An American Airlines passenger wasn’t allowed to board his flight from Austin to New York JFK because he was filming a gate agent that he thought was rude. The agent didn’t like him filming and called for a supervisor, who refused to allow him to take the flight. They deemed filming employees to violate the airline’s rules – though these are secret rules which do not appear published anywhere that customers can see them.
Police were called, the officer confirmed the passenger wasn’t breaking the law, but they still weren’t allowed to board.
Apparently the dispute began when the passenger tried to bring two bags onto the plane that the gate agent deemed carry-ons (rather than the allowable carry on bag and personal item).
- According to the passenger, the agent asked them to consolidate into one bag.
- The passenger did so, but then the bag was deemed too large to be allowed on board and they were asked to check it.
- That’s when the frustrated passenger filmed the agent, who objected.
They told the police officer they’re willing to gate check the bag, they just want to fly, and were filming so they could identify the agent they wanted to submit a complaint to the airline about. The passenger offered to delete the video if they’d be allowed to fly. However they were refused boarding, refused rebooking, and told they could request a refund.
Meanwhile, another passenger kneeling by the bag sizer at the gate says that the agent pushed her.
@liranhirschkorn @American Airlines will kick you off a flight without explanation. Ive taken 100s of flights in the last few years and never had an flying with delta. Please share. #americanairlines #kickedoffmyflight ♬ original sound – Liran Hirschkorn
Filming in public is not illegal, and there is no FAA or Department of Transportation against filming inside an airport or on board an aircraft. Filming is even permitted at TSA security checkpoints provided “the screening process is not interfered with or sensitive information is not revealed.”
However American Airlines adopted a policy in 2014 to prohibit photography of employees, they published it at the time only in their on board American Way magazine. They don’t have signage anywhere telling passengers this, and it doesn’t appear in their Contract of Carriage or on their website. The magazine that used to have this policy was eliminated two years ago.
Is a secret policy, than runs against common cultural practice where people film things with their phone at will (and even tag the airline in social media daily without being told they’ve violated any rule), even a policy at all?
Moreover, the right to film is important. David Dao would never have gotten justice after having been dragged off of a United Express flight and bloodied if there hadn’t been video of the incident. United itself initially defended Chicago Aviation Police and apologized to other passengers that they’d been inconvenienced by Dao’s behavior.
It is certainly understandable that employees don’t like to be filmed doing their jobs. They’re in public spaces, dealing with members of the public, but most people doing the filming wouldn’t like it if the roles were reversed! Still, enforcing a policy that customers aren’t on notice about seems… problematic.
(HT: Off The Beaten Points)
@Daniel logas. It may be a “legal” right BUT, it is AGAINST American Airlines rules & policy, which IS documented on their website. If someone hasn’t done anything wrong themselves, what is even the need to record ANYTHING!!! The only reason people are doing this anymore is so they can stir $h*t & try to get as much out of the other person/company (ie; freebies, payoffs, etc.) as they can!!!
@JS SCREW YOU!!! This is DIRECTLY off American Airlines website jerk!!!
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American Airlines does not want people filming or shooting pictures of its employees. If you violate that policy, you can be denied permission to board or kicked off your flight.
3 days ago
The gate agent was offending other passengers as well! One other passenger said she pushed her and several were complaining and backing up the gentleman recording the video. The gate agent was on a power trip and should be fired. A policy isn’t a policy, well, if it isn’t a policy!
This guy is a Delta Diamond frequent flyer too. Could he have simply written the name down? Yes. However by doing this, it has went viral and started a more widespread discussion which is way more valuable. Him not flying on that flight wasn’t that big of a deal to him. He still got home that night a few hours delayed.
The argument that the gate agent could be assaulted later as a result of the recording is simply ridiculous. Show me proof that this happens or has ever happened. The video is the only way he can properly document the situation. Good thing too because other passengers were upset at the same gate agent. She is obviously the problem. If she would’ve been reasonable then he would’ve stopped recording and never have posted this either. Maybe she will think twice next time. If she doesn’t like being recorded, then she sure as heck doesn’t like being in a viral video where most people think she is in the wrong.
Airlines have been going downhill and this is just another example. He never said he wouldn’t check his bag either, so the “too may bags” argument is not valid. He did consolidate and then that was a problem. The video recording should have nothing to do with it at all. Plus you could have a hidden camera and they would never know the wiser. It was only when she realized he was recording her and got resentful did she fight back with not letting him board the flight. I also guarantee plenty of people record in that area and catch her on video and she never goes and tells people to stop.
He has no *right* to fly with them, but they sold him a ticket and he was following the posted rules and regulations. Then their refusal is discriminatory based on an employee’s personal feelings about an individual passenger. He bought a ticket that they sold him promising service. This service was refused with no policy or rule. That is wrong.
