If your flight is canceled and you are left standing in the airport gate area trying to rebook, are you trespassing? Police at Nashville Airport say yes.
Southwest Airlines Gate Agent Calls Cops To Get Rid Of “Pesky” Passengers Seeking Flight Info – Airport Cops Then Threaten To Arrest Passengers For “Trespassing”
For Amani Robinson, a bad day just got worse. Her Southwest Airlines flights out of Nashville (BNA) was severely delayed (and then apparently canceled, unbeknownst to her). She tried to seek clarification from a gate agent but instead, a police officer showed up and told her she had to leave the gate area and return to the ticket counter for rebooking. This was not merely a request, but a command made under the threat of arrest.
POLICE: “You and her need to leave or you’ll be arrested for trespassing.”
PASSENGER: “You said you’re going to arrest people for trespassing, for being at a ticket counter for a flight.”
POLICE: “Yes, if you don’t have a valid ticket, and you’re on the secure side and refuse to leave, you will be arrested.”
Robinson recorded the whole incident and posted it to TikTok. You can view part one here:
@a.ndreart Me and my family were trying to go to Ohio and we were threatened and followed by this police officer,, lmk if y’all want a part 2 #southwestairlines #southwest #police #fypシ #foryoupage
Part two:
@a.ndreart Replying to @thequintavious1 Mind you we left and went to another line after we left the first line. He then FOLLOWED US to this line and picked us out specifically out of a line full of people. We were not the only ones in the second line that came from the first line either. He picked US OUT. Also we didn’t know much information concerning our ticket and we wanted to get clarity (like every other customer) on what’s going on, which he was trying to prevent us from doing up until this point. I do have a part 3, when we were leaving and he literally follows us and when we ask he LIES and goes a different direction. #southwestairlines #southwest #fyp #foryou
Robinson tried to make this a racial issue, insinuating the officer only stopped her because she was black. That may or may not be the case, but that is not my focus here.
The police department issued the following statement concerning the incident:
“The Department of Public Safety at Nashville International Airport works to ensure the safety of all passengers throughout the airport. Unfortunately, the recent winter weather disruptions have brought operational challenges to airlines and airports across the country leading to flight delays and cancellations. With the high number of flights impacted at BNA on Sunday evening, travelers were asked to visit the pre-security ticketing counters for help to rebook flights. Southwest Airlines personnel contacted the Airport Communications Center asking that a police officer be dispatched to C-concourse, Gate C-7/9, to escort passengers to the pre-security ticketing counters. We understand and appreciate the frustrations travelers may have, and we are working to provide the best passenger experience for all.”
It’s one thing if passengers were disruptive. But I have a big problem with Southwest dispatching the police to remove customers that it, through its own ineptitude and incompetence, could not serve in a timely fashion.
As Morison explained:
“I think it was entirely inappropriate and unnecessary. For there to be a threat of being arrested, when there was no belligerent behavior, no disrespect towards the officer, or any other officers.”
I realize that Southwest Airlines gate agents were overwhelmed. I further realize that dealing with angry passengers, even the polite ones, is no easy task. But it is simply unacceptable to call the police on passengers when their flight is canceled just to get rid of them.
And frankly while trespassing laws intended to keep vagrants (and pizza thieves) out of airports reserve the secure side of the airport (post-security) for “ticketed and confirmed” passengers, this was an abuse of the spirit of the law here.
Do you think these passengers were just loitering for the heck of it? Do you think they were not real passengers? It is an absurd extrapolation of a rule meant for a totally different matter and I too would not want to be dumped out in the check-in area if I was trying to get out.
Over the years, I have seen over and over that “miracles” happen at the gate area. So many times I’ve thought I’ll never clear a standby list only to get on the flight despite being deep down on the list. The point is that when your flight is canceled and you are trying to get on your way, being in the gate area is exactly where you want to be.
CONCLUSION
Southwest Airlines called the police on passengers when their flight was canceled just to get them out of the gate area. The police willingly complied and threatened passengers with arrest for not leaving the secure side of Nashville Airport.
I neither accept nor dismiss the racial element of this encounter, but I think the busybody cop should not have been doing Southwest’s bidding. If Southwest gate agents do not want to be bothered, they should hire bouncers…or better yet, fix its IT systems so passengers can actually rebook themselves on the app.
Before I even read this I was betting it was In Tennessee. I have no idea what it is about Tennessee police but they make Bavarian Police look tolerant and gentle. My experiences with them involve running rivers in Eastern TN. They hate kayakers and stalk the river areas trying to arrest anyone for trespassing, or alcohol and of course looking for weed. I’ve had my vehicle completely emptied out. A friend got arrested for an empty beer can within arms reach. And they hand out fines left and right for going 5 miles over the speed limit. It’s got to be in the culture there of the police and it’s really something else.
