aCavalierInCoach

Hi - realize folks from this flight are just hitting the ground, but I would appreciate it if anyone who boarded after group 1 and overheard the exchange between me and the "lead" agent at G97 could reach out to me if comfortable.


For the rest of you, short of it: Raised my voice to gate agent; gate agent responds by tearing up my BP and banning me from air canada for 24 hours claiming I am a "security threat".

Long of it:

This flight was delayed (gate occupied by an empty aircraft while inbound plane sat on tarmac for 45 minutes).

I was in Group 2 as *G. I was standing next to the boarding lane (by the sign) and while it seemed clear to me that all group 1 passengers were already past that point she told me to move out of the way (I was not blocking the lane nor trying to board).
I told her I was not in the way but stepped to the left anyway.
In response, she started repeating the phrase "you are delaying the flight! you are delaying the flight!" I shouted over her repetitions that the flight was delayed because she couldn't find a gate for her plane. I did not use any profanity, nor did I threaten her in any way whatsoever.

She responded "that's it, you are no longer in group 2, give me your boarding pass".
I complied. She ripped it in half and demanded my passport. I asked why and she responded that "i am allowed to re-verify your passport".
After much clickety-clack "Sue" instructed me that I was a security threat and would be banned from Air Canada for 24 hours.
This was a determination made in her sole judgement apparently; despite the apparent threat I constituted she did not call any law enforcement to the gate. While Sue was away, I asked the other agent if she agreed with Sue's assessment and she just said "she is my boss and makes those decisions, I'm sorry".

I don't know what recourse I have here. The missed flight will result in more than $1,000 in economic loss. At the very least, this seems to be an involuntary denied boarding as I cannot imagine Air Canada can simply claim, as Sue did, that raising my voice a single time constitutes a security threat. Her behavior was bizarre, including insisting I stop recording with my phone (I wasn't). Would I love to go back and just keep my mouth shut, sure, but I'm having a really hard time seeing a way to the agent being justified.

I can already hear the FT chorus of "there's more to the story here..." and I appreciate the skepticism, but am telling this as fully as I can. I am eager to hear from anyone else who was there - who perhaps perceived my actions differently or who would be willing to attest to what happened, pathe rticularly as I'm sure much of the clickety clack was Sue falsely documenting the course of events.

Thanks in advance.