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RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Mrs_Childs
Explorer C

 I was assaulted on flight 831 that loaded on Gate B8 leaving Punta Cana. Our welcome message to our flight was “Thank you for flying Southwest we know you have been on vacation, but we have not been we have been working the entire time and we are tired you all are adults, and we are sick of telling you to keep your mask over your nose.” The implication was as if we were wrong for being able to vacation while they were working. I worked very hard to afford my vacation that turned in to a nightmare on my very last day. I made it to my seat and got ready for takeoff it was very hot. We were sitting on the plane a while and I have diabetes when I sweat, I lose sugar. We began to move, and the air conditioning came on briefly and suddenly stopped. We all began to wonder what was going on. I politely turned around and asked Tionna why the air conditioning had stopped, and she very rude and aggressively let me know once we were in the air it would cool down. My wife turned and asked her did you have to be so rude. She responded, “I will say what I want how I want do we have a problem?” My wife responded by saying no we do not it is not what you say but how you say it. This was not a face-to-face verbal exchange. Your employee found it appropriate to yell from her seat near the laboratory. Her loud and aggressive tone alerted Alice. She came down the aisle to figure out what the disturbance was about. So, I began to explain the situation and she attempted to solve it for a moment until Tionna told her she had already called the pilot and security.   At that moment, another passenger whom I have no knowledge of or connection with stopped Alice to say Tionna was very rude and had initiated and escalated the situation. He volunteered his personal information as a witness. I also have other witnessed recorded and willing to give a notarized statement. I was humiliated taken off the plane by police escort. We made no fuss as we were led off and made to stand in the scorching heat the manager of Southwest in Punta Cana assured me, he felt she was wrong and completely was on my side. I have him recorded as well. As we made it to the door of the plane as I was recording all the way I asked Alice to do the right thing and admit she had been informed it was not my wife that was the aggressor. When we reached the cabin door to exit, and Alice realized I was filming she suddenly turned more aggressive. I was assaulted she pushed me, and I could not retaliate. I was not raised to be violent or disorderly had I foolishly retaliated I would have been locked up abroad. On the recording you can hear me verbally asking her not to push me. I was contacted by another passenger via Facebook as everyone wanted my info as I left to be witnesses, they were mortified she pushed me. The D.R. police detained us after your genuinely nice and helpful manger explained the situation and that the flight attendant had went too far. I also have this recorded. When she called the pilot and police, she said it was an emergency and that she felt unsafe. They assembled a large team to respond and were very upset that she had escalated the situation as if threats were made or profanity was used. I was informed that several passengers asked her name she refused to give it and covered her name tag. I also was sent pictures of this from passengers' unknown to me. The manager felt so bad and offered to get my luggage off the plane and had luggage handlers on the spot she spoke to the pilot and refused to allow my wife and I to retrieve our luggage. I am a diabetic and have a medical alert on my I.D. My insulin needles and test meters were in my luggage. We left with nothing besides the clothes on our backs in a foreign country with a police escort immediately out of the airport. When Alice returned to the plane, she said the only way we would get home is by boat who is that cruel? I also have witnesses who will give statements on this.  

The nightmare is not over yet the next day we catch the same flight which we paid hotel transportation and airfare out of pocket. We were pulled aside by your wonderful manger in Punta Cana to be made aware that Tionna was on the flight. He willingly offered to escort me to ensure she could not be dishonest and kick my wife and I off the flight. They were so embarrassed by her actions the upgraded us to priority to ensure we were not seated in her serving area. We arrived at BWI only to be greeted by the custom international police another escort. They were initially very rude saying they were going to go thru our phones no warrant needed. A Southwest employee took possession of our passports and made a phone call. Suddenly there were uninterested and exact words where we are going to cut you lose why were we ever detained? He then escorted us to the police station inside BWI to file formal charges against Alice for assault we were informed that there was and international issue with filling charges. Tionna made false accusations her final statement is we were put off of the plane because she felt disrespected. I have a copy off denial to board form stating this. Tionna lied said she felt unsafe initially. I only know her name because it was announced on the flight on May 30. I have never been treated so poorly in my life. I am still so upset by what happened that I cannot sleep I am a kind person and never thought anything like this would happen to me. The time is 2:38 am I did not sleep yesterday I had to secure funds to get home. This is completely unacceptable she played with my life I am diabetic she was wrong. 

   

12 REPLIES 12

Re: RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Too long, didn't read.  You're welcome to submit your comments directly to Southwest, this is a customer to customer forum

Contact Customer Relations 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

BTW, you should never put prescriptions or anything else that your life depends on in checked baggage.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

 

Re: RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Mrs_Childs
Explorer C

This maybe true, however we never thought that we would be getting thrown off a aircraft either, 

Re: RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Mrs_Childs
Explorer C

You should have read it to understand my frustrations. but I have contacted everyone that I needed to. Thank you. 

Re: RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

bwallet
Frequent Flyer A

@Mrs_Childs Can you share the video? I'm interested to see it.

Re: RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

vlvtmbrwn
Explorer C

It truly saddens me that people just don't care!  Not much effort is being put into customer service.  I understand that things don't run smoothly, but it appears that thoughtlessness is running rampant.  The joke was poor taste.  They meant what they were saying to the passengers.  However, here we are - at the will of the individuals - who mean no good.  It's all smiles and giggles until someone gets hurt!  

I would like to say, I am sorry.

I apologize for the carelessness and ignorance you experienced.

It is a pitiful day when a customer feels so inclined to apologize to another because of the poor customer service they received.

RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

SWFlyer007
Aviator C

@vlvtmbrwn NOBODY should be given any unwarranted disrespect in general.   IF, and I say again, IF, this incident happens, as we know every industry in the world may have an employee having a bad day that takes it out on you, then I hope it gets addressed.  I get bad service at a restaurant, I don't tip, nor go back to that place.  Bad service at other places, I don't go back.  I suggest this lady move on to another airlines.  But my point is this, I read any complaint and take it at face value, just as compliments.  If you can't back it with proof, (the video was requested in good faith, anyone can write at any given day something good or bad and we take it at face value, some decided to respond to those, myself included.  Just because we don't answer in a sympathetic manner doesn't mean we don't care, we don't work for SWA, we just utilize their service, or not.  Do I agree SWA isn't perfect, YES!  

Re: RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

5280Av8r
Frequent Flyer C

Yea, way too long, didn't read it nor did I want to. This is a customer to customer forum so most people wouldn't be able to help you other than help explain what happened and why it happened, but even that isn't likely on here. Feel free to file a complaint to Southwest in the link provided in the first comment. 

 

-Andrew

DEN based | Southwest Passenger


DEN (CLT) Based | Aviation Enthusiast | Full of Passion for Southwest

Re: RUDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

gsking
Aviator C

To be fair, you lose a bit of credibility when you start your rant with a whine about something as piddly as an FA making a snarky comment about you being on vacation and wearing your mask.   It's called "humor ".  It's the Southwest way.   You didn't get it and appear to have gotten bent out of shape,  and probably escalated things. 

 

That said,  I have no respect for people that use "disrespected" as a verb, especially when it's their job to be in customer service.   She doesn't get to worry about how much respect she gets,  as long as you follow the rules. 

 

So given the limited info,  I'm tempted to still side with you.   For whatever that is worth,  on a customer forum.