Southwest refused to pay for laptop after FA spilled drink on it
Dec 24, 2018, 10:37 am
#46
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Yes... when the FA spills a drink on your laptop it’s YOUR fault!!..
...Once again, the armchair elders of FT provide great moral advice, until it actually happens to them! I can almost guarantee all of you clowns on here would not have the same mentality if it was your laptop (and why am I so worked up about it? Because this happened to me at a coffee joint in town who just so happened to be nice enough to realize it was their fault, and own up to it)
As to your guarantee that all of us clowns would blame the FA. When it did happen to my boss, sitting next to me, I did not blame the FA at all, nor did he.
As I attempt to think through it, I do not believe I would blame the FA if it happened to my nice macbook pro today. $hit happens. If I want to use my laptop in such an environment, I am taking the risk, not the FA.
If enough people get upset over stuff like this, here is the new rule ready to roll out.
"Ladies and Gentleman. We are about to start drink service. You are now required to put all electronics away to avoid any possible spills and damage. Thank you for understanding"
Dec 24, 2018, 10:40 am
#47
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Or...
Welcome to 2018, where everything must be 100% black or white, because no one can ever admit any fault or accept any reaponsibility for anything -- even partially.
Could the FA have put a lid on the child's drink, and taken more care when serving? Probably. Should the OP have been paying more attention and protected their laptop? Probably. Should WN have completed an incident report? Probably. Should the OP be happy with the goodwill gesture? Probably.
(And, since it was mentioned: Anyone who thinks that the McDonalds coffee incident is an example of frivolous litigation needs to do some more research into the actual story, because they have no idea what they're talking about.)
Welcome to 2018, where everything must be 100% black or white, because no one can ever admit any fault or accept any reaponsibility for anything -- even partially.
Could the FA have put a lid on the child's drink, and taken more care when serving? Probably. Should the OP have been paying more attention and protected their laptop? Probably. Should WN have completed an incident report? Probably. Should the OP be happy with the goodwill gesture? Probably.
(And, since it was mentioned: Anyone who thinks that the McDonalds coffee incident is an example of frivolous litigation needs to do some more research into the actual story, because they have no idea what they're talking about.)
Dec 24, 2018, 11:14 am
#48
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,508
I'm also no lawyer, but It's likely the OP would have to show that the FA "acted recklessly" to recover in court. A fan blinded by a foul ball would need to show the team acted recklessly to compel payment. Serving hot coffee during turbulence might be negligent. What's being described isn't really dereliction.
Dec 24, 2018, 12:53 pm
#49
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We deserve what we ask for.
Dec 24, 2018, 3:18 pm
#50
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Dec 24, 2018, 3:19 pm
#51
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We already don't have peanuts any longer 'cause of the minuscule number of people who are allergic to them.
Dec 26, 2018, 5:28 am
#53
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The fact everyone refused to provide you with an incident report or any documentation to let you start the process on the plane proves to me they are fully responsible. They did everything they could to steer you away from feeling any sort of proper resolution can or should be gained by whisking you away, which shows me they have been trained to do this and that is scammy at best and down right wrong as well. When a company pulls that sort of thing we all know better--we must stand our ground and politely and hopefully calmly demand a better solution with higher up personnel right away and not later on once you have left! I would check with https://www.elliott.org/, a consumer advocate on this and many things, as they can likely help you --and the more documentation and info you have the better. I would get on their forums and post this there ASAP and get on it! Just follow their steps and you will get help. They also list executive and other real contacts for most major airlines, etc. So just calling CS wont help but they can.
While I know people need to do work on planes and they should be able to, I personally stopped bringing anything bigger than an ipad or phone on planes because it's a ll such a pita. In fact only the kiddos ever brought ipads and now they have phones so we all will have small devices. And when food or drink comes on planes or at home our rule of thumb is that devices go away. At best, they should be away from wherever liquids of any kind are.
