Getting downgraded from first class is never fun. However, I’d say this is probably one of the more legitimate reasons for doing so…
Continue reading: “Woke” American Airlines Bumps First Class Passenger… For Joe Biden
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I was booked in Flagship First on a particular flight. Prior to boarding, it was determined that my assigned seat was broken. Being a Concierge Key, AA moved another passenger booked in Flagship First to business and gave me that passenger's seat. It was not something that I asked for. AA just did it. I don't see anything particularly "different" in this story.
I'm surprised that any former President would be allowed to fly commercial. Don't they have a security detail? Wouldn't that require that some of the security detail be seated in the same cabin?
The more impressive fact here for me is that Joe flew commercial, like real people.
there is nothing woke about bumping a paying "regular' passenger for a former President.
It is bad policy and, as noted, where are all of the security people that should be accompanying him?
and for the comment in the embedded video, Biden didn't lose because he can't carry his bag down the jetway.
He lost because he couldn't string together multiple sentences in a debate a year ago.
A few quick things:
-We are all human beings first and foremost. Who cares about politics.
-Aside from Joe Biden, Jimmy Carter is the only other former president I can recall that has flown commercial; I don't recall any other former president flying commercial.
-Why does everything have to be left vs right, libs vs cons? Why can't we just go back to a place of reasonable?!
He also rides Amtrak. (Not sure if Acela is for real people, but still Amtrak nonetheless)
@ Mike O. -- All good points! Though for what it's worth, I've also seen plenty of pictures of Clinton flying commercial.
I hope they at least comped the bumped passenger with another complimentary first class flight. I get that it's a former President and he was at a funeral etc. but they DID pay for first class (unless they were up there on a free upgrade, and if so, they still should get *something*.)
I was on Amtrak Acela from NYC to DC a few months ago in first. Michelle Obama was in my train car. When we arrived we Union Station, they had everyone in our car exit out the door not near where she was sitting, then she exited to a waiting SUV, then the other train cars were allowed to exit.
It was quite low-key. Additional secret service members boarded in Baltimore and were in plainclothes but their earpieces gave it away. That, and they were in good shape, unlike the rest of us!
Oh please you’re just upset he didn’t fly DL to one of their hubs.
And if DL was the one who did it…you’d sing a different tune. Pathetic.
@ Chris -- Yeah, there are published policies for how downgrades should be handled, so the passenger should've been entitled to some compensation.
Forgot to mention George W. flying First Class on CX to LA 15 years ago or so. I guess domestically is what I was focused on, but still commercial nonetheless so that's on me.
That's such a weird comment about why Biden lost. chump is even more incapable of stringing a sentence together much less two together, given his senility and functional illiteracy, yet he won.
Anyone who's worked for an airline knows that there are specific policies about where politicians / royalty with government-employed protection officers are allowed to sit on an aircraft. It applies to low cost carriers as well as 'mainline' airlines. Normally it's in the front row of the cabin. That's probably why he would have been seated where he was.
Pete …. and the point of your response to TD’s post is? Yes, I thought so “Pathetic” just so that “You’d sing a different tune”.
I just love commenting in contradiction of the TD ‘fan clubbers’. Poor little demented souls …. 🙂
Woke?
There is nothing woke about this.
This is purely nepotism crony patronage.
Social class discrimination favoring the elite.
He earned his right to burn tax payers money.
The airline reserves its right to suck up to politicians.
As a Republican, I am OK with this. He is a former President with a security detail. Surprised his office didn't take care of this beforehand.
This is because Biden is not smart enough to secure his own 747 while he was still in office. So glad he is not running he country.
What does security have to do with the class of service? If the only space available is in Y, that's where the person and their bodyguards should end up.
So spending taxpayer money to fix a gifted 747 and then keeping it as your own after your term is smart? Interesting take. I'm glad Joe didn't waste our money on something unnecessary like that.
I’m conservative. Didn’t vote for Biden. But, I respect the office of President. I have no issues with any former President being moved to first class, even if I was bumped as a result. Same in my opinion for any Medal of Honor recipient.
I’m conservative. Didn’t vote for Biden. But, I respect the office of President. I have no issues with any former President being moved to first class, even if I was bumped as a result. Same in my opinion for any Medal of Honor recipient.
Seriously, this POS didn't even accept a $400M plane bribe from one of them tErRoRiSt countries! The gall of this man!