@Record Everything. All you $h*t disturbers need to stop!!! You all feel so entitled & it’s making me sick!!! Abide by the rules or don’t fly with them, simple as that!!! No need to record everything & make a big deal out of it!!!
Seriously, get a REAL life people!!!
@Cathy White. are you real? are you serious? could you be polite and show good manners?
Obviously the agent was on a serious ego trip as there are other ways to deal with that sort of situation. She was obviously not being threatened. The supervisor did a poor job and both did certainly certainly no favor to American Airlines behaving that way.
Getting evidences is appropriate in case of conflicts. That for many reasons. Even if only to review the situation later when things are not so intense anymore.
Your comments are so one sided as if everyone would use technology in these situations to abuse or extort. You just see what you want to see. Feel free to insult me too if you think it may help.
@Erick Whatever you’re ALL just being flat out ridiculous!!!
mmmh so “Cathy” is actually some kind of so called AI generated chat…
@Erick NO, I just know right from wrong & know how to abide by rules, policies & laws!!!
I know how to conduct myself correctly as to not make a big issue out of something so trivial.
If there is a dispute about who said what, the video will provide the proof. The company would always say “Our gate agents would never say that.” And unless you can give them the name, and provide video, there is no way to prove different.
Princess cruuse lines burned me on a tour I signed up for, but later they maintained I never signed up for it, and I couldn’t remember the name of the agent, nor did I have a picture to prove it. ALWAYS TAKE A PICTURE OF THE AGENT, AND WRITE DOWN THEIR NAMES. SO YOU CAN TELL IT IN COURT.
Bravo AA!
People have gone Batshit crazy since the ” pandemic “. Ill disregard for rules, laws and respect in Faucet of life.
Throw out cell phones!
@Harmon Everett Yes, I would agree about writing down the name but sorry ♀️ I just don’t see the significance of taking their picture. Everyone has their right to privacy. I know I sure wouldn’t want someone I don’t know taking my picture.
People are just too video happy anymore, it’s like, if someone merely looks at you wrong people feel they’re being wronged & think they have to video or take your picture, usually to make a quick buck off you in court somehow.
lol I see we found ourselves our very own lazy airline employee who doesn’t want to be held accountable
Just got off 2 flights last week, one international and one domestic. It is bewildering to me that so many passengers haul large, heavy “carry on” bags that are either to bulky or heavy to go in the overhead bins easily. This slows down boarding and deplaning for everyone on board. Just check the damned bag already! I know you have to pick up your bags, but think of someone other than yourself for once.
@cathywhite
I think we identified the offending gate agent. Thanks for identifying yourself
People who don’t want to be filmed ought not to work for airlines. AA should just tell their employees that they might be filmed at anytime and make it a condition of employment. Just like workers at retail stores and banks are filmed by their employers by cctv.
Alison should have saved her 250K and used google instead. Of maybe she attended the Harvard Hotel!
I’m tired of people who try to bring too much stuff on the plane. And I don’t listen to the ridiculous one off “horror” stories of lost check bags. I’ve checked my bags all my life and have had very few issues. I’m not an AA fan but I’m all for refusing boarding to people who bring way too much stuff to the gate.
Look, at the end of the day whether you are right or wrong this is not your airline. Every where you go in this world businesses and organizations has rules and policies that you must follow. Even you have your own personal established rules in your household that other people will have to follow if you invite them over. I’m sure if people cannot follow the rules and policies you have put in your place then they will have to leave and go somewhere else, right? It’s the same way with American Airlines. If you don’t like their rules, policies, or customer service then go somewhere else. It’s just that simple. That’s just the way it is so get over it.
If these employees were being courteous in their conversations with passengers, what’s the harm in being filmed? Some airline employees are very abrupt and uncaring about thèir responses and, I believe they are the ones who resent being filmed. What has happened to respect to our fellow man? It no longer exists as it once did.
is it not striking that most comments supporting the behavior of the agent at the gate are from frustrated people? while I totally share that frustration regarding customers bringing way too much carry on I certainly do not support tyranny and power abuse based on obvious personal feelings coming from any employee. Not only in the airline industry.
A lot of comments seem just off topic to me. Very personal reactions based on personal experiences and frustration. Not to mention the many poor amalgams I can read above. Sorry.
Now while AA may be in their right to ban videotaping or photographing in their planes I very much doubt they are in their right to do so at the US airports if they do not own them.
Being treated fairly is common sense. Should be at least.
If the carry on luggage is an issue and existing rules can help solving that issue then applying the rules to all is fine. Using them specifically and only for some is not. Further, in case of conflicts, preventing well behaving people to gather, at the gate not in the plane, necessary evidences, especially under fallacious reasons, is even less fine if there is no violation of any public and well documented law (like in Europe where you actually should ask for consent before photographing or videotaping).
