Man pulled off plane for tweet...

[bookgirl]

Southwest was right to deny boarding to the kids.

They announce on the flight if your party has different boarding numbers that they have to separate or everyone board with the last boarding number.

If he wanted his kids to board with him on priority then he should have paid to upgrade them, if not then he should have moved back to their numbers.


Truthfully I think SW was being proactive. He had already proved to be a jerk and maybe they worried if they did not make him aware of how serious they were he might have continued to be confrontational with the crew and once you're in the air and he gets crankier they are stuck with them.

I think they were within their rights to remove someone who was obviously mad and acting out. If he was saying things they would have denied him boarding. Tweeting them is the same as saying them. And yes by posting the name and location and then making sure the employee knew he did it, he was hoping to make them afraid. That's even worse and I do think he was trying to make them feel threatned.

But as always they backed down and apologized, which makes them look like THEY believe they did something wrong. I think they should have stuck to their guns.

I think he was a butthead and he deserved to be treated like one.

 

[bcla]

Southwest was right to deny boarding to the kids.

They announce on the flight if your party has different boarding numbers that they have to separate or everyone board with the last boarding number.

If he wanted his kids to board with him on priority then he should have paid to upgrade them, if not then he should have moved back to their numbers.


Truthfully I think SW was being proactive. He had already proved to be a jerk and maybe they worried if they did not make him aware of how serious they were he might have continued to be confrontational with the crew and once you're in the air and he gets crankier they are stuck with them.

I think they were within their rights to remove someone who was obviously mad and acting out. If he was saying things they would have denied him boarding. Tweeting them is the same as saying them. And yes by posting the name and location and then making sure the employee knew he did it, he was hoping to make them afraid. That's even worse and I do think he was trying to make them feel threatned.

But as always they backed down and apologized, which makes them look like THEY believe they did something wrong. I think they should have stuck to their guns.

I think he was a butthead and he deserved to be treated like one.

Your details are a little bit off. He was taken off because someone was monitoring the tweets and brought it to the attention of the gate agent who made the call to kick him off until they were deleted. It wasn't the same as saying it, because he obviously wasn't targeting those comments directly at her so she could see them in real time. He was targeting them at an audience so he could vent.

What would you advocate if he waited until he was on the flight to do the same thing that he did before the flight took off? Perhaps have him detained as a "security risk" on arrival - or even have him restrained on the plane? Southwest wasn't being proactive because they weren't the ones who made the call - she did. She was the one who was butt hurt. She's working in a public setting with her name tag prominently displayed at all times. That is absolutely required for any airport worker. If she has an issue with someone taking down her name, then she should find another industry.

Yeah he probably was a jerk, but how did anything he did justify his being removed from the plane? And then let back on the plane.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Airline employee safety and security is very important to the airlibes (extrapolate to virtually any employer). The tweet he claims he sent "something like" identified the employee and her exact location. Deleting the tweet removed this personal, potentially risky, information.



She sounds concerned for her own safety.



Did he say he was going to tweet as soon as he got on the plane? Unlikely. The gate agent certainly wasn't monitoring Twitter. She was working. Clearly whoever monitors Twitter for Southwest felt what Duff sent could put her at risk.

actually I do think she went on twitter to see what he wrote. It was her who interacted with him when he got off the plane. If the airline was so concerned for her safety why would they have her be the one to deal with him when he was taken off the plane. That makes no sense.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Your details are a little bit off. He was taken off because someone was monitoring the tweets and brought it to the attention of the gate agent who made the call to kick him off until they were deleted. It wasn't the same as saying it, because he obviously wasn't targeting those comments directly at her so she could see them in real time. He was targeting them at an audience so he could vent.

What would you advocate if he waited until he was on the flight to do the same thing that he did before the flight took off? Perhaps have him detained as a "security risk" on arrival - or even have him restrained on the plane? Southwest wasn't being proactive because they weren't the ones who made the call - she did. She was the one who was butt hurt. She's working in a public setting with her name tag prominently displayed at all times. That is absolutely required for any airport worker. If she has an issue with someone taking down her name, then she should find another industry.

Yeah he probably was a jerk, but how did anything he did justify his being removed from the plane? And then let back on the plane.

