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? !
“ya’ll need to clean it up here in ATL!”
They told me “not” to move here.
I guess it says loud and clear that not all people have the same values of treating people with courtesy and respect as was the point of this F/A’s rant.
As a black man his lecturing to the agent must of really made him feel embarrassed to be associated with a profession that has been lowered to such a standard that allows this black woman of color agent, the ability to get away with treating passengers so badly or disrespectfully… is what i got out of this interaction. While i am not defending him in any way… airline careers were once esteemed positions in which people worked hard upon their professionalism image, manners, and mannerisms to attain such a valued career.
I have a feeling this dude may of worked at one time for AirTran or Southwest, and was appalled to see what has become of his beloved airline in Atlanta. I also feel by his reference to ghetto, there may also be a class and values judgment being made too, in which his dignity of who he was may have been, offended by what she represents. Feminists wokeyness have not been a good thing for our nation and our airline industry and people like this prideful man are realizing this and has had enough and people being unkind to other people just because they can.
Atlanta is a nasty city. Also, Southwest?!?! Why is this still an “airline”?
So women because they are “b” women can be rude and disrespectful to customers and this upset the male non-rev pax because he is “b” but “d” too, and was appalled and called her out on it.
Guess my post hit a nerve unintentionally! Hmmm? Professionalism at WN and ATL has really fallen. Uniformed F/A was not in the right either though. Liberalism and feminist thought control is seemingly being tolerated here by cancelling my previous post? I thought I was being really fair too though am unabashedly anti-woke which why can I not be? This is free world America last I checked.
My Comments have been censored, moderated, or prevented from viewing although totally none profane or not appropriate
I think this is appropriate to your readership.
Yeah, @George Nathan Romey, I saw that video on YouTube with Chris the (probably former) AA f/a who was just six weeks on the job. What difference does it make that your dad is NYPD and your brother works on the LIRR?
Same idea why I could trust many people with a buddy pass. No discretion.
I live in Atlanta and travelling through the Atlanta airport is typically the worst way to begin and end any vacation. You go on vacation to relax and be treated well, and you’re almost guaranteed the opposite experience in the airport.
@ Tim — You’re such a great guy, wishing that someone would be fired from their job.
How do you nonrev on an airline that isn’t the one you work for!??
Did anybody consider they might not be a nonrev and on a paid ticket? Many commuters buy a ticket for positive space.
@Chris — Move then.
@Gene — Regrettably, a vocal minority of commenters here nearly always call for summary executions, aka ‘burning the witch,’ without investigation, due process, etc., automatic ban or firing. It’s silly. If it were them, they’d never want to be treated that way.
Gene, 1990,
nowhere did I say I was hoping for the guy to lose his job.
I did say, as others and Gary have said, that airlines do pull travel benefits for employees that do not follow company guidance – which many people have noted is to do the exact opposite of what this guy did.
Because he appears to be a commuter, losing pass privileges could cost him his job unless he is willing to move to his base.
And it is very possible that DL might fire him. That isn’t my hope but the very real possibility that he invited on himself by his behavior.
Gary has had several stories about other airline FA behavior over the last couple days and the outcome for them might be the same
Yep probably should have flown incognito or kept mouth shut. Plus it gives “yahoos” on other forums the opportunity to race bait. Bad optics.
@Stan, all airline employees non-rev on their own “metal.” They also have access to https://www.myidtravel.com that allows them to non-rev on other airlines’ “metals.” Employees call this “Zed” (zonal employee discounts).
He may not be completely right but he is essentially right. Southwest should have never bought AirTran.
@Tim Dunn — I’m rarely upset with you, sir. Most of your ‘hot takes’ are actually well-grounded, nuanced, and a pleasure to read. Likewise, the interactions you motivate with others are some of the most exciting things on this and every one of the blogs that you frequent. You keep doing you. Keep climbing!
1990
I call spades by name.
In this case, someone crossed the line. Decisions and actions have consequences.
From my understanding, the Delta FA wanted to preboard and got upset when they told him no and to board with his position. Sir, you are nonrevving on another carrier! Just take the boarding pass, board with your position, sit down, and shut up! The entitlement is crazy! And got the nerve to yell at the SWA agents that are just trying to do their job. Shame on you!
One thing he is not wrong about, Southwest Agents at ATL airport are rude.
My daughter was about to fly alone. Went to ask one agent how do I have her fly as an unaccompanied minor.
She asked, who sent you over here. I said, does that matter. She got mad and continued to ask. I said forget about and I walked away.
Next, thw agent followed me across the ticket desk and proceeded with a confrontation.
After flying Southwest for many years, I think their service overall is steeply on the decline.
They hire people at the ATL airport that live close to the airport more than anyone else. College Park AND East Point have higher crime rates than Atlanta. Ignorant hoodrats are the controlling majority. Say “arruh” instead of “r” with a Madea smile and they relax a bit. He should have said: “Get it together befoh The Karenz can start that old black lady over therrah tryyin to sleep.”
I’m not understanding the crack about Northeast. Northeast airlines was absorbed into Delta back in the early seventies back in the height of airline regulation. Not sure of the relevence here.
SW should put the obnoxious Delta guy on its No Fly List!
That is every DL employ at JFK; just a normal DL attitude
@Jim LeJeune — It is most certainly not “every DL employ at JFK.” What an ignorant, silly, and hate-filled comment. Decent, hard-working, pleasant folks working at both JFK and ATL, with Delta and other airlines. C’mon, folks. The incident in this article is bad, but, rest assured, it is an outlier.
Oh no, another triggered Gen whatever kid. Well as a point of fact that has been my experience on Klan airlines, aka Delta at JFK for every employ in the late three months for eight flights, (all in business) so do me a favour kid and bark somewhere else and find a safe space. It is not my fault your parents did not buy you enough toys.Typical DL sycophants just like Spectrum boy. The real world is a tough place…
Don’t worry, I’m sure his union will be there for … ohhhhh, rrriiiiight — never mind.