But, the FA spilled it on your keyboard, Plain and simple, Southwest is at fault and should fully reimburse without question. You should take them to small claims but also check with any policies Apple may have to help you first. And definitely do https://www.elliott.org/ right away first now ASAP.
We had a nice macbook Air and left it as we always do on the coffee table one day. the cleaning ladies came and went as they had done bi weekly but after one of their visits the thing wasn't working any longer. I took it to the fix it store in the mall and they said liquid--specifically, some sort of cleaning fluid--had soaked up into the mother board. Turns out that those Apple books have no feet like older units used to because they want em thin. As a result, its base has direct contact with the table. I wish I had put those little furniture pads you can buy at stores. The cleaners had possibly spilled something like Fantastik on the table near it and wiped it up and put the lappy back where it was not realizing it would wick up what was there. We could not actively blame them nor did we... But we wont be leaving things like that out should we ever use them again. We did stop using them anyway. They were never the types of people who would take or damage something in our home but they had moved things and made a few other small blunders and so this was the end for it. We quietly just stopped having them come over. Point is, we must all take good care of our gear and know that any little thing can and will ruin it in an instant. So yeah, I would have likely not had mine open during service on a flight.
While I know people need to do work on planes and they should be able to, I personally stopped bringing anything bigger than an ipad or phone on planes because it's a ll such a pita. In fact only the kiddos ever brought ipads and now they have phones so we all will have small devices. And when food or drink comes on planes or at home our rule of thumb is that devices go away. At best, they should be away from wherever liquids of any kind are.
But, the FA spilled it on your keyboard, Plain and simple, Southwest is at fault and should fully reimburse without question. You should take them to small claims but also check with any policies Apple may have to help you first. And definitely do https://www.elliott.org/ right away first now ASAP.
We had a nice macbook Air and left it as we always do on the coffee table one day. the cleaning ladies came and went as they had done bi weekly but after one of their visits the thing wasn't working any longer. I took it to the fix it store in the mall and they said liquid--specifically, some sort of cleaning fluid--had soaked up into the mother board. Turns out that those Apple books have no feet like older units used to because they want em thin. As a result, its base has direct contact with the table. I wish I had put those little furniture pads you can buy at stores. The cleaners had possibly spilled something like Fantastik on the table near it and wiped it up and put the lappy back where it was not realizing it would wick up what was there. We could not actively blame them nor did we... But we wont be leaving things like that out should we ever use them again. We did stop using them anyway. They were never the types of people who would take or damage something in our home but they had moved things and made a few other small blunders and so this was the end for it. We quietly just stopped having them come over. Point is, we must all take good care of our gear and know that any little thing can and will ruin it in an instant. So yeah, I would have likely not had mine open during service on a flight.
Dec 26, 2018, 6:18 am
#54
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 483
Just to throw out another idea, your local news channel may be able to help. Many have a “on your side” or “we investigate” segment where they will help you with getting something from a company and feature the story on their channel. This could be cheaper/easier than a small claims court case if you don’t have insurance that will cover it.
Dec 26, 2018, 7:20 am
#55
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 85
Ironic. This morning, I stopped at Starbucks as my favorite bakery was closed for Boxing Day ... in Cincinnati.
I picked up the cup and the collapsed all over my Chromebook Of course, since the Chromebook is old ... and cheap, nothing was wrong with it. Had I spend $1500 on it, I am certain that it would be fried.
At least Southwest offered you something. When an American flight attendant accidentally hit my in the eye with a coat hanger scratching my cornea, I got diddly squat and they would not accept an incident report at all.
I picked up the cup and the collapsed all over my Chromebook Of course, since the Chromebook is old ... and cheap, nothing was wrong with it. Had I spend $1500 on it, I am certain that it would be fried.
At least Southwest offered you something. When an American flight attendant accidentally hit my in the eye with a coat hanger scratching my cornea, I got diddly squat and they would not accept an incident report at all.
