American Airlines CEO Doug Parker just said something we knew he thought all along: the customer isn’t always right. Does that explain the customer service model at AA?
American Airlines CEO Confirms “The Customer Isn’t Always Right”
In an entertaining and enlightening podcast with Kara Swisher of the New York Times, Parker offered interesting insight on passenger misbehavior onboard, a familiar topic of late on Live and Let’s Fly.
You deal with it aggressively. It’s not acceptable. And it’s incredibly frustrating. I’ll just give you some numbers, just what we call customers misconduct reports. We would get about 30 a day at American Airlines in 2019. Now we’re getting about 100 a day. And we’re flying fewer customers, of course. The severity is what really matters. I mean, in those 30 a day, most of those are people who had too much to drink, or didn’t have their meds right, or chose to smoke in the bathroom. And again, those aren’t acceptable, but that’s what it was.
Now, the events you’re talking about, the serious events, ones that actually require us to go take action against the customer, have increased as well. And I need to stress, by the way, this is such a small percentage of our customers. These things like assault are generally what require action against a customer where we say, you’re never flying us again. Those events today, it’s like 1 in 300,000 or 400,000 customers. So it’s a very, very small subset.
But we fly 600,000 people a day, so that’s two people a day that we’re having to take action against, because they did something as egregious as assaulting one of our employees. That can’t continue. We can’t let it continue. It’s incredibly frustrating to me, because we’ve worked so hard to make sure it doesn’t continue, and we have been for months. But it still is happening, which I don’t fully understand.
Let’s pause here. I maintain it continues to happen because of the mask mandate plus lack of food and beverage options onboard. Unfortunately, it looks like alcohol will not be served until the mask mandate is removed, which could be quite some time. Parker continues:
We haven’t restored alcohol to the American Airlines flights for this reason. We have it tied to September 13, when the federal mask mandate is scheduled to expire. And that’s why we say we’ll return alcohol, because we don’t think we need that added to the environment. The FAA has been very supportive and aggressive. Steve Dickson has been out there very publicly letting it be known that they’re going to make sure that people are fined to the extent they can.
And we’ve certainly let our team know we have their backs. The customer isn’t always right. If anyone does something like this on an American Airlines airplane, they’re not going to fly American Airlines again. But despite all those deterrents to this type of behavior, they still continue. And we’ve got to get it fixed.
We’ve taken a couple more steps of late. We’ve changed our announcement to be more forceful and more certain. And to note, by the way, it’s also a federal offense to have your own alcohol on board, which we’re seeing more and more of.
Is it really a surprise that people are bringing more alcohol onboard when it is not sold onboard? That’s precisely the concern: at least when alcohol is sold onboard, servings can be regulated. Not so when the buffoon in 26C brings on an oversized bottle of Jack Daniels…
But did you catch that line? “The customer isn’t always right.” Well indeed, in the context of poor behavior onboard, the customer is most certainly not always right.
But I think Parker dances around the solution in an odd way–doesn’t it make sense that one solution to diminish mask-related violence onboard airplanes is to stop requiring masks? Or maybe to start treating passengers like humans and not cattle by offering them a choice of food and drink for purchase onboard?
CONCLUSION
Indeed, the customer is not always right…I certainly learned that the hard way in several of my business ventures. But I do think Parker’s statement reveals not so much a controversial statement about customer service, but a certain malignant cluelessness when it comes to why passengers are acting so poorly. That itself is a reflection of poor customer.
image: American Airlines
You’re 100% off base. We’re in the midst of a once-again increasing pandemic and you’re suggesting rather than blame customers who won’t take the simplest of steps to keep others safe we should blame the airlines for making them be safe? No – the answer is not to remove a mask requirement. And it’s an idiotic suggestion to say so completely devoid of any understanding of our current knowledge about how this spreads and how variants are rising. The answer is zero tolerance for anyone who puts other people safety at risk. It’s far past time to put blame squarely where it should be – with ignorant, anti-science, anti-vaxxers who are responsible for extending this pandemic far beyond when it should have been over
You are full of it, and you probably sleep in your sweet mask. Wake up, you are in a trance. Baaaah!
Fat folx put stress on the health care system, which puts others at risk Obesity is socially contagious. Why do we let fat folx roam freely? Zero tolerance for fat folx. They are a threat to humanity. Don’t get me started on stupid people. Stupid people believe mask mandates for air travel actually stop the virus from spreading on aircraft. Saying “follow the science” doesn’t imbue you with any authority, folx. It just marks you as a mindless follower who parrots DNC talking points.
