Hawaii-based Airlines - I was assaulted by Hawaiian Airlines gate agent while boarding flight yesterday morn

moderators: I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this, if its not could you please move it to the appropriate forum, thank you.

Yesterday morning my girlfriend and I had an 8am flight from Honolulu to Chicago w/ a layover in LAX for 2 hours. We arrive at the airport and check in and make it to my gate by 6:45 am. Now I am a Hawaiian Airlines Premier club member, I pay $150 a year to get better treatment and added benefits. I checked 2 bags and now have with me a backpack and 2 small duffel bags as carry-on.



As I approach the gate to board the plane I am stopped by a 50-60 year old man who tells me that "we have a problem" and I'm going to need to get out of line and go with him. I tell my girlfriend to stay in line and board, I would meet her on the plane. He walks me over to the ticket counter at the gate and begins to tell me that I am breaking the rules and not being fair to everyone else by having 3 carryons. I tell him that I only have 2 small carry ons and a backpack, much like a purse, is only a personal item and I didn't see it as being a carryon. He gets upset with me and tells me I have 3 options:



1) check the bag with him, pay $100, go to baggage claim at LAX, get the bag, recheck it through to Chicago and pay another $100, so this small bag that is no bigger then 8lbs and 10 inches tall was gonna cost me $200.

2)go back through security to the main ticket check in and check my bag through to Chicago fro $100 (about 1000 yards away), if I did this I would likely miss the plane because he wasn't going to hold it for me and there was only ~20 people left to board and 15 minutes till takeoff.

3)miss the plane entirely



I then asked him if I could gate check the bag like they do with strollers and he laughingly told me it wasn't an option and the only options I had were the 3 I listed, this is ........ I have gate checked carryons before without a problem.

I then asked if i could have my girlfriend come off the plane and take it as her carry one but he tells me no I cant because he saw he board the plane with 3 bags: a purse, laptop bag, and a camera bag. which then led me to question why I was singled out if he had observed her with too many bags also.

Because I didn't want to miss the plane and my girlfriend had already boarded I chose option 2 and ran my ... off to get my bag checked.



I arrive at the ticket counter and explain my situation to three ticket agents who were with other customers, one of them put the people she was with on hold to quickly assist me. She took care of everything in a record 5 minutes. So I run back through security and on to the gate where everyone else has boarded and all that remains is the dbag who made me do all this is waiting at the gate accepting boarding passes. Before handing him mine I take a piece of paper and ask him to write his name and info on it so I could file a formal complaint due to his unfair treatment and lack of cooperation. He fills out the information on a gate check form and hands it to me.



At this time the woman who helped check my bag through has come to the gate to make sure I get on the flight and remind me to keep my baggage claim ticket. I thank her for her help, tell her that I couldn't have made the flight without her and I appreciate it. This gate agent mockingly thanks her also (it was obvious he was doing everything he could to make me miss my flight). I give him my boarding pass and as he returns it to me I say to him "honestly you've been no help at all, you can go [expletive deleted] yourself". As I turn and enter the tunnel he grabs me by the front of the shirt and the straps of my back pack and pushes me up against the wall of the tunnel and says to me "how about I just keep you here and you miss your flight" I tell him that’s not gonna happen and ask him what hes doing. At which point he uses his body weight as leverage to throw me to the ground.



At this point I'm in shock like ... just happened I get up and just rush onto the plane so I didn’t miss the flight. I'm visibly shaken up and I immediately inform the flight crew of what just happens and my intentions to file a report.



To make matters worse, I had microfracture knee surgery in December, when he threw me to the ground I landed on my knee and the combination of the two caused me considerable amounts of pain during the course of both flights and since. I filed a report on the plane and emailed Hawaiian Airlines about the incident. However I have been unable to reach them by phone, all of their offices are closed on the weekends.


I realize that telling him to go [expletive deleted] himself was rude and a dick move but I felt overwhelmed and provoked and wanted to let him know that I didn't appreciate him in anyway for going above and beyond to make my day difficult. in retrospect I regret saying it. but in no way does it justify him laying hands on and assaulting me, there is no amount of verbal provocation that justifies this action in an industry where your dealing with customers on a regular basis.

just to be clear this man was a gate agent working for Hawaiian Airlines. he was NOT a security guard, TSA agent, or any person with authority to detain, search, or any other action that requires physical contact.

Unbelievable story !
If you really want to take legal action, I would recommend to edit your post and remove the pieces of information which could be used against you in court ...

