Rudest Check-in Agent I have had. I hope that I did the right thing.
Mar 23, 2017, 3:55 pm
#91
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,587
Your Ladyship, that is not how one should be treated. I believe your tale happened just as you have relayed it and I can perfectly imagine the sour attitude of this lost soul. They are not even worthy of your hairbrush.
For those questioning how a wave can be rude, try this excercise: smile and wave then try clenching your teeth and waving - you will wave differently...
I would have understood and answered that question the exact same way. I would not have grasped that he meant "What time is your flight?" If the PSPTs and destination weren't sufficient for him to find the flight like some airlines can, then there's that tool called 'effective questioning' that he might like to learn...
Your answer might have been somewhat sarcastic by this point 
but as he's using the minimum of language to communicate, and has shown some yucky attitude from the start, I think some sarcasm is deserved. Your question though was the perfect opening for him to advise of the delay... yet another fail.
You sir, sound like a gigolo...
You should have been sharper with your tongue! That, or laid it on extra thick with fake sweetness and confuse the sour man. Personally, I would have been raising my eyebrows to the highest and giving him *the look* - I might have even asked if I'd done something wrong to try and call him out on his 'tude.
Funny.
Did you notice the part where the agent glared at Pucci?
Let me try illustrating with emoticons and dramatic direction - it's the difference between:
* good morning! * - subtext; I'm happy to see you and I'm truly wishing you a good morning! Sunshine and unicorns and bubbles, yay!
and then there's:
*
good morning * - subtext; I don't want to be here, I wish these customers would stop expecting me to help them, oh *@# there's yet another one in front of me, suppose I have to say something to them, what's that phrase these lower life forms use as a greeting? Good morning? But I don't want them to have a good morning, I'd rather they weren't here... Stormclouds and sourness and mould, boohoo...
They said one thing but apparently did so with the kind of passive attitude that showed they really didn't care. Sadly, that indeed is *rude*.
Yes! That's us! As a Brit I can insult someone politely and they're still mesmerized by my accent while trying to work out whether I was rude or not! Very well summed up!
Sure, BA has some rude employees. Does that make it okay for an AA employee to be rude too? The OP wasn't denigrating AA; they were commenting on how rude this one individual was. That rudeness isn't excused by some other BA employee somewhere else being rude to someone else - that's also wrong! Rude is rude!
^ An excellent, well written post. Bravo. You sound like a well rounded person.
I've worked for AA and BA. For the most part, I have good interactions with airline and hotel employees, usually just because I wear an airline ID. I've also experienced the employees who might really need to consider alternative employment. I'm my usual polite self, even when I'm not feeling my best, I still use please and thank you - there's no excuse really...
I gave him our passports. Without smiling, he glared at me and said "Good Morning".
"Good Morning" I said seriously not in the mood for off-handedness
"Where you going?"
"Dallas and then Paris"
"What time is it"
"Nine a clock" said I looking at my watch
"Good Morning" I said seriously not in the mood for off-handedness
"Where you going?"
"Dallas and then Paris"
"What time is it"
"Nine a clock" said I looking at my watch
"NO! What time is your flight"
"Ten to Eleven - why? Does it say something different in your computer?"
"Ten to Eleven - why? Does it say something different in your computer?"
but as he's using the minimum of language to communicate, and has shown some yucky attitude from the start, I think some sarcasm is deserved. Your question though was the perfect opening for him to advise of the delay... yet another fail.
" I got one every hour. Bags?"
"Carry-On - thank you!
Without another word and with a lot of attitude - and I cannot understand why - he handed us our BPs - failed to tell us that there was a 30 minute delay and that was that. I can only describe his attitude as angry and somewhat menacing - and I am not easily overawed.
Without another word and with a lot of attitude - and I cannot understand why - he handed us our BPs - failed to tell us that there was a 30 minute delay and that was that. I can only describe his attitude as angry and somewhat menacing - and I am not easily overawed.
Funny.
