Assaulted at First Class check-in
Jan 3, 2005, 12:22 pm
#1
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Assaulted at First Class check-in
Winter cleaning!
Last edited by CharlesMD; Jan 23, 2005 at 3:57 pm
Jan 3, 2005, 12:34 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2004
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Originally Posted by CharlesMD
who has a foreign sounding accent, maybe French?
I'm sure I'll get flamed, but this was too good to pass up!
Jan 3, 2005, 12:41 pm
#3
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I would have pressed charges, the fact that it was the holidays didn't change her state of mind.
Jan 3, 2005, 12:45 pm
#4
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I agree with your decision not to press charges. However, if she had damaged any of your property, especially your laptop, then YES, I would have wanted to press charges. Regardless of the outcome, she had no reason to treat you that way. In any event, I'm sure she faced or will face strong questioning and/or blacklisting by the TSA and Homeland Security that will make all of her future trips much more unpleasant. 
Jan 3, 2005, 12:50 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DTW
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Karma to you
I think you handled yourself very well under the circumstances you described and I think it was both big of you and appropriate NOT to press charges. In the end, no harm was done to you. Her embarassment and inconvenience are mild consequences for what she did, but who knows what was going on. You didn't deserve what you got, but you handled it well and probably avoided more drama.
Let me tell you that I don't know I would have done the same thing. I actually got into a confrontation with another pax at a security checkpoint and made a point of telling her what I thought of her, and it ended in a shouting match. In the end, I didn't feel much better and she being off her rocker, wasn't fazed.
If only the spirit you exhibited over the holidays stretched through the rest of the calendar year.
Let me tell you that I don't know I would have done the same thing. I actually got into a confrontation with another pax at a security checkpoint and made a point of telling her what I thought of her, and it ended in a shouting match. In the end, I didn't feel much better and she being off her rocker, wasn't fazed.
If only the spirit you exhibited over the holidays stretched through the rest of the calendar year.
Jan 3, 2005, 12:53 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posts: 1,960
Let me oblige you, Flyer 1965, since you asked for it:
-Your comment is inappropriate, insensitive, and bigoted and reflects poorly on you. After more than 66 posts and a year, I would have thought you got the point of this place, but maybe that's a little optimistic. If the woman was black and CharlesMD had mentioned that, I think we would all agree your comment would place you in some NoSpinZone where you couldn't explain it under any circumstances. It's just not right. Enjoy FlyerTalk, but think about the worldwide members, huh?
-Your comment is inappropriate, insensitive, and bigoted and reflects poorly on you. After more than 66 posts and a year, I would have thought you got the point of this place, but maybe that's a little optimistic. If the woman was black and CharlesMD had mentioned that, I think we would all agree your comment would place you in some NoSpinZone where you couldn't explain it under any circumstances. It's just not right. Enjoy FlyerTalk, but think about the worldwide members, huh?
Jan 3, 2005, 1:00 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DTW
Programs: AA Plat 2MM
Posts: 1,048
Originally Posted by SST
Let me oblige you, Flyer 1965, since you asked for it:
-Your comment is inappropriate, insensitive, and bigoted and reflects poorly on you. After more than 66 posts and a year, I would have thought you got the point of this place, but maybe that's a little optimistic. If the woman was black and CharlesMD had mentioned that, I think we would all agree your comment would place you in some NoSpinZone where you couldn't explain it under any circumstances. It's just not right. Enjoy FlyerTalk, but think about the worldwide members, huh?
-Your comment is inappropriate, insensitive, and bigoted and reflects poorly on you. After more than 66 posts and a year, I would have thought you got the point of this place, but maybe that's a little optimistic. If the woman was black and CharlesMD had mentioned that, I think we would all agree your comment would place you in some NoSpinZone where you couldn't explain it under any circumstances. It's just not right. Enjoy FlyerTalk, but think about the worldwide members, huh?
bravo
Jan 3, 2005, 1:03 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,748
A contributing factor to this "check-in rage" (?) is also the woeful understaffing of AA check-in agents at many airports, missing FC agents as in this case, all available agents that get bogged down by "problem" cases in ticketing often making people wait 30+ minutes, lack of competence from the agents in using the computer interface to so something out of the ordinary, etc. The sad thing is that in many airports the "elite" line may be the one that has such frustrating waits.
