I wasn't there to see this transaction occur, but I wonder how the OP can assume age discrimation. The 5 minutes spent waiting at the gate couldn't have revealed much about how the GA thinks. It may have been discrimiation based on race, weight, fashion, or any number of other things. It's a safer assumption that the GA was simply a jerk and the OP happened along at just the wrong moment.

Calling the TSA is an empty threat. The GSC or an LEO has authority to do something, but in this situation, the TSA would not (except have a BDO talk to her to determine if she is a terrorist :rolleyes:).

Mrs. ralfp did not speak English (outside of a classroom) until she was in high school. By the time we met (undergrad), she was frequently using colloquialisms, though not as often as native speakers; her grammar was much better.

(Don't take this as a comment on the veracity of the OP's story.)

Yes.

I don't think I'm disagreeing with anyone. My only point is that communicating in an acquired language is really tough for some people and we should cut them some slack.

Whether or not this actually applies to the OP is anyone's guess. I don't have the first clue so can neither defend nor attack.

I've wondered this, as wel. With all due respect to the OP, I wonder just what about the interaction specifically indicated age as a discriminatory factor.

It did occur to me early on that the OP might have a chip on his/her shoulder about his/her relatively young age and thus assume that any ill treatement was directly related to this factor. Whether or not this is true is a completely different story.

I had a friend in high school who was African-American. Every time she perceived different treatment, it was an indignant "because I'm black". Of course this was fallacy - it most likely never had anything to do with the colour of her skin. But because she had a major chip on her shoulder, it was ALWAYS about her skin.

I wonder if this situation is any different.

The OP is in his early 20's and he used OMG in his post.
How unusual is that?

I grew up knowing a lot of people that spoke english as a second, third or fourth language and they would swear and say "like" as much as the native speakers.

I bet today they would say "OMG", but then texting and the internet wasn't exactly around back then...

He could have a massive chip on his shoulder - or not - at 23 he'd have to have a lot of bad experiences in a short period of time to have a chip big enough to automatically assume age discrimination.

I guess people don't like giving the OP the benefit of the doubt

That's a phat observation.

In fact, it almost seems like chastising OP for using such slang might demonstrate a level of, um age discrimination, no?

My wife was assumed to be too young by the casinos well into her 40's. The same thing probably would have happened with alcohol or tobacco except she doesn't buy such stuff.

To this day she gets the occasional telemarketer asking for her parents.

I am trilingual and am trying to learn Spanish, as a fourth. I agree with the critisism against the OP.

I find it very strange that he was able to express sincere anger and frusturation in a language foreign to him and do it in the exact way that a local teenager might have done.

Also, saying "big firm" and "MBA" shows a level of severe unmaturity and complete irrelevance.

If I get bumped, the first thing I would share with the gate agent would be that I drive an 2008 Mercedes S-550! BULL!!!

Also, please note that the OP did not speak about the outcome of the situtaion!

Did he look trought the trash and tape up his BP?:D

OK, me too. I'm not trying to pick on the OP, but I agree with you shiner. I'll admit I'm jealous. I'd love to have a job that requires me to travel. At the same time, I sense a certain attitude of entitlement and narcissism from some other posters here.

Now, I can understand if you're young and fly on your own dime or work for a company that requires you to travel a lot. But, if you're telling me that mom & dad flew you around the country all your life, then I'm not so impressed that you're an elite. Sure, you should get treated with respect, just like any other elite, but it just doesn't impress me as much as folks (young or old) that became elite because they had to work.

OP: I sent you a private message.

It does get old rather quickly. ;)

Pray for the one-trip-per-month kind of job. Three countries in a week can kill you. Trust me.

Word.

For the three countries a week (or otherwise 4 timezones a week as it more often is for me) the fun of the traveling part diminishes after a couple of months.

I would say it depends on your circumstances.

When I was younger and single, I worked for a small company that trusted me to make my own travel arrangements (and FWIW, I did so far cheaper than the TA we had could dream of).

So, I travelled weekly, to random countries (often planning for a day or so extra at the weekend - paid for by the cheaper fares available), always staying in interesting locations (never, ever at the airport or in a business park), and generally with an interesting bunch of people. The clients generally got on very well with us too, and would take us out for (informal) dinner and drinks after work.

I loved it. Wouldn't do it now (in fact, I don't travel at all for work, apart from day trips by train - which you can make pretty enjoyable too if you try hard enough), but I'm so glad I did when I could.

And, of course, I still have a healthy miles balance to show for all of that...

Funny. That's the problem with America nowadays -- everyone wants to be part of a grievance group. What used to be just good old-fashioned poor customer service by an inept agent who can't deal with ambiguity now must be racism, age discrimination, "homophobia," bias against obese people, etc. The highest status that one can achieve in America today is "victim." I'll bet that the OP wouldn't have posted a thread like "Unacceptable customer service for a 1k flyer." Instead, it's much more rewarding to scream, "Look at me, I have been discriminated against!"

Moreover, I do agree with some other posters who have pointed out the irony of someone so apparently immature complaining about being victimized by age discrimination. . .