Whoa, this takes hearsay to a whole new level. I have never seen anyone argue and make up the facts from an Nth person perspective. Were you witnessing from up on high? I also never realized that it was part of the gate agent's job to check for good behavior before granting upgrades.

Except on the narrowest escalators, good etiquette is to stand on the right with your suitcase in front of you and let people pass on the left. In airports there are always people who need to be in a hurry to catch a flight (or another drink at the club). Sure, there are times when you can't do that, e.g. large or multiple suitcases, but I always try to situate myself so that people can walk by me if possible. A week riding the Tube in London will ingrain those habits in you. When you encounter those who haven't gotten it down yet, an "excuse me" and an anxious look will usually do the trick.

Gldweb,

I'm surprised you got such a quick and positive response from NWA. Your situation has happened to me atleast half a dozen times before. Can you PM me the person you submit the complaint too (fax, email, address)? I would also like to file a complaint for a similar mishap a month ago.

Thanks

The OP specifically states that the father chased after him and they argued in front of the gate agent. I seriously doubt any father would chase after someone leaving their child alone unless someone was very rude to them (not doing "the proper thing").

If you think gate agents are not influenced about their feelings for the customer and how they treat them and others you are mistaken. Rudeness is uncalled for even if the child was not an experienced traveler and did not step to the right on the escalator.

I don't. I've run into plenty of hotheaded jerks over the years.

If the GA allowed the plane to leave with 6 empty seats in F when elites had been asking for upgrades, he simply wasn't doing his job.

Geez...its 2am and now I HAVE to respond...

First, to the person who asked who I contacted, I emailed both Beth and the Talk To Us...both got back within 2 weeks (Talk to us in 3 days)...

As for the exact situation, The parents stopped rjust to the right of the escalator. I (as well as a large group of people that just got off the AMS-DTW flight) was trying to get to the escalator and went around them and down. They werent even on the escalator at that time. Had I not been the first person off the train I am sure the father would have yelled at someone else because his kid started to dart away while the parents were still gathering their belongings...right into the foot traffic path (there wasnt even contact). He then chased me down 13 gates (so I was nowhere near the GA when it started). 5 other fellow passengers were standing next to me (none that I knew) and all of them were laughing at this jackass when he came over and telling him he needed to back down too.

Some people are not trained for public travelling with kids and need to realize that the world doesnt stop just for them...heck, its not just kids...I see the same behavior sometimes from the vacationing tourist group that just HAS to stop dead while walking down to a gate basically putting a huge roadblock to any fast walkers...it even happened to me today in the mall when a pack of teenagers (guys) decided they HAD to stop and check out a women in the store...and then I plowed 2 of them down since there was no way to stop that quick or get around...

Its like driving...you are not only responsible for what's in front of you...there are things behind you too...

And on that note...I say goodnight and look forward to bumping (politely) into one of you all tomorrow on my way back to MKE.