Right. Also considering that she made such a big stink about him tweeting she was rude, I can absolutely believe she was rude to him in her interaction with him. People seem to think he got belligerent because his kids weren't given A list boarding but that doesn't seem to be the case. He was upset with the way she spoke to him. He wasn't belligerent or he wouldn't have been allowed on the plane to start with. He waited and boarded with his children.

It sounds like this guy flies a lot and tweets about his interactions with airport personnel. People use social media to give companies feedback all the time. It doesn't sound like his tweet was meant to threaten her. It was more of a way to voice a complaint.

 

[Hrhpd]

actually I do think she went on twitter to see what he wrote. It was her who interacted with him when he got off the plane. If the airline was so concerned for her safety why would they have her be the one to deal with him when he was taken off the plane. That makes no sense.

So, as she is boarding the rest of the plane, scanning boarding passes, she is also on her phone checking Twitter?

That is the scenario you imagine?

 

[sunshinehighway]

So, as she is boarding the rest of the plane, scanning boarding passes, she is also on her phone checking Twitter?

That is the scenario you imagine?

There's always multiple GAS when I fly Southwest. Besides it makes more sense than someone monitoring twitter was so alarmed by his tweet that they had to pull him of the flight then had her (the woman who they felt was threaten) deal with him when he got off.

 

[Sabeking]

Honestly if I look at the whole situation, I am more focused on the fact that the guy was so offended about something so small in life that he HAD to tweet about it to the whole world at that moment. Give me a break , deal with getting your children situated on board and address the appropriate people about your complaint when the time is right. I get so sick of people who think that whatever offense they think happened have to share it with the world right that minute

 

[Hrhpd]

There's always multiple GAS when I fly Southwest. Besides it makes more sense than someone monitoring twitter was so alarmed by his tweet that they had to pull him of the flight then had her (the woman who they felt was threaten) deal with him when he got off.

I cannot imagine any gate agent having even a minute of time to pull out their phone while a plane is boarding to look at twitter.

Southwest has said that it was not the tweet that removed him from the plane. Southwest said that the situation escalated while the passenger was on board, he was pulled off to resolve the situation and as soon as it was resolved, he boarded and continued his flight.

Here is Southwest's official statement:

Southwest Airlines appreciates and is active in social media, and it is not our intent to stifle Customer feedback. Social media is a very valuable avenue for engaging with our Customers. On Sunday, July 20, a Southwest Airlines Employee and Customer were having a conversation that escalated about the airline's family boarding procedures. The Customer was briefly removed from flight #2347 from Denver to Minneapolis/St. Paul to resolve the conversation outside of the aircraft and away from the other Passengers. Our decision was not based solely on a Customer's tweet. Following a successful resolution, the Customer and his family were able to continue on the flight to Minneapolis. We are thoroughly investigating the situation. We have reached out to the Customer and offered vouchers as a gesture of goodwill.

Sounds like he was continuing to be rude on board which will always get you pulled from a flight.

 

[sunshinehighway]

I cannot imagine any gate agent having even a minute of time to pull out their phone while a plane is boarding to look at twitter.

Southwest has said that it was not the tweet that removed him from the plane. Southwest said that the situation escalated while the passenger was on board, he was pulled off to resolve the situation and as soon as it was resolved, he boarded and continued his flight.

Here is Southwest's official statement:


Sounds like he was continuing to be rude on board which will always get you pulled from a flight.

So is she at the gate taking boarding passes or on the plane having an argument with the guy?

 

[Hrhpd]

So is she at the gate taking boarding passes or on the plane having an argument with the guy?

He had to be talking to the gate agent on the plane? Where does it say he was specifically arguing with the gate agent on the plane. I thought she was checking her twitter account?

 

[bookgirl]

Your details are a little bit off. He was taken off because someone was monitoring the tweets and brought it to the attention of the gate agent who made the call to kick him off until they were deleted. It wasn't the same as saying it, because he obviously wasn't targeting those comments directly at her so she could see them in real time. He was targeting them at an audience so he could vent.

What would you advocate if he waited until he was on the flight to do the same thing that he did before the flight took off? Perhaps have him detained as a "security risk" on arrival - or even have him restrained on the plane? Southwest wasn't being proactive because they weren't the ones who made the call - she did. She was the one who was butt hurt. She's working in a public setting with her name tag prominently displayed at all times. That is absolutely required for any airport worker. If she has an issue with someone taking down her name, then she should find another industry.

