A passenger was kicked off of an Alaska Airlines Portland – Las Vegas flight after spending 10 minutes in the lavatory before departure. The woman was killing time on her phone, admitted not understanding how the bathroom worked, and said she’d had ‘one and a half mimosas’ at the airport but doesn’t appear to have been intoxicated.
The woman – a self-professed frequent flyer – asked the flight attendant for help using the toilet because she hadn’t used a bathroom before. Hint: The light goes on when you lock the door.
Usually when passengers go into the lav with their phone it’s to watch you-know-what. This woman was apparently having a conference call?
And she got bounced from the flight by an Alaska Airlines staff member who first thought she’d been directed to the wrong person, since the passenger appeared sober. The crewmember, though, insisted – while the passenger waited patiently expecting Alan Funt to jump out from inside the galley.
Eventually the passenger got rebooked off of the 5:30 p.m. to a new 10 p.m. departure. And she’s steaming enough that she went to TikTok dropping a lot of language that is not safe for work, not safe for work from home, and not safe for a Ludacris concert.
@kandace_h SPREAD THE WORD ! @alaskaair THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE !! I AM LIVID !!! The flight attendants on flight #714 from Portland to Vegas need to be fired !! I was BLATANTLY lied on & removed from the plane…UTTERLY embarrassed by your staff !!! I have flown with this company too many times & have only had pleasant things to say about it, until today ! #pdx #alaskaairlines #discrimination #foryou #fyp ♬ original sound – Kandace H
(HT: One Mile at a Time)
No goat in this story? You’re slipping, Gary.
“Usually when passengers go into the lav with their phone it’s to watch you-know-what.” Is that based on personal experience, Gary?
Maybe she was trying to get away from crying babies.
has she played the race card yet?
Said chad, the white guy that watches too much FOX News.
“ Usually when passengers go into the lav with their phone it’s to watch you-know-what”
Are we 6 years old and shouldn’t read “porn”?
Ray, p*rn is not viewed by an ethical consumer. Although the adult industry has taken steps to remove some nonconsensual content, it’s never clear what is produced under coercion. An ethical consumer views only content, such as Instagram feeds, produced by and featuring a solo individual. This type of behavior requires an active imagination, but it is far more ethical.
Seriously, Gary? No, if you take your cell to the lav it’s because it’s the easiest and most expensive item for one of 200 pax around you to steal. For Pete’s sake. Not in 20+ years of flying did this ever cross my mind. An airplane? I mean, are you even for real? And why do you know this? Gross! Move out of Austin!
@Beavis
Yes, it’s called being informed. It’s easy to see you are drunk on grievance politics.
I agree with Chad. It’s only a matter of time. Besides, usually when the cabin doors are secured, cell phones should be turned off or put in the airplane mode. That’s FAA & FCC rules.
I love your blog Gary, but 5 of your last 7 articles are CRAP. I wish you’d just stick with what your so good – analyzing the industry
Airlines need to be extra cautious when it comes to drunk passengers. The effects of alcohol get worse with altitude. Thus passengers drunk on the ground, can get even worse after takeoff. This can cause diversions or law enforcement to be needed at destination.
Also, drunks can get sick. This also can cause diversions, extra time to clean planes, and medical to be needed at destination.
Drunks cause a lot of problems for flight attendants and can cost an airline a lot of money and bad customer satisfaction.
It is understandable why flight attendants might be quick to remove someone they think is drunk by the way they act and has admitted to drinking.