95%+ of those hospitalized/dying right now are unvaccinated (similar to how you are an anti-vaxxer). Keep running chump! You’re of course smarter than science and the 3.5B+ people who have gotten a shot already globally.
I say, let the lemmings fall off the cliff and hopefully they take their cool aid along with them
Bullsh!t. Its the vaxed who are spreading covid making the problem worse. Look at the cdc website for stats.
How many studies of mask science have you read? Are you aware that types of fabrics make a difference? That numbers of layers and filters makes a difference? That the fit of the mask matters? That a well fitting mask that is kept on and not touched constantly matters? I won’t state that all masks help in all circumstances because of the variables I mentioned above, but there are good studies that show that the right masks worn properly do make a difference in protecting others from getting the wearer’s germs. When masks are worn, they are to protect others. To not wear a mask is to show the disregard a person has for others.
Cloth masks don’t protect against microscopic particles, and they don’t stop the spread of any virus. If you want to stop from getting the virus, wear a gas mask, a full blown gas mask. You can put all your insignificant variables in what ever fashion you want to tell you simply they’ve already said cloth masks don’t work and the cdc flips on it weekly.
You clearly have no idea of the actual numbers Dave.
A) cloth masks have 0% efficacy against aerosols. This is well understood.
B) modern aircraft have high efficiency HVAC systems that ACTUALLY prevent the spread of COVID by increasing ventilation many fold. The same reason it’s almost impossible to get COVID outdoors short of having someone spit directly in your mouth.
If you’re afraid, stay home and let the rest of us go on living.
A mask is no reason to assault someone on a flight, nor is the lack of food and beverage options. If you need a drink to take a flight, maybe you should see a medical professional instead of self-medicating.
As for wearing a mask, if someone wants to wear one, that doesn’t affect me one bit. What’s next, complaining I wear pants on a plane because I don’t want to feel the sweaty leg of the guy next to me during a fljght?
Well understood by whom? What studies are you citing? Are you implying that surgeons all over the world are wasting their time and money when they wear a mask?
YES !!!! WELL SAID AND EXACTLY CORRECT. A LIST OF DISRUPTIVE PASSENGERS SHOULD BE HELD BY FAA. NO FLY LIST. U CAUSE PROBLEMS ON X U NO FLY ALL PERIOD END OF STORY.
David, please stay home with your mask on. You sir are 100% wrong
What studies show that you are 100% right?
Excuse me, sir! Anti-vaxxers are smarter than those getting the experimental, non FDC-approved vaccine! We value our health and that of our loved ones. We won’t put our lives at risk. Masks are a fallacy also. Scientists and medical experts say they don’t protect anyone. So we wear them because we are forced to on airplanes and some businesses. We do have constitutional rights and refuse to be herded about like cattle. So before you judge anyone, make sure you are perfect. If you are not, keep your ignorant remarks to yourself.
Let me take a wild guess – you also think Trump will be re-taking office any day now, right?
How would you eat if you were to get surgery and the staff attending to you refused to wear masks during the procedure because of their constitutional rights?
Irrelevant question. We are not talking about surgery. Try an ad hominum attack next maybe thst will work.
I’m sitting in the Dallas Airport. Three gate changes in the last hour. I was literally dropped off here last “night” at 1:30am. No taxis, etc.. spent the day being generally mistreated by American. But, it was much better than last Monday at DFW, which was incredible! It’s not just masks, its a screwed up company, and very frustrated customers and AA employees. All on edge, all ready to explode.
Bravo David…well said!
Remove the mask requirement and remove the customers who insist on wearing them and all of the problems will be solved. If they protest, lock em up.
Also remove those who insist on sitting during the flight as well as those who want to stand. And be sure that the pilots and crew has recently been to an indoor covid spreader party. Sure, problems solved. BTW, how many people do you know who have had covid? I know at least 15.
You are completely wrong. Now we’re making excuses for assault and battery because someone has to wear a mask to protect the vulnerable? For sitting in their seat during takeoff and landing? Personally Parkers comments make want to fly American MORE. Klimt can go fly Spirit.
@Matthew: “I maintain it continues to happen because of the mask mandate plus lack of food and beverage options onboard.”