Micheal, it could be a deliberate ploy to display authenticity, there are many who have misappropriated the subject character’s login credentials …. 🙂
It’s “okay” now because she got something out of her interaction with the former President. I imagine she would have written a more insulting post if he hadn’t signed her daughter’s b-day card.
Sure Jan. Trump is doing it single handed. He’s a disgusting troglodyte, as if everyone should supports him and that junta.
Not a word about the Hortmans. Played golf.
Regardless of whether you supported/liked a POTUS, it's still cool to meet the POTUS and have him take the time to take a photo with you/sign a card. I think that's what changed her attitude.
Because 1/2 the oils in Y would shout abuse and make a nuisance of themselves. Not worth the hassle for an airline.
They told him he was flying private...he doesn't have a clue what the hell is going on.
Tim, then can you dispel the rumour that you are still using a steam powered golf-ball typewriter, connected to a cathode ray tube monitor, via a left handed metric adjustable gizmo? …. 🙂
I love this comment, but sadly I think there's not much that will take us back to the boring old politics of yesteryear. The problem is that there is way too much money and power invested in American politics, and the people with that money and power will do anything to keep it. Citizens United made it way worse.
The funny thing is, the vast majority of Americans believe that money shouldn't be so much a part of politics, but that doesn't make news because of, well, see above.
Maybe that's an American thing- in Europe it's absolutely normal for politicians, including serving prime ministers and the like, to be seen in public transport, and occasionally some even go as far as getting aides and journalists to take photos of them in Y for the purposes of virtue signalling around their so very fiscally responsible choice to rough it out for a couple of hours.
Love this comment! Humans! I think most of us forget that sometimes, that we bleed the same color.
I saw George Bush Sr. and Barbara Bush board last and sat in the bulkhead of first class on my Continental Airlines flight from IAH to BOS. I believe this was back in 2008.
Biden did not lose at all. He has a 100% win rate in presidential general elections for which he stood.
Other than that, though TD is absolutely correct: it's candy-ass monarchy shit to bump paying customers for a politician, even if they were president once. Like all govt jobs, presidents are public servants and they should not be allowed to forget it. For that matter, get the presidential portraits out of post offices and govt buildings. No one asked for your ugly mug staring down at us every time we access a public service, this is a democratic republic and you're not Kim Jong Un, you're just another asshole, doesn't matter which party you're in.
Whether you love him or loathe him he was, after all, the President of the United States, and former presidents retain a certain mystique about them.
That birthday card will be worth coin in the future, particularly with such an unusual story behind it.
Trump is a billionaire and doesn't need to fly commercial. Would he sign a kid's birthday card? He probably would. He's known for mingling with the guests at his club in Florida, being photographed with them, etc. Any publicity is good publicity.
It speaks volumes that Ben is ok with this!
But we do know from other postings.
Perhaps that person was downgraded because the former President's office booked that ticket last minute, maybe intentionally for security purposes.
I assume the date of the funeral was known beforehand. It is often last minute that such high officials choose whether to attend or not, especially given Biden's age where anything small could come up last minute that could make traveling not a good idea. Maybe Biden chose to go last minute. Since the aircraft is an A319 with only 8 first class seats, maybe first class was already sold out days in advance. Or, since he was flying commercial, I assume its highly likely that the Secret Service wouldn't want his ticket bought beforehand because otherwise a number of people at AA would have access to that information, and it is a reasonable assumption that such information will be shared among others if found and would potentially be leaked, which is a security risk for the president. Thats my thought process at least.
Look at my comment. It's the first. Way at the bottom. It happens all of the time for non-celebrities.
Worth coin?? That autograph is worth nothing now; it will be worth even less in the future.
I'm OK with this. The larger issue is why any former President -- regardless of political affiliation -- is flying commercial due to security issues and security agents accompanying the former official. Surely the US government fleet must have capacity to accommodate these travel concerns, as long as it isn't to a political event: Then cost of government transport should be charged to whatever campaign is involved.
Lost in all this back and forth is that Biden made time to attend the funeral of the assassinated state leader. More than the current occupant could be bothered to do… he wouldn’t even call the governor to see if the state needed any assistance because he’s still butthurt about being called “weird” during the campaign. You may not like Biden’s policies, but you can’t deny the moral difference between the two.
With all that money he and his family took from foreign governments he couldn't buy his own first class ticket?
Honestly, as destructive as Biden and his ilk have been to our nation…
Bumping Joe Biden into the forward cabin of American probably simplifies security and PR concerns, for AA and the Former President’s (which is a position historically honored) and the democrats SS Security Detachment could or may have, for such a though I won’t say it, “high” profile individual.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VTJpjMtdRU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAEXKwQ1f9M
If you watch the videos above, I hope it's not too much ask to go back to those times.
