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Subscribe to RSSPALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. - Three women were escorted off a New York bound flight at Palm Beach International Airport on Monday by airline staff and Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies, NBC affiliate WPTV reports. The women claim they did not do anything wrong and that a flight attendant on board was the only one behaving poorly.
The women -- a lawyer, a therapist and a retired travel agent -- were complete strangers until they were seated near one another on AirTran Flight 1451 to White Plains, N.Y. They were buckled in and ready to take off when they said a male flight attendant began mishandling some overhead luggage.
"I said, 'Hey, I have breakables in that,'" said Marilyn Miller.
Miller said her plea was ignored and that the flight attendant even began shoving other bags into hers. "It was just like a bully and I found myself shaking."
Passenger Carol Gray also had a problem and requested attention from the same flight attendant.
"I said, 'Excuse me sir, my seat is broken,' and he looked at me and said, 'I'm not talking to you,' and poked me in the arm," said Gray.
Miller and Gray said the attendant was getting angry and threatened to throw both women off of the airplane.
"He said, 'Well, you're getting off.' I said, 'You've got to be kidding me,'" said Miller, who was escorted off of the plane into the jetway.
The women claim two sheriff's deputies and some airline staffers arrived to take them away. Passenger Karyn Schorr decided it was time to speak up.
"I said, 'This is crazy, they didn't do anything. Why are you doing this to them?'" And he said, 'Throw her off too,'" Schorr said.
All three women said they were in shock when they were led off the airplane and back to the terminal.
"My seat was broken and it really was. Her bag was being mishandled. And this other woman came to our defense," said Gray. "Those are hardly causes to throw us all off the plane."
The women said the airlines should do a better job selecting the people that are in control in the air.
"Stewards have all the power when you're on an airplane, I get that," said Schorr. "But, this is a man who is not balanced."
AirTran and parent company Southwest Airlines have not responded to repeated requests for a comment. The company's website displays the mission of a flight attendant to "deliver friendly, enthusiastic and professional service...while making safety the number one goal."
The women were not cited or charged with any crimes and were offered a flight on another airline back to New York paid for by AirTran. They were told that someone from AirTran management would be contacting each of them directly.
"I've never seen this flight attendant and if I ever see him on a plane again, I'm getting off," said Miller.
This story was first reported by News Channel 5 in West Palm Beach, Fla.
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Just another example of the 'Air Nazis' at their finest.
Well, at leasy you definitely know that she wasn't strip searched because of her looks.
The steward was having a bad 'air' day....
What are you Blake? About 12 years old? Grow up.
Airlines are very careful about not removing passengers, and that decision does not belong to the flight attendant, in order for a passenger to be removed the captain, and the customer resolution officer (who is ground staff) have to be in agreement the customer must be removed. Now, this leads me to believe that in some way these women have some responsibility to the outcome. What puzzles me is the carry on issue, if it was fragile, and carry on why wasn't she handling this herself?
I predict that in the near future, airlines wii begin installing cameras, so they can SEE both the passenger, and flight attendant's behavior.The attendants will know they are there, so treatment should improve. Then when som passenger stats being rude and obnoxious, and is kicked off, the airline can out the video on youtube, and let the world see what in idiot really looks like. And you cn be sure they will fire any attendant that is out of line.
Problem solved.
@BKtony -- a little investigation into this incident seems to indicate that these women had no responsibility for their removal. Other online stories report that the attendant was moving baggage from one bin to another and literally threw the woman's bag from the bin where she placed it into another overhead bin. She saw her bag go flying thru the air, and that's when she spoke up. The 2nd woman had told the attendant that her seat back wasn't working properly, she was uncomfortable, and asked to be moved to another seat, and he decided to move her off the plane.
As for the pilot and the ground crew's involvement, here's what the other story reports:
"Local managers came aboard the flight, and the attendant said he was refusing to fly unless the women were removed from the plane sitting on the tarmac at West Palm Beach, Miller said, noting that a third passenger, Karyn Schorr of Dobbs Ferry, was also kicked off after voicing a complaint about how the other two women were being treated.
Gray said the plane's pilot was called and sided with the attendant, vowing not to fly the plane if the attendant wasn't onboard.
The AirTran managers apologized profusely, Miller said, adding that AirTran officials booked the women on another flight home."
So basically, the attendant was in a pi$$y mood for some reason, and decided to take it out on these three women. The pilot refused to fly if the attendant wasn't onboard, so the ground managers had no choice but to let some little twit of an "attendant" dictate to everyone what was going to happen. Hate to burst your bubble, but sometimes the pi$$y little bully wins.
