"Give this man a raise,'' one said, while another said, "This guy should be fired. Airline gate agents probably see their fair share of strange and unusual names, but most usually don't make a big deal out of it. The incident unfolded at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, on Nov. 2 when the employee noticed the young passenger's unique name, pronounced "Ab-city," the girl's mother, Traci Redford, told KABC-TV in Los Angeles. The airline is investigating. Meanwhile, airlines are put in the uncomfortable position of appeasing both parties; of having to enforce safety regulations, tactfully address frustrations of heavy set passengers and appease the comfort of other guests; even getting slapped with lawsuits in the process. If you think it is OK for your (employee) to give lesser treatment to someone he disagrees with, I hope you’ll find it OK when I take my business to an airline I agree with.". Southwest Airlines has apologized for a gate agent who reportedly laughed at a 5-year-old passenger's name — Abcde — all within earshot of the girl and her outraged mother. The "outrageous" line is a customer service mantra long espoused by Southwest. Like, I'd appreciate if you could just stop,'" Redford said. Southwest Airlines apologizes for employee laughing at 5-year-old passenger named Abcde The agent snapped a picture of the girl's boarding pass and posted it … (He was not identified in the post. An overweight person being made to purchase an extra seat and pay double for a flight seems as unfair as an average weight customer enduring eight hours of cramped discomfort.
He said the fact that he's a Trump supporter shouldn't matter, though he responded to several comments on the post with his support for the president's reelection.
Even as a human being you shouldn’t do that. "It exploded, and very quickly.''. You should have a little bit of compassion. The ways in which passengers will avoid fees runs the gamut from inconvenient to hysterical. Mom Accuses Southwest Of Name-Shaming, Laughing At Daughter's Unusual Name. Hawaiian Airlines insists the newly implemented policy is a safety precaution to ensure even weight distribution; while the men argue it’s a form of discrimination against body type. Very sad employee. Follow Passenger Shaming's Instagram account to see all 1,122 of their photos and videos.
Be sensitive to political issues you comment on.''. “There’s a lot of fat shaming involved in it,” expressed Joanna Farley, travel writer and founder of Vintage Girl Travels. The chaotic combination of luggage, the spilling of intimates on tiled airport floors, the (rather impressive) feat of, airline policies for overweight passengers. A Southwest flight attendant said he didn't give a passenger in a "Trump 45'' T-shirt his best service.
Travelers usually turn to Southwest Airlines' Facebook page to ask travel questions, whine about fares and flight delays or share heartwarming customer service stories. '', He also further apologized for the post many considered out of line for a service employee and an invasion of the passenger's privacy. Flight attendant unions also have social media policies, but the union for Southwest's flight attendants, Transport Workers Union Local 556, did not respond to questions on the policy or the incident. The number of comments was approaching 100 by the time Southwest removed the post, a large number for a post that is not easy to find. Southwest Airlines agent mocks 5-year-old named 'Abcde,' posts boarding pass online. “I don’t think it’s fat shaming,” said an American Airlines flight attendant who preferred to remain anonymous. Beyond a response from Southwest and a few comments from people who don't like Trump, Kaminski said he didn't expect much from the post about the flight attendant. We have followed up with the employee involved, and while we do not disclose personnel actions publicly, we are using this as an opportunity to reinforce our policies and emphasize our expectations for all employees.".
"I couldn't believe it,'' he said. “The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) requires a passenger to be able to sit in their seat. Such policies have always ruffled the feathers of people who tout the unfairness of such regulations; yet this latest Hawaiian Airlines “weigh-in” debacle has sparked nationwide controversy. The flight attendant's post is likely in violation of the airline's social media policy, but Mainz would not disclose details of the protocol.
Farley went on to recount the story of a heavier-albeit not obese friend who had been made to change seats despite not inconveniencing other passengers. As far as the argument of weight distribution, it seems this is more of a sweeping response airlines will offer frustrated travelers. And then the comments began pouring in, in most cases along party lines. The flight attendant was out of bounds, he said, just as he would be if he expressed opinions about people at his job as a city employee or took photos of others against social media policies. "The gate agent started mocking my child's name laughing, pointing at me and my daughter, and talking to other employees," said Redford, who was flying with her daughter to El Paso, Texas.
