Posted on 10/10/2014 10:58:04 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
US Airways has sparked outrage after a flight attendant allegedly refused to hang up an Army Ranger and combat veteran's jacket to stop it from creasing.
First Sargent Albert Marle was wearing a jacket lined with medals when he boarded Flight 1930 from Portland, Oregon, to Charlotte, North Carolina, yesterday.
But when he asked an attendant to hang up his 'Dress Blues' uniform, she reportedly refused, saying the coat closet was for first-class passengers only and he was seated in coach.
'Her response wasn't that there's not space in the coat closet or "I've hung too many jackets up",' said Brian Kirby, a first-class passenger on the four-hour flight.
'It was just simply,"Our airline policy says I'm not going to do it, so I'm not going to do it." I was really appalled at not only the way she looked at him but the way she spoke to him - in an angry way.'
Shocked first-class fliers then offered their seats to Sgt Marle, but the decorated soldier politely declined their offers and remained seated in coach, passengers told WSOC TV in Charlotte.
Some even claimed the flight attendant shouted at fliers who tried to ask other attendants to hang up Sgt Marle's decorated jacket to prevent it from wrinkling.
Amid the chaos, passenger Jon Dahlberg took it upon himself to take the item of clothing from 'humble' Sgt Marle, before hanging it behind his own seat, according to reports.
'I walked back up and hung the jacket simply behind my seat. There’s a difference between policy and doing what is right,' said Mr Dahlberg.
After passengers spread word of the incident online, it quickly went viral, with thousands of social media users condemning the airline for its 'shameful' behavior toward Sgt Marle.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Haveing spent a lifetime managing in the service world my assessment is that she was doing as instructed because she had been yelled at about that, about something else, she is a union steward, or she had gotten into a fight with her significant other.
Damn straight! His CIB indicates that he has paid his share, and then paid some more.
someone who flies 100,000 miles a year the same as a 28 year old on a first flight with a one way ticket. I don't think so.
Perhaps ytou are right, but I dont think that excuses her poor behavior.
In general I would agree. Frequent business travelers make up the majority of those in first class. The shorter lines greatly improve travel over having to wait the 30 minutes to go through the normal line.
I don’t believe we should have a tsa. Let the airlines do it.
Where else can you be treated like cattle, assumed you are a terrorist, charged exorbitant prices AND BE DISRESPECTED. FLY OUR STUPID AIRLINES and DEAL WITH THE MOST ASSINE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY THE TSA!
Emailed them. Waiting for the boilerplate response. If any.
If that were me, I would have walked up to first class and asked the passengers if they minded me hanging my jacket up. I would have made sure to point out what the stewardess had said also.
Dwefinatly lots of fruit salad going on but only my first 4 years were in the Army.
I mean he has no MOH or anything, I can see an ARCOM but dont know what the ribbon is on the top row just under his jump wings.
The CIB and Ranger tab would garner instant respect for this man regardless of my rank. But if it comes around that he is attempting to STEAL some VALOR by parading in this uniform, I would physically rip these badges from his body and remain present until the authorities showed up to arrest him.
I think a dress jacket with a C.I.B. and a Ranger Tab deserves to be in the first-class closet.
From the article:
“He has been wearing the uniform on job interviews across the country while pursuing his dream to become a doctor, his family told Channel 9. They refused to comment further.”
Maybe it is me, but it seems strange the way the article was written. He’s flying all over the country job interviewing, while pursuing his dream to become a doctor? Things that make you say hmmm
“I think a dress jacket with a C.I.B. and a Ranger Tab deserves to be in the first-class closet.”
I would take this one step further. That FA, seeing this decorated soldier board the plane should have come up to him and offered to hang up his jacket. Not only that, the airline’s trainers should teach this to all FA’s.
That’s called CUSTOMER SERVICE.
I have been flying since I was two years old, and currently log close to 15,000 miles/year for business.
I generally fly coach, occasionally ask to hang something in first, and have never once been refused hanging space.
Quit your snippety whining.
He’s right: even the least intelligent and most easily-led have the right to free speech, as Jonty is so ably demonstrating.
Bronze Star
That is why they have the nickname USELESS AIRWAYS. . . .
Jonty 30 - bullshit. Plain and simple. Bullshit.
Why is Jonty still here....Zapit!
” someone who flies 100,000 miles a year the same as a 28 year old on a first flight with a one way ticket. I don’t think so. “
You missed my point though, as I probably wasn’t clear.
The expedited security check-in line I’m objecting to is offered to first-class ticket holders — I’m not talking about travelers who have applied and qualified for accelerated security check-in.
In other words, the airlines are being permitted to offer, as a first-class perk, that you get into a faster line for security screening (first-class only). That has nothing to do with the # of times you fly, its about how much you pay the airlines.
The security screening process should apply equally to ticket holders no matter what they pay for the ticket (excluding those who have passed special screening as I stated above).
Thanks for clearing that up for me.
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