Welcome to FT DannyJohnson !

Wow, unbelievable. Do these things not make the news anymore?

Why didn't you contact the police the second this happened and you were free?

Just curious about how far into the tunnel was the OP when this happened? Any potential witnesses? If not, it's going be OP's words against the GA's words.

LAX

Just curious about how far into the tunnel was the OP when this happened? Any potential witnesses? If not, it's going be OP's words against the GA's words.

LAX

I was maybe 3 feet into the tunnel, I am not sure if anyone saw it because I wasnt looking as soon as I got up I just rushed onto the plane to get away from the situation because I was in shock, I think the woman who helped me at the ticket counter could see it because she was 15 feet away making sure I got on the flight and I had just thanked her seconds before.
several flight attendants told me the heard the commotion but didn't see anything, they could see I was visibly very shaken up and were very helpful the entire flight.

something this made me think of is if it is my word vs his and he claims that I assaulted him or did something to him I think its a very safe bet to assume that the plane would have been stopped, I would have been escorted out by security and then arrested. however since this didn't happen I think it plays to my advantage it if becomes a he said she said argument.

I give him my boarding pass and as he returns it to me I say to him "honestly you've been no help at all, you can go fck yourself".

Let me get this straight.

You tried to break the rules regarding carry-on bag allowance.

You tried to justify this by acting like you deserved it, since you paid to be a member of the lounge. I know of no airline that makes carry-on exceptions for lounge membership.

The GA was taking your boarding pass... you were about to get on the plane, you were home free... and you CURSE AT HIM?

Wow, unbelievable. Do these things not make the news anymore?

Why didn't you contact the police the second this happened and you were free?

I've never had anything remotely similar to this happen to me before, I'm not sure what the procedure with this sort of this is. when I got on the plane they were ready for take off and the cabin door closed behind me. I was so visibly shaken and upset that I was sobbing due to embarrasment and humiliation by being tackled by this old man (I'm 23), I felt humiliated. I was just rambling almost incoherently about what had happened in shock the flight attendants calmed me down and asked me to remain calm in order to take off because I was scaring the other passengers. I told them I would and asked if they would give me paper to write the report. at this time cell phones were required to be turned off and when I got to LAX I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to call the police there as its not their jurisdiction. I thought filing a report and seeking legal action would be enough.

Let me get this straight.

You tried to break the rules regarding carry-on bag allowance.

You tried to justify this by acting like you deserved it, since you paid to be a member of the lounge. I know of no airline that makes carry-on exceptions for lounge membership.

The GA was taking your boarding pass... you were about to get on the plane, you were home free... and you CURSE AT HIM?

I wasn't concsiously trying to break the rules, it was a misunderstanding of what I thought was allowed and what was. upon discovering that I was wrong I was cooperative in making right my mistake. however due to the circumstances, knee surgery/being a premier member I thought there would be some way he could accomodate me (I wasn't trying to avoid the $100 fee I was trying to avoid miles of walking at LAX to retreive my bag and recheck it and the running to check my bag in HNL to get on the flight in time) I was completely willing to pay the $ for my bag just not twice over for the same bag when it is completely possible that they can check my back all the way through to chicago. he said the only way the would be possible is if I went all the way back out of security to the original check in ticket counter which I ended up doing. there were numerous other options he could've taken but instead he chose to be the least helpful and accomodating person ever and made an injured man run, it wasn't neccessarry. he kept implying that I would miss the flight no matter what I did and it was my fault for being such a rebel and not listening.

(it was obvious he was doing everything he could to make me miss my flight). I give him my boarding pass and as he returns it to me I say to him "honestly you've been no help at all, you can go fck yourself". As I turn and enter the tunnel he grabs me by the front of the shirt and the straps of my back pack and pushes me up against the wall of the tunnel and says to me "how about I just keep you here and you miss your flight" I tell him that’s not gonna happen and ask him what hes doing. At which point he uses his body weight as leverage to throw me to the ground.

I must admit that I find it quite ironic that you identify that he was doing everything he could to make you miss your flight and yet when you give him a perfect excuse to refuse you travel he resists.

You abuse him, he abuses you and you make your flight. Not quite sure what you have to complain about.

IMHO :td: all around

Let me get this straight.

You tried to break the rules regarding carry-on bag allowance.

You tried to justify this by acting like you deserved it, since you paid to be a member of the lounge. I know of no airline that makes carry-on exceptions for lounge membership.

