A teacher has accused a prominent Democratic Congresswoman of stealing her first class seat on a United flight from Houston to Washington, DC.
Jean-Marie Simon was traveling back from Guatemala to Washington, DC via Houston. Upon boarding her connecting flight to Washington National, her boarding pass double-beeped. After further investigation, a gate agent informed her that her seat had been given away, later claiming she had cancelled the flight herself using the United mobile app.
A United Gate Agent Threatens Her
She protested, claiming she never cancelled her flight. The gate agents offered her a seat in economy class, but she demanded her first class seat back. It then turned ugly. From her account on Facebook, Simon claims the gate agent stated a passenger had been upgraded and there was nothing he could do to reverse it.
He said I could “stand here and argue” and miss the flight or book another flight with another airline, meaning that I would lose my first class ticket and pay for a second one. I said I wanted my seat, 1A, that I had paid for and selected in early December and one that the upgraded passenger in 1A was now freeloading, literally at my expense. He said that couldn’t happen because they couldn’t “disrupt” what was already done. He offered me a $300 voucher. I said I wanted $500 and a free meal. He said, “And I want a Mercedes Benz, but that’s not going to happen.” Then he invited me to complete a United online survey when the flight was over.
Wanting to get home, she eventually relented and boarded her flight. She found herself in Economy Plus, where an unnamed Texas Congressman who had observed the situation sat down next to her. The man leaned over and stated–
You know what happened, right? Do you know who’s in your seat?” I said no. He told me that it was Jackson Lee, a fellow U.S. congresswoman who regularly does this, that this was the third time he personally had watched her bump a passenger. Then he asked me if I knew whom Jackson Lee represents in Congress: Bush International Airport in Houston.
It All Starts to Make Sense
And then it all began to make sense for Simon.
While waiting to board, she had noticed a FA came up to a Jackson Lee in line with her and stated, “Let’s get on”. This was before priority boarding for members of the military or Global Services members.
The flight encountered a hydraulic delay and passengers were invited to disembark. Simon snapped this picture of the Congresswoman on her way back on the plane:
Moments later, a FA sat down next to her and asked if she would be a “problem” on the flight. Simon said no but received a stern warning from the FA and justification for her lost upgrade.
The flight attendant said that security would remove me from the plane if I “created problems.” I said I just wanted to get home. I said to her, to paraphrase, “Why should someone get a seat I paid for?” She responded that the person had Global Services status.
She dispatched a message to United on Facebook and received a phone call the next day, apologizing. But Simon doesn’t want a verbal apology from a call center agent: she wants a written apology from United and has not received one yet.
United Responds: Simon Cancelled Her Own Reservation
In a public statement, United blamed the problem on the passenger cancelling her own flight via the mobile app.
After thoroughly examining our electronic records, we found that upon receiving a notification that Flight 788 was delayed due to weather, the customer appears to have canceled her flight from Houston to Washington, D.C., within the United mobile app. As part of the normal preboarding process, gate agents began clearing standby and upgrade customers, including the first customer on the waitlist for an upgrade.
Simon dismisses this, stating, “It’s just impossible to suspend disbelief and swallow that story that I cancelled my flight.”
Passive Aggressive Congresswoman Feigns Racism
Congresswoman Jackson Lee released a statement concerning the event on her own Facebook page. Here’s the full statement.
I am disappointed in having to respond to this accusation, but I believe transparency is very important. Unfortunately, it looks like Grinch is trying to steal the spirit of the holiday.
Last Monday, I arrived at the airport to catch my flight to Washington to continue my fight to get Hurricane Harvey funds back to Texas and other hard hit areas, along with funding of the Children’s Health Insurance Program and of course, trying to stop a tax bill that was going to cause millions of Americans to lose their health insurance.
After receiving my boarding pass, I boarded the plane in the normal process. I did nothing wrong. I asked for nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary and received nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary. I proceeded to take my seat and work on legislative issues on my way to Washington.
