Wednesday’s United Airlines flight 1813 from Houston to Los Angeles diverted to Phoenix when a woman went berserk over being unable to drink wine. It appears that she wanted to drink her own wine she’d brought on board with her.
She argues with a flight attendant. She argues with other passengers. And all she wanted was to drink wine. But instead of wine she whines, gets told to sit down – or get arrested. Never a good idea, she challenges: “Let’s do it.” But the United crew wasn’t playing.
A crewmember tells her,
You came on the plane with wine. I was nice enough to let you on the aircraft. I could have made you stay in Houston. This is how you’re going to treat me?
You can bring your own wine on board. You cannot drink any alcohol on board that isn’t served to you by a flight attendant.
And while there are limits to the crewmember instructions you must obey, this flight attendant points out, “You were crying and I gave you a hug because you told me you were having anxiety.” Onboard Whino, dubbed ‘a Karen’ by several people watching video of the incident on social media, woman couldn’t be guilted in compliance.
Apparently the situation went on for about 40 minutes. According to a passenger on the flight, but not confirmed by the airline, once she was on the ground she was not arrested. Instead she was put up “in a suite” and then given a first class ticket for the following morning. That passenger is bitter that they received no compensation for the diversion – but it was this woman’s fault, not United’s.
@bperkins33 Ankther video of the karen who couldnt get her wine. We had to land the plans so she could get escorted off and causing us even more delays than we already had. Over wine.
@bperkins33 She couldnt have her wine so they didnt let her have her arrival lmfaoooo fucked me over tho #airport #karen ♬ original sound – Blake Perkins
@bperkins33 So annoyed that we had to land so she could be arrested but also free in flight entertainment lmao #karen #airline ♬ original sound – Blake Perkins
@united pic.twitter.com/ct39ZQDwAE
— ranch is supreme (@blakers33) July 26, 2023
According to United Airlines,
On Tuesday, July 25, United flight 1813 diverted to Phoenix due to a disruptive passenger who continually refused to follow the flight attendant’s instructions to return to her seat. Law enforcement officials met the aircraft on arrival and removed the passenger, and the flight subsequently departed for Los Angeles later that evening. The customer has been banned from future United flights while we review this matter.
I’m skeptical that she got a suite and a first class flight the next day. She had to deal with law enforcement, and she’s temporarily banned from the airline – that may convert to a permanent ban.
And all because she pulled a Quint from 1987’s Can’t Buy Me Love trying to impress a girl with his wine knowledge:
Quint: I’ve learned to appreciate the finer things in life. I even travel with my own wine. You never know the quality you may encounter at a soiree.
Fran: [smells the wine and coughs] Very classy.
Quint: [takes a swig out of the wine bottle] Mm-hmm. I’m into class. It’s my new thing.
There’s little question that much of the wine served on board is swill, and there are indeed times you can bring your own but again – the flight attendant must serve it to you. You cannot serve yourself.
Did United Beat the Crap out of her as they have done in the past?
Why don’t the airlines take these freak shows and ban them from flying for good? It would solve a lot of problems.
During the worst of the pandemic when Delta provided no service beyond a bottle of water, I saw quite a few customers pour wine from the Sky Club (if it was open) into a Yetti insulated container.
I don’t k now what United’s policy is, but Delta has said before they won’t pour a customer’s alcohol purchased at duty-free. Meanwhile, at least pre-pandemic, JetBlue used to advertise that its flight attendants would pour airport-purchased booze for a passenger. I know some have reported that dry airline Egypt Air has been known to do this too.
I wish I had known earlier about Egyptair policy. It was a looong flight from CAI to JFK
A little baksheesh goes a long way.
United as a whole and this employee in particular needs some de-escalation training.
He not only made the matter worse, he caused a flight that was literally 48 to 60 minutes from landing at LAX (based on location) to divert to phoenix now costing the airline at minimum landing, departure, and fuel cost over his overreaction.
These are the things that make me shake my head
Stop using the term “Karen” – it’s a misogynistic and oft prejudiced (anti-white) slur. The New York Times has an excellent piece this weekend advocating against the usage of this slur. Just because people in a video have been using it doesn’t make it acceptable to repeat it in the headline. If a bunch of people in a different video were shouting the N-word, you certainly wouldn’t repeat it in the headline.
Let’s be high class.
