A spilled glass of red wine in first class on American Airlines has turned into a viral dispute over airline liability, luxury goods, and what constitutes reasonable compensation.
Red Wine, First Class, And A $7,000 Demand: What Does American Airlines Actually Owe?
A passenger named Tara Kranzel has taken to TikTok claiming that American Airlines should pay her $7,000 in damages and refund her first class ticket after a flight attendant allegedly spilled red wine during a flight from Dallas (DFW) to Tampa (TPA).
Let’s recount what happened and then we’ll discuss what is a reasonable expectation of compensation:
- A flight attendant serving the passenger seated in front of Tara allegedly spilled a glass of red wine.
- According to Tara, much of the wine ran behind the seat and into her Louis Vuitton bag, which she claims is worth approximately $2,000.
- She says her socks, shoes, sweatpants, laptop, Beats headphones, and a new Cartier ring box were also damaged.
- She alleges she was given paper napkins but no other help in cleaning up during the flight
- While still onboard, she requested to speak to the purser, who referred her to AA customer service
- Upon landing, she spoke to a gate agent, who referred to her a baggage claim agent, who gave her a customer service telephone number to call, which referred her to the website to file a complaint
- Over the last week, she claims to have filed multiple complaints with the airline and emailed CEO Robert Isom without response.
- She is now demanding $7,000 in compensation plus a refund of her first class ticket
- She has also posted the full name and employee number of the flight attendant who spilled the drink (who provided this info during the flight, ostensibly to be be helpful)
@tarakranzel @American Airlines DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!!! Please repost/share/tag American Airlines #americanairlines #louisvuitton #fyp #firstclass #aacustomerservice
The reaction online has been sharply divided. Some argue the airline should fully compensate her for all damaged property. Others question the valuation of the items, the decision to publicly post employee information, and whether the demand exceeds what airlines are typically obligated to cover.
What Compensation Is Reasonable?
From what we know, this appears to be a service accident rather than turbulence or passenger negligence. As I see it, there is little controversy in saying that if a flight attendant spills a beverage and it causes demonstrable damage, the airline should be responsible for the resulting property loss.
That said, even when liability exists, reimbursement is typically based on actual cash value rather than retail replacement price…I don’t even see how all these items add up to $7K in the first place.
In practical terms, a reasonable expectation would be reimbursement for documented damage to personal property directly caused by the spill. If a bag was permanently stained, it should be compensated. If electronics were damaged, they should be replaced at fair market value. If clothing was ruined, it should be reimbursed. Kranzel is right and AA should make this right.
A full refund of the flight, however, seems unjustified. The transportation service was provided. The incident, while unfortunate, did not prevent completion of the journey. Refunds are typically reserved for significant service failures or denied boarding situations, not accidental beverage spills.
Some goodwill miles would also be appropriate, particularly if the onboard response was minimal and follow-up communication has been lacking. Customer service recovery matters, especially in premium cabins where expectations are higher…she did (claim to) buy a first class ticket and it is not unreadable to want to be made whole after an incident like this.
One additional issue complicates matters. Publicly posting a crew member’s identifying information online crosses a line. Mistakes happen. Escalation through official channels is appropriate. Targeting an employee on social media is not…I think her decision to post his information is vicious and unnecessary.
In an update she just posted earlier today, Kranzel claims she was not targeting the FA, but just working “with him” to find a resolution. If he gave her permission to publicly post his full name and employee number online, then I suppose that mitigates some outrage against her. She says AA is now looking into her case (as it should):
@tarakranzel Update!!! @American Airlines
CONCLUSION
This strikes me as a very simple case. If an airline damages your product, they need to make you whole. That doesn’t mean refunding your ticket, but it does mean replacing your lost or damaged items on a 1:1 basis. Even if the flight attendant was okay with it, I think Kranzel should have avoided posting his personal info, but I think her video overall was very to-the-point and if AA is indeed now resolving it, very effective.
What do you think Kranzel is entitled to receive from American Airlines?
images: @tarakranzel / TikTok
To the attention of AA management!
Lots of determination, patience and good luck to her!
“AA should make this right” … and they likely will not, unless there is sustained public pressure, or a lawsuit, which could cost more in attorneys fees than the desired recovery, unless representing yourself in small claims (which may be best here). Unfortunately, these days, if you want anything done, you’ve gotta really fight for it, and be relentless.
The bag is far from “ruined”, since it appears to be made of “monogram canvas” which is PVC, not leather, and wipes clean. Fhe lining is a slightly different matter, but it’s not insurmountable. The wine on her clothes could be removed with a simple laundering. Cartier will replace the ring box for the asking. The headphones? AA should ask for written proof that they’re irreparable before replacing them. In short, I think she’s due to reimbursed for something just north of bupkis, and she sounds like an unpleasant person to me. As for whether these are “luxury” goods, I have to question whether carrying a plastic handbag you can buy online is really all that “luxurious”.
Nonsense. The only part that might temporarily stain is the light straps. But those with also discolor from use and even out with appropriate leather cleaning.
Unless clothing was stained, I see nothing here.
Assuming that American pays the 7k and assuming they ban her for life, is that worth it?
Any “luxury good” that can go on the floor under the seat in front of you isn’t terribly “luxurious”.