer to request this. Imagine Ben sitting next to a hermit that never washed in his life, can you imagine hi will ask an FA to resolve this issue?

So they will or won’t be able to remove the mother threatening her autistic child would start biting people if they were brought meals from first class….

I swear the day generation entitled, everyone’s too special to be out in public without some sort of accommodation met social media humanity slipped into decline.

CBP agents are the worst . With their Yes or not training . They treat people horribly. I’ve seen them humiliate adults in front of their children unnecessarily. It is traumatizing to see.

Do you ever contribute anything that doesn't sound like you've lost your mind? Just asking for a friend....

Probably not, you know they are union. so short of stealing it was hard to issue punishment.

And the ones at Canadian airports where you go through US CBP in Canada are the worst ! to a person and an airport. From YVR to YOW !

I think this is a good decision. Some employees are on a power trip and don’t know how to use that “power”. Or worse yet they escalate the situation unnecessarily.

As a 36 year flight attendant with American Airlines I find this unacceptable. I will not be waiting for the concerns to be brought by customers first. As it is too many people get onboard and mistreat us as though we are slaves and not the trained safety professionals we are. I don’t tolerate being talked down to and mistreated by anyone and I don’t intend on starting to allow it now. This is a disaster waiting to happen.

Makes sense. The average (male) captain will have more common sense on what does or doesn't need to be done to avoid lawsuits from Jews and Blacks.

$5 says you were being an asshole.

CBP?

. Since 9/11, this has been their cover for every customer encounter that does not suit his/her liking.

Wow, sexier, racist, and anti-Semitic in one sentence. You are officially a horrible person.

That was a long post to say nothing.

The check in agent was rude. Is that it?

@John Smith

Well said. Also @Anthony, you're just mad that he's right.

uk, many of these people are very educated. I think it’s you that needs a bit more under your belt before spewing nonsense.

"threatening to bite people" seems like a safety issue to me, so could be removed.

Good change. Cabin crew need to be reigned in from their power trips.

I don't feel like this actually changes anything.

Cabin crew- Sir, your shirt is offensive and you need to change it.
Passenger- Sorry but I don't have any other shirt in my hand luggage.
Cabin crew- Sir, are you refusing to obey a crew member instruction? That is illegal.
Passenger- wait what? I just said I have nothing.
Cabin crew- Don't raise your voice at me. Sir, you are a security risk and I am going to need to ask you to leave this plane.

Any issue is easily a security or safety issue when a cabin crew member disagrees with a passenger.

Sounds like it's time for you to retire, as you are obviously miserable in your job.