Hmmm. Let’s return to a post you made earlier in the year.
https://viewfromthewing.com/dont-like-the-wine-airlines-serve-consider-bringing-your-own/
So why didn’t the crew just tell her only they could serve the wine and if she gave the bottle to them, they would serve it to her?
Gary?
Not sure why my comment deleted. Pointed out Gary has a picture earlier in the year that if you dont like the wine selection, bring your own.
Could this not have been easily resolved by telling her she could give the wine to the FAs to serve her?
If she then chose not to, fight it out from there.
*post not picture.
@alison
Shut up karen!!
YOU should legally change your name to Karen
What about the limit on liquids? Is that gone now?
@Doug. I agree with Alison. Why call it being a Karen? In my opinion it’s insulting to all people named Karen. Hopefully they don’t let it bother them. Who first chose that name Karen for someone being a jerk? Not all people named Karen are jerks. Some are named Doug. Why not call it being a Doug?
I have a strong feeling that “alison” has been called a “Karen” many times.
How unimaginative to use words like “Karen”. Doesn’t sound like a word a “thought leader” would use. Sounds like a “thought follower “ to me.
Anyway, all these words each side uses are getting quite trite. Be an independent thinker, you’re capable, I know.
@carol
maybe you and alison, the other karen, can start a movement of “Karens against using Karen as a derogatory name for karens”
alternatively you can both GFYS
All women are Karen’s but it mostly comes from the American attitude that women are princes.
I posted this comment on a similar post… But I’ve had that flight attendant before… and he’s a super nice guy…
I think he remained professional while trying to get the situation under control.
@Alison in the words of the great Taylor Swift, you need to calm down. Your feigned Fox News outrage isn’t cutting it.
Another day, another United diversion.
I know a lot of Karens and they don’t appreciate your use of the name (even if it has reached the vernacular). You can find better descriptors.
@boraxo
shut up Chad!!
Are there any adults left in this country??
Thanks to those of you commenters who are trying to steer people away from using “Karen” as a pejorative.
Part of the problem is airports selling and serving liqour. Too many paxs end up causing problems like this woman or are intoxicated when they board. Airports can give up a few dollars in revenue and not sell liqour.
@SOBE ER DOC Doug is the one that needs to calm down. Not Alison.
@KAREN
shut up karen, your demeanor is proving us right
🙂
@carol lewis
lighten up or you will be forced to legally change your name to karen lewis
If this lady were black the narrative would be how United is racist, and this woman would be a victim, not a Karen.
You know I’m right.
@admitit
Whats your point karen?
Re “That passenger is bitter that they received no compensation for the diversion,” the poorly behaving passenger should be fined $1000 times the number of other passengers on the plane, and the money distributed to them.
Next up on UA flight: a passenger will freak out, whining “I need my recreational marijuana” !
Wow! This looks like a food fight on NextDoor!
Passengers that divert flights for actions such as this should be jailed and fined to cover every passengers costs associated with the delayed arrival plus damages.
Can’t believe this but I agree with “ Alison’s” comment regarding the use of the word “Karen”. It is irritating to those real Karen’s out there who are not jerks!
The use of the word “Karen” comes from a specific incident involving a woman named Karen. There was a black man feeding pigeons from park bench. Karen called 911 and the police showed up. She demanded they do something about the black feeding pigeons in the park. When they told her he wasn’t doing anything wrong, she fabricated claims that he had threatened her. Witnesses were adamant that the man in question had not made any threats or threatening gestures. A few weeks later, another white woman called 911 and demanded the cops stop a black man and his family from using the community barbeque at the apartment complex they all lived at. Again, the cops explained that the black man in question wasn’t doing anything wrong. For this, she was called a “Karen” and from there the use of that term has grown and become ever more common. So what is a “Karen” exactly? In the simplest terms, it’s an entitled jerk who wants to punish others by abusing their own authority and the authority of law enforcement. So no, no one is discriminating against women for being named Karen. This is only a problem for people who treat other people badly, regardless of their name. One can argue that it is sexist, but we do have other words for men who behave badly, and we use them. Don’t be a Karen. You know exactly what I mean.
For those who believe Karen to be a demeaning term, it is a kinder substitute for C*%t. The C-word of you will. It’s already diluted and not the flashpoint you think it is.
@Reed, I would rather you used the c*%t word if that is what you really mean.