A Delta flight attendant in uniform confronted Southwest gate agents in Atlanta, telling them to “clean it up.” He was appalled by Southwest’s customer service quality and professionalism at the gate. It appears he’d been non‑revving. It may have been an issue about boarding position. He says he’ll take Delta – or even Frontier! – instead.
Some commenters claim he called the agent a b- and that Delta management already has the clip. That’s not verified in the video or in other online reports I’ve seen.
I think the reactions of “He’s right about ATL service” are largely right, that Atlanta gate agents can be brusque (relative to other Southwest stations) and the Delta employee isn’t wrong to call them out with “CLEAN IT UP.” Commenters are pretty strong on this point.
“He told NO lies”
“ATL does suck with their customer service”
“He said ATL and I was instantly on his side”
“Southwest should hire him to clean it up.”
That said, this is in-uniform conduct at the airport as a non-rev. Escalating with employees of another airline at the gate risks discipline and loss of travel benefits. Delta just suspended and fired a bunch of employees for their public comments about Charlie Kirk. Claims that “Delta doesn’t play that about their brand” aren’t wrong and other crewmembers know “When we wear our uniforms, we are a representation of the company.”
The incident is also a broader representation of Southwest versus Delta, and especially in Atlanta where the Texas-based carrier has largely cut and run. They bought the number two carrier at the airport, AirTran, and they’ve not only chopped the Atlanta operation to bone they’ve cut the Northeast they acquired too. That said, I do have to wonder whether the wired headphones he’s wearing with a cord live up to Delta’s image?
Ultimately when you’re nonrevving on another airline (let alone your own!) you need to be polite to agents, let their operations run, and escalate any issues via internal channels. Don’t create a scene that becomes a customer‑facing incident.
ATL is a nasty airport.
“LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!”
The way the Southwest agent dismissively put her hand in his face wasn’t any sort of masterclass on hospitality, professionalism, and deescalation. That being said he was wrong to approach the situation in such a confrontational way. He’s wrong simply because of that, but I can totally understand the way he must have been feeling.
I’ve been flying SW out of Atlanta for decades. Never an issue with gate agents. But with the service cuts I’ll be using them a lot less.
Gary, you can’t have a premium sound quality with wireless headphones. You need the wires for Delta level fidelity. – Tim, probably.
“ He was appalled by Southwest’s customer service quality and professionalism at the gate.”
I love the pointing in someone’s face as an example of professionalism. Then again, Delta pretty much tells all their partners what to do so the inspiration for this episode was probably from Delta bigwigs throwing their weight around.
For a Premium insult experience, choose Delta.
@ Gary — Why are you giving ATL a bad name just because Southwest sucks? Maybe Southwest’s customer service is bad, but that should come as no surprise given they are a trash airline.
I have flown both and I have had good experiences on both. I know what to expect and I will say that everyone has a bad day everyone in a while.
Dealing with the public is VERY DIFFICULT, they’re always right-Thats a WRONG statement n which that spills over to everyday life, in general.
Everything being said to “comment” on another company, while in uniform, is just bad PR on their behalf
I am guessing someone just lost their pass privileges. Since he appears to be a commuter, it might also be his job at stake.
The proper verbage after getting a free ride on another airline is “Thank you. You are welcome to ride on us anytime. Have a nice day.” Somebody didn’t learn good manners.
Discipline? Have you seen Wendy’s? He’s getting a promotion to head of Social Media: Delta Says “Clean It Up.”
Oohhhh he’s a sassy little thing. Has 1990 seen this yet?
He is spot on though with the “ridiculously ghetto” comment.
@CHRIS — You called? Already here.
A premium delta clown that needs to stay in his own lane.
What a total moron. The first rule of non rev is TO NEVER draw attention to yourself. Take what seat is given, board, sit down, shut up and be nice to crew and obey their instructions. Hope he enjoys his next role working at a Walmart store.
BTW, for @Gary Leff there’s a video on Youtube, I watched it yesterday. It “features” a young male AA Flight Attendant at DFW, just six weeks on the job, appears to be commuting, in uniform and wasted off his ass. He’s denied boarding and then assaults a couple of AA employees. Police are called, he resists arrests, strikes one of the officers=r, spits on one of the officers, and has to be restrained. He then begins to cry that his father is a NYC Police Captain and is the “goat.” The video leaves you speechless.
I don’t understand what the underlying dispute was about, but if you are a Delta flight attendant wearing Delta gear, at ATL, complaining to a Southwest gate agent about their airline’s customer service strikes me as a waste of time. *Delta* is your own airline. You’re obviously not a Southwest loyalist whose business Southwest needs to keep.
Definitely have had some issues in ATL in the past with surly personnel.
Sometime in 2010s for some reason was flying LHR-ATL-SEA in Delta One (First for Domestic) and had to go through security again. I was DL Diamond at the time. Inbound flight was late, and I was worried I’d miss my flight, last Seattle departure that evening. ENORMOUS line, I simply asked an employee if there was a premium line, and she loudly proclaimed ‘Well aren’t you special, Look everyone, this man thinks he is better than all of us.and should.go the the front.’
It turns out there was a premium line, but it was closed. ATL is confusing in some areas, I’ve had to ask where premium line is in the past (this was before pre-check).
I’ve worked for a legacy global Airline for 40 years, when writing on a pass or will we call a non-revenue passenger on another airline the golden rule is mind your own business. If an employee of another airline requested my assistance to give them a hand when it came to any customer service issue simple ones, not complex issues I would be more than happy to help service to the customers priority but if you do not work for that company again mind your own business. . If that particular agent from the other carrier was rude or not professional, we were always instructed to take the name of the individual and report them to the carrier they work for.. so am my humble opinion. The Delta flight attendant should not criticize the gate agent in saying clean it up what they should’ve done was can I assist? !