In the words of Lincoln, "Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection."
Well, now I will never fly American Airlines again. Absolutely disgusting and I wouldn’t move for that guy for all the money in the world. Shame on American Airlines. Stick him in coach. He has always said he’s just an average guy…except when he wants something. He doesn’t even deserve coach.
Surely Netjets could have transported him. Buffett could have organized it in no time.
He's a sick old man and should get some consideration despite what he may or may not have done.
Trump wouldn’t ever need to do this, as he is a true success in life (owns his own plane, succeeded in life before politics). I agree with other comments, public servants should NOT be able to bump paying customers.
Half of these commenters would be better served at an open mic Klan event. TRump is garbage and so are you.
I think many people's attitudes change in person with a real human being, compared to what they say when the person isn't around. I've never really quite understood it. The person who hates gays until their child comes out, then eventually realizes gay people are okay. Ditto for accepting people of other religions, political parties, gender, or nationalities. It's like some people can't imagine how to be empathetic for another's situation until they actually meet a live human being in that situation.
Maybe since we evolved with "face to face" interactions, and not "mass anonymous" interactions online, we don't know how to have traits such as kindness and empathy except face to face. Or maybe, as is often said, much of the online hatred isn't human at all but is astrotufers and bots.
Well, President Trump does have a job that keeps him quite busy. Former President Biden does not. Also lost is any mention of the fact that the alleged murderer was a political appointee of Gov. Walz to a Minnesota state board.
He is not a government official, anymore, nor should anyone paying a first class ticket be booted for any government official? They serve the people and work for us. If they feel they are more important to than those they serve, that is a problem, regardless of who they are.
You immediately lost your argument about how “smart” he is when you post:
“So glad he is not running he country”
Fred Trump was a success, Donald took his inherited wealth and made less than he could have by just putting it all in a basic index fund.
I am blown away by your narrow-mindedness. Such actions are historically normal, in office or not. A President leads by example, and Donald Trump could have recognized the need to defuse the Minnesota tragedy. Whether or not you like the former President, he was selfless in this act and I am impressed that he flew commercial, regardless of class of service.
You and I must have voted for the same guy last November. Agree with you about giving up the seat. What more can you do except politely get out of the seat and say "Let's go Brandon"
I'm old enough to remember Richard Nixon flying commercial to CA while he was in office.
While I appreciate him flying commercial, why does someone need to be kicked out of their seat to accommodate him, why didn’t they book a seat. Just book it under an alias?
Don't see how this is reasonable. If Biden needs to fly in first class then he needs to buy a first class ticket. Paying passengers should not be bumped out of first class by politicians especially when they are not even in office. I understand the security concerns all the more reason why this was poorly handled by whoever does his travel/security.
I could never understand how a political figure can approach the stage of a political rally like Chris Farley but call JD Vance Weird... and get not even see the irony.
I had an experience meeting Joe Biden while he was out of office…not like the lady in the post however. I was traveling back to Dallas from NorCal and had to connect in LAX due to the timing of my flights. I am CK (ending soon) and went to the Flagship Lounge and into the Flagship Dining area. While there and looking over the menu I heard a man talking to someone. I knew I knew that voice. I glanced around the corner and who was there - Joe Biden (July 22, 2018). He was 100% by himself. I was also the ONLY other person in Flagship Dining (besides staff). I couldn’t believe it. He was calling people to thank them for attending an event and such and such. I mustered the courage to go over to him and introduce myself. Mind you - he wasn’t in office or as far as almost everyone knew, not a candidate. No Secret Service to be seen or heard. I approached and introduce myself. Mind you I was post golf tournament in NorCal with 39 of my closest high school friends (our 23rd year of playing together - 40 of us is happening this July), but I’m older than 23 years post HS. My point - we have an amazing group of guys from 36 years ago that still gather each year,
I digress. Joe was so welcoming and wanting to talk. He asked me where I was coming from and where I was going. I shared. He then asked if my golf buddies would get a kick out of a picture of me and him - I didn’t even have to ask. I love the fact that I got to meet an American President (not while serving) but nonetheless. Cherished moment not everyone gets a chance to do.
Did Biden book first class? Was there a broken seat in first class? I don't see any relevance to your comparison at all. if Biden and his team had all booked first class then why were people needing to be bumped? either the Biden team didn't book first class or AA screwed up.