I hope he enjoyed his dubious victory over those *nasty* passengers and had a nice flight because if I was his manager, it's the last one he'd work on. Like it or not, flight attendants are safety and service crew, and certainly aren't paid to take their bad moods out on passengers.
Let's not call them Air Nazis. That's still painful for a lot of people. How about Air Devils instead. Airholes, Airontherag, or airwitches.
@Lawence
OK - sure. Air Fascists is more-accurate, anyway.
This is bull crap, flight attendents are STUPID! Hate them all. Couldnt agree with you more, Air Nazis,
I recently flew from Providence to Las Vegas as an interpreter for three deaf passengers. Southwest in Providence gave us preboarding so that the hearing impaired passengers could sit up front and read the flight attendant's lips. Unfortunately, he was standing on the other side of the wall, so I signed for them. We made a stop in Philadelphia where they changed flight attendants. The flight attendant came onto the plane, and immediately ordered us to change seats because she had an elderly couple boarding. I explained that we were preboarded because they were hearing impaired and I was their interpreter. She said that we all looked fine to her and told us to once again move. I wound up sitting behind them and could not sign to them. She hid behind the wall while giving her announcements and would not allow any of us to stand and face each other so that we could communicate. Upon take off, she told me that they were trying to tell her something, so it was okay for me to get out of my seat (while the seatbelt light was on) so I could sign. I told her that by forcing us to sit apart, she assumed my responsibilites as an interpreter, and didn't believe that she had the authority to put me or anyone else at risk by ignoring the seatbelt light. They really need to try speaking to people instead of thinking that being a stewardess is a position of power.
One of the many negative affects of the last ten years has been the cultivation of a bunch of mini-hitlers in minor authority roles. Here's another story of one.
The power of flight attendants and pilots to arbitrarily throw passengers off of flights has gotten out of hand. We always hear about their frustration--sometimes legitimate--but what about the right of passengers to be treated with fairness & dignity without this unchecked abuse of authority?
Baltimore you hit the nail. Flight attendents have grown rude and hostile. It is as if we are working for them not the other way around. Sure many now owns shares of the company they work for yet that is not an excuse to be rude and hostile to the flyers--their Customers.
In fact on the last few flights I went on (international and national) I found the American Flight attendents rude and highly disrespectful to the customers at best. For Instance--there was one who refused to bring an elder woman a blanket until she completed her dinner for she was on Break----excuse me. It was obvious the elder woman was cold, so several of us Customers gave her a sweater or coat to wrap around in. But what was classic is WE were told to get back in our seats by the same flight attendent who could not attend to a customer in need but could take a break from her dinner to yell at others.
Personally I don't like flying anymore for I do not like being treated rudely while catering to an attendents whims! Sorry but they should be catering to US, not the other way around!
Outragous behaviour, that flight attendent should be fired. I fly quite a bit and every now and then the is one stewart that should not be working and those on the flight should complain to corporate (when they get off the plane). These woman are owed a public appology and given not only a flight to their distination but free fights for a year by S.W. do to the treatment they recieved. Hope that laywer woman takes them to the cleaners for the unprofessional treatment they received.
Won't see me on AirTran anytime soon if ever. Dethpicable!
A lawyer, a therapist and a retired travel agent are being escorted by cops off the plane! Says the gate agent: "What is this? A joke ?" ----- maybe the flight attendant should have grabbed a couple of beers and slid off the emergency slide !
What changes times when in the 60's--as in the TV show 'Pan Am' that flight attendants were revered and now they are hated as bullies. What a world!
Giz Moe they ARE BULLIES and they get paid to BULLY as they own shares.
What a bunch of BS--yes they should have been charged with Harrassment and fired effective immediately. And these 3 women should have been gifted free round trip flights----but noooo, corp covered their employee's ass instead. How Despicable!
First I'd like to say, I was not there to witness what happened, however I am a flight attendant with another carrier and have been for 21 years. As in any profession there are good employees and not so good employees. The holidays are a very stressful time for everyone, even flight attendants. Some times just the tone of your voice can set off an unpleasant response. We need to all remember to treat each other with respect first and foremost. We do not know what is going on personally with each other and need to remember not to take things personally. A passenger's state of mind may have nothing to do with you since they have only know you for the last ten minutes. Passengers may be coming back from a funeral, they may have just lost their job, or they may be have a strong fear of flying. Same goes for flight attendants, they may be dealing with cancer and still having to work or this maybe their 4th flight and boarding today and are worn out. We are ALL pushed beyond our limits due to company rules and personal issues. I wish everyone this season understanding and hope for a better tomorrow.
Let me say I do agree with you about good employees and bad employees. However, regardless of the flight attendants external factors (cancer, 4th flight, etc.) their job is a customer service and deal with ALL types of people (and attitudes/influences) job. They should (and need) to be held to a higher standard than a passenger. If not, then that bad apple needs to get another job.