Although I was not involved, I observed a disruption by an individual walking back and forth in the cabin. I could overhear her speaking with a flight attendant (an African American woman). I saw the gate agent go to the seat of the individual who was walking back and forth before we took off.
I later came to understand that the individual had canceled her own flight. However I had nothing to do with that.
I noted that this individual came toward me and took a picture. I heard later that she might have said “I know who she is.” Since this was not any fault of mine, the way the individual continued to act appeared to be, upon reflection, because I was an African American woman, seemingly an easy target along with the African American flight attendant who was very, very nice. This saddens me, especially at this time of year given all of the things we have to work on to help people. But in the spirit of this season and out of the sincerity of my heart, if it is perceived that I had anything to do with this, I am kind enough to simply say sorry. I understand the airline is working to address the passenger’s concerns. I am glad of that.
But as an African American, I know there are too many examples like this all over the nation. I hope one day, we will accept our collective diversity. Happy Holidays.
My Take: Shenanigans Virtually Guaranteed
Back in my White House days, Congressman Sheila Jackson Lee always cracked me up. She routinely decried President George W. Bush, but would also position herself to give him a huge hug as he entered the House Gallery to deliver his State of the Union address each year.
She’s a gregarious person who is charming if you’re on her good side. But she’s also known as one of the worst people on the Hill to work for.
Perhaps that is neither here nor there and we should stick to the issue, but it paints a picture of her character. I’m disgusted by Jackson Lee’s statement. She claims she is a victim of “racism” without any basis: the passenger did not know who took her seat until after she boarded the aircraft. It undermines all her credibility.
Furthermore, she states, “I asked for nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary and received nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary.”
Jackson Lee’s Checkered Past
Here’s the thing: she routinely demands special favors and flouts rules for her own selfish advantage.
View from the Wing reminds us off Lee’s checkered past.
Lee had come to expect other deluxe perks not always available in Continental’s non-hub cities, Cox explained.
She then described an incident the previous month when Lee boarded a flight at National, and found the menu did not include a seafood special she had wanted.
“She screamed at the top of her lungs at least a minute,” Burruss quotes Cox as telling her. “She embarrassed the flight attendants and the passengers in first class. And she embarrassed herself.”
According to Burruss, Cox claimed Lee declared, “Don’t you know who I am? I’m Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Where is my seafood meal? I know it was ordered!”
…According to Burruss, Lee routinely demands three first-class reservations on the carrier for Monday and Tuesday when she is in Washington, and then decides at the last minute which one to use. The airline was fed up with the arrangement, and began reducing the reservations to coach class, a development that infuriated Lee when staffers told her they could not guarantee her first-class seats.
That’s not a very sterling testament to her character, especially in regards to flying first class on this particular route.
I fear Simon gets it right–
They put Jackson Lee on the plane and then tried to blame it on a late incoming flight, another airline, my cell phone, united.com, Global Services, and on everybody but the United employee who deliberately erased my seat, my ticket, and my name from the system in order to accommodate a member of Congress who repeatedly bullies her way into favored status.
As bad as United’s technology can be, its mobile app is actually excellent–by far the best in the industry. And Simon is no fool…I highly doubt she accidentally cancelled her final segment on her app…it’s not like there were any options to get her home earlier.
But even if there was a snafu on the app, the gate agent admitted that Lee (and perhaps other passengers) were upgraded. The appropriate solution was to downgrade one of the upgraded passengers and put Simon back into her original seat. I’ve seen that happen so many times.
The fact that it did not happen here makes me much more willing to buy into Simon’s side over United’s or Jackson Lee’s.
My Work with the United Airlines Congressional Liaison
One more component to this story. I worked for a California Congressman named Duncan Hunter on the Hill in 2005 and 2006 (not to be confused with his son, who has now taken his seat). Every weekend he would fly home to the district on United, since only United flew from Washington to San Diego nonstop.