Unfortunately, Trump is a billionaire again thanks to his stock and crypto schemes fleeing his supporters.
Confused is Joe, or Hunter all of a sudden gay or something?
instead of being….well we will let others fill in the blanks.
As far as “empathy to others” well once again… we will leave it to others to filll in the blanks to express the extra empathy that has that’s inflated the Biden’s wallets over the years from well….
Sorry, but being bumped for any reason makes me angry! I am even more so given that he could have planned ahead and gotten a confirmed reservation in first on a different flight. First come first served, not who has the most clout!
Disagree about the downgrade being okay. if it is that important, bribe someone to downgrade. "We need to downgrade you, here is $1000 for the 3 hour flight. We good?"
The ex-president can also fly private. Or if security is an issue, fly him via military/gov't jet.
Treat everyone the same.
I agree his staff should have gotten he and his large entourage upgraded before the flight!!
Moral difference?? Have you not followed the antics of the Biden family???? where have you been in the last 5 years???
If President Biden desires or wants first class then he should have paid for it!!
.That then eliminates the ticket or gate agent who from making the decision to downgrade another passenger
I’ve had this experience with a governor. I had paid, for first class, not just upgraded with my status or miles
I never voted for him again.
He's definitely a billionaire, at least according to the estimations of Bloomberg and Forbes.
Or he might have been on George Soros' jet! It was all a load of baloney invented to smear Biden, unlike a number of allegations against Trump that have withstood being tested in a court of law.
Obviously she'd never include this little detail in her rant but she did absolutely get compensated for the downgrade
Conservatives believe that private corporations should be allowed to do anything they want until one does something they disagree with.
And we all know if this had been a former president Trump doing this this same story would be framed as "ORANGE MAN BAD!!!", just being his selfish self only concerned about himself and his ego...etc., etc.
Don't even try and deny it.
And deranged TDS'ers believe this is cool, until Trump did this and then SHAZAM! it's the most evil and egotistical thing any former prez has ever done.
lol
The orange menace would have had his brownshirts (aka ICE) manacle you, shave your head, and frog March you to El Salvador, never to be heard from again.
Agree with many of the comments. He claims all the time how he takes Amtrack and is a regular guy. If there were no first class seats on that flight they should have chose another flight or flew economy. I don't see how this is reasonable to paying customers even if they paid in points or received the complementary upgrade, somehow they paid for it due to their status or having enough points, etc.
Read my comment. First comment at the very bottom. This is not uncommon. I'm a nobody. But, if someone is a Concierge Key, AA will bump another passenger (even in Flagship First) and put the CK in that seat.
Give us some facts of how Biden and his ilk have been destructive to our nation.
Please include citations. That is if you know a citation is.
Interesting she’s complaining about books…as a Trump supporter she probably can’t read.
How far in advance do you think funerals are planned? Surely not before the decedent is actually dead (which only happened last week).
You mean the allegations that haven't been proven in spite of the Republican Congress trying for the last 5 years?
Either Biden is much much smarter than the Republicans or the the allegations are nonsense. Or both.
He served the country and his state for 35+ years in congress, then 8 years as a vice president, 4 years as president. Like him or not, he served our country more than you and I did; he is a former president, with a security detail, who went to a funeral others should have gone to (he was not vacationing in Minnesota) and many did not attend, he did so while fighting an aggressive cancer that will probably take his life, all of us would have sat that funeral out under those circumstances, no doubt. Some people sit out key moments because of bone spurs, others step up with cancer. Needless to say, the funeral was caused by a guy who was hunting for a list of democrats(a story being flipped, minimized, and re-written); based on the level of political vitriol in the country, makes me think security overrules some inconveniences. In all probability the first rows of ECONOMY were also filled by the secret service, preventing crossings to first class, i am certain there was at least one agent or US marshall, in that first class cabin, the poster did not know of. It's possible her husband was "bumped" because he was not on a business paid ticket, but a "companion ticket". Its possible both were upgraded, and the one with the ExPlatinum was the only one who can stay, the companion can not, I have had it happened to me and my wife, so I give my seat up to my wife; she never said she paid both tickets, she said she was bumped, I would not have used the word "bumped" if i paid for both tickets. Both parties have security issues to contend with, the final vote count was 75 million to 77 million, which makes this a divided nation, that is just a fact.
Asking for volunteers and/or offering compensation is one thing, but involuntarily bumping someone is totally wrong, I don’t care who the seat is for.