This may the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. Do you have any evidence to support the ludicrous statement that wearing a mask makes people commit assault and battery?? Of course not. There is none. You need to retract your asinine statement.
yay Brian
I can’t say I really agree with the take here. Sure AA could do some things to improve their onboard experience and sure, wearing a mask for extended periods of time can be frustrating. At the end of the day though, if some is being a bully, don’t appease them! While lifting the mask mandate would make everyone more comfortable, the best way to deal with someone who wants to assault a flight attendant is to make sure that results in a lifetime airline ban, major FAA fines and criminal prosecution for assault every. single. time.
It seems we have a lot of people in this country who have decided that the law doesn’t apply to them if they feel like they’re somehow “standing up for America”. We have to stop letting that nonsense skate without serious consequences and we definitely don’t need to be looking for ways to reward it.
Again, I’m all for leaning on AA to stop providing a sub-par onboard experience as airlines go, but excusing the acts of violent criminals isn’t the right place to do it.
Life is so bad, I have to go a few hours flying without drinking alcohol. (and no food options!). I can’t control myself so that makes it obvious we should drop mask mandates.
And of course masks don’t do any good. You see so many of them in hospitals.and look how many sick people there are there.
Does anybody that’s ever worked believe the customer is always right? If anybody other than Parker said that would it get any attention?/
Completely agree with everything you’ve said. I’m curious of the many seriously opposed are physicians. Sure we are seeing cases rise, but outcome is significantly better than what it was at the beginning of the pandemic.
If you’re a healthy individual, who has been vaccinated, there’s minimal risk to adverse outcome. People need to stop acting like, if one gets the virus, it is a sure death sentence. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
None of this post is meant to be medical advice, but simply to add some perspective.
Hi. Actual doctor here. Putting aside the preponderance of my colleagues, I personally found this article viscerally objectionable. I spend part of my working time in the ICU at a major medical center, and have already started to see an increase in the number of 30-something-year-old people coming in. These are people who should have most of their lives ahead of them. Many no longer do because of folks who operate in the vein of the author and tell them risks are low, that it’s ok not to get vaccinated, ok to “move past” the virus. We know that getting vaccinated is not a perfect preventative against getting infection or against infecting others near us, including those we hold dear. It’s why I wear a mask everywhere (esp in the hospital) despite having been vaccinated since December. The author’s appears to assert that people are acting poorly out of lack for a few hours maskless, with oversalted food, and mediocre alcohol – and that this will change/revert if those things are restored. Never mind increased extremism online/in the media or the incredible stresses all of us have been subjected to these past two years. In my honest opinion, the author is not only wrong but is using a significant public platform to actively spread a harmful message without any real basis. It sucks that we have to give any more when we have already done so much – it does – but while this virus remains ongoing, we OWE it to each other, just as I owe it to each of my patients.
I’m not sure how you can draw those conclusions based upon what I wrote. Masks are inherently political. This is all political. And I’d require vaccinations for all air travel in the USA, a step there is no political will to take. I’ve argued repeatedly that everyone should be vaccinated. So what exactly is your problem?
See this as well:
https://liveandletsfly.com/covid-19-vaccine-virtue-signaling/
Right on Matthew. I am a physician too and I agree with you 100%.
Mr Klimt are you a frontline employee? Have you been working out with the public since COVId began or have you been safely ensconced in your house working from home? Unless you have been one of those continuously out on the frontlines putting your life in danger, I hardly think any of you have a right to point fingers.
“Masks are inherently political.”???? You truly have zero credibility. You should stick to reviewing grilled cheese sandwiches and other food you’ve eaten on airplanes. You plainly know nothing about medicine, public health, or airborne viruses.
Have you had your head buried in the sand? Who are the ones who generally resist masks? What is the political persuasion of those who hate masks. Wake up.
That’s gonna be NO DUDE… ON ALL COUNTS..This whole thing is nothing but a scam….S C A M.
VACCINES ARE…VACCINES..BUT NOT IN THIS CASE
These stupid lil MASKS KEEP NOTHING OUT..NADA.
HERD IMMUNITY..IS NOT EVERYONE GETTING A SCAM VAX .. That’s called HERD IMMUN..NUTTY!!
You DON’T FORCE OTHERS TO DO ANYTHING WITH A SUPPOSED VAX THAT HAS ZERO PROOF OF ANYTHING..BECAUSE YOU ARE A PU$$Y! HYDROXY AND ZPACK WILL WORK..PERIOD END OF THAT STORY….STOP THE FOOLISHNESS!
PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR F$#@__$ MINDS..INCLUDING THE ” INDOCTRINATED DOCTORS” .. GET A GRIP… THIS IS ALL A SCAM..ALL OF IT! YOU DON’T GIVE INCENTIVES FOR DEATHS CAUSED BY THIS SCAM…. COKE BEING TESTED POSITIVE….WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE..WAKE THE…… UP!
Agreed. It is all political as a mask reduces your identity to anonymous.
My problem, sir, is that people dying of this virus is not political. Ignoring the fate of people who have not or cannot get vaccinated, or who have breakthrough infection – is not political. And helping perpetuate a virus which has already done so much harm is not political. Being “political” is socially and personally manufactured – it’s a terrible reason to use to ignore public health and fact.
There is a camp of folks who have unfortunately been grossly misinformed about vaccine effectiveness/effects, who can be forgiven for not knowing about aerosol transmission & reduction in particle emission with masks – any mask. That does not seem to be the case here. I’m willing to assume this piece is written out of force of conviction rather than willful ignorance, but it remains that the asserted conclusions necessitate disregard for the safety and well-being of our fellow man. I object.
Thank you for your opinion Dr Chan. Unfortunately your opinion is necessarily in line with CDC dogma. You are fed politicised propaganda from a power crazed Fauchi who has enabled this virus by illegally funding the gain of function resesrch in Wuhan. He is now clinging to power desperately but his game will soon end. This man has single handedly destroyed the integrity of you entire profession. By now everyone understands that if you were to object to any CDC dogma you woild be immediately and severely censured.
Doug has inspired AAmerican gate agents to assume “The customer is never right” and treat us accordingly.
Hear, hear. I am pro mask and my flight home last month was a nightmare. Massive delay, missed connection, refusal to look for a reasonable flight reschedule, not a drop to drink or a crumb to eat on 2nd flight after not having dinner the night before due to first flight getting to NC at midnight.. 9 hours after my connection. Yelled at because I first took a moment to catch my breath when I found my seat.. (Thanks to AA I only had 2 hours to get some sleep). AA employees were the nastiest I have even seen. Unprovoked nastiness. Now it’s clear. The CEO has EMPOWED them to abuse their role. Good people are being treated inhumanity.
Don’t fly and let economics change the thinking of airlines.
If they had something,like a movie to watch,in backs of seats people would be busy with that instead of creating issues that set everybody odd. Not allowing any food or drink to help with growing stomachs and drink to calm nerves contribute to restlessness and anxiety that promotes anger and acting on impulse. Treat fliers like clients and you get respect when you give respect. That is not being done. We are not the enemy.
Exactly. I will never fly AA again. I hope others will follow suit.
Unfortunate about having no alcohol? I wish every airline and airport would do the same thing. I’m tired of the excuse drinking helps calm my nerves flying. No one forces you to fly. You can drive and stay on the ground. Oh but my employer makes me. Well you can always quit your job and get a job at McDonald’s.
I’ll concede the customer isn’t always right only when Parker admits his airline (us airways) destroyed American’s culture.
Eat before getting on a plane!!!! Why you need a drink, I’m sure who ever is picking you up at the airport would appreciate it!! Vacation is vacation but be considerate of your surroundings!!
Kind of a ridiculous statement to make about removing the mask mandate, that’s the FAA not AA. If people can’t handle wearing a mask for a few hours as mandated why not just drive? Perhaps you should start a liveansletsdrive blog although spoiler alert many places mandate seat belts and having a cocktail while driving is illegal.
This is just a poorly opinionated article with clickbait. “The customer isn’t always right” bc if he says he wants to fly the left seat in the 777-300, he won’t be allowed to. Shock!
Also keep in mind outside of duty free shops in certain airports, people CANT smuggle in alcohol. Remember that thing called TSA? They tend not to like liquids over 4oz.
Poorly articulated opinion and positioning bro.
At PDX you have Westward Whiskey in Concourse C & D (Priority pass (PP) in Concourse C =$28pp if you have CSR/USB AR). Toward booze.
Capers Market in Concourse D — I’ve used my PP card on bottles of Wine (PRE-Covid) the market now limits you to certain food and drink items from the market with PP.
I’m sure others have smuggled booze in toiletries bottles or simply bought minatures from hotels/liquor stores.
But it’s illegal to consume your own alcohol so you have to use an IV ; )
Pre-COVID – I’ve had FA’s give me unopened fifths/wine gratis (mainly flying F/J Int’l).