Yeah he probably was a jerk, but how did anything he did justify his being removed from the plane? And then let back on the plane.

Airlines remove passengers who are being angry and confrontational all the time. The talk with them and assess whether or not they will continue to be aggressive, before they let them fly. His actions towards the agent were aggressive and he meant them to be aggressive or he wouldn't have told her he was going to do it. When he carried through he made a statement, he did so aggressively towards an employee. He did it in real time, he just thought he could open her up to others who may or may not have been following in real time and could have come up to that employee and continued the situation. If he had announced it in a voice to be heard by everyone in the area it would have been a situation, instead he did it on twitter, it's no different.

So yes he did it in real time, he had to have known it was in real time and you can not tell me he did not hope that it had an immediate response, he was removed from the plane and talked to, just like anyone who makes a statement and causes an employee to feel uncomfortable.

 

[sunshinehighway]

He had to be talking to the gate agent on the plane? Where does it say he was specifically arguing with the gate agent on the plane. I thought she was checking her twitter account?

Yeah that's my point.
He was on the plane so how did this conversation between them escalate if she wasn't? You are the one that said he was pulled for being rude onboard.
How did removing the tweet change the threat she felt if it was because he was being rude onboard?

 

[Hrhpd]

Yeah that's my point.
He was on the plane so how did this conversation between them escalate if she wasn't? You are the one that said he was pulled for being rude onboard.
How did removing the tweet change the threat she felt if it was because he was being rude onboard?

The only person that has ever said the gate agent said she was threatened was Mr. Watson. Southwest has not said the gate agent was threatened, the gate agent has not issued a statement saying she was threatened.

Southwest has issued a statement saying a situation escalated on the plane. It did not say with who. He and his family were removed to resolve the situation. When it was resolved, he re-boarded and continued on his trip.

 

[sunshinehighway]

The only person that has ever said the gate agent said she was threatened was Mr. Watson. Southwest has not said the gate agent was threatened, the gate agent has not issued a statement saying she was threatened.

Southwest has issued a statement saying a situation escalated on the plane. It did not say with who. He and his family were removed to resolve the situation. When it was resolved, he re-boarded and continued on his trip.

You said, based on South west's statement, that it sounds like he was being rude on the plane. The statement says the two had a conversation that escalated. He can't be involved in an escalated conversation with her if she is not on the plane and he is. So if there's no conversation on the plane, then what was the issue that needed to be resolved... The tweet. Of course. That was the problem because once it was deleted, he was let back on.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yeah that's my point.
He was on the plane so how did this conversation between them escalate if she wasn't? You are the one that said he was pulled for being rude onboard.
How did removing the tweet change the threat she felt if it was because he was being rude onboard?

The conversation escalated [beyond just a conversation into an incident]? The conversation started at the gate, turned into a one-sided rant on the plane (via tweet, with the gate agent at the gate and not on the plane, then turned into a potential security risk for the gate agent due to the passenger's actions, then continued as a "conversation" once he was off the plane.

The gate agent never boarded the plane, and clearly someone else at Southwest considered the tweet alarming. Now, does your employer allow you to access your cellphone when you're interacting with the public, or do you know any who do?

 

[NHdisneylover]

Yeah that's my point.
He was on the plane so how did this conversation between them escalate if she wasn't? You are the one that said he was pulled for being rude onboard.
How did removing the tweet change the threat she felt if it was because he was being rude onboard?

As a PP said, it is very possible that the passenger got on the plane and then continued to loudly rant about his treatment by the gate agent, or make a fuss that since he was "forced" to board with the lowly passengers and not bring his kids on with his A list status he did not get the seats he wanted or something.

I find Southwest stating that the incident continued on the plane to be very telling.

As far as name badges: there is a world of difference between having your name displayed to just those customers who are there at the time, and should a customer have a complaint, them taking your name down and sending it via private channels to the employer for resolution, and tweeting out that name, and the employees current location--which invites harassment of the employee by the general population. I am amazed how many posters do not seem to be seeing this difference.