Wow, your TDS is off the chart. Haven't seen any US citizens deported to El Salvador. The President has a mandate from the people to get the border under control. It was a main theme of his campaign that he won.
As a passenger I won’t mind the bumping as long as I was properly compensated.
Was this person compensated?
Yes of course we are all humans. Some humans, like Joe Biden, are so human that they supported, funded, and supplied a genocide for 16 months and watched as thousands upon thousands of civilians were killed by weapons him and his cronies profited from, then lied every single day to the world about what was going on. People like Joe Biden deserve sympathy and open-mindedness for this of course.
It never ceases to amaze me how we never cease to be amazed that famous people do ordinary things. Fly in an airplane, sit in an airport lounge, have lunch in a restaurant, walk down the street, attend a concert, go for a walk with the dog... it's called "life".
“ I don’t think Trump has ever flown commercial in his life.”
He has.
He flew his own shuttle (on which he had been credibly accused of sexually assaulting a woman) and then bankrupted it.
I won’t say Biden is “trash” - there’s no point in name-calling. He seems like a friendly enough guy, but I just think he was a lousy president. I wouldn’t go goo-goo-gah-gah over him nor would make a nasty comment. I would likely pay him little attention like most any other passenger on the plane. The closest parallel I have is I was once in an elevator with a “legendary” head football coach of my alma mater’s hated archival. I simply rode the elevator without any interaction like I would with any other person I might share an elevator with.
Because a CK is one of the best customer’s of the airlines. Is Biden? Highly unlikely. I get that there are security issues for a former POTUS, but he’s just a citizen now. Maybe his office or whoever plans his travel should be more considerate of regular passengers.
Whether Trump has flown commercial I can’t say but there’s a reason he didn’t as a private citizen. He build a company that was successful enough to allow him to fly private. Biden spent the vast majority of his working life living off the taxpayers, contributing far less to our economy than Trump did.
Trump Derangmemt Syndrome manifests itself in delusional comments at the mere mention of anything even tangentially related to Donald Trump.
I call BS. If Trump got on your elevator, you’d beg him to sign one of your MAGA hats.
Well Ben, it looks like your website clicks have been substantially improved by the poor planning and preparation of the staff of a senile old has been. If it is a slow aviation news day, hunt for an American political story, alternatively, for a Middle Eastern bone of contention event to ensure a successful click rate. I hope my contribution helps.
Now, now children …. play nicely in your prams and do try not to throw all your toys out again …. 🙂
Former presidents get a significant pension (which honestly seems right and proper). He couldn't buy a first class ticket,?
Afterthought …. This case has actually cemented my reserve never to spend a penny of my retirement funds on a U.S. owned airline ticket.
Unsafe aircraft, unscrupulous business practices, rude, incompetent employees, inedible food, beverages, cattle class seating and boarding practices …. whatever is there to like about U.S. aviation?
Thank you Ben, also, your blog contributors, without your articles and reader comments, I never would have been made aware of the reasons why the U.S. commercial airline industry is lagging behind the world in the customer satisfaction rankings …. and some have the audacity to belittle the likes of BA, what bunkum!
eaci, you are of course correct in your statement that “He couldn’t buy a first class ticket”.
Now we know that the simple task of organising a group airline booking was even beyond the capability of the numpty and his gang. No wonder that shower could not be trusted to organise a country or be let loose on the World Stage.
I was on same flight and got downgraded to Economy so Joe could be comfortable. My wife stayed in first class and got Biden to sign a birthday card for our daughter. Which he did. She has a selfie and several other pictures.
Sorry about my earlier response. I finally read the article. This is my wife and her perspective certainly changed during this flight.
Or the 8 seats sold out before the funeral date was announced? Even the best travel agents can't magic a 9th F seat on a A319.
JJ: From the perspective of an alien who hails from the right side of the pond. Sleepy Joe, was an embarrassment to all American people and a living testimony of all that is wrong with a commercial electoral system. He embodies the finest examples of the joke which has become the American presidential election campaign.
I don’t have a problem with the downgrade for the passenger under the circumstances , but hopefully the airline made it right.
Trump didn't "build" crap. He grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth, bought NYC real estate with daddy's money back when it was cheaper, and then rode the market gains. He was also fraudulently reporting the value of that real estate to cheat on his taxes.