The GA was taking your boarding pass... you were about to get on the plane, you were home free... and you CURSE AT HIM?

What is your point?

I must admit that I find it quite ironic that you identify that he was doing everything he could to make you miss your flight and yet when you give him a perfect excuse to refuse you travel he resists.

You abuse him, he abuses you and you make your flight. Not quite sure what you have to complain about.

IMHO :td: all around

what excuse did I give hiim to refuse travel?

what excuse did I give hiim to refuse travel?

Swearing at him; up to that point you were good to go. By the same token, swearing at him doesn't allow him to assault you so you should have recourse from that perspective.

It sounds like two people went above and beyond in the a-hole department. I can take three carryon bags on almost any flight, but don't because the time it takes to explain why (DME), is usually not worth it.

If you were serious about it, you should have called the police then, and not just whine about it here. Using nasty language when dealing with anyone is just not acceptable. You're certainly not going to get a "Thank you, sir" for such a response.

What I often don't get, is that people have three items, is that they can often put one of the smaller items inside another, and then there are no problems. I also recall that on some airlines camera bags are excluded from the bag count.

If the 2 bags were as small as the OP states, it seems to me that he had a 4th option - go buy a bag that would hold both the small bags. If they really were small, then maybe just a plastic shopping bag from the news stand would have been sufficient.

You can't assaulted with HA employment like that. I am really not appreciate it for your behavioral in HNL. So because you are required only 1 carryon & 1 small personal items included laptop, purse, backpack and etc. You can't carry more than 3 carryon bags. You have to be checked the bags at the jetbridge and this is not unacceptable for trying to carrying all 3 items into the aircraft. If you are trying breaking the rules and you would being banned for flying any commercial airplanes for rest the life.

If you are trying breaking the rules and you would being banned for flying any commercial airplanes for rest the life.

Do you really believe that if someone tries to take an extra carry-on, they should be banned from flying any commercial airplane for life? I know you are a fearless defender of the airlines, but that seems a bit extreme.;)

If you are trying breaking the rules and you would being banned for flying any commercial airplanes for rest the life.

What, all of them? That's a bit harsh isn't it?

If the 2 bags were as small as the OP states, it seems to me that he had a 4th option - go buy a bag that would hold both the small bags. If they really were small, then maybe just a plastic shopping bag from the news stand would have been sufficient.

I agree this mess probably could have been avoided by consolidating two smaller bags into one, which makes me wonder why the OP didn't consider doing.

What I find interesting reading some of the posts in this thread is that they were trying to defend the GA (intentional or not). Don't get me wrong, the GA was definitely within his duty to restrict carry-ons to 1 bag and 1 personal item, but he was in no circumstance to physically assault a pax, whether he was cursed at or not. Sure, it was the cursing that made a bad situation worse, but it should have been handled differently by the GA.

LAX

I agree this mess probably could have been avoided by consolidating two smaller bags into one, which makes me wonder why the OP didn't consider doing.

What I find interesting reading some of the posts in this thread is that they were trying to defend the GA (intentional or not). Don't get me wrong, the GA was definitely within his duty to restrict carry-ons to 1 bag and 1 personal item, but he was in no circumstance to physically assault a pax, whether he was cursed at or not. Sure, it was the cursing that made a bad situation worse, but it should have been handled differently by the GA.

LAX

Of course the GA should never have laid a hand on the OP, if that's in fact what happened.

I do, however, think there's much, much more to this story.

You generally get as good as you give. The OP admitted to disrespecting the GA. What else did he do/say that he didn't admit to?

Of course the GA should never have laid a hand on the OP, if that's in fact what happened.

I do, however, think there's much, much more to this story.

You generally get as good as you give. The OP admitted to disrespecting the GA. What else did he do/say that he didn't admit to?

I understand where you (and others) are coming from. But I am finding a hard time thinking of a scenario where the GA can legitimately argue he was right in attacking the OP, unless the OP made the initial physical contact. Perhaps there was much more verbal abuse by the OP than disclosed, the GA's actions were still inexcusable.