Did you notice the part where the agent glared at Pucci?Let me try illustrating with emoticons and dramatic direction - it's the difference between:
*
good morning! * - subtext; I'm happy to see you and I'm truly wishing you a good morning! Sunshine and unicorns and bubbles, yay!and then there's:
*
good morning * - subtext; I don't want to be here, I wish these customers would stop expecting me to help them, oh *@# there's yet another one in front of me, suppose I have to say something to them, what's that phrase these lower life forms use as a greeting? Good morning? But I don't want them to have a good morning, I'd rather they weren't here... Stormclouds and sourness and mould, boohoo...They said one thing but apparently did so with the kind of passive attitude that showed they really didn't care. Sadly, that indeed is *rude*.
The OP is/was an FA on BA for many years. BA staff can be very rude, especially to those they consider lower than themselves, but they have a different style. The British can be excessively polite in a way that actually expresses contempt , but there's nothing to complain about because technically they are so polite.
Sure, BA has some rude employees. Does that make it okay for an AA employee to be rude too? The OP wasn't denigrating AA; they were commenting on how rude this one individual was. That rudeness isn't excused by some other BA employee somewhere else being rude to someone else - that's also wrong! Rude is rude!
I get really tired of people excusing rude or unhelpful people in a customer service job because "maybe their dog died," "maybe their Grandma cut them out of the will," "maybe their diaper rash flared up". Who gives a rip?
I worked with the traveling public in hotels and also as managing 5 tourist stores for the last 28 years of my working life. I did it with a smile on my face even when my father died, a hurricane blew away every one of my possessions, took out the windows & roof in my condo so I had rats running around at night and I was without power for 3 months and bathed out of a bucket that long. I was faced with stupid tourists who asked if I went to a lot of hurricane parties and will I get a bunch of money from FEMA and wasn't it nice that I could at least go to the beach? BTW, I worked for NO pay for those 3 months to help out the company I worked for. I have never been rude to any customer, even the drunken ones who should have been thrown out. [...]
I worked with the traveling public in hotels and also as managing 5 tourist stores for the last 28 years of my working life. I did it with a smile on my face even when my father died, a hurricane blew away every one of my possessions, took out the windows & roof in my condo so I had rats running around at night and I was without power for 3 months and bathed out of a bucket that long. I was faced with stupid tourists who asked if I went to a lot of hurricane parties and will I get a bunch of money from FEMA and wasn't it nice that I could at least go to the beach? BTW, I worked for NO pay for those 3 months to help out the company I worked for. I have never been rude to any customer, even the drunken ones who should have been thrown out. [...]
---------------------
For those who can't see what's wrong with how the agent behaved, first consider that it can be hard to convey emotion and inflection in writing in the same way as if someone were telling you the story audibly. I perfectly understand what the OP experienced - they gave a pretty detailed account of what happened and despite me not being there and 'only having one side of the story' I get that the agent was a sourpuss and was indeed rude. I also kind of understand that some people don't detect anything wrong with how the agent behaved - but then you may be part of the part of the problem by accepting curt interactions from the service industry employees you interact with...I've worked for AA and BA. For the most part, I have good interactions with airline and hotel employees, usually just because I wear an airline ID. I've also experienced the employees who might really need to consider alternative employment. I'm my usual polite self, even when I'm not feeling my best, I still use please and thank you - there's no excuse really...
Mar 23, 2017, 5:59 pm
#92
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 228
but then you may be part of the part of the problem by accepting curt interactions from the service industry employees you interact with...
For those questioning how a wave can be rude, try this excercise: smile and wave then try clenching your teeth and waving - you will wave differently...
Mar 24, 2017, 4:02 pm
#94
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: AA PLTPRO, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,559
Baffling to me that the thread of responses is primarily to excuse the agent's rudeness as acceptable behavior.
I'm generally greeted by very friendly employees at McDonald's, Starbucks, and the AM/PM mini-mart. I have incredibly low-dollar transactions with those merchants. I think those individuals are likely paid less than the American Airlines check-in agent (maybe not and maybe that's the crux?).
Why is it that we have to accept/endure the behavior from the airline employees?
I'm generally greeted by very friendly employees at McDonald's, Starbucks, and the AM/PM mini-mart. I have incredibly low-dollar transactions with those merchants. I think those individuals are likely paid less than the American Airlines check-in agent (maybe not and maybe that's the crux?).