The point is that I would not have pressed charges either, knowing the possible frustrations the woman may have gone through that day, regardless of holidays or not and regardless of accent or not (which is completely irrelevant). Perhaps she did not understand the FC line as an infrequent traveler and just thought you were cutting in or the agent was getting her pals off first.
This is not to condone the uncivil behavior on part of the woman but punishing her does very little to remove these kinds of "rage" situations. AA has to take partial blame in these situations but they are not in a position to afford to do anything about. The faster the kiosks and web check-in become the norm, the better.
The point is that I would not have pressed charges either, knowing the possible frustrations the woman may have gone through that day, regardless of holidays or not and regardless of accent or not (which is completely irrelevant). Perhaps she did not understand the FC line as an infrequent traveler and just thought you were cutting in or the agent was getting her pals off first.
This is not to condone the uncivil behavior on part of the woman but punishing her does very little to remove these kinds of "rage" situations. AA has to take partial blame in these situations but they are not in a position to afford to do anything about. The faster the kiosks and web check-in become the norm, the better.
Jan 3, 2005, 1:05 pm
#9
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CharlesMD,
There's only one potential problem with filing no charges: your insurance company migth have required a police report for insurance purposes. OTOH, you would still be able to get a report copy, as the woman was (appropriately) detained. Other than that, IMO, you did well, and she obviously did not - regardless of culture, ethnicity, origin or other characteristic, she behaved, as we say in California (anyone want another stereotype,
) quite, er, a$$wholi$tically.
Well, now we know what you gave for Christmas (at least the Lady Perp, who, it sounds like, only got delayed to her destination and a rather stern warning,) so here are some belated Chrtistmas and New Year wishes!
There's only one potential problem with filing no charges: your insurance company migth have required a police report for insurance purposes. OTOH, you would still be able to get a report copy, as the woman was (appropriately) detained. Other than that, IMO, you did well, and she obviously did not - regardless of culture, ethnicity, origin or other characteristic, she behaved, as we say in California (anyone want another stereotype,
) quite, er, a$$wholi$tically. Well, now we know what you gave for Christmas (at least the Lady Perp, who, it sounds like, only got delayed to her destination and a rather stern warning,) so here are some belated Chrtistmas and New Year wishes!
Last edited by JDiver; Jan 3, 2005 at 1:26 pm Reason: spilchicken
Jan 3, 2005, 1:06 pm
#10
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It is too bad that you were not near the El Al counter as I'm sure one of their security agents would have had no trouble taking out this ***** before she was able to do some damage. 
Glad to hear everything turned out okay for ya in the end.
Glad to hear everything turned out okay for ya in the end.
Jan 3, 2005, 1:12 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Ft Lauderdale
Posts: 2,596
Something like this happened to me the other week. With the big snow storm that hit Ohio on the 23rd all the flights to Cincinnati had cancelled that day. At the point when my flight was to leave there 100 people on the stand by list as well as my flight was oversold. They were telling people they couldn't get them to CVG until Xmas day.
We got on the plane sat there for an hour and was told that AA wasn't flying into CVG that day and to speak to the agents at the podium as we deplaned. Well on the way off the plane I called the EXP used my 24 hour rule to get confirmed on a flight the next evening. The EXP agent told me to see what the standby list looked like for the first flight in the morning and try to get on that. I stood in line and heard the agent tell the lady before me she was number 147 on the stand by list. She was quite upset becuase she had a small child with her. When i got up to the counter I asked to be put on the list as well for the next morning. She heard the agent tell me I was number 2 on the list. At that point she turned around and just lost it. She was screaming at me and the agent. I can understand her being upset but yelling at me wasn't going to do her any good. She demanded to the agent that she be on the list before me since she was in line before me and had been on standby at the airport since 6 that morning. At that point I had had enough. I just grabbled my travelpro and rolled off. It was telling me FT friends about this and we all had a small laugh at just how little people know about how status and the perks that you get with it. In the end the waitlist didn't matter as I didn't get on the morning flights anway, and didn't leave until the flight I was confirmed on. I saw the lady the next evening still trying to get on a flight. She actually apologized. I was shocked.