LAX

Do you really believe that if someone tries to take an extra carry-on, they should be banned from flying any commercial airplane for life? I know you are a fearless defender of the airlines, but that seems a bit extreme.;)

Yeah, I believe that so. Because they can't bring more than 3 carryon items onboard the aircraft. I knows all of those information from FAA/TSA guidelines. They are requirement only 1 carryon & small personal items are allowed into the aircraft. This is restrictions due to new policy has already in effect. This is reason why it was too many more than 3 carryon bags before 9/11. It must to be followed the rules to allows only 1 carryon & small personal items into the security checkpoint. If they brought more than 3 bags and they will have go back to ticket counter need to be checked the bags.

But I am finding a hard time thinking of a scenario where the GA can legitimately argue he was right in attacking the OP, unless the OP made the initial physical contact.

+1.

Something tells me we needed to be there to get the full story. While an interesting story, I am done with this thread.

I'm really shocked by the apologists for the GA in this thread. I don't get it. Sure the OP was probably a bit of a jerk, but you just can't go around physically attacking someone because they curse at you. It's wrong and it's illegal, end of story.

:td: to all involved. The situation developed from totally avoidable circumstances - correct amount of carry-ons and this wouldnt have happened. Not cursing the GA out....
Anyway, none of this should allow for the GA to lay a single finger on any customer. If it were me and I was assaulted where no one could see, I would let out a bloody murder scream and have people come running to see me laying on the ground at the hands of the GA. File a police complaint right there. There are other flights. Deal with it right there and then.

Swearing is a form of violence and is often the last step before a confrontation gets physical.

Unless you are prepared for a physical fight, don't tell people to eff off.

Not saying what is right or wrong here, just the way things are. Swearing at a stranger (you don't know his mindset, whether he has psychological problems, whether his wife just left him etc) is not a terribly bright idea. My own policy if someone swears at me is to ask them politely, once, to withdraw their comment and apologize. Most do. No apology means a punch in the face. Many others would not be so generous and would seriously harm someone who swore at them.

I must admit that I find it quite ironic that you identify that he was doing everything he could to make you miss your flight and yet when you give him a perfect excuse to refuse you travel he resists.

You abuse him, he abuses you and you make your flight. Not quite sure what you have to complain about.

IMHO :td: all around

I hardly think its as clear cut as that. That gate agent physically assaulted the OP. This is completely unacceptable. I cant really express this in any firmer terms - there is absolutely no justification for the gate agent to have attacked the OP like that.

With the attitude this staff member appeared to be displaying towards the OP he should be able to take some in return.

Good to see the airline staff apologists are out in force already ;)

What an entertaining thread :D

If only I was a fly on the wall at the gate during this "altercation"... :D

The Agent at check in should have asked how many carry ons you had to avoid the problem.

You provoked him by telling him to F--k himself. However he had no right to attack you physically.

You are young. Be careful. Try to stay cool and avoid arguments. It can be dangerous. There are crazy people out there.

I dont get it, before you board the plane you ask him for his details which he gives you. After he's done that he then assaults you. You admit to swearing at him, i cant believe that he assaulted you because of that alone, he must have been sworn at many times before. If he wanted to extract revenge, your swearing was the perfect excuse for him to make you miss the flight by calling security.

Are you sure you didnt touch him first, such as poking him in the chest whilst swearing at him?

There must be more to it than this

That gate agent physically assaulted the OP. This is completely unacceptable.

When did it become acceptable for employees to be verbally abused in their workplace?

Good to see the airline staff apologists are out in force already ;)

They abused each other and I gave a :td: to both. How does that make me an airline staff apologist? Was it because I fail to jump to the defence of a 'rude dick'???

Without doubt the employee's job is on the line here if the OP is telling the full story. However, I have a far greater intolerance of people who mouth off at strangers. With behaviour like that it is only a matter of time before you find somebody who's bigger and harder (or maybe more mentally unstable) taking exception and getting physical.

The resultant 'sobbing due to embarrasment and humiliation' and talk of 'legal action for compensatory damages' does little to garner my support.

When did it become acceptable for employees to be verbally abused in their workplace?



Ummm - when you're the Prime Minister of Australia and you abuse the Royal Australian Airforce cabin crew because your special meal wasn't loaded :D

One of the links to the story is here:

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25283136-5001021,00.html

His colleagues, inlcuding the Minister for Womens' Affairs said it was ok because he apologised.

Seriously, if all the gate agent got (and let's assume for one minute that the OPs story is correct) was those words for causing all the inconvenience and $$ he cost the passenger then that's not much. Seems like a fair bargain to me.

There were of course other optoions like (discussed above) to go buy a larger bag, or give the passenger a warning this time...

Plenty of things he could have done.