Why is it that we have to accept/endure the behavior from the airline employees?
Mar 24, 2017, 10:28 pm
#95
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: AA Exec Plat, HH Lifetime Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, Marrriott Silver, SPG, National Exec Elite
Posts: 187
I'm all for excellent customer service, but this thread grossly exaggerates 'rudest check in agent I've ever had', if this is all that happened. And then to take to Twitter - seriously? Maybe it's a cultural thing or the OP's standards are un-realistically perfect, but I tend to take the high road and move on.
Mar 25, 2017, 4:24 am
#96
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Nr. Zurich
Programs: LH SEN, IHG Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 1,610
What way my crime? I told the passenger in the politest possible terms that I was not allowing her 5 pieces of cabin baggage and if she needed her husband to assist her with carrying them to the gate they could not really be classified as "carry-on"...
As I said, people use the term "rude" very lightly and often when they don't get their own way.
Mar 25, 2017, 2:00 pm
#97
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Peon Gold
Posts: 2,915
Baffling to me that the thread of responses is primarily to excuse the agent's rudeness as acceptable behavior.
I'm generally greeted by very friendly employees at McDonald's, Starbucks, and the AM/PM mini-mart. I have incredibly low-dollar transactions with those merchants. I think those individuals are likely paid less than the American Airlines check-in agent (maybe not and maybe that's the crux?).
Why is it that we have to accept/endure the behavior from the airline employees?
I'm generally greeted by very friendly employees at McDonald's, Starbucks, and the AM/PM mini-mart. I have incredibly low-dollar transactions with those merchants. I think those individuals are likely paid less than the American Airlines check-in agent (maybe not and maybe that's the crux?).
Why is it that we have to accept/endure the behavior from the airline employees?
To me, there's rudeness and then there's apathy. This situation sounds like more of the latter than the former. If you expect a counter agent to fawn over you and treat you like royalty, well, that ain't happening in modern air travel.
Mar 25, 2017, 7:11 pm
#98
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: AA, DL Gold Med , UA, AS, WN, HHonors Silver, Marriott, IHG Rewards Club, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 323
Outside of those who work in retail or restaurants, this has been my experience in regards to customer service in L.A..
Mar 25, 2017, 8:37 pm
#99
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: AA, DL Gold Med , UA, AS, WN, HHonors Silver, Marriott, IHG Rewards Club, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 323
I gave him our passports. Without smiling, he glared at me and said "Good Morning".
"Good Morning" I said seriously not in the mood for off-handedness
"Where you going?"
"Dallas and then Paris"
"What time is it"
"Nine a clock" said I looking at my watch
"NO! What time is your flight"
"Ten to Eleven - why? Does it say something different in your computer?"
" I got one every hour. Bags?"
"Carry-On - thank you!"
Without another word and with a lot of attitude - and I cannot understand why - he handed us our BPs - failed to tell us that there was a 30 minute delay and that was that. I can only describe his attitude as angry and somewhat menacing - and I am not easily overawed.
"Good Morning" I said seriously not in the mood for off-handedness
"Where you going?"
"Dallas and then Paris"
"What time is it"
"Nine a clock" said I looking at my watch
"NO! What time is your flight"
"Ten to Eleven - why? Does it say something different in your computer?"
" I got one every hour. Bags?"
"Carry-On - thank you!"
Without another word and with a lot of attitude - and I cannot understand why - he handed us our BPs - failed to tell us that there was a 30 minute delay and that was that. I can only describe his attitude as angry and somewhat menacing - and I am not easily overawed.
What I did next I cannot believe. I said and did nothing. I held my tongue. We went through Priority Security (we found it thanks to someone else).
I honestly felt that he would have used any opportunity to cause trouble.
I told the lady in the First Lounge - she did not know him but advised me to tell twitter - which I did. They responded quickly and said that they were notifying his Supervisor. I had read something about rude agents at LAX before and wondered if it was the same. I really thought that he had no business to be anywhere near any fare paying customers, let alone Premiums.
