Baby Stroller Incident on AA591 SFO>DFW April 21st
#361
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: Delta TDK(or care)WIA, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,869
OK. Here is my 2 cents:
1. Mom is overloaded with a way too large back pack. She needs to understand that now she has a child she can no longer be a "foot loose free spirit"!
2. Mom began crying INSTANTLY--the mother is a spoiled rotten child in and of her own Self!
3. She looks like she immediately began "protesting" exactly like a spoiled child does--she is looking around for some place to put the stroller so "it will be ok". Rather than having a conversation with the employee to reach a negotiated resolution.
IMHO--mom and baby should have been put off the airplane to re-consider growing up!
1. Mom is overloaded with a way too large back pack. She needs to understand that now she has a child she can no longer be a "foot loose free spirit"!
2. Mom began crying INSTANTLY--the mother is a spoiled rotten child in and of her own Self!
3. She looks like she immediately began "protesting" exactly like a spoiled child does--she is looking around for some place to put the stroller so "it will be ok". Rather than having a conversation with the employee to reach a negotiated resolution.
IMHO--mom and baby should have been put off the airplane to re-consider growing up!
Mom is loaded with a back pack.
Mom began crying.
She is looking around for some place to put the stroller so "it will be ok".
#362
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 756
OK. Here is my 2 cents:
1. Mom is overloaded with a way too large back pack. She needs to understand that now she has a child she can no longer be a "foot loose free spirit"!
2. Mom began crying INSTANTLY--the mother is a spoiled rotten child in and of her own Self!
3. She looks like she immediately began "protesting" exactly like a spoiled child does--she is looking around for some place to put the stroller so "it will be ok". Rather than having a conversation with the employee to reach a negotiated resolution.
IMHO--mom and baby should have been put off the airplane to re-consider growing up!
1. Mom is overloaded with a way too large back pack. She needs to understand that now she has a child she can no longer be a "foot loose free spirit"!
2. Mom began crying INSTANTLY--the mother is a spoiled rotten child in and of her own Self!
3. She looks like she immediately began "protesting" exactly like a spoiled child does--she is looking around for some place to put the stroller so "it will be ok". Rather than having a conversation with the employee to reach a negotiated resolution.
IMHO--mom and baby should have been put off the airplane to re-consider growing up!
Last edited by Explorer789; Apr 22, 2017 at 7:16 pm
#363
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: La Quinta, CA
Posts: 2,056
This former EP now Gold can attest to the massive difference in treatment by AA staff then and now - to the point where I avoid them. Regardless of the specifics of this event we all know someone who's been treated like less then the gum on the soles of almost all AA staffs' shoes. They are guilty from the start - go try to find an objective jury for this one.
#364
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
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Let me bang you in the head with a metal object while you are already stressed trying to travel alone with two infants in a country where you have limited language skills, and we'll see how composed you stay.
The passenger was standing up for a person who had been assaulted by an employee of the airline flight crew--something the Captain should have been on top of.
The passenger was standing up for a person who had been assaulted by an employee of the airline flight crew--something the Captain should have been on top of.
#365
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When the other passengers in the video seem to be defending the actions of the passenger who was affected, it is generally a good sign that airline staff, in that particular situation, on some level are wrong.
I've seen plenty of videos of unruly passengers being confronted, and if they are truly in the wrong, the other passengers will side with airline staff or LEOs.
In the case of Dr. Dao, most people agree that it was badly handled by United and the Chicago airport authorities.
In this case, it seems that the male flight attendant was way out of line, but the male passenger escalated it quickly as well. As far as the female pax with the stroller - unless she flippantly disregarded a GA's orders about having it gate checked, I don't see why it had to be escalated to the point of a shouting match/bodily injury from the male FA.
Overall, AA got out in front of this way quicker than UA. It's not pretty, but the outrage was not allowed to grow. I certainly hope AA does the right thing and frees up the male employee's future.
I've seen plenty of videos of unruly passengers being confronted, and if they are truly in the wrong, the other passengers will side with airline staff or LEOs.
In the case of Dr. Dao, most people agree that it was badly handled by United and the Chicago airport authorities.
In this case, it seems that the male flight attendant was way out of line, but the male passenger escalated it quickly as well. As far as the female pax with the stroller - unless she flippantly disregarded a GA's orders about having it gate checked, I don't see why it had to be escalated to the point of a shouting match/bodily injury from the male FA.
Overall, AA got out in front of this way quicker than UA. It's not pretty, but the outrage was not allowed to grow. I certainly hope AA does the right thing and frees up the male employee's future.
Last edited by MSPeconomist; Apr 22, 2017 at 7:56 pm Reason: BOLD added.
#366
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Join Date: May 2004
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I'm not sure I will continue to fly AA, especially with an employee who acted in this matter at SFO. In addition, many other FAs appear as if they are at breaking point with very low morale, bad energy and could very well erupt such as the male FA in this video.
Hopefully this video will shine a spotlight on how surly AA FAs have become, and work conditions will dramatically improve so I can confidently fly AA without fear of FAs such as this.
