We see all kinds of videos of people misbehaving at airports and on planes, though we don’t often see the consequences they suffer from their behavior. A video is going viral of an American Airlines manager telling a customer that she won’t be flying with American Airlines anymore, and he suggests she fly with Spirit instead.
It would appear that the incident started when the passenger wasn’t wearing a mask. The woman apparently called an American Airlines employee a “b*tch” after being asked to wear a mask. That’s when the manager got involved. He recapped what she did, and then said:
“It was completely uncalled for and inappropriate, you’re not going to travel. We don’t tolerate that crap with us, at all. You can find another carrier to fly. I’d suggest Spirit.”
The passenger tried to backtrack, claiming she didn’t call anyone a “b*tch,” but then it was pointed out that other people heard this as well. Since she realized she had been caught, she instead tried to play the sympathy card, but that didn’t go very far.
You can watch the entire video for yourself here:
Kudos to this manager — he’s professional, stays calm (perhaps “crap” and mentioning Spirit Airlines weren’t necessary, but other than that…), and doesn’t engage with this traveler for longer than necessary.
Airline employees have put up with an incredible amount of abuse during the pandemic, including because they’ve had to enforce mask requirements. They deserve respect from passengers, and any abuse (physical or verbal) shouldn’t be tolerated.
If you went into a restaurant or store, you wouldn’t expect to be helped if you call the person working there a “b*tch” to their face. Yet oddly some people have this sense of entitlement when it comes to talking that way to airline employees. Unfortunately for them, the customer isn’t always right.
Between airlines aggressively adding people to their own “no fly lists,” and the FAA fining unruly passengers, hopefully we slowly see a change in behavior among passengers. Unfortunately I’m not holding my breath, though…
What do you make of how the manager handled this situation?
(Tip of the hat to View from the Wing)
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