LegalTender

Next time you go on a Twitter rant, you could be opening yourself up to litigation.

http://www.businessinsider.com/nashv...rlines-2013-10

OzzyOzzie

Kudos to WN for not allowing the *alleged* nitwit to get her own way.

"Grant had purchased Business Select tickets for herself and one child, but not for her other children and her husband, who were traveling with her, Nashville Scene reports. When she tried to board early with her entire family, she was told that only those passengers with Business Select tickets could come along, according to Patterson's lawsuit."

Michael El

Sounds like Grant may be a DYKWIA. However, if the GA truly said, “get over it. Follow the rules. Or don’t fly,” then I see a major customer service issue that WN hopefully addressed.

ursine1

Naming the GA was the problem. Tweet away about disappointing customer service issues, just don't publicly name an employee.

dw

Well, since she seems like a major DYKWIA, I would not be surprised if that was not the first thing the GA said, but rather how the exchange ended. I would still side with the GA on this one.

Bowgie

GA is right. Grant is a DYKWIA. However, I don't understand how "false light/invasion of privacy" is a legal cause of action. Though in poor taste and I would not do it, I thought I had the right to "rant away" by name on anybody I please as long it isn't slanderous. Grant's rant doesn't make me think the agent is bad.

PTravel

Slander is spoken defamation. Libel is written defamation. False Light is a species of defamation that, as the name implies, may be true but, nonetheless, creates a false impression about the subject of the defamation.

For what it's worth, this Grant person sounds detestable. "What am I supposed to do? She's four!" And boasting that the 1-year old left a "surprise" on the plane. Disgusting example of a entitlement-demanding, self-centered parent.

tusphotog

How very Christian of Grant...

dw

She also needs to learn how to spell. Her tweet was actually, "She decided to leave them a gift on their plain." (emphasis added).

Ultimately, I am sure she spent far more on legal fees than it would have cost to upgrade the other tickets to BS so they could all board together.

Mike Jacoubowsky

I know nothing of Southwest's FF program, but if Ms Grant actually does fly Southwest 75 times/year, it comes as a surprise that she doesn't fit into some sort of higher-level elite category that includes perks that would extend to those traveling with her. Even United lets me, a Plat (75k miles/year) bring eight people with me into E+.

Which brings me to question either Ms Grant's claim that she flies 75x with Southwest each year, or Southwest's loyalty program in general. There is no excuse for a passenger berating an FA or GA as she did, especially in public (such things would be better handled via phone call or email), but there's been no evidence I've seen anywhere else of an airline deciding it would only allow nice, reasonable people into its upper elite tiers. Thus it kind of surprises me that Southwest wasn't already flagging her for special treatment.

But if it were my airline and someone treated my employees like that in person, and then went on to berate them on-line, I would have to at least consider firing the customer (assuming that my employees had handled things properly). Of course, the way these things typically play out, it's multiple people having bad days at the same time, everybody digging in and nobody deciding that it might be best to turn down the volume. Hate that.

ursine1

Southwest has no elite level perk allowing accompanying pax to jump boarding order; its well known, if somewhat of a sore spot. The GA followed policy.

Bowgie

Ms. Grant, WWJD?

(sorry for the Christian-speak)

Mike Jacoubowsky

Thanks. I can see that leading to some misunderstandings if someone was used to flying on other carriers, but there's no evidence of that excuse being available to Ms Grant. And at 75 trips per year, she should know Southwest's policy very well.

OT but are you saying that if I were an elite on Southwest, and my wife wasn't, that she couldn't board early with me (without paying a fee)?

jake108

Cannot speak with authority having flown 2X SW(that was sufficient!) but my experience...wait at GA counter for some check-in info all the while at podium(new to me, that..)GA is tending to paperwork-no pax. fter 5-7 minutes I ask when someone will be at counter, he says, "I'm right here." Huh? Did he think I was just needing an elbow rest? Following ""Mr Toad's Wild Ride," boarding, we are asked to de-board for starboard engine check. Standing in the jetway that engine, in my estimation goes to 80% of power.
Estimated noise level 110db. Just 15 feet from where we are standing.

Always amazed at SW customer loyalty-apologies for going off-topic.

smmrfld

At least you're honest about your lack of sufficient data points.