He would buy government tickets (YCA / full-fare Y) and play the upgrade game every weekend. But it wasn’t much of a game: I would get on the phone and hassle the Congressman’s personal United rep to clear the upgrade…and he would.
It’s the nepotism of Washington politics. United wants to keep politicians happy. And I can certainly understand why it would want to keep Jackson Lee happy, whose district includes Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Even so, throwing someone out of first class for a Member of Congress is disgusting to me. I can picture her aides demanding United find a way to get her into first class on a sold out flight. Can’t you?
CONCLUSION
I’m speculating that there was “foul play” here, but I do think it is a fair assumption. You’re free to disagree and I would love more clarity on this situation. But based on Jackson Lee’s shameful past and her disgusting “racism” diversion, I would not put it past her that she or her aides knew exactly what they were doing to secure her seat in 1A and did it anyway.
shameful past & racism diversion?? ofcourse, as a privileged whiteman that whines and always ready to sue airlines even when you are trying to game them…. it is easy for you to say all of this.
there are accounts of the passenger being rude and being a DYKWIA…i am shocked the United gate agent didnt just rebook the passenger to another flight.
next time you dont get your way with an airline scam, please dont come on here and rant
and btw, there was no soo called republican congressman seating next to her. it was a citizen IDd as republican
Wow, it only took one comment for someone to pull the “white privilege” card. I’m not surprised. You’re pathetic.
It’s a shame Jean-Marie wasn’t a man, then it would be both racism and sexism…
You will never best these liberal tards.
As a “minority” (cause apparently it matters) – this congresswomans past behavior clearly indicates she has some entitlement issues. This had nothing to do with race – I am sure the victim would be just as pissed if the person taking her seat was white. Her seat was taken in a shady manner by United to an over-entitled passenger plain and simple. And honestly pulling the “race” card when its BS makes the waters down the legitimate circumstances of discrimination.
Bravo.
Yes, Bravo. Very succinct and powerful to the point.
I have to agree that this was not fair ton miss Simon. I don’t believe United for a minute. The congresswoman should be embarrassed …. She lacks the humility and character to do the right thing. Public service is not what comes to mind for her. She expects to steal the seat from another person so she has comfort she obviously did not have coming to her. And did not care about the persons comfort or feelings. As long as she is first in line. Why not take a moment and mingle with the people she serves. God help us if we can’t behave better than this. You are on notice … Our leaders!!!!!. You cannot hide from social media….. We see all of your bad behaviours.
You tell em’ Jackson Lee! I hope one day we can accept our collective diversity.
As do I. But Jackson Lee makes this more difficult to achieve by building walls instead of bridges.
It was sarcasm, the only racism involved here was the allegation by our elected representative.
Ah, you had me wondering…
I have seen United give up a FC pax seat to a politician. I was downgraded so that the major of Chicago could take a seat at the front. Standard compensation for involuntary downgrade is $500. Not sufficient if in a paid seat, a sweet deal if on a CPU.
There are many places I can read personal political opinion pieces about newsworthy events. This is not a newsworthy event. And I wish you had not spent so much ink on your personal opinion of what transpired on that flight. People are inconvenienced on airplanes all the time, 24/7. How does one Congresswoman make it difficult for you to accept our collective diversity! You sure hand her a lot of power over yourself. Move on. Nothing to see here.
First, I wrote about it because I consider it newsworthy. Second, I have 13 consecutive years of experience flying United Airlines more each year than most “travelers” will their entire life. I see the shenanigans all the time. I see how politicians are pampered. And I don’t like it when a woman’s seat is given away for a Member of Congress of any race or any party or any gender.
Don’t listen to people like this (PJ). It’s definitely newsworthy and I thought it was an interesting read.
Trust me, I don’t. Thanks for your comment.
So, you must also have a problem with FFers who skip the queue for upgrades, etc., by gaming the system? Or is it only when you don’t benefit from shenanigans.