As a side note I fly AA frequently. I happen to take pictures at times (mostly during the pandemic when international flights were pretty much empty). I do not hide when taking picture. On AA I was never ever even made aware that I should not take pictures. Not so on some European Airlines flights where I was quite systematically reminded of the rule 😉
@Step THANK you I couldn’t agree more!!!
@TD No, someone who was just doing her job!!!
@Drue THANK you people have just gotten so rude anymore, they don’t care about anyone else but themselves!!!
@JRS Screw you!!! And NO, I am NOT the gate agent!!!
@Aaron And people just need to stop being jacka$$es about following rules & do as they’re told & they won’t have a problem!!!
@Abishai No, people just need to stop being a$$holes about following rules & do as they’re told!!!
You tell me @Linda Sloane, what DID happen to the days of everyone getting along? And, the days of people doing as they’re told withOUT throwing an entitled attitude & grabbing their cell phones to videotape when they don’t get their way???
@LeDerrick Alford THANK you VERY well said!!!
THANK you @Henry I totally agree!!!
First of all, to the “attorney” from a NYC law firm… You are slightly correct about filming an individual… Unless said individual is performing a public service or servicing the public in a manner that constitutes no guarantee of privacy. As far as AA goes… They are garbage, flight attendants are on a covid fueled power trip that convinced them that they are more than waiter/waitresses that fly. We tend to forget that in fact they are a customer service industry. They should be held to higher standards. I’m an engineer with a major defense contractor and we refuse to utilize AA because of the laundry list of unprofessional problems we have had with the staff.
wish more airlines check the sizes and quantities of carry on bags, The guy in the video looks like a wise ass to start with.
“@JS SCREW YOU!!! This is DIRECTLY off American Airlines website jerk!!!
*****************************
American Airlines does not want people filming or shooting pictures of its employees. If you violate that policy, you can be denied permission to board or kicked off your flight.
3 days ago”
Yeah, no, it isn’t, Karen. Provide the link, as I did.
@JS DO your OWN research moron, like I did!!! All you have to do is type in:
http://www.americanairlines.com/filming policy then read, duhhhhh very simple!!!
This wouldn’t be a story if Mr. Bin Hog hadn’t try to sneak in two “carry-ons” (suitcases) into the cabin. We all know who’s the a** in this story.
THANK you @Gladys Kravitz
You’re absolutely right!!!
Couldn’t have said it any better myself!!!
I totally agree @Jack Allison
Rules are rules, your being a Karen to get attention.. put the camera away and be an adult… Please don’t cave in to this behavior AA .
AA is under no obligation to show you any documentation of assaulted staff from passengers taking video, however there is a plethora of it over the years, some cases still in court.
I know I’m one of them, and a passenger returned next day to assault me. So F$@k off.
It’s a rule on many airlines and I’d you don’t like it fly another airline, no one at AA wants you there with your entitlement.
THANK you @gate Agent
I don’t know about you but, I’ve just about had enough of all the “entitled” attitude from these idiots out there!!!
I hope you weren’t injured too badly by that jerk who assaulted you & I hope you got him good in court!!! Stay safe out there.
THANK you @Jim, my sentiments exactly!!!
Flying is a privilege and not your right. With that said, airlines can stop you from boarding at any point without explanation given. You can get your money back. End of story. No need to be an attorney to understand this simple setup.
@Vjeko THANK you very well said!!!
How quick all these “Customers Service Agents” were to hide or show the reverse sides of their identification badges – If all were performing to company specifications, where’s the beef ? And not every passenger who presents has carry-on luggage ? Are they allowed to single out particular customers and inconvenience or make example of them ?
@ROBERT WALDRON RULES ARE RULES!!! They are meant for EVERYONE not just a select few!!! It’s very simple, abide by their rules or find another airline to fly on!!! Oh & no employees turned around or turned their badges around!!!
@ROBERT WALDRON: thanks for your moderate and sensical comment which is obviously very much to the point.
This thread, being flooded by such weird and, of course, extremely loud and, at times, very uncivilized assertions, acts like a reminder that we are going through times where the power of alternate reality is the real threat.
In this case I have no doubt that the introduction of fully automated gates in a very near future will eliminate a lot of troubles and ensure fair handling of passengers. Same rules for all with no personal ressentiment and vindication.
The agent was just doing her job. This man was belligerent and harassing, and in my opinion disrespectful of the police officer.
@M.Craig THANK you I couldn’t agreemore!!!
Filming is not an unlimited right. The airport and airplanes are private property. They can and sometimes limite recording.
Despite 1a Frauditors saying it, it isn’t allowed by the 1st Amendment. Time, place and manner. They can be TRESPASSED and subject to arrest if they do not comply.
It has gotten so bad when everyone thinks they are a YouTube/Instagram star and have to show everyone how they have been so wronged, without showing the ENTIRE story. Same with those who think every public space is their phone booth.
@Wolfie52 AMEN to that!!! THANK you my sentiments exactly!!!