Hopefully this video will shine a spotlight on how surly AA FAs have become, and work conditions will dramatically improve so I can confidently fly AA without fear of FAs such as this.
I have flown quite a bit on quite a few carriers, and I have never anything like this on a flight. It simply doesn't normally happen. That said. it seems like the incident happened long before the guy got out of his seat. So, if he was that concerned originally, why did he even get in his seat? It sounds like he was threatening the employee without knowing exactly what had happened. It's not like the employee struck the woman on purpose.
#367
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#368
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
The posts in this thread make me lose hope for humanity.
#369
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MCO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, AA PP
Posts: 541
I consider it more of a warning than a threat. The little man who started the entire situation should have been removed--he was obviously the one who was most likely to cause injury to someone. He had already proven that.
#370
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MCO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, AA PP
Posts: 541
Of course I will continue to fly AA, UA, and the other majors as much as I do now. When you have thousands of employees, be they cops or FA, or whatever, there are bound to be a few problems. AA suspended the employee pending further investigation. So, clearly AA feels he may have done something wrong.
I have flown quite a bit on quite a few carriers, and I have never anything like this on a flight. It simply doesn't normally happen. That said. it seems like the incident happened long before the guy got out of his seat. So, if he was that concerned originally, why did he even get in his seat? It sounds like he was threatening the employee without knowing exactly what had happened. It's not like the employee struck the woman on purpose.
I have flown quite a bit on quite a few carriers, and I have never anything like this on a flight. It simply doesn't normally happen. That said. it seems like the incident happened long before the guy got out of his seat. So, if he was that concerned originally, why did he even get in his seat? It sounds like he was threatening the employee without knowing exactly what had happened. It's not like the employee struck the woman on purpose.
The FA's antagonistic and aggressive behavior tells me everything I need to know about how he treated the woman and his intent. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I saw him or his doppleganger be very rude and aggressive towards a disabled passenger on a SFO originating flight about two years ago.
#371
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LIT
Programs: Blinged Out
Posts: 716
You read into it correctly. After reading the accounts of other passengers on that flight, it seemed like a case could be made to de-plAAne the three people directly involved in escalating this to the point of near blows.
I believe the woman was whiny and felt she was entitled - some have reported that she had a double stroller that could not fit into that particular OHB - don't know if that's true or not, but I could see where a GA may take issue if it was indeed oversized.
The male flight attendant is a hothead, and he needs to be taken down a couple of notches- if not fired. Wrestling with a passenger and appearing to cause bodily harm is not a good look for any airline staff. Don't even get me started on the pitiful statement released by the AA FA union.
The male who got in a shouting match with the FA seems like a fake tough guy who was trying to play hero.
All of them should have been escorted off and allowed to cool down.
This is not a Dr. Dao case - far from it.
I believe the woman was whiny and felt she was entitled - some have reported that she had a double stroller that could not fit into that particular OHB - don't know if that's true or not, but I could see where a GA may take issue if it was indeed oversized.
The male flight attendant is a hothead, and he needs to be taken down a couple of notches- if not fired. Wrestling with a passenger and appearing to cause bodily harm is not a good look for any airline staff. Don't even get me started on the pitiful statement released by the AA FA union.
The male who got in a shouting match with the FA seems like a fake tough guy who was trying to play hero.
All of them should have been escorted off and allowed to cool down.
This is not a Dr. Dao case - far from it.
#372
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 30
Wow. Just wow. People cannot stand-up for others anymore, lest be called a "fake tough guy." Well, you know what? I hope the world is more full of these so-called "fake tough guys" then. He stood-up for a woman in distress. I don't find anything wrong with that. You can call me the same, because I would have done the exact same thing he did. Sitting there, watching, and not saying anything. That sounds like what you want passengers to be. Non-feeling robots.
#373
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LIT
Programs: Blinged Out
Posts: 716
Wow. Just wow. People cannot stand-up for others anymore, lest be called a "fake tough guy." Well, you know what? I hope the world is more full of these so-called "fake tough guys" then. He stood-up for a woman in distress. I don't find anything wrong with that. You can call me the same, because I would have done the exact same thing he did. Sitting there, watching, and not saying anything. That sounds like what you want passengers to be. Non-feeling robots.
I feel like the woman who was repeatedly chastising the airport security in the Dao video made far more of a statement than Mr. Toughguy in 3D
#374
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Yes. The woman did not want to check it planeside. And which is how it is suppose to be. You leave it by the plane door, and when you land, they bring it back up for you to pick up.
#375
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 30
Acting tough and being tough are two entirely different things. He stood up and started talking trash to the FA, who was already digging himself a potentially career-ending hole. I fail to see what he accomplished besides escalating the situation even more.
I feel like the woman who was repeatedly chastising the airport security in the Dao video made far more of a statement than Mr. Toughguy in 3C
I feel like the woman who was repeatedly chastising the airport security in the Dao video made far more of a statement than Mr. Toughguy in 3C