If someone is booted out of their pre-assigned seat, I certainly do.
How was is this any different than you calling them weekly for Rep Hunter to get upgrades he didn’t deserve? Sounds like you were just as much of a problem
You could say I was part of the problem, but there is a huge difference between clearing upgrades out of order and having someone kicked out of first class for the Member of Congress.
You certainly have much patience Matthew. The idiot you are replying to has zero merit in their diatribe. They are obviously overly in love with Jackson. And who can’t see why.
I don’t always agree with you but you hit the nail on the head this time.
I don’t think $500 is sufficient compensation really. With the current way things go viral, I would probably hold out for at least $1000 for any involuntary downgrade.
I believe $500 is an insult for a 140,000-mile ticket, especially considering IAH-DCA was the longer leg.
Back in my White House Days? That’s a good one. I didn’t know that you were a senior level advisor at the White House with personal access to members. Otherwise, your personal account of any member is likely nothing more than puffery.
I never claimed to be a senior level advisor, but I certainly had personal access to Members of Congress.
I have seen this happen on international flights. I was is in Econ+ on a United flight from Houston to Sao Paulo and watched this woman who had paid an unbelievable amount of money (something like $10k) to sit in a business class seat and was downgraded because some politician “needed’ the seat. I was behind her and heard it all and later talked about it with her.
I’ve read everything I can find about this and can’t find where Rep. Jackson Lee took any action to cause this. Maybe there was a problem with the reservations system, and maybe a UA employee went in and made the change, but I can’t find where even this displaced passenger claims that the seat swap was on Rep. Jackson Lee’s initiative. Maybe you can help me find that. Otherwise “poaches” and “victim” imply bad behavior on Jackson Lee’s part that doesn’t seem to be supported by anybody’s version of the story.
That’s what aides are for. Plausible deniability. I judge Ms. Jackson Lee based upon her pattern of past practice.
There isn’t even any evidence that her aides caused it to happen. But sure, blame her with zero evidence.
I’m speculating, not blaming.
It’s highly plausible speculation. That’s how these things work. I’m sure the UA GAs at IAH all know that it’s easier to deal with a displaced “normal” passenger than face the ire of this particular congressperson.
Matthew, thanks for your insight on this. I sense your justice and I’m glad that you wrote this article to support this woman who was involuntarily downgraded by someone using her power.
Now I know that Airlines pampers politicians and shenanigans happen all the time. If this happens to me, I don’t know how I will do but blame myself for the bad luck.
I do believe karma. What goes around comes around. Nothing is free.
This really was not major to me until Ms. Jackson screamed racism. Then it became ” Me thinks thou dost protest too much”. I dare anyone on here to tell me that you paid for a first class seat and it was given to someone who didn’t pay for it and you were involuntarily downgraded that you would be just fine with that Anyone would be infuriated and still this woman never said it was Ms. Jackson’s fault. But Ms. Jackson quickly decides with absolutely no supporting evidence that this woman is racist. Well honestly there is definitely racism going on here but it’s Ms. Jackson displaying it.
If United wants to give someone’s first class seat to a politician, I don’t have a problem with it at all. As long as they are honest and give the bumped passenger a fair amount of compensation. United did neither in this instance and should be ashamed of themselves. They were purposely deceitful and rude to the bumper passenger.
This Congresswoman also seems like a piece of work based on her past behavior but ultimately it’s up to the airline to treat its passengers with respect .
I actually agree with you. Something along the lines of, “Ok, we need your seat. How much are you willing to sell it for in United vouchers?”
“5K? Okay, done.”
Instead, the FA drops the “we can have you removed from this flight if you don’t behave” threat on the displaced pax. Classy.
Delta would (by analogy with after-boarding VDB, which I’ve seen) have the GA come into the cabin and say “We need a First Class seat. Is anyone willing to give theirs up for either an aisle seat in C+ or a First Class seat on the flight in 4 hours and a $1,000 voucher?” If nobody jumped in the first 5 seconds, “$1500?”