I’m sure Matthew recalls that little TSA rule. Do you happen to recall the shooters are less than 4oz? You can and people do bring them onboard.
AS A RETIREED 30 YR. AIRLINE CUST.SERVICE SUPV..I CAN TELL YOU IN MY HOME AIRPORT IN THE WASH DC VIRG BALT REGION, TSA WILL TAKE ANY AND ALL ALCOHOL MINI ,S OR ANOVE FROM PASSENGERS THAT TRY BRINGING THRU SECURITY.
The author of this article comes off as entirely entitled. These are grown adults, not children. An airline shouldn’t treat customers poorly but in these specific situations it’s rude unruly customers acting like children that are absolutely the problem. If no alcohol served on a flight is “forcing” you to bring your own and throw moderation out the window, then it’s pretty obvious the problem here isn’t the airline. These customers are adults, perhaps they should start acting like it. If the concept of a pandemic scares you so much you have to go into full denial instead of doing the literal least of wearing a mask to catch spittle then perhaps you’re not mature enough to travel with other people.
I was boarding an AA flight this spring and had my mask on but covering the end of my nose so my glasses wouldn’t fog up due to the temperature on the ramp.
As I boarded the attendant told me to pull it up, which I did immediately so as not to be dragged off on YouTube. I told her why I had it down as she directed me to stand behind her. I did and she said she didn’t care why it was not fully on. I said it was that or not see, to which I was told I should have taken my glasses off and I was now kicked off the flight. I told her I would be silent the rest of the flight but she said it was too late and pointed to the exit. I knew I had no option so I left quietly.
The customer may not always be right, but sometimes AA employees seem to go out of their way to create a mood of hostility and anger.
Sir, sorry that happened to you..as a 30 yr airline employee I can assure you that a major problem in the business with all airlines..most , not all flight attendants forget what there major job duty is..its to serve the customers onboard..period..this includes helping with safety instructions. They hate the service part..just saying
Yes! It’s out of control.
This is some ignorant, privileged BS right here.
“Doesn’t it make sense that one solution to diminish speed-related fatalities in cars is to stop setting speed limits?”
See how dumb that sounds?
This begs the question of mask mandate effectiveness. There are no RCTs demonstrating they work. As for speeding, speed limits are primarily set with revenue generation in mind, not safety. Keep believing government knows what it is doing and acts in your best interest. Or is that only when Democrats are in power? You know, the party of slavery, the KKK, Jim Crow, redlining and destroying the black family.
With all due respect, don’t you think that the article’s title is highly missleading? Even if you disagree with Parker’s comments (which is highly surprising itself), the title clearly implies something very different than what he’s actually saying.
Totally agree with this and am surprised it was allowed to be posted. When flight attendants are forced to act like federal police, it makes people nervous and it makes flying even more unpleasant. Go back to treating customers like customers and the incidents of bad behaviour will drop to their pre-pandemic levels. It’s obvious what’s causing it.
Matthew Klint, you would let the most ignorant and often most unhealthy among us, usually a small, vocal, petulant group, make for less safe travel for the vast majority of us. I’m guessing you aren’t vaccinated, either. You’re a complete hypocrite, taking full advantage of what science and technological achievement has brought you in the way of safer and faster planes, only to flush science down the toilet when it inconveniences you by suggesting that you wear a mask when you’re on a crowded airplane. What a baby.
Airlines should not serve alcohol period. It’s not a bar/restaurant, there are children present. If an adult can not abstain from drinking then don’t fly? I will never understand the logic behind this idea that drinking on a flight is a good idea. Same with any type of public transport.
What many customers are unaware of are the working conditions under which flight crews are forced to work under COVID. Crews, like passengers, are mandated to wear masks onboard all aircraft. Where as passengers only have to wear their masks for a few uncomfortable hours, flight crew have to wear them ALL DAY long. They are under staffed and over worked with little time to get food between flights. Lately. the airlines have been inadequately providing hotel rooms as contractually obligated. Leaving many crews sleeping in airports after being on duty twelve to sixteen hours. They are fatigued beyond belief. They are also stressed to the max because they are forced to endure possible hostile work environments every flight they work. Flight crew are right in the thick of weather delays and mechanicals with the passengers. Yet they still come to work to keep the airline running and getting passengers to their destinations. They have been forced into becoming federal police onboard. They get thankless attitudes from entitled passengers who think they have the right to take out their frustrations on crew by physically assaulting them. That is why customer service is rock bottom right now. It takes two to tango amd there is always, always two sides to the story. The media only betrays the woes of the passengers and quite frankly I am sick of it. Why don’t you come walk a mile in our shoes for a change!
