ssconfiguration

I was at Pearson (YYZ) airport today, dropping off some friends. At the entrance to the check-in line was a young and very aggressive Air Canada employee who was being very rude to an older gentleman ahead of us. When our turn came he continued the behaviour. I told him I didn't like his tone and his attitude got worse.

I wanted to get his name to report him, but his badge only had his first name. I asked him for his last name and he said "I don't need to tell you that" very aggressively. I took out my phone to take a picture of him and he said "If you do that I'm calling security". I was taken aback and decided not to press the issue (though in retrospect I should have). Instead I decided to record a voice note of the incident so I could record it later. He thought I was trying to take a picture so became quite threatening and said "You take a picture and I'm calling security". I weighed whether to escalate the situation but decided that there was a good chance I'd end up getting arrested (I'm a foreign-looking guy). So I decided to wait and report it later.

In retrospect, though, I feel I should have exercised my rights. Surely there can't be any repercussions for taking a picture of an airline employee at a publicly operated airport? Am I wrong?

Fleck

I wouldn't give some nut, crossing guard my last name. Are you serious? Good on him for putting you in your place.

petaluma1

Don't know about Canada, but in the states you have a right to take a picture in a public place.

chollie

It's Canada and I don't know their rules.

As an American taxpayer whose tax dollars pay for TSA's wages, benefits, work uniforms (better allowance than some military officers), 'school' uniform (special clothes for the TSA 'training academy'), I believe that any screener who doesn't display a full name or unique employee number when asked should be severely disciplined. I'm fine with a first name and a badge number. I think any government employee caught flipping a badge to hide his/her name should be suspended for a day without pay for a first offense, fired for a second. Even McDonald's has a dress code, and TSOs who can't or won't follow it should be told to find another job.

There is one reason and only one that anyone refuses to give adequate information to be identified by their employer.

mapleg

He can call security. Whether they do anything about it is a completely different manner.

I would not waste my day trying to find out exactly what the repercussions might be. You have his first name, you know where roughly in the airport he worked so if you want to send in a complaint, do so.

Just for what it's worth--complaining to Air Canada on almost any matter is an exercise in futility.

Let it go. He's not a government employee, he is an employee of a private firm. Don't know about you but I don't walk around at work with a big name badge with first and last name and if someone started taking my picture at work, I too would call security.

TWA884

Just a gentle reminder that this thread is about an Air Canada employee at Toronto's Pearson Airport, not the TSA or any other US governmental agency.

Please keep your comments cogent to the OP's question.

Thank you,

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

Often1

What has TSA, a US agency got to do with a private employer, AC, in Canada?

Always Flyin

I would have turned my camera into video mode and said, "You can call anyone you like. I couldn't care less. I will be sending a copy of this video and a description of your inappropriate behavior to me and the customer before me to the president of the airline."

cafeconleche

I would like to have put this punk in his place too, but I am also a funny looking foreigner

Antonio8069

His 1st name is all you need to file a complaint. Case closed.

With better forethought, I would ask for the name of the super next time.

BTW, how was he "very rude to an older gentleman"? Also, what (if any) was your relationship to him?