Some people are aisle seats. They want the extra room leaning into the aisle, and want to control their own destiny, getting up to the lavatory whenever they want without someone else having to get int he way.
Other people are window seats. They want to gaze out at the clouds and the world below, musing on the beauty and grace of flying above the earth, something humans were unable to do throughout most of recorded history.
Either way it’s important to secure the seat you want before your flight, or else you may wind up disappointed like this American Airlines passenger in Charlotte. He was heading to Fort Lauderdale and didn’t get the window seat he wanted. And he just could not handle it.
Another passenger shot video of the man, now shirtless and with pants hanging down below the top of his underwear, as he paced back and forth to the boarding door and began trashing the gate area. He toppled the sign where people line up in group numbers to board.
He got in more than one employee’s face, and ranted at no one in particular in the C12 gate area… before officers responded to arrest him.
The best strategy is to book your window seat when you buy your ticket. That can cost extra, although American Airlines does a reasonable job of making free seat assignments available in advance (and paid seats available to basic economy customers).
Sometimes a change of aircraft means you lose your seat assignment, which is why it’s important to ‘garden your reservation’ and check on any changes that happen after you’ve booked but before your date of travel.
And if your flight is cancelled, and you get rebooked, you’re only able to access whatever is left over – which may not be much on a nearly sold out flight. Even there it’s better to try to trade with another passenger on board – maybe you have an aisle seat someone wants, or you could top off your middle seat with $20 to the person next to you.
$20 seem like a lot? It’s far less than what this passenger will wind up spending after his confrontation with law enforcement, and he still doesn’t get where he’s going – or get to look out the window on this flight, or perhaps even on any future American Airlines flight.
Heading to the plane
Baby, don’t be nervous
No shoes, no shirt and I still get service
I work out
This story is so old, literally before Covid
Come on, Gary, we can do better than this! This is straight up tame!
I guess there’s a legal basis for battery when he gently placed a ball cap on the head of the other person without permission.
Other than that, we’ve got knocking a banister over and waving and gesticulating while shirtless.
Disclosure: I live in FL so I may have elevated expectations for airport freakouts as compared with folks from other parts of our country.
Obviously his Mama did not teach him well enough on how to behave.
Mama with a chancla would have taken care of this.
The amount of time it seems to have taking security off to get the gate is a bit concerning however their quick action once on site is to be applauded.
@Taha:from 20 feet away!
@Lars: from the armpit of America. The entire country’s standards are some of the lowest in the world.
I am so happy I left this hellhole 5 years ago.
I think he forgot that be booked his flight on Spirit airlines.
“Don’t taze me, Bro! Don’t taze me..Aaaaghhhhh”
Another POS on his way to Florida to a MAGA rally.
I feel his pain, although I have refrained from acting out in this manner.
I hope his agent gives him earnings from his video views.
Whatever happened to that cable TV channel of airport fails, and why isn’t this video playing non-stop on seatback screens instead of endless loops of credit card tour packages? Somehow, I feel cheated by the stale entertainment options offered by my upscale airlines.
That’s all well & good until someone asks/demands that you switch seats to accommodate people who want to sit together. Try arguing this one out in front of a plane full of people. Regardless of how much was spent to get said seat.
and what hick town is this?
If those are those are sweat pants he’s wearing, he meets the criteria for the the no fly list.
I guess Spirit was full.
A lot of sad folks because he wasn’t wearing a MAGA hat. He just wanted to get to ORD to do some rioting
Black Lives Don’t Matter! If this had been a white guy, he would have been taken down in 3 seconds, arrested, tried and convicted and sentenced to 45 years to life. This nutcase will be given free air travel for life, which hopefully be very short. Totally disgusted at our govt for allowing. No, ENCOURAGING these animals to ruin whatever country they enter.
It’s anytown USA.
American Airlines and United Airlines both certainly have a way with their customers.