We got on the plane sat there for an hour and was told that AA wasn't flying into CVG that day and to speak to the agents at the podium as we deplaned. Well on the way off the plane I called the EXP used my 24 hour rule to get confirmed on a flight the next evening. The EXP agent told me to see what the standby list looked like for the first flight in the morning and try to get on that. I stood in line and heard the agent tell the lady before me she was number 147 on the stand by list. She was quite upset becuase she had a small child with her. When i got up to the counter I asked to be put on the list as well for the next morning. She heard the agent tell me I was number 2 on the list. At that point she turned around and just lost it. She was screaming at me and the agent. I can understand her being upset but yelling at me wasn't going to do her any good. She demanded to the agent that she be on the list before me since she was in line before me and had been on standby at the airport since 6 that morning. At that point I had had enough. I just grabbled my travelpro and rolled off. It was telling me FT friends about this and we all had a small laugh at just how little people know about how status and the perks that you get with it. In the end the waitlist didn't matter as I didn't get on the morning flights anway, and didn't leave until the flight I was confirmed on. I saw the lady the next evening still trying to get on a flight. She actually apologized. I was shocked.
Jan 3, 2005, 1:13 pm
#12
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Flyer1965, please edit your post. We appreciate.
CharlesMD, I'm truly glad you didn't press charges and your laptop is still Ok.
We don't know what must have caused that lady's rage and apparently you have been well taken care afterwards. I hope whenever I'm at fault to be able to find nice people who act so civil as you did.
Have a nice 2005 !
CharlesMD, I'm truly glad you didn't press charges and your laptop is still Ok.
We don't know what must have caused that lady's rage and apparently you have been well taken care afterwards. I hope whenever I'm at fault to be able to find nice people who act so civil as you did.
Have a nice 2005 !
Jan 3, 2005, 1:32 pm
#13
Join Date: Aug 2003
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Originally Posted by umguy
The EXP agent told me to see what the standby list looked like for the first flight in the morning and try to get on that. I stood in line and heard the agent tell the lady before me she was number 147 on the stand by list. She was quite upset becuase she had a small child with her. When i got up to the counter I asked to be put on the list as well for the next morning. She heard the agent tell me I was number 2 on the list.
Jan 3, 2005, 1:38 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 589
I find it awkward walking up to the FC check in line at JFK (term 9) when there is already someone waiting in the Business check in line. Are they supposed to wait until there are no more FC people in line? Do you alternate like at a 4-way stop sign? I think I should go first but feel bad for the person who was clearly there before me. Anyway, the agents are usually not as helpful as they could be; they typically don't summon over a particular person, or even look up after finishing with the previous customer (once at the counter I've found them all to be friendly and helpful).
Anyway, not to justify line-rage or anything but I do think AA could do more to make the elite lines less awkward.
And regardless of her accent, she has obviously lived in New York for years. The only thing we know for sure is that she was not English, the world champions of peaceful queing (though I understand the Russians are a close second due to years of hard experience).
Anyway, not to justify line-rage or anything but I do think AA could do more to make the elite lines less awkward.
And regardless of her accent, she has obviously lived in New York for years.
The only thing we know for sure is that she was not English, the world champions of peaceful queing (though I understand the Russians are a close second due to years of hard experience).
Originally Posted by venk
A contributing factor to this "check-in rage" (?) is also the woeful understaffing of AA check-in agents at many airports, missing FC agents as in this case, all available agents that get bogged down by "problem" cases in ticketing often making people wait 30+ minutes, lack of competence from the agents in using the computer interface to so something out of the ordinary, etc. The sad thing is that in many airports the "elite" line may be the one that has such frustrating waits.
Jan 3, 2005, 1:58 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,442
The only AA line rage I've seen was at CDG for a flight to JFK when AA had only a single dedicated check-in line for the flight. A few people in front of me (I'm the end of the line) is a very high-revenue very frequent very important EXP (at least that's what he was screaming) who had never been so badly treated in his life by being forced to wait on a long line (he was screaming this too) and some other sins (memory fades) who was going to have all of AA's check-in staff fired for the horrible treatment he was getting. He finally shut up after a supervisor threatened to put him off the flight.