Not saying you are wrong Amy but, if I had to sleep in the airport after a duty day, then guess what? I would call out due to fatigue.
If you choose not to and go work the next day, it’s down to you. Stand up and grow a pair!!
That is exactly what I would do. Then the problem becomes worse as more flight attendants call out fatigued. It then snow balls from there. Crew shortages and more cancellations. More tempers flare and more staff get accosted. So tell me what is your solution other than” grow a pair”?
I can’t comment on the lack of hotel accommodations and I agree that is ridiculous but Amy I’m sorry then don’t work in customer service. FAs, about half the time, are downright surly and I find they often try to make your life miserable or do the absolute minimum required by the airline. One drink round for a four hour flight then go in the galley to act like you’re busy, being downright rude to people. You want respect give it. Part of this also lies upon the unfettered power most of you with minimal education are given.
Should people be hostile? Absolutely not. But I know for a certain at least 20% of these 100 per day being reported are due to the FA escalating the issue instead of doing your job and uhhh deescalating it.
Im not even going to comment on your complaint about delays etc. it’s your job. Find another if it frustrates you.
You seem like a real gem.
My job,Shawn, doesn’t include being a punching bag for your psychotic behavior onboard the aircraft. When you purchase your ticket you agree to the terms and conditions outlined on the back of your tickets. I also will have you know that the majority of flight attendants have four year degrees. So your assumption that we are uneducated shows your complete and utter ignorance. Maybe your clients should start being physically abusive with you over your company’s decisions.
Is there any excuse for an FA YELLING at an exhausted passenger who, upon finding her seat, just wanted to catch her breath for 5 seconds before hoisting her and her kids’ bags overhead?? If the working conditions are at a point where a NON disruptive gets bullied from an FA then time to find another job. Yes, treat people like customers and learn to DE ESCALATE.
Shame on you for pointing fingers at American in a season of our lives when unacceptable, even criminal, behavior is acceptable and/or not punished. There is no accountability, and the trend is to o whatever you feel. On an aircraft, The safety of every person on board is paramount. Doug Parker is dead on on this one.
Why would anyone want to fly? Airlines are private companies but hide behind the FAA, which shouldn’t be involved in day to day operations of a private company.
Mathew Klint. Refreshing view! How do I follow more of your fresh content.
No wondering why your customer service is BAD . Because of people like you running the show
Food and beverage are available in every airport. If that’s the problem purchase it before you get on the plane. When you get on the plane you need to obey the rules and behave like an adult.
A simple solution to all these problems with unruly passengers is, besides kicking them off the flight and/or having them arrested, is to put their name on the TSA No-Fly list. Once a few names are added to this list, let the media.report on the incident without naming names and mention the penalties.
Shawn..said well. Sorry it hurts feeling but your opinion is 95% accurate..as a retired 30 yr. Cust.service agent and countless other jobs and positions within my company you must know when to hunker down and bend things when times get crazy..I was excellent at balancing my 6 hrs of normal duties with sometimes 2 3 or 4 hrs. Of chaos.
If you don’t want to follow the rules then drive. No one put a gun to your head and forced you to fly. That is your choice. With that choice comes the requirement to follow the carrier’s policies and procedures outlined on the back of your tickets. Secondly, the mask wearing in airports and planes is a FEDERAL mandate. Flight attendants aren’t making this up so that they can suffer further abuse from individuals who refuse to take accountability for their actions. $20 dollar tickets doesn’t get you caviar, lobster and champagne. If you want the amenities you have to pony up. Nothing is free in life. The traveling American public isn’t willing to pay for the extras but they sure feel like they are entitled to it. Well reality doesn’t work that way. Everyone deserves common human courtesy. It all depends on how you approach people. If you come at someone screaming and yelling when they had nothing to do with whatever made you upset in the first place, don’t expect them to treat you with kid gloves. Kindness is a two way street, flight crew to passenger AND passenger to crews.
