My colleague was on 632 ISP-TPA last night and conveyed this story to me today about his experience on the flight. I have known him for over 20 years and flew with him dozens of times both in the US and worldwide. He's one of the nicest and most considerate people you would want to know. When it comes to flying, his greatest offense is probably that he snores on occassion since he usually sleeps half the time.

Here's his story. Thought you might enjoy it:

So here I am flying on Southwest last nite and doing my best trying to sleep. There are three men sitting across the aisle from me and drinking alot of alcohol. Everytime the flight attendant (a bit heavy to fit through the aisles) comes to give them more drinks she is bumping into me. I ignore it for the first two thirds of the flight. I can't believe she does not realize she is bumping into me nor apologizing. Another flight attendant squeezes by and apologizes for bumping into me. Finally after the fifth incident I tap her back and ask her to stop bumping into me and be more careful. She gets very upset and complains it is the turbulence and I explain it has been happening the entire flight. Drunk passenger #1 asks the flight attendant if she needs any help. Now mind you I have never raised my voice and she is getting very upset. She says to the drunk guy if she needs help she will go to the back. For what I don't know? A knife to stab me? To eat a salad to help her lose some weight? All of a sudden a male flight attendant comes to visit me and leans over me and asks if there is a problem. I mention all the bumping and he blames the turbelence. He threatens to call ahead for the airport police and asks if that is what I want. I say, no thank you. He asks again and I say no thank you. He says he thought I was saying something else....by now I am really pissed off and cannot fall back asleep for the last 30 minutes of the flight. We land and there are three airport policeman waiting for me in the jetway. The fat flight attendant points me out and they follow me up the jetway and ask to see my driver's license. After my short story they give me back my license and say I can leave. The lead officer is speaking with some supervisor from Southwest and ask me if I want to speak with her. I briefly explain what happended again and she apologizes (half-heartedly) for the flight attendants behavior and I tell her I just want to go home and not file a formal complaint.

I have had a huge headache since last nite......I am getting ready to type a long letter to Southwest Airlines. I will now make every effort to avoid flying Southwest in the future.....