Look at the resemblance between the Tennessee State Flag and the third national flag of the confederacy.
American cops, no worse than any other cops. The ones that look for something to do, someone to arrest are the ones to stay away from.
Remember when Southwest had this image of being a fun and friendly airline. It seems that image got thrown out in recent years. And it got worse with this meltdown.
Yep. Their zeal in throwing autistic 2-year olds off flights, even before it was a federal mandate, tells you all you need to know about them. Wicked, evil and incompetent.
Not sure about the crime rate in Nashville (I know some areas are bad and some others are not) but this police behavior is typical of places that nothing really happens so they have enough time for BS like this. I used to live in NH and VT and nothing happens there so police has enough time to find BS to do. It was amazing to see the number of police cars that would show up if someone called for noise late at night. I see the same in safe and quiet suburbs, a simple call to the police for something not bad and dozens of cops will show up. I think they get bored of having nothing to do.
I do not agree with the use of law enforcement necessarily in this situation (though legally they are correct, and being there in the gate is a violation of TSA civil code as well). I don’t know what the instruction was from the WN employees to the passengers beforehand, but perhaps they did have reason they wanted the passengers to join the ticket counter line. Often that is most efficient to coordinate from one location for the airline personnel.
This may come as a shock to many of you: Just because an airline employee is on duty does not mean that they are required, or should, stop what they are doing and devote their attention to your issue. I have had situations before where a flight delayed or canceled and the agent needed to move on to work the next flight that was going to operate. They can’t do that with a line of people in front. The ticket counter was handling rebooking where there was more space and more personnel, with Supervisors at that location versus spread all over.
I got a passenger complaint once written in, which was not held against me, because I told a passenger that as the general manager rebooking them was not my job. I took them to an agent to assist them because 1.) I did not know their situation coming into it blind, 2.) it’s been awhile and the agent is going to be a lot faster with the new computer system than me who knows the green screen not the GUI, 3.) the agent knew what was arranged for those persons from that flight, and 4.) I was on my way to a meeting.
Worst thing in the world sometimes is wearing an airline ID and being in a suit…. I moved my office from behind the ticket counter to the secure side after being unable to come and go without getting yelled at, stopped, or followed by someone who missed their flight or didn’t want to pay for their bag.
I saw one reply or maybe in the article that someone said or suggested they always remain at the gate and refuse to go elsewhere. That can be to your detriment if rebooking is designated at the counter or another service center. I have had passengers on a diverted flight stand at gate and argue and argue about getting put on an airplane for the last 200 miles to LGA. There is no plane, it canceled and went back to the hub to keep the rest of the schedule moving. We have busses. You want to stay and argue and then miss the transportation offered? Yes, you’re welcome to rent a car but I’m noting your reservation that you aren’t eligible for reimbursement.
So long story short, this situation looks like it was handled appallingly by WN and the BNA airport police, as correct as they were as to the letter of the law but certainly in violation of the spirit of the law. But I can see the logic in wanting to house the rebooking operation in one area where Supervisors/Managers are available and more agents are present.
Its funny we are supposed to take this woman’s video as gospel. We don’t know what happened before the filming.
Its obvious she is trying to set the agenda with the videos. The truth is probably totally different.
Just another dumb entitled american.
A bit odd that your opening of your piece begins with racism. That put the weights the entire piece through a racial lens. Then you finish with a disclaimer. That is akin to making an off color remark and then quickly say “I was only kidding. This is a proven way to color a readers perception and ducking responsibility. I
am not fooled and I doubt that you are.
What?
She was probably repeatedly asked to leave the gate area because they were not able to rebook her there. She refused and was being disruptive. She was preventing the gate agents from being able to help other people. Police were called. If you refuse to leave an area when asked, your permission to be there is revoked, hence you are trespassing.
This is a non-event, folks.
If you have more info, please let me know. Otherwise, Nashville Airport Police just issued an apology for the incident. Why should it apologize if what you are saying is true?
It appears that a SW employee made a false claim about the PAXs in question…..and the airport acted on the false claim. This reflects the domino effect and repercussions when PAX encounter the worst of the worst (WOW) of a meltdown. If I had been arrested, I would have dragged SW into court with a copy of the phone call in question. Attorneys love to issue subpoenas. Lots & lots of egg on everyone’s face with all the media frenzy attached.
Consequences include hard feelings by airport police towards SW. Should SW have a real emergency in the future, don’t think the airport police will be in a hurry to respond. SW broke the trust and now we all pay the consequences.