(Entirely agree that language was not good on OP's behalf.)

Regards

lme ff

I wasn't concsiously trying to break the rules, it was a misunderstanding of what I thought was allowed and what was. upon discovering that I was wrong I was cooperative in making right my mistake. however due to the circumstances, knee surgery/being a premier member I thought there would be some way he could accomodate me (I wasn't trying to avoid the $100 fee I was trying to avoid miles of walking at LAX to retreive my bag and recheck it and the running to check my bag in HNL to get on the flight in time) .

I general do not believe anyone, who refuses to use paragraphs on FT.

Just the small bit quoted above gives me a headache trying to read it. :D

HOWEVER, you now tell us the agent was supposed to have ESP, and know you allegedly had knee surgery?

And that it was allegedly 1000 yards to the check-in gate - it certainly never was the last 6 times I used HI in the past few months.

You should enter the next Olympics (or the Green Berets) if you can move your allegedly feeble knee a MILE, toting half your household contents it sounds like, deal with check-in, pay money, and get back thru security, and all back to the gate in a handful of minutes.

You expect us to believe the check-in agent walked those same alleged 2000 yards (that's a half MILE each way remember) to see if you made it? (Her computer screen would tell her that.)

And then after taking this alleged half a mile each way journey un-necessary journey, she apparently does not see you being thrown against a wall, abused, and the tossed to the ground by some Wrestling All Star Agent?

The quicker ALL US airlines stop passengers using airline cabins as Free U-Haul vans the better.

I applaud all airine staffers who stop human camels from getting onto planes. Paying $200 will teach you not to do it next time.

All planes will load and unload twice as fast so those pax who DO use common sense, and treat them as common carriers, and not WalMart re-stocking trucks get on and off quickly.

In other civilised regions of the world like Europe and Australia that has been policy for a decade.

Like wearing seat belts in cars, and using metrics it WILL one day reluctantly catch on in the USA - get used to it. @:-)

Glen
.

I general do not believe anyone, who refuses to use paragraphs on FT.

I don't believe much of this either, save for the fact that whatever the whole story is it still involves appallingly poor judgment by the OP.

Obviously the GA made the huge no-no when he put his hands on you, very wrong. It sounds as though this guy was looking for a fight and very antagonistic. Cursing at him was the opening he was looking for to take things to the next level. Usually the best course of action when encountering a d!ckhead is not to be a d!ckhead back. Some phone calls to HA would have gotten you much further.

Please continue to follow this in the Hawaii-based airlines forum.

l'etoile
Trip Reports moderator

We would ask that the discussion be carried on respectfully, civilly, with an appreciation for the FlyerTalk TOS, and with the aloha spirit appropriate to this forum. Thanks.

cblaisd & FlyinHawaiian
Co-Moderators, Hawai`i-based Airlines forum

To the OP:

Whether that was assault or not, legal or not, professional or not is not something I will comment on. However, given the conduct you describe yourself doing, I suggest that you not be so surprised at the outcome. In the future toning it down (especially in Hawai`i) will likely diffuse a lot of situations. Telling people off will... get you assaulted and battered.

I am by no means suggesting that a person's decision to assault/batter someone after a verbal altercation is justified, only pointing out that there do exist people all over this world who will react in such a way.

Whether the veracity of the OP's experience is 100% true or not, one thing is certain... There is something seriously wrong with HA customer service, especially at OGG. Starting with the off shore reservations and complaints call center in the PI's to the GA's at OGG (uncaring, unfriendly). Many of these employees would be hard pressed to get a job at an ABC store. Amazing what a virtual monopoly can destroy.

OP, you have my sincere sympathies. It sounds to me like you were a victim of a violent crime.

My 2 cents:

* The gate agent should not have resorted to physical violence and (if proved) deserves to be fired.

* The OP got his comeuppance for the manner in which he conducted himself. While empathically I understand it must have been a frightening experience he does not have my sympathy as he brought it upon himself. Or to put it differently: he made his own bed (by acting the tough guy) and now has to lie in it.

As someone who flies HA a lot (because I live in a city with very limited service, and HA is the best of my options), but has no status with HA (I credit my flights to a partner), I don't get any special treatment on HA, but I do know the carry-on rules.

And, oddly, I know that HA's carry-on rules are basically the same as the carry-on rules of every other airline in the world. You get one piece up to roll-aboard size, and a second thing that had better be able to fit under the seat in front of you if the bins are full. (And you can bring your jacket, some books to read, yadda yadda. And usually whatever you just bought airside.)