 

[sunshinehighway]

As a PP said, it is very possible that the passenger got on the plane and then continued to loudly rant about his treatment by the gate agent, or make a fuss that since he was "forced" to board with the lowly passengers and not bring his kids on with his A list status he did not get the seats he wanted or something.

I find Southwest stating that the incident continued on the plane to be very telling.

As far as name badges: there is a world of difference between having your name displayed to just those customers who are there at the time, and should a customer have a complaint, them taking your name down and sending it via private channels to the employer for resolution, and tweeting out that name, and the employees current location--which invites harassment of the employee by the general population. I am amazed how many posters do not seem to be seeing this difference.

Southwest's statement doesn't say the incident continued on the plane. It says he was taken off the plane to resolve the conversation.
It's a carefully worded, vague statement.
Of course the now that the actual tweet is out and it's not what people thought, they have to come up with a new reason he was kicked off beyond just the tweet.

If this guy is on the plane ranting about the GA or his conversation with her, no way is Southwest letting her be the one to handle it.

In that interview I linked, Southwest' a CEO actually says employees should de escalate, not escalate a situation and that mistakes were made. Seems like he's saying the GA was the one who escalated the conversation or continued to.

 

[maxiesmom]

Southwest's statement doesn't say the incident continued on the plane. It says he was taken off the plane to resolve the conversation.
It's a carefully worded, vague statement.
Of course the now that the actual tweet is out and it's not what people thought, they have to come up with a new reason he was kicked off beyond just the tweet.

If this guy is on the plane ranting about the GA or his conversation with her, no way is Southwest letting her be the one to handle it.

When was it shown that we had seen the actual tweet, and not what the idiot passenger has claimed he tweeted?

He was angry because he felt his status entitled him to bring his kids on the plane with him and the other A list passengers. It does not. He didn't need the gate agent's last name for anything, other than he was making it obvious he was going to escalate things. He was trying to let the agent know what a big man he was, and how important he was. He was not a victim of anything but his own arrogance.

 

[sunshinehighway]

When was it shown that we had seen the actual tweet, and not what the idiot passenger has claimed he tweeted?

He was angry because he felt his status entitled him to bring his kids on the plane with him and the other A list passengers. It does not. He didn't need the gate agent's last name for anything, other than he was making it obvious he was going to escalate things. He was trying to let the agent know what a big man he was, and how important he was. He was not a victim of anything but his own arrogance.

So now a customer can't file a complaint about poor service?
It sounds like she was arrogant also. It sounds like people here are happy she found a way to put him in his place but that's really sad. How did she do that? She abused what power she had and used the feel threatened card. Please don't start with the "well we don't know that's what she said" Southwest has policies on why they remove passengers from planes. Is not just whatever the flight staff feels like. Saying he was some type of threat fits in exactly with their policy. Many of you felt he was lying about the real tweet but it's out there and his description of it was accurate. Why assume he's lying about the rest?

Yeah there are arrogant, jerky customers and I'm sure many CS's would love to stick it to them. The problem is the way this woman went about it.

 

[Hrhpd]

Southwest's statement doesn't say the incident continued on the plane. It says he was taken off the plane to resolve the conversation.
It's a carefully worded, vague statement.
Of course the now that the actual tweet is out and it's not what people thought, they have to come up with a new reason he was kicked off beyond just the tweet.

If this guy is on the plane ranting about the GA or his conversation with her, no way is Southwest letting her be the one to handle it.

Oh my goodness.
The tweet that they showed on that video was not a screen capture. It was the first set of words that Mr. Watson said he tweeted.

The guy himself says he tweeted the name and location of the gate agent.
This is what he said he tweeted:
"I said in caps: RUDEST AGENT IN DENVER. KIMBERLY S. GATE C39. NOT HAPPY @SWA," Watson tells KARE 11.

The tweet in the video only shows the part that says Rudest Agent in Denver.

The tweet was what it was. The guy who tweeted it said so himself.

And where are you getting that it was the gate agent that specifically handled the situation?

Was the guy wrong? Yes
Did Southwest go overboard? Probably
As said previously, the actual truth of what happened is somewhere in the middle.

But it won't affect Southwest at all. They will post a few more videos of their flight attendants making fun speeches at the beginning on social media and everybody will think they are the fun airline again.