69k Likes, 1,476 Comments - Passenger Shaming (@passengershaming) on Instagram: “No shame here, just an awesome flight attendant! “I don’t think it’s fat shaming,” said an American Airlines flight attendant who preferred to remain anonymous. ️ ️ @southwestair #LUV “A…” @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/iHpBPoakYI. "This is clearly unacceptable.
On Thursday, Mark Kaminski had one mission: to call out a Southwest flight attendant for shaming a passenger wearing a Trump T-shirt. "The post in question does not reflect the inclusive environment we strive to provide for our customers and employees.". The policy for members of another flight attendants union, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, includes these tips: "Remember, your postings online are permanent (even when subsequently deleted). He did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. ", "We extend our sincere apology to the family," according to a Southwest Airlines statement. JetBlue and Delta do not list any overweight passenger policies on their websites, although will move a passenger for the sake of “weight distribution.” Virgin America will ask its hefty travelers to purchase a second seat in advance, while Southwest Airlines can bump heavy set passengers to another flight should space be limited. One poster handed out the number, extension included, of Southwest's customer relations team. Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said Kaminski's post on the airline's Facebook page was removed "as we investigate and address the issue internally. '', Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy.
Kaminski, a 51-year-old Chicago resident, shared a screenshot of a personal Facebook post by a male Southwest flight attendant. July 24, 2020. Weighed at check-in, slapped with fees, and rolled over to later flights, overweight fliers are being treated like luggage, which begs the question: are these rules really safety precautions or – horror of all horrors – just another form of fat shaming?
Hashtags emerged, including #boycottSouthwest.
Kaminski asked Southwest, "So this is how they treat passengers?
“The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) requires a passenger to be able to sit in their seat. Southwest apologized for the name mocking, saying the employee violated the "Golden Rule" of "treating every individual with respect. “No one was being impacted” says Farley, “there was no reason but shaming to move (my friend).”, Regardless of the emotional implications such policies may have on heavier passengers, the question of safety seems undeniable. "My job is not to be there and be ridiculing people, treating them like crap and having my opinion. The agent even snapped a picture of Abcde's boarding pass and posted it on social media, according to Redford. The airline policies for overweight passengers have always been scrutinized by the public. This Texas woman claims a @SouthwestAir agent made fun of her 5-year-old daughter's name as they were preparing to board their flight at @JohnWayneAir in Orange County.Her daughter's name is Abcde (pronounced Ab-city). "He should be fired because he can't do his job. “The aircraft hasn’t changed in many, many years,” commented Hawaiian Airlines passenger Avamua David Haleck to Daily Mail. The flight attendant's post featured a photo of a man in an aisle seat on a Southwest flight, dressed in shorts, a camouflage hat and a navy blue T-shirt with an American flag and the words "Trump 45'' and "Suck it up Buttercup.''. '', A Southwest representative quickly replied to the post with one of the airline's stock social media responses: "We aim to provide outstanding service to all who travel with us and regret if we missed the mark. The caption: "Someone did NOT get my most Positively Outrageous Service today on my flight ... #notgoingtosuckitup #dumpTrump #eeew.''
David K. Li is a breaking news reporter for NBC News. Culture Trip stands with Black Lives Matter, Earlier this week, two Samoan businessmen filed complaints against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) after being weighed prior to boarding a Hawaiian Airlines flight in Honolulu. '', "I’m the farthest thing from a Trump supporter, but I am a 'people' supporter,'' one poster said. If a passenger cannot fasten their seat belt with a seat belt extension or lower their armrest, that’s a safety issue.”. “It should be an issue of respect, comfort and safety for all passengers,” added frequent traveler Tiffany Crystal Bowens, “why should I or anybody else be made to suffer through a flight next to someone who clearly doesn’t fit into their seat and is spilling into yours?”, In the end, there is no right answer.