Ber2dca

On the opposite end of the political spectrum, I remember the main dude from Young Turks posted like a few long Youtube rants against AA a year ago or so. So it's not like Ann Coulter posting on Twitter is a new thing. (And the list is longer and involves other celebs)

It seems like every time someone with a public profile gets 'wronged' by an airline, there's some social media drama about it. In the case of the Young Turk, I think his flight from LAX was delayed, he got pretty upset about it and ultimately ended up getting IDBed because of some angry words aimed at the GA. In that case, I think he wasn't entirely reasonable about the delay, but he also shouldn't have been IDBed because he had the audacity to question a GA.

xolinlevh

Theft? that is one of the stupidest things I've read in a while.. You bought a ticket from A-B and thats all airlines are obligated to provide. Im also fairly sure no airline..anywhere...has FAs who can issue refunds, so why the hell would you expect them to process a refund onboard as they are moving her to another seat?

GUWonder

Delta claimed to have changed her from one seat in the row to another seat in the same row. That's not theft.

Dovster

I don't think that anyone, except Ann Coulter herself, can judge how important that seat was to her.

For me, it is crucial to be in an aisle seat. It is so important that, as I recently posted in another thread, back when I was an FO about 14 years ago, I was given an ops up on a ATL-CDG flight. Most people would be thrilled about being put into Biz Class over the pond but I was given a window seat. I told the GA that unless an aisle seat was available in Biz I would prefer keeping my original Y seat. (I lucked out as there were two aisle seats open in Biz and the GA gave me my choice.)

I, personally, don't care too much which aisle seat I am in but perhaps Coulter does. She might feel uncomfortable if there is someone sitting on her right side (or perhaps if someone is sitting on her left side).

Many of us, when we make our reservations, look to see if our preferred seats are available and if they are not we take different flights.

All that said, I think the real reason behind her Twitter rant is that she knows that airlines are not very well liked these days and she felt she could get some brownie points with the public by blasting Delta. This could translate into $$$ if more people decide to buy one of her books.

TomMM

Well, at least you got that part right and the rest of your comment backs it up!

sethMCOflyer

Is there any proof to any part of her story? I find it still possible that she made all of it up for publicity.

davetravels

NO ONE is to the right of her!!!

WalterSFO

you're kidding right? she is a disgrace to true conservatives... always kowtowing to the democrats.

drummingcraig

Without bringing politics and/or my personal opinion about Ms. Coulter into it, my problem with this situation is how she went about expressing her anger. I have no problem with her utilizing the leverage of her social media clout and I would do the same in a heartbeat. However there was absolutely *ZERO* need for the verbally abusive statements about the crew (especially considering is was very likely the GA who switched the seats and not the FAs).

I also have a big problem with her publishing the photos she took. I am fine that she snapped a pic or two to use as proof (to show to Delta), but it is incredibly poor form to publish those photos in such a public way without explicit permission from those pictured (or at least she could have blurred their faces).

She absolutely had a legitimate beef with what happened and how it was handled, but in light of her reaction I feel like she is just coming off as any other DYKWIA throwing a tantrum.

beachmouse

And the times I've paid extra for 'special' seating and it's gotten messed up, I've found a polite call to Delta customer service pretty easily gets me a refund for service not provided (though sometimes it takes a supervisor to see all of the purchased v. Actually flown data)

I've also had my times when I got moved from aisle to window on one of those RJs where the window seat is hell for someone broad-shouldered like me and didn't feel the need to spend days whining on social media about it.

readywhenyouare

Why do you feel he need to personally attack me? Do you know that is against the FT terms and conditions? I suggest you apologize to me.

And who said anything about a flight attendant issuing a refund? They were at the gate and the gate agent or red coat can issue a refund.

xolinlevh

I merely stated that the idea that an airline changing someones seat is theft was stupid. I made no such claim about the person who came up with such an idea.

I've never seen anyone issue ticket refunds at gate, not to say it isnt possible. But as she was moved to another seat in the same ROW there wouldnt be a cost change anyway, thus its moot.


THIS ^

GUWonder

Delta has sort of confirmed a key element to the story: her seat was re-assigned to a different seat in the same row as for which she originally held a boarding pass.

There is generally no theft in an airline moving a passenger from one seat in a given row to another seat in the same row on the same flight.

Beltway2A

Alternatively, the other passenger paid for the seat, and Coulter was trying to use her "celebrity" to force the other passenger to give up the seat they paid for. There's no evidence the other pax didn't pay for the seat, nor that Coulter did, and she already suffers from a large credibility problem.

Restil

That's a perfectly fair argument...except they reseated her in the same exit row.

They basically forced her to move from an aisle seat to a window seat on the same row and offered no explaination as to why. On one hand, I don't really get the outrage, she still got what she paid for, except she probably preferred an aisle over a window seat, but she does have a point, that if there's no difference, why give the seat to anyone else, without a good reason. It IS a bit bizarre.