The mask mandate is not to blame. People’s overdone sense of entitlement is. People have decided that they can do whatever they want whenever they want. The author is so far off base it’s ridiculous
Ok, I never respond but this is ridiculous. Whether you believe Covid is real or not (spoiler…it is), whether you believe masks are necessary or not (they are…try and blow out a candle or a match wearing one) is immaterial to this situation. Airlines have rules, wear a mask. To use someone else’s equipment, even if you paid for it, you have to follow their rules. The choice is the consumers to not use the equipment…aka the plane. You could take your money and drive to where ever it is you want to go and not wear a mask! Also, it is a VERY safe bet that while driving the 10 hours from Lós Angeles to Austin or Kansas City to Florida, you also will not be able to consume an alcoholic beverage or 5 alcoholic beverages. In fact I would guess that every person in America is capable of going 3 hours without a beer or vodka Collins. Because we have jobs and kids and church and any number of activities where drinking isn’t acceptable. So saying that people are pissed because they have to wear a mask AND cannot get a beer on their four hour flight explains why the incidents are happening 8s more than asinine. It is peak privileged, self centered and complete unempathetic idiocy. Wear a mask, pay to check your oversized baggage, say please and thank you and excuse me not only to the airline employees, but your fellow passengers and be the kind grown up your sweet grandma would want you to be.
If you are incapable of the bare minimum human decency, then don’t buy a flight. More importantly, don’t leave your house. No one needs to be subjected to your entitled, self centered, ill mannered personality. (Just a heads up, your family and friends are already talking about what a dick you are behind your back, you just don’t know it.)
“doesn’t it make sense that one solution to diminish mask-related violence onboard airplanes is to stop requiring masks? ”
What an incredibly stupid thing to say considering its federal law and we’re seeing more delta-related covid cases than ever in the history of this pandemic. Sure place zero blame on the customers that assault airline employees, and give them excuses “well maybe if they didn’t have to wear masks they wouldn’t act like entitled assholes” gimme a break, like he said its 1 in 400-500k people that do this and get banned. the majority of people can follow the rules and be done with it. So the rest of everyone has to risk disease so 1 person doesn’t throw a temper tantrum because they had to wear a mask.
Get a grip.
Yes, let’s relieve people from any measure personal responsibility, legitimize their sense of entitlement, excuse them for acting like Neanderthals, and blame it all on the airlines for “a lack of food and beverage options” and mask mandate they have no control over. This is award winning stuff here, Matthew, really.
And for the commenter who accused FAs of being “downright surly,” maybe it’s because of people like you giving them unnecessary grief nonstop for the past 18 months. You talk about deescalating the situation, then you go on to describe “most of you” as uneducated while also talking about crew not giving passengers the proper respect. People with this kind of attitude is what’s perpetuating the problem. It’s pathetic.
Why was the picture of an African American family chosen for this article? Why couldn’t it go without a picture at all? This is part of the reason why some people make up stereotypes in regards to certain groups of people.
I flew American last month in the midst of all this. Going into Cedar Rapids a guy got out of his seat while we were waiting 10 minutes deplane. The flight attendant angrily yelled at him to sit down several times before he complied.
That is acceptable.
What was not acceptable was asking to first having to pay $60 upgrade so I could sit next to my daughter in “coach.”
On my return flight I asked to PURCHASE an upgrade and was told you we were first on the list and assigned t0 the very last row when you got your seat assignment.
This was despite assigning other seats after my request and knowing in advance that the flight was full.
Don’t smile in my face and lie to me and then dump me in the back. I don’t expect free upgrades or hot wash cloths.
I purchased two tickets at the same time, over a month before the flight. I shouldn’t have to pay for them to be together.
I will never fly American again.
A lot of the people commenting here are actually retarded. When a child is throwing a tantrum because they want candy, do you give in and give them the candy to shut them up? No, you either whip their ass for acting out or you discipline them some other way. Mask requirements are the exact same as “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service.” If you don’t want to follow the rules a business has laid out for their establishment, they can deny you service. Stop the piss baby tantrums and fall in line.
America can airlines once framed me then used the DA to pressure me with fabricated evidence. And I have it all recorded, but journalists kiss AA’s ass.
Wow, the final conclusion isn’t that adults should act like adults, and not cause issues, but that they need alcohol to survive?
I think the author might need to check the amount and frequency of his alcohol consumption. If 3-4 hours without alcohol is enough to cause withdrawal to the point of violence, it’s time for rehab.
If food is the issue, then perhaps checking your blood sugar and seeing if you have diabetes is the direction you should take. 3-4 hours without food is not starving someone.
Could you imagine schools if we required them to let children have a snack constantly rather than wait until lunch time?
at least when alcohol is sold onboard, servings can be regulated. Not so when the buffoon in 26C brings on an oversized bottle of Jack Daniels…
You should apply that same logic to drugs, trafficking etc. Why don’t US govt set up shop for heroin and stolen kids so it can be regulated
Exactly.
