MIADCAFlyer

This is the short version. (MIA-DCA)

1st class passenger in 1st row and flight attendant get in tiff.

Couple in 1A and 1C. The flight attendant could not understand if the guy was saying vodka or water.

Long story short she is bringing his vodka-sprite back in a rude manner and his wife next to him said to change her attitude.

The flight attendant accused her of being upset that she had to put her bag in the overhead since they were in a bulkhead.

I think the wife believed the flight attendants attitude stemmed from her husbands’s accent.

They got taken off plane to get spoken to.

Then were escorted back to their seats.

Then the gate agent comes back on the plane and pulls them off the flight 5 minutes later after the flight attendant continued to make a fuss about the (minor) situation.

The gate agent was apologetic about pulling them off but said there was nothing she could do.

During the situation you could hear the flight attendant complaining to the pilots and just about anyone who would listen.

I wish I spoke up but selfishly did not want to get kicked off myself..

arollins

I certainly understand where you are coming from, but nothing is stopping you to send a letter to AA about the turn of events on your point of view.

MIADCAFlyer

was planning on it.

stephem

Sort of ironic if lack of ability to hear vodka vs water was the basis of the dispute. The etymology of the word Vodka is said to be literally water (woda) with the Slavic diminutive -ka added to it.

GrayAnderson

So, somebody stepped into some vod kaka?

Jeff767

I would have written my name and phone/email on a piece of paper and offered it to the couple in view of the flight attendant. Quite possibly would have changed the outcome. The only catch is that you do not know what was said in the jetway. They were returned to their seats because neither the agent or flight attendant had the authority to pull a passenger. Something may have been said in the jetway to get them pulled or it may have become apparent that one was intoxicated. They then needed approval to pull the passenger which takes a bit of time.

jphripjah

That's a sucker's move. Never leave the plane to "get spoken to." Good chance that's a ploy and you're never getting back on.

BearX220

And if you refuse to leave your seat to do so at the direction of a member of staff, there's a good chance you'll be forcibly escorted off anyway.

Cledaybuck

Username checks out.

UKtravelbear

Which is really useful in resolving issues

Why didn't the wife help by trying to clarify what her husband was saying?

MIADCAFlyer

If I remember correctly, I think she did.

Something else to add to the story. I am fairly sure the flight attendant was saying she wouldn't work the flight if the couple was allowed to fly.

paul21

Ever since FAs were put in a mask enforcement role, the overall hostility between pax and FA has gone way up. The few conversations between the purser and other FAs I’ve heard always end the same: “if you feel unsafe we will remove the passenger”. There is no judge or jury, just an executioner.

MIADCAFlyer

That makes sense. They did not seem intoxicated but you are correct I have no idea what was said in the jetway.

757FO

I must admit, as a captain, I typically tell the FA's if a pax is being difficult and you don't feel safe, they are gone. Admittedly, this may not always be the best solution. Still, it almost always means the difference between actually flying or having to take an extensive delay because the FA then refuses to fly. With that said, I have overruled an FA a few times with varying levels of positive/negative outcomes.

Don't hate me for it. I wish it was different...

watson10

I completely respect your position on authority, it's a very difficult job. But, if FAs are aware this is the policy it puts a lot of power at their disposal that some may wield wrongly. Some FAs seem perpetually upset at PAX and I could easily seem them taking advantage.

I won't throw shade at all on you. Hard job with no easy solutions with situations that change daily.