Taha has it right. I grew up in Puerto Rico and was on the receiving end many times. ¡Ay!
This happens once every 2-3 mos. I’d say the system’s working.
He confused America West for Spirit.
Can’t blame him for that
Brian,
Your 6th grade education is in overdrive !!!
“Some people are isle seats?” This is the opening sentence. I couldn’t get passed it.
All the more reason for a NATIONAL do not fly list.
Yo Mr. Gate Agent, I come bearing a gift. And I’ll give you a clue: It’s in my diaper and it’s not a toaster.
If this was a white guy, you would have seen comments here about the gate attendants abusing their power or it might not be the full story so allow the time for the guy to tell his side of the story.
This is old! #preCOVID
https://www.wcnc.com/amp/article/travel/man-arrested-after-crazy-outburst-at-airport/275-40ba37da-ac71-41db-b57f-ac1cb737f9e7
That man is only disappointed and showed his anger coz he didn’t get the window seat , the cops can come and sit with him and console him b4 they show they are very sincere in their job , why always only arresting methods.
I don’t care if this is an old incident or new….. I just want these POS placed on the Fly Ban List and get these turds back in line to get a Greyhound.
Florduh Man gotta do what Florduh man do when not accommodated or confused – It’s genetic & cultural in Florduh.
Pull your drawers up, Junior!
What a stupid twit!
“Elaine: “Some people are isle seats?” This is the opening sentence. I couldn’t get passed it.”
*Aisle
*past
@Elaine
If there really are “isle” seats I’ll take one! Get right to the sea, sun and adult beverages. Lol.
This mook is an ego out of control. Just a reminder to practice your mindfulness before interacting with the public.
Lars says:
April 18, 2023 at 6:24 am
Replying to Lars:
That’s a pretty depraved and sad life when this is what’s normal and tamed for you …. SMH. Hope things eventually get better for you!
I’m watching this thinking, “this looks familiar”. It’s not hard to think this could happen more than once in a few years. This time, it didn’t. This was a VERY old situation.
Here I am ACTUALLY calling my US representative to have them support the Protection from Abusive Passengers act, thinking this article is way too coincidental.
Neither coincidence or intentional.
Are we now defining “trashing the gate” as simply knocking over the walkway thing? Seriously?
How dramatic and sensational can the authors be? Like, can we just be honest and publish the story as it happened instead of embellishing?
Seems the author is trying to compensate for something.
That’s a meth head lol
I suppose reporting these stories is your job Gary, but this is REALLY not newsworthy.
In the U.S., approximately 1.73 million people fly per day. Approximately 4% of the population have a severe mental illness. So, it can reasonably be expected that 69,200 people a day could create a disturbance. The only thing that surprises me is that similar events don’t happen more often (especially in Miami :-)).
If people like this are flying, who is riding the bus?
Hey Frosh, 1st of all>>>clean your diaper out. And leave our country and take this diaper baby with u. You have a friend..and better walk, no airline will take either of you. He’s now in federal prison with friends. Go for a visit..and run….
Gary, this story is old… Also, Puerto Ricans are very hot headed people…
“OH, I’m sorry, I thought this was america ”
-randy marsh
Not his first time in handcuffs.
Why did he not pay for a window seat. I paid for a window seat. The dad and son walked up and he said this is it . He said sorry son the window seat is not available you can’t set there. He stood there like I was moving. The dad said son just set down.
I don’t get why he partially disrobed. He must be mentally ill or experiencing the side effects of some sort of mind altering chemical substance.
Did somebody to decide to give free tickets to all the nut cases or wtf is going on?
Manners maketh a man. He, is obviously MAGA. There aren’t many men there.
I seriously don’t mean to do the ‘internet thing’ and bag on people when I don’t know all the circs – but all those gate agents seem remarkably ill-equipped to handle an enraged individual. I personally would feel very unsafe knowing my well being was dependent on armed security arriving from who-knows-how-far away.