I am a 59-year-old business professional and travel every week. On June 11th, 2024, at gate C1 around 8:40 pm, I encountered a distressing situation involving a Southwest Airlines Gate Agent. My flight number was 3055 from Las Vegas to Palm Springs, and my confirmation number is 2UZE2G. I was discriminated against because I am a gay woman, as that is the only reason I can think that would cause such outrageous treatment.
Before boarding, I had soda water with cranberry from Jose Cuervo Tequilero where I had eaten dinner. When boarding in position A 11, the gate agent informed me that my drink could not be taken aboard the aircraft without a lid. I promptly disposed of the drink in the trash without an issue. However, the gate agent began falsely and loudly accusing me of throwing the drink on the floor. Despite my calm demeanor, she escalated the situation, involving intoxicated passengers who began to harass me and call me “Karen”.
When I asked for her name, she covered her badge and told me, “You are off this flight,” she physically blocked me with her body and her arms outstretched yelling that she felt unsafe. I asked her to call, and supervisor and she said, “good luck finding one.”. I sought the assistance of an agent at the nearest podium. He was compassionate and tried to find an alternative flight and called the supervisor. The supervisor, Kenneth Van Cooten, was understanding and supportive, attempting to resolve the issue. Despite his efforts, the gate agent continued to deny me boarding, even involving the captain in my being a danger to passengers.
This forced me to rent a car and make a 285-mile drive home exhausted, which was dangerous given the fatigue after a five-day business trip to attend a trade show. I had to be in Palm Desert the following morning so had no choice but to drive home. This ordeal was distressing, inconvenient and I am still upset 2 days later to the point that I have canceled a flight for next week on another carrier. Unfortunately, I have a flight on Saturday that will force me to connect in Las Vegas and I am dreading having to go back through that airport.
If anyone knows who to file a complaint with, please let me know. I have written to the President and did the online complaint, but I want this to get attention and stop this from happening to another innocent traveler.
