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Passenger Throws Tantrum Over Delay
Ryan Boyd April 11, 2016
An angry mother was caught on camera verbally abusing American Airlines staff members at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) over a 12-hour flight delay for a flight to Miami due to bad weather. In a colorful tirade delivered in front of her crying child, the unidentified woman demanded that American Airlines foot the bill for her family’s Disney cruise. Video footage of the tantrum has since gone viral, and has over half a million views on Facebook alone. In an email, a spokesperson for American Airlines wrote: “We do apologize that passengers on American Airlines flight 2240 were delayed due to inclement weather at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.”
To read more on this story, go to Daily Mail.
[Video: Jade W, Photo: Jukin]
Of course the screaming lady was in the wrong. However, I think AA owes an honest appraisal to the passengers. The flight was delayed 12 hours overnight. At what point do the crew tell everyone, "LGA doesn't allow flights between midnight and 6 am, so you might as well go get 6 hours of sleep..."? Because it sounds like they told them at 2 AM. If I had $10k cruise tickets and I was panicked about missing the cruise, I might do something like take a train from LGA to EWR or PHL and pay for new plane tickets to Orlando. But if the gate agents are not communicating, and keep saying the flight might go out any minute, when they know darn good and well there's zero chance it will; it is really hard for an infrequent traveler to make the call, "They're not being realistic and aboveboard and I'm going to have to find a solution myself." So I can completely understand her frustration, if not her behavior. Also, trip insurance.
Well, she was totally in the wrong. I feel bad for her kids. But there is an issue here, which is that many airlines have absolutely terrible communication about delays and rebooking options, and very often passengers are left in the dark long after some information could be given. I think passengers are often more upset by the lack of definitive decisions rather than the delay itself.
Real class act, lady!
Pay for your family's Disney cruise? That will never happen.
Sad and pathetic. People can be at their worst in those kinds of situations, so glad there is always someone around to record it so everyone can watch.