On the same note - we hit a Customer Service Lady who was the exact opposite of him. Helpful, Friendly, Warm - just the person that you want when things go wrong. (Our flight to DFW still had not left four hours later but we gave up at one hour as it was obvious that the connection to Paris was impossible). So we tweeted about her as well. Fortunately, there are more like her at AA than Mr Nasty. Sometimes I really wonder if it was something that I said or did, or maybe he didn't like my shade of lipstick - who knows?
I honestly felt that he would have used any opportunity to cause trouble.
I told the lady in the First Lounge - she did not know him but advised me to tell twitter - which I did. They responded quickly and said that they were notifying his Supervisor. I had read something about rude agents at LAX before and wondered if it was the same. I really thought that he had no business to be anywhere near any fare paying customers, let alone Premiums.
On the same note - we hit a Customer Service Lady who was the exact opposite of him. Helpful, Friendly, Warm - just the person that you want when things go wrong. (Our flight to DFW still had not left four hours later but we gave up at one hour as it was obvious that the connection to Paris was impossible). So we tweeted about her as well. Fortunately, there are more like her at AA than Mr Nasty. Sometimes I really wonder if it was something that I said or did, or maybe he didn't like my shade of lipstick - who knows?
Mar 26, 2017, 4:16 am
#100
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 712
Was this a full revenue ticket or some sort of employee/former employee benefit? Maybe the check-in agent was simply treating the situation more casually and you took him the wrong way. As others have pointed out, if you have traveled enough, this agent was probably not the rudest ever.
Mar 26, 2017, 3:27 pm
#101
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: US
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 1,753
The OP is/was an FA on BA for many years. BA staff can be very rude, especially to those they consider lower than themselves, but they have a different style. The British can be excessively polite in a way that actually expresses contempt , but there's nothing to complain about because technically they are so polite.
As a traveler, I'm not standing in line to make friends with the agent. If I'm at the airport checking in for a flight, then by definition, I want to be somewhere else.
Baffling to me that the thread of responses is primarily to excuse the agent's rudeness as acceptable behavior.
I'm generally greeted by very friendly employees at McDonald's, Starbucks, and the AM/PM mini-mart. I have incredibly low-dollar transactions with those merchants. I think those individuals are likely paid less than the American Airlines check-in agent (maybe not and maybe that's the crux?).
Why is it that we have to accept/endure the behavior from the airline employees?
I'm generally greeted by very friendly employees at McDonald's, Starbucks, and the AM/PM mini-mart. I have incredibly low-dollar transactions with those merchants. I think those individuals are likely paid less than the American Airlines check-in agent (maybe not and maybe that's the crux?).
Why is it that we have to accept/endure the behavior from the airline employees?
Mar 27, 2017, 11:32 am
#102
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 81
"Rude" is a word that is often used very lightly. In an earlier life as a station manager for a now-defunct international US air carrier I was also once called the "rudest airline employee" and "hitler-like"...
What way my crime? I told the passenger in the politest possible terms that I was not allowing her 5 pieces of cabin baggage and if she needed her husband to assist her with carrying them to the gate they could not really be classified as "carry-on"...
As I said, people use the term "rude" very lightly and often when they don't get their own way.
What way my crime? I told the passenger in the politest possible terms that I was not allowing her 5 pieces of cabin baggage and if she needed her husband to assist her with carrying them to the gate they could not really be classified as "carry-on"...
As I said, people use the term "rude" very lightly and often when they don't get their own way.
Mar 30, 2017, 11:44 am
#103
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,587
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/curt
adjective
1. rudely brief in speech or abrupt in manner.
2. brief; concise; terse; laconic.
3. short; shortened.
adjective
1. rudely brief in speech or abrupt in manner.
2. brief; concise; terse; laconic.
3. short; shortened.
I tried it in front of a mirror. They're the same wave.
Mar 31, 2017, 7:58 am
#104
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 92
This is so true, British Airways check in agents invariably seem to greet the sight of my American passport with something bordering on pure hatred, although I have had some really nice BA flight attendants. Maybe they are like that with everyone, the flight crew on my last flight seemed very demoralized in general.