Great article. SJL is a real piece of work. My personal favorite quote of hers is: “I am a queen and I demand to be treated like a queen”. Classic. I don’t doubt for a second that one of her aides spent the morning badgering a United rep to make the upgrade work. Even though it will never happen, I have my fingers crossed that she will lose her seat in 2018. I can’t believe that people actually vote for her.
Your writing is kinda similar to what the media does after a shooting of a black dude – let’s go dig his past.
I haven’t found anywhere that the congresswoman started any of this. You haven’t presented any evidence either. I guess you did admit that you were just ‘speculating’ in the comments section. Creative title though.
Some of the lines in this article say more about you than the alleged stealing of the 1st class seat. Good work. Happy holidays!
I hope that you read between the lines that I am truly for equal justice, not the sort of justice that allows the more powerful, established, and well-connected person to prey upon the weaker one.
No we can’t read in between the lines when your tone in the article is all about the congresswoman’s alleged past. You are so quick to believe attention whore Marie, who gives details on how a non-united employee was able to steal her seat.
How convenient you changed the title from “steals” to “poached”
Regardless of how flamboyant SJL is, we Texans still love her! And her statement was spot on.
I didn’t change anything.
Are there SJL staffers writing some of the comments here? Lmao!
Good point. It certainly looks like it.
I hope an ethics investigation is forthcoming.
The level of pure speculation on the part of the author is clearly driven by the color of the congresswoman. Shame on you Matthew!
Also, I’m sure if you read the Contract of Carriage closely, you will find that this practice (while unfortunate) is completely allowed!
Please, please, please let there be a lawsuit against the airline with the Ms. Lee named in it.
I have often suspected that powerful people have the option of accessing proprietary airline software to not only change their seat, but also to change and/or cancel the flight of random passengers. Kudos to the author of this brilliant post for pointing out that someone in a position of power clearly did so in this case, so that we can be angry at them in addition to (or perhaps even in lieu of, if we feel so inclined) the airline who less wise individuals might suspect of having done this.
Matthew, I completely agree with you. Don’t let the negative comments discourage you. Those people have their own agenda. Just keep up the good work.
Rep jackson lee nor her aides caused this issue. Unless you consider intimidation on a regular basis.
This probably wouldn’t be newsworthy except that rep jackson lee made it newsworthy by accusing the woman that got bumped of being a racist.
There is plenty of racists and incidents of racism without manufacturing it. This wasn’t racism,
it was bullshit thrown by the FA, United, Rep Jackson Lee and those supporting her.
I am surprised at the vitriolic tone of this post; it smacks more of a politically biased rant than of a legitimate travel story.
Matthew claims that Congesswoman Jackson Lee “poached” Simon’s first class seat. No, she didn’t. She took the seat assigned to her by United Airlines. Matthew’s rather bizarre tone of shock & disgust makes it sound like Jackson Lee told Simon: “girl, get your ass out of my seat!!”
And then there’s Matthew’s tone towards Ms. Simon, whom he refers to as the “victim”. Victim? Really? Maybe she did inadvertently cancel her connecting flight through the United app. Maybe she canceled it deliberately, changed her mind, and just showed up at the gate expecting her original seat. We don’t know. Matthew sure as hell doesn’t know. Yet, he just treats everything said by Simon as gospel. Just bizarre.
And how interesting and convenient (for Simon) that some mysterious Texas congressman is on hand to rat out Jackson Lee, claiming that she regularly takes the first class seats of other passengers. Once again, there is a comical insinuation that Jackson Lee is somehow physically removing people from their first class seats. This whole thing smacks of a James O’Keefe/Andrew Breitbart stunt.