BTW - Thanks for your service. I know/seen some of the crap and rude behavior you flight attendants put up with.
My last flight experience was an emergency flight from Tampa. My husband was ill and I have always had a fear of flying. I was seated by a veteran flight attendant who talked me through that flight and introduced me to three other flight attendants who helped direct me to my next flight. My daughter was also a flight attendant for awhile, and there are many more dedicated than not. I do feel though that female flight attendants overall seem to have more patience and seem to treat passengers with more compassion.
I was never a flight attendant, but worked several years in hospitality, including "the happiest place on Earth"--I understand about abusive customers, and can accept that point when we're talking about being short with a customer or too rushed (or exhausted) to fulfill a request.
Throwing three people off of a plane because one is having a bad day, however, is out of bounds.
(My husband suggested that I become a flight attendant to get over my flying anxiety. I told him he was nuts; I did my time in food service and there is no way in Hades would I want to deal with the crap people pull on airplanes!!)
But would you not agree that flying has become something akin to torture, and the airlines get away with any and all maltreatment of their customers?
I have cut back ALOT on my flying, because i will not place myself at the whim of a corporation, and its employees, that statistics PROVE they do not care one bit about their customers.
Is it possible the airlines are driving customers away due to high prices, foul service, and the threat of being entombed on the tarmac just so you can make your stats look good?
I know all about the pull away fraud. once you pull away, you are on time. If we stay locked up in your torture chamber for three hours out on the tarmac, so what?
i agree, not all of the employees are bad. However, you have to agree that the reputation of your industry came from somewhere. These feelings do not appear from thin air.
Lousy Excuse Sonoma---you took the job and all the good and ugly that comes with it. As a flight attendent it is your job to keep all peaceful on the plane and that means not to provoke anger, stress and abuse----you personally may do a great job---but too many these days think that they don't stink their customers do!
The attendants boytoy must not have shown up the night before.
But AirTran won't see my business either! Boycott AirTran until they apologize!
If you read the article, AirTran did apologize.
I bet he wouldn't have treated a man or men like that. If I was going to be removed from the plane for no reason and he was handling my bags and poked me, I would have kicked his ass and asked/answered questions later, so that it would have been worth it. Airlines get away with too much BS, such as making passengers wait for hours on a delayed flight, etc.
Unbelievable! I am sure there are other witnesses -- you know, the ones who were too afraid to speak up after they saw what happened to the woman who spoke up on their behalf?-- that can corroborate their accounts of this event, because this flight attendant needs to be fired!
When something like this happens the airline's only option is to fire the S.O.B. No retraining or anger management sessions--terminate him.
I'm surprised people even fly anymore. Strip searching elderly people, kicking non-threatening passengers off the plane...what else are we supposed to put up with. Because of the 911 terrorist attacks, our airports and airlines have become terrorists themselves
I travel a lot and I have seen things like this many times. I also have seen rude passengers, but not as often as I have seen rude flight attendants. However, the flight attendants work for us; the passengers do not work for the airlines and should demand better service and polite treatment. In this case, the passengers were responding to bad behavior and responding appropriately. Maybe other passengers should speak up immediately at the time they witness flight attendants behaving like this, but they probably need to get to their destination. Why is is always the male flight attendants?????
I suspect it is the male flight attendants because overall, at the risk of sounding sexist, (and I am female), males are not suited to this occupation. They have neither the patience, nor the ability to maintain calm in stressful situations. Every female flight attendant I have ever encountered has been courteous, helpful and make no mistake, they are highly intelligent. There is much training they must endure, and there are many procedures they must learn. The good ones should be appreciated and the less than adequate should be terminated.
srm1, My experience is totally opposite. I can olny think of one flight attendant ever that was rude. The passengers are usually the rude ones. Think about it. The passenger that needs their seat plus part of yours, the one who can't count to 1 (e.g. 3 carry ons), the one who has 1 carry on and it's a frilling duffel bag, those who are special requiring their food/drink now (until waiting their turn), etc.
What I have seen is flight attendants being parents [to kids who parents can't be bother while sleeping, drinking, etc], bartenders for drunks, the calm person putting up with rude or elitist people, helping those that need a little extra boarding, and (especially on Southwest) being comedians.
At the point the 3rd woman was asked to get off; the ENTIRE plane load of people should have got up and disembarked. THEN, talk to the gate agent and have this moron, imbecile removed. There's strength in numbers...............just sayin'
What if ,No one else spoke up on behalf of those 3 ladies because they witnessed the 3 ladies were the ones in the WRONG!!!Hmmmmm...I read saw nowhere in the report that the FA poked anyone