I understand difficult passengers, but as of late the airline fails to acknowledge that tiny little seats, bad service from crew and gate agents, flight attendants who feel empowered so they are rude and petty…these things do not help. AA did 3 across at the height of the pandemic. They make no effort to please passengers, check the newest lavatories that a midget could not fit in. And they blame it all on the passenger???? Try treating people with respect, courtesy and comfort and see how that works.
After our American airline experience, these four travelers would only book another flight with them if driving, walking or swimming wouldn’t get us there. (BTW, Moms 86) I certainly would believe anything they or their affiliates publish or represent.
These comments are a shit show.
If you read “mask” or “vaccine” and you start foaming at the mouth about your freedums, you’ve been Pavloved into anger with words that mean nothing.
Worst article of the century. U a troll.
I’m just confused by the picture. It doesn’t represent those who cause problems on airline
I’ve been flying almost every year, twice a year for almost 2 decades now. American Airlines is by far the worst airline I’ve ever flown with and all of my bad travel experiences have been on their airline and no one elses. A customer being aggressive and assaulting anyone is not excusable. Masks don’t prevent shit, at the end of the day if you’re going to catch the virus there’s nothing you can do to prevent it. Women use birth control as well as condoms and still manage to get pregnant. You can think you have control over what happens to you or your body or even your environment but tbe truth is you don’t. You have NO control because there are too many other variable contributing factors. For those of you who are saying that going a few hours with no food or no alcohol shouldn’t be an issue i agree to an extent, however if you’ve ever had to travel a long distance or for an extended period of time you’d know how exhausting and draining it can be, not to mention its the middle of summer with several heat waves across the nation making people more susceptible to anger. AA customer service is trash frankly and although i KNOW the customer isn’t always right and wasn’t right in this case as the CEO that shouldn’t be your policy plain and simple and that’s coming from someone whose worked in the food/bev and customer service industry for years. Long story short if AA was a better airline overall maybe this wouldn’t have happened because its not happening on other airlines. Its american, united, and spirit that have been in the news constantly in a negative light.
What do you expect from someone who’s bio reads like a post hunt regaling? I call L.A. my home (kudos, so did I for a period of time) I’ve racked up 200,000 airline miles (congrats to your dedicated contribution to global warming) I’ve been to 135 countries (what did you do there? Did you interact with locals? Volunteer? Truly immerse yourself outside of a fancy resort or hotel? Travel the unbeaten path without a guide?) Going somewhere is not the same as truly experiencing it. Going to 135 countries does not make you a leading expert in human behavior, sociology or psychology. The same people that were once refusing to vaccinate their kids for messages, smallpox, etc. because they said it causes autism are now the ones throwing stones at those who refuse to be forced into getting a vaccine. The hypocrisy is unreal, it’s not alcohol, it’s not even the mask tbh it’s people fed up, stressed out, depressed, over worked, under paid and constantly being oppressed and pushed down or passed over only to have their time not taken seriously (flight delays and cancellations) and some bitter airline attendant ostracize them in a public setting. Add to that the fact people see someone not complying with the mandate or using a work around to avoid wearing one (i.e. bringing a shit ton of snacks on a plane and eating the whole time) and that childish behavior or mentality kicks in like “oh HE’s not doing it, why do I have to?!” People are highly stressed financially, emotionally, physically, look at the role fitness plays in mental health and people have been out of the gym, out of a job, stuck at home with kids, or their partner, then you throw them in a tin can with turbulence and you think it’s a lack of stale airplane nuts or alcohol thats fueling this? You are utterly ridiculous and it’s writing like this that showcases why living in L.A. is your only boastful accomplishment.
Too. Much. Time.
It’s not the airlines job to enforce useless and stupid health mandates on American people. No wonder people are upset. Bad Bad business practices by AA.
Should that senile guy from the WH come and enforce it.
CONCLUSION
“Indeed, the customer is not always right…I certainly learned that the hard way in several of my business ventures. But I do think Parker’s statement reveals not so much a controversial statement about customer service, but a certain malignant cluelessness when it comes to why passengers are acting so poorly. That itself is a reflection of poor customer.”
I respectfully disagree – especially when safety is involved.
Safety – not customer service – should be an airline’s number 1, 2. 3, 4, and 5 priorities – not “pleasing” unreasonable customers.