Ber2dca

These kind of jobs make people hard with time. That's just the way it is. You can either advance, quit, go apathetic or go nuts.

It's customer service but it has a lot in common with cops in that so many interactions occur with people who are not exactly having a great day either.

How many airline customers are any one of the following when they step in front of airline staff

(1) tired
(2) stressed
(3) hungry
(4) dehydrated
(5) anxious
(6) desperate
(7) under the influence of alcohol or drugs
(8) hung over
(9) already angry at something that went wrong
(10) under time pressure

Any of these things make confrontations more likely. Someone who deals with that day in day out, give it 5 years and most people in that position have either built a big massive wall between them and the customer or they will just be a bit bonkers. There are people who can handle that well and these are utter gems who we all wish we could meet as nurses, cops, DMV employees, airline staff, bus drivers and so forth. But there's just not enough of them who are willing to work in the service industry. You can't fill a big company's roster just with people born to be great customer service agents.

knit-in

Yeah, I agree. His being intoxicated has nothing to do with the United agent being vindictive in canceling his ticket.

wanderingkev

X2 ,Sadly though, and I assume the OP was tongue in cheek, the system in many ways rewards this kind of behavior, I think airlines though own the problem and have had many years of not being held accountable for their treatment of passengers.The events of the past few weeks have provided an outlet for the collective pent up frustrations of the US traveler and things will only improve by the airlines giving more back willingly....in the genuine situations that merit it.

SeaHawg

Bag was likely OVERSIZED when he flew the outbound. $100 + $25 fee applies.

When he checked in at MSY, his bag could have been OVERSIZED and OVERWEIGHT. $100 + $200 fee applies at check-in.

My sympathy for this guy is zero...

mherdeg

Huh you know it didn't even occur to me to consider that the contract of carriage says

Fleck

Little man can stomp his feet, hold his breath, cry on twatter and facebook to his peer downtrodden out by the curb. Everyone else has a quiet flight without having to be subjected to the pathetic's tantrums.

Filter the booze adolescents before they even get to the gate. Genius! Good job, United!

knit-in

See, this is where the video comes in handy:

"Agent (to someone o/s): Cancel the reservation.

Oza: Why?

Agent: Because you didn't have my permission."

Perhaps the agent is saying he didn't have her permission to drink?

Edited to add: That being said though, I am very interested in the facts of this baggage dispute.

garykung

Not exactly the whole true.

1. The airport can impose additional restrictions on photography.

2. The police is in no position to judge what the person can legally film.

It won't solve the problem at all...

nomad420

Totally allowed to film in the airport in the public area as was noted in the clip. It is done all the time for many reasons.
Another stupid move by a UA employee that could have been totally avoided.

notquiteaff

Based on some googling (yeah, I know), there is a difference between "filming" and recording a private conversation. I don't know if the interaction between a passenger and a TA is considered private (I certainly try not to broadcast my conversation details for others in line to hear) and I stay far enough away from other passengers currently checking in so they have their privacy.

Disclaimer: depends on state law, IANAL, ...

blueman2

The Agent SHOULD have said "I am canceling your ticket because you are drunk". That would have been fine. But she only said "stop filming", and not "you are drunk". Big mistake on her part. If she had done that, I would have personally thanked her! I don't want to sit next to some drunk on a plane. But then, I guess I need to avoid flying out of New Orleans!

jamesinclair

Exactly.

Its not about social media fame.

In a he-said, she-said argument, the video is the difference between winning and losing.

Customer files a complaint. Employee says "customer was drunk and out of control." Management sides with employee.

Is that fair?

Look what would have happened if the onboard beating of a passenger wasnt filmed. The official report put all the blame on him, which wasnt true at all.

There are security cameras which United and employees can use if a passenger does become violent. But theyre not going to offer up the footage if it puts United in a bad light.


BTW, as for filming and photography...

One has a right to film in a public space (per supreme court). One can be asked to stop filming in a private space, and be evicted if they do not follow that rule.

Airports fall under public spaces OR privately-owned public spaces. However, when it comes to laws concerning photography (which is free speech), the space is considered public.

Of course, that doesnt stop agencies like PANY/NJ trying to ban photography and repeatedly losing in court.

As for "illegally recording a conversation," some states have tried to use outdated wiretapping laws the claim that one cannot film with audio without the consent of all parties. That argument has also lost in court, repeatedly.

rickg523

Any complaints for corporations who hide one-sided conditions in a 50+ page CoC to "milk the system and do what it's best for them and not best for all?"

nomad420

The drunk policy has been abused as well. My old employee got into an argument with a GA at ANC about his carry on. She simply accused him of being drunk and with that he was carted out of the airport. Anchorage police came and he demanded and received a breathalyzer test for which he blew 0.03 (he had a beer earlier waiting for the flight). Obviously by that time his flight was gone, spent another day in Anchorage, and lost income. He threatened UA with legal action but settled for apology and reimbursement for expenses.

Explorer789

Despite the pax admitting he was slightly drunk and sleep deprived, he still seemed to be the more rational and level-headed one. The agent clearly wasn't giving a proper response to the passenger nor did she give she seem to treat the passenger with respect. If I was being overcharged nearly double for the same bag, I would like to know why there is an inconsistency.

Furthermore, if the agent was doing nothing wrong, then she should not have any problem being recorded as the recording would vindicate her for following airline procedures. But given the recent incidents of videos going viral, I can understand why she was defensive as she might not want her face plastered all over the media. Ironically, she only made it worse by being combative about the whole incident and taking extreme measures to cancel the ticket. Simply put, United is hiring employees that are borderline competent in the ways of social interaction but have way too much power to impact the lives of their customers.