I have no doubt that Jackson Lee is a major pain in the ass. And she cracks me up, too. But shouldn’t Matthew’s beef be with United and not a bombastic congresswoman? Shouldn’t the point of this post have been how an airline bumps everyday passengers in favor of political bigshots? Afterall, Matthew made a point of how he regularly called United in order to get his boss, congressman Duncan Hunter, upgraded on his apparently weekly flights back to San Diego. How many people do you suppose were hugely inconvenienced by Hunter’s need to fly first class? Matthew doesn’t seem to have the same sense of outrage over that.
And this is where I suspect that there’s some political bias on Matthew’s part. He goes on a shrill tirade about “Democratic congresswoman” Jackson Lee but merely and quietly references Duncan Hunter as a “California congressman.” Well, to be more precise, Duncan Hunter was a conservative Republican congressman who also had a questionable reputation on Capitol Hill. Strange how such tidbits were not referenced in this post.
Valid points. I have to confess that I wondered about many of the same things. Certainly the political bias is unfortunate, and I’m not even a Democrat.
The bias is admittedly against Jackson Lee, not against Democrats.
@Imperator: Thanks for your comment. What truly set me off was Jackson Lee’s moronic, self-righteous, hateful post on Facebook addressing this issue. My political leanings are for more nuanced than you suggest and I fail to understand how/why, knowing the United app as I do and knowing Simon had no ties to Houston, there is absolutely no reason to even contemplate that she “deliberately” cancelled her fastest way home. Furthermore, I’ve seen the gate agents in Houston in action. I’ve seen them play games with the standby list to get their non-rev friends on. So I absolutely buy into Simon’s assertion that she was rudely treated then threatened by the gate agents. That makes her a victim, even if she inadvertently cancelled her reservation on the app. Lastly, “poached” does not mean steal — I used poached because it has a broader definition. And by definition, she poached that seat — she took it from the passenger that paid for it, even if she is not directly at fault for it.
I think your most valid point is that in pointing out Duncan Hunter was a conservative Congressman, we better understand how politicians from both sides are given star treatment on airlines like United.
Thanks for being the only travel blog that has done anything besides rehash the stories printed in various places!!
I value your opinion and experience… Further, based on the circumstances it seems clear that something fishy is going on here and United is being anything but transparent.
I really hope the media (and blogs) continues to hammer United about this because if it happened to me I would be furious, regardless of the race, nationality, or sex of the person who ended up in my seat.
Finally, as a 1k member I have extensive experience with the United app… It is not easy to accidentally cancel a flight… You really have to be set on doing it. And even then you are notified that you canceled it. Does United have proof it sent her an email confirming that she voluntarily canceled her flight? Again, when I cancel flights I get these emails and there should be a record of this since she is a *A Gold member…
In my extensive experience with United, I have never known gate agents to be overly generous when they really believe you are the at fault party… The fact she got a $500 voucher at the gate seems to indicate they knew something was wrong and they we’re trying to placate her. Again, none of this passes the smell test… The racism claim just makes it nastier and appears to be completely baseless.
The comments on the congresswoman’s FB post seems to speak for themselves…no one seems to really believe it went down the way she says it did.
And her pulling the race card was out of left field and uncalled for.
Politics at its “finest.”
How is it that in the U.S, awarding top tier status + promotion to the front of the upgrade queue just because the person is a public official, doesn’t constitute an act of bribery?
Quite the commentary over at https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/1884274-pax-accuses-ua-giving-her-f-seat-us-rep.html
This may seem like a naive question but since there are so many people on here with so much more experience flying than I have, maybe one of you can tell me this, who pays for politicians travel expenses? Unless whichever politician is paying for their ticket out of their own pocket, none of them should ever be seated in a first class seat.
Not naive at all. A Congressional office is budgeted a certain amount or travel each year. They are required to buy government tickets — either YCA or -CA (google for more details). These are upgradable, just like most tickets. If a Member has elite status, they theoretically would compete with everyone else for an upgrade.
I believe on trips over 12 or 14 hours, they are authorized to buy business class.
This is an interesting topic and I appreciate you bringing it up. I will check it out and provide a follow-up post in the new year.