Dec 26, 2018, 7:39 am
#56
Join Date: Apr 2014
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Not sure what carts have to do with it. Even if when offering just water the FA asks the pax if they want cup before passing the bottle over the aisle to pour into the window pax cup. Or passes a filled water cup across the aisle pax.
My question stands ... how the parent in the aisle seat is oblivious to this interaction between their kid and the FA? Oh yeah, busy juggling an open laptop, playing a game on their phone and not aware of their surroundings or apparently their kid’s actions.
I'll contact the news about it before filing in small claims. At least make the public aware that flight attendants don't always handle drinks with care. The cup should have had a lid on it to begin with since it was a kid's drink. This is the first time in years an FA brought my son a drink without a lid. EIther way, trying to reach over me to hand it to a kid was negligent and lacked common sense. Seems he was in a rush and just wanted to drinks handed out. It was a 4 hour flight...he had plenty of time.
Dec 26, 2018, 8:12 am
#57
Join Date: Feb 2007
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I had a slightly similar incident on UA with a full glass of water and a library book (and my lap!). It took a lot of effort but was resolved with a check (much more time expended than the $26 fine for the book), but it was the principle.
1. get a written estimate to repair your laptop. they have to have an exact amount you are asking for in "damages". See if they can write on the estimate cause of damage, ie: soda.
2. call SW and get a supervisor on the phone, ask for an email for the escalation manager, send all you documentation to them with a request they cover the bill due to their "workers"negligence.
3. If nothing else works, google office of SW CEO and call and leave a message with your details, usually you will get a call back.
I agree with you, this was an accident, but preventable by a company employee. The only suggestion I would have offered at the time, was to have asked while on board for the senior FA and to have gotten names of all. Even if they would not fill out an incident report, it would have given you back up details. Good luck.
1. get a written estimate to repair your laptop. they have to have an exact amount you are asking for in "damages". See if they can write on the estimate cause of damage, ie: soda.
2. call SW and get a supervisor on the phone, ask for an email for the escalation manager, send all you documentation to them with a request they cover the bill due to their "workers"negligence.
3. If nothing else works, google office of SW CEO and call and leave a message with your details, usually you will get a call back.
I agree with you, this was an accident, but preventable by a company employee. The only suggestion I would have offered at the time, was to have asked while on board for the senior FA and to have gotten names of all. Even if they would not fill out an incident report, it would have given you back up details. Good luck.
Dec 26, 2018, 8:16 am
#58
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The fact everyone refused to provide you with an incident report or any documentation to let you start the process on the plane proves to me they are fully responsible. They did everything they could to steer you away from feeling any sort of proper resolution can or should be gained by whisking you away, which shows me they have been trained to do this and that is scammy at best and down right wrong as well. When a company pulls that sort of thing we all know better--we must stand our ground and politely and hopefully calmly demand a better solution with higher up personnel right away....
How does this show they are "fully responsible"?
As I said before - after enough of these demands/lawsuits/cliams and the airlines will respond with the only thing they can - ban use of devices during drink service, or maybe totally.
Dec 26, 2018, 8:51 am
#59
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 77
Who was watching the kid?
Operating two devices and oblivious to your surroundings. Was anybody watching the kid? Sounds like your head may have been in the clouds, both literally and figuratively. 🤣 Personally, I find it nearly impossible to use a laptop in cattle class, but whenever I do have a device open, I always move it or close it when drinks are served. While hurtling through the atmosphere, drinks have been known to splash around. I don't get the concern over an "incident report." Southwest obviously acknowledged the incident, and they were more than generous in giving you a free flight over something that would not have happened if you had been more attentive and responsible.
Dec 26, 2018, 9:38 am
#60
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Palm Springs, CA
Posts: 55
When I purchase an laptop, usually around $2500, I always add the three year accident insurance. Sounds like insurance would have paid off in this case. In the future, just put the electronics away and enjoy the flight. Chock this one up as a lesson learned.