Oakshadow

Video:
#BaggageClaimBecky Calls Police on Black Woman for Asking to Speak to a Manager

Delta Lost Woman's Bag, Called Police on Her for Recording Poor Customer Service.

The bullet points are:

• DL damages luggage of businesswoman who goes to BOS DL baggage customer service desk.
• Customer service rep refuses to give the name of the manager on duty.
• The customer starts to video record the exchange.
• Customer service rep realizes she's being recorded and immediately calls the State Police.
• Videotaping customer service is not illegal.
• The customer departed before police arrived out of concern for her safety.
• The customer believes racism played a part in the customer service rep's decision to call the police.

My only thought is this is reminiscent of the BOS PD incident when a flight was heavily delayed, customers started video recording the event and the GA demanded everyone erase the videos from their smartphones citing a non-existent law prohibiting anyone from video recording in the airport (some pax didn't erase their videos). PD apologized for the incident.

spainflyer

Surprised someone hasn't picked this up. According to report Boston Police were called because a customer was filming bad service from lost luggage. As the article says, these days any dispute, argument or even questioning of airline personnel quickly escalates to a "security threat" or even "terrorism," https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2018/09/19/delta-lost-womans-bag-called-police-on-her-for-recording-poor-customer-service/

dmac7273

I one day want a job where when I encounter an upset customer, I can just call the police and charge them with terrorism.

Even if they never are charged, I still wouldn't have to deal with them.

Mr. Vker

I'll try this tomorrow. Win-Win. Either it works or I'll get next week off-and the next week-and the next week-and so on ....

MSPeconomist

formeraa

What's the harm in taking a damaged baggage claim. particularly if the bag is truly ripped? They can always deny it later, if they find the it doesn't meet some criteria. The DL agents would rather stand around and joke about their customers. If someone is visibly upset, be empathetic and attempt to understand the problem calmly and reassuringly.

I'm so glad we have smartphones now,,..so some of these incidents can be recorded. In the past, it would have automatically been the passenger's fault.

jdrtravel

I get that baggage CS is probably a pretty thankless job because you are primarily dealing with people who have lost or damaged baggage and they are upset, but that's no excuse to treat customers this way.

And I can't understand why a customer using a camera is perceived as a threat. The customer was not raising her voice or being disrespectful, she was just being assertive and asking for a totally normal thing when there is an issue: a manager.

In my experience, CS people avoid getting a manager when they know they've done something wrong.

flyerCO

+1. Just like beginning of month at DTW. She refused to get a Redcoat or manager. She hoped I'd just walk away frustrated. Found out agent already had been complained about 4 times that week.

MSPeconomist

flyerslc

Without taking sides here, you have to be careful about recording. Some states have very broad prohibitions against secret recording - so-called two-party states. Exceptions for public meetings, police, are quite limited. However, if you upfront state you are recording, you can proceed and it is up to the other party to stop talking or leave.

Massachusetts's wiretapping law often referred to is a "two-party consent" law. More accurately, Massachusetts makes it a crime to secretly record a conversation, whether the conversation is in-person or taking place by telephone or another medium. See Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272, § 99. Accordingly, if you are operating in Massachusetts, you should always inform all parties to a telephone call or conversation that you are recording, unless it is absolutely clear to everyone involved that you are recording (i.e., the recording is not "secret"). Under Massachusetts's wiretapping law, if a party to a conversation is aware that you are recording and does not want to be recorded, it is up to that person to leave the conversation.

dinanm3atl

I wish in situations like this the videos started far earlier. They don't and never do but I would love to have the full video as we don't have the full story. I have had to visit DL baggage service 3 times. None were damage all were missing luggage. All 3 times there was at LEAST 2 other people talking to a DL CS rep and verbally assaulting them over the dumbest and most ridiculous things. Most of them are laced with swear words and asking the reps if they are stupid and how they are providing poor service.

The best was a damaged hard shell roller. The rep pulled up the EXACT BAG and the lady kept swearing at her that she paid more. That isn't the same bag and hers is a darker black color...

Should Delta have called the police? No... Did Delta call the police? No... I doubt it. Some employee did. This will be some bad PR For Delta for sure and they should train people better to not escalate to this level.

KDCAflyer

MSPeconomist

EdofFX

The DailyMail has a slightly different version of the story. According to Daily Mail, the manager did arrive to speak to that customer, but was called away to deal with a medical emergency. The manager asked one of his staff to help the customer. The customer completed the form, but then insisted on getting the manager's name. That was when things went side way....

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...k-manager.html

May be the agent was over reacting, but I did not know a manager's name is required on a damage claim. Last time my luggage was damaged by Lufthansa, the baggage agent gave me a form with only her signature. Does the Delta form requires a manager's signature?

MSPeconomist