And I know that HA will gladly gate-check either or both of your allowed carry-ons, if there isn't room to stow them in the cabin... just like every other airline in the world.

I'm trying to get my head around how the OP manages to fly enough to make it worth paying $150 for early boarding and lounge access on HA (and c'mon, HA lounges are not anything special as far as lounges go!), yet remains ignorant of carry-on rules that are so ubiquitous. :confused:

Do you really believe that if someone tries to take an extra carry-on, they should be banned from flying any commercial airplane for life? I know you are a fearless defender of the airlines, but that seems a bit extreme.;)

I agree, if that was the case half of us on FT wouldn't be doing much flying

But I am finding a hard time thinking of a scenario where the GA can legitimately argue he was right in attacking the OP, unless the OP made the initial physical contact.

California has a penal code section for disturbing the peace that reads "Any person who uses offensive words in a public place which are inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction." Perhaps Hawaii has something similar? If the OP set off the agent by using language that provoked a violent reaction, it may actually be the OP at fault. Just something to consider.

In any event, I think the best advice on matters such as this has been given by lawyer PTravel in the past, and that is not to post anything publicly about an incident that may result in litigation, as all the information here could be used by another party against you.

Looks like section c there pretty much mimics the California statute.

Looks like section c there pretty much mimics the California statute.
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol14_Ch0701-0853/HRS0711/HRS_0711-1101.htm

If I were the GA I would have taken him off the plane and sort it out later. If the OP is verbally abusive on the ground he could potentially go off in the air and put everyone in danger.

Still there is no excuse for the GA to touch anyone, but it's hard to understand what really happened with only one side of the story.

Interesting first thread.

Wonder if we'll ever see the OP again...

So you know the rules yet you feel you are above anyone else and can carry on the 3 pc, what parts of the rules dont you understand, why did you not simply pack everyting into one bag. Its people like you who delay flights everyday of the week becasue you know damm well the rules and yet think they dont apply to you. When you have them enforced you then go into legal overdrive and tag the knee injury on as well for a bit more meat on the bone. Sorry but I have no sympathy with you and you desreve what you got.

Sorry but I have no sympathy with you and you desreve what you got.

I'm not a lawyer and am not providing legal advice of any kind in this post.

How on earth can people say stuff like this? Granted, we've only heard one side of the story - but assuming that to be true, do you really think saying "Go f yourself" warrants physical assault?

Assuming the OP's post to be 100% true and 100% of the story, I'd say the GA's actions were wildly disproportionate; and in an ideal world (with witnesses, on-hand police officers, video cameras, etc) should have ended in a criminal prosecution against the GA.

a quick reply to all, maybe the 1000 yards was a slight exageration but it was quite a far distance, the gate agent was able to follow me because she had a door that she could go through that was a shortcut to the gate while I had to run all the way around through security.

here is HA's carry on baggage policy that was change Aug. 1, 2008

The following items are not included as part of the carry on baggage limit.
- a handbag or pocketbook
- an overcoat or wrap
- a foot rug
- an umbrella or walking stick
- a camera and/or a pair of binoculars
- a reasonable amount of reading matter for the flight
- an infant's food for consumption enroute
- a collapsible wheelchair and/or crutches and/or braces or other prosthetic device on the same flight with passenger dependent on the device.

my girlfriend was carrying a camera bag, a purse, and a laptop bag. technically 1 carry on item. the way I was looking at it she would be able to carry on the bag I was holding because she only had 1 bag, I suggested this to the gate agent and was told it wasn't an option.

for those of you that suggested that I buy a bag and consolidate, that thought never crossed my mind, I wish it had.

I had really thought everyone in Haw'aii had the Aloh'a spirit in them--how can this happen?? :(

here is HA's carry on baggage policy that was change Aug. 1, 2008

The following items are not included as part of the carry on baggage limit.
- a handbag or pocketbook
- an overcoat or wrap
- a foot rug
- an umbrella or walking stick
- a camera and/or a pair of binoculars
- a reasonable amount of reading matter for the flight
- an infant's food for consumption enroute
- a collapsible wheelchair and/or crutches and/or braces or other prosthetic device on the same flight with passenger dependent on the device.

