fotographer

I would really worry about the thread of deplaning.. that was really uncalled for.. as for as calling you by your first or last name.. give that a miss.
I usually prefer to be addressed by my first name.. it somehow makes me feel younger..

nachosdelux

because the 10 second interaction was rude and unprofessional. Fact: the complaint likely won't get the agent fired, but it will accomplish something, perhaps a reprimand. He did insult the OP because the OP said it was insulting.

carlosdca

While the door is open and GA has not closed the flight, GA is king and you are not supposed to move to empty seats.
Once door closes, anecdotal experience seems to point that it is at the discretion of the FA to allow moving to another seat (whether it is company policy or not).
I am not sure if deplaning someone for moving seats is company policy.

But really, that's not the main point. Even if the GA made up a policy. The interaction described seemed nothing unusual to me.

OP: I take your perception of the interaction at face value. Yes, it sucks. GAs are rude. Been there many times with AA GAS
But If your intention is to CANCEL the GA, complaint forms or emails to CS are not that powerful at AA. Much less in the interaction you described where you actually got what you wanted.

lovecabo

I think the point here is that a GA threatened a passenger. There is no way that is acceptable behavior. As a former customer service manager, if anyone under my command did that they would be at least warned and if it was not an isolated event, I would take more drastic action.

carlosdca

​​​​​You would.
AA won't.
This not the worst GA experience I have witnessed or heard at all.
Send a complaint.
​​​​​​Know AA is not the company that reprimands or fires GAs based on complaints.
Complaints like these get a canned response perhaps 500 miles. Won't affect the GA at all. Feel free to believe otherwise.
​​​​​

cmd320

I would absolutely complain about this GA. Completely out of line to threaten the customer for no reason. And this is ignoring the completely lack of customer service acumen or hospitality that should be a requirement of such a customer facing position.

PUCCI GALORE

Maybe it’s me, but has anyone considered the fact that this might be a laconic individual having a joke? I was not there and cannot judge the way this was said by either parties nor the body language. If he’d refused to accommodate the OP, I’d take it further. Frankly nowadays everyone including total strangers seems to use first names. One even addressed me as Bellissima. I was thinking of writing to American to praise for their social consciousness in actively engaging someone blind as a Gate Agent. Personally I prefer what can be construed as over-familiarity over offhanded rudeness.

I’d not worry and move on.

writerguyfl

If you normally don't care, then this part of your complaint isn't relevant to the discussion. The fact that you're complaining about things that you admit aren't normally a problem for you doesn't enhance your credibility.

Since you asked: Yes, you are overreacting.

StevenSeagalFan

Wait what exactly is the complaint here? A person working on the frontline in a pandemic may have been a little surly to someone asking for something they may or may not be entitled to? Just want to make sure I read it right.

Antarius

I doubt it will achieve anything, unfortunately. It's pretty clear from the AA staff standards that it is impossible to get fired.

Just look at stations like PHL.

cmd320

Given there's a few thousand sitting around on furlough happy to take his place, I don't really have much sympathy for a surly customer service employee, now or anytime.

carlosdca

Yup. It crossed my mind that the GA may just have a particular sense of humor.

In an alternate scenario, the GA could have just told the OP that he could not change the seat and then say "NEXT!" as many times they do (regardless if there were empty seats or not or whatever "the app says!").
I prefer the outcome the OP got.

QueenOfCoach

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.

carmelsown

Honestly I think OP is well within their rights to complain about it. To think about how many airline employees have lost their jobs/been furloughed this year and still hear about this kind of rudeness is disheartening. That said, would the GA actually have the authority to deplane the customer if they saw them in a wrong seat? I have never, in many years of flying, been warned by a gate agent or flight attendant not to sit in my assigned seat.

formeraa

Agreed. If OP writes in, just mention the airport, flight, and date, the station manager can check the schedule to find out who it was. I just suggest being brief and concise. The GA may have been having a bad day. Honestly, you couldn't pay me enough to be a GA. That said, rudeness is rarely appropriate.