And get the F off your high horse with this "government officials live off the taxpayer BS". You know what happens when you don't pay government servants and officials well? You get more grift, more bribery, more corruption, and you skew the people who can even RUN for an office to the wealthier even moreso than what we have. That's a big reason a lot of state-level legislatures are such absolute shitshows populated by the worst people imaginable, compensation averages $44k and many red states, such as Georgia, pay below poverty line salaries to state legislators. Just blows my mind that people like you can't see your own double standard. If you want better people, you pay better wages. This is how it works in the private sector, but you demand government officials work for free with 0 thought as to how that would work in reality.
@FMBWI
The strange thing is that a vast majority of Americans want less money in politics, but somehow a majority voted for the richest man ever to run for President, a guy who said he would bring on the richest guy on Earth as an unaccountable bureaucrat to fight "waste, fraud, and corruption." It's almost like a majority of Americans are incredibly low info voters.
I didn't vote for Biden either, he wasn't running lol
Hint, there was a clear choice that would have avoided all this Big Beautiful Bullshit
It's funny how seeing someone in person makes it much more difficult to be sh*^^y to them. There's a scant sliver of hope for humanity I guess. As for Biden, you don't have to love the guy but he is due respect as an older person and former POTUS, I believe.
@hartd8
Lets see, a laptop with a very questionable custody chain supposedly proving that Biden's son, who doesn't hold office and is a private citizen, was selling access to his dad? Which Republicans were never able to prove and only got a "lied on his form 4473" conviction out of it?
Or Trump, who, just in the past 3 months:
1. Is selling access to himself, personally, via his memecoin
2. Made a trade deal to send the UAE computer chips that by law can only be exported to our closest allies, after a UAE-controlled company bought billions of his new USD1 stablecoin
3. Tipped off all his billionaire buddies that he was pausing the tariff implementation so they could buy the dip in the stock market
4. Trying to get "gifted" a luxury 747 from Qatar to use as his Air Force One, then his personal plane after he leaves office to replace his aging POS 757.
I could bring up a VERY long list of blatantly illegal and corrupt behavior from Trump and his family from his first term as well. The two are not comparable, not by a long shot. Dirty Don makes Biden look purer than the driven snow.
@Aerob13a
I notice you didn't actually cite any examples, you just spewed the same bullshit Trump does. Can you actually think for yourself, or can you only regurgitate what you see on the telly?
The circumstances that led to President Biden making this trip at short notice were unplanned. To think his staff could have anticipated a mass shooting for which (only) one of the five still living Presidents would attend is not realistic. As a non American I continue to be amazed by the level of vitriolic discourse that takes place online. Please have some respect for the dead and show some civility to the living. To paraphrase one of our country's leaders, "Critique the policies, not the man."
You should never love or hate a politician that much. What has a politician done to you personally for you to love or hate them that much?!
And the guy has been thorough so much in life already more than the average person has from suffering 2 life-threatening brain aneurysms, losing a wife and daughter in a car accident, losing a son to cancer, down to battling cancer himself. All in one lifetime.
Have some compassion for the guy if not, leave him alone!
Sir. We tolerate your comments on the airline industry. This latitude does not translate into forgiveness for your comments on a man who demonstrates kindness and compassion. Graduate level thesis will be written on the recent election in the United States of America. Perhaps your argument is correct but I would like to see more evidence from scholars. Please stay in your lane.
This is nothing new. As someone who lived and flew in and out of DC for over 10 years I was downgraded at least once a month for Senators, Members of Congress, and FAMs. Nothing ever was done just a new boarding pass with no explanation.
Could some one tell Joe about Bizjet
Whatcha bet that his carryon was empty...Just like Jimmuh Carter's bags. All show and no substance. I agree with LeinadS, regardless of one's political stance, if a president, senator, congressman, governor, etc. were to come into the room, I would stand and politely applaud as necessary and, if offered a handshake, I would smile and shake the person's hand. While I might loathe the person, I respect the office, not necessarily the office holder.
Regarding presidents flying commercial, Richard Nixon did it December 1973 while he was *still* president. Flew from DC to his Western White house in San Clemente for the holidays.
For all those saying President Biden could have flown private, know what else would have been a nice, healing moment/solution for the country? It would have been for our CURRENT president to have had the empathy, care, and ability to shepherd grief to decide to attend the funeral himself.
And the. He could have had the grace to offer the former President and Vice President a seat on Air Force One with him. But oh yeah… no.
With a name like “Bunny” and those comments, you must be from the worst group of rabbits in “Watership Down”.
(That’s a book dear. Drag queens read, why don’t you?)