my girlfriend was carrying a camera bag, a purse, and a laptop bag. technically 1 carry on item. the way I was looking at it she would be able to carry on the bag I was holding because she only had 1 bag, I suggested this to the gate agent and was told it wasn't an option.
You need to post the full restrictions:
These items may be carried on the aircraft as your one-piece of carry-on baggage allowance, provided the item can properly fit in the overhead compartment or stowed beneath the seat in front of you. In addition to the one-piece carry-on baggage allowance, you may also carry on one personal item such as a purse, briefcase, laptop computer, backpack or similar item.
When flights are full, HA reserves the right to stow Carry-On Baggage in the cargo compartment of the aircraft. Carry-on baggage may be limited further by aircraft type or storage availability.
Hawaiian Airlines operates the B767 aircraft between Hawaii and the mainland/South Pacific and B717 aircraft for interisland travel. Your carry on baggage should be no more than 45 linear inches, or 9"x14"x22" (L+W+H), and weight no more than 25 pounds.
The following items are not included as part of the carry on baggage limit.
- a handbag or pocketbook
- an overcoat or wrap
- a foot rug
- an umbrella or walking stick
- a camera and/or a pair of binoculars
- a reasonable amount of reading matter for the flight
- an infant's food for consumption enroute
- a collapsible wheelchair and/or crutches and/or braces or other prosthetic device on the same flight with passenger dependent on the device.
Your primary storage area is the space under the seat in front of you. The overhead compartments are on a first come, first serve basis and are for all passengers. If your carry on item is unable to be safely stored under the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartment, or if all storage areas are full, you may be asked to check in your baggage for pick-up upon your arrival.
(bold emphasis mine). She had: (1) a laptop bag, which is your personal item and (2) a camera bag, which is really technically a carry on bag. Note that a camera--not a camera bag--is excluded from the limit. Whether the purse does not or does count as the limit is moot here. From the rules, she had at least two bags.

I had really thought everyone in Haw'aii had the Aloh'a spirit in them--how can this happen?? :(
If you tell someone to go do not nice things to themselves, I don't think you'll get the Aloha Spirit in return.

Of course, nothing justified the grumpiness of a GA working for an airline in a customer service-based industry, especially one that thinks that "Hawaii Starts Here."

Some random comments:
HA is very strict about carry-on size and weight. Much more so than other US-based airlines (similar to LH which is one of the more strict airlines I fly). This may surprise some customers, and is frankly a little silly when you're flying the a mostly empty plane on a 9PM run from OGG to HNL. This may have confused the OP.

Why couldn't the GA have checked an item through to the OP's final destination?

OP- I'd definitely report this to HA. Even if they take no action right now, they'll pretty soon observe a pattern with this GA if he is repeatedly treating customers like this.

To the OP - I am not going to get involved in the discussion of who was most at fault here, of whether the Gate Agent's behavior was justified or not. I come to Flyertalk to learn how to make my flying experiences better. If you come with the same intent, I could offer several suggestions to make your future flying experiences go more smoothly:
1. Become more aware of the benefits that accrue to lounge members. These are published and easily accessible.
2. Become more aware of the carryon limitations of the carrier you are flying.
3. The ability to flount published rules is not an unpublished benefit of lounge membership.
4. It is not necessary to ask an gate agent to write down his name and info for you. The airline will know what gate agent worked that flight. If you want to be sure, use your cell phone to unobtrusively snap a picture of him. Many employees will view being asked for their name and info as confrontational.
5. Rational people do not respond to frustrating situations by cursing people in positions of power. Doing so can have unpleasant results. If you feel a need to vent your anger in this way, you might find anger management training to be helpful to you.
I would venture to say that 95+% of those responding to this thread would have known enough to have boarded that flight without any incident at all.

If you would like to learn how to avoid similar problems in the future, I would suggest that consider the above suggestions, and also that you stick around Flyertalk and read a lot. You would be amazed how much you can learn here, and you are more than welcome to stay here and learn it all.

We would ask that the discussion be carried on respectfully, civilly, with an appreciation for the FlyerTalk TOS, and with the aloha spirit appropriate to this forum.

Could you clarify - if I lost my aloha spirit, can I still participate here? I think I lost it a while ago :(

Could you clarify - if I lost my aloha spirit, can I still participate here? I think I lost it a while ago :(

Certainly; we'd be happy to help you find it, if needed. You might want to start at the mai tai bar. :)

Closed at the request of the op.

cblaisd and FlyinHawaiian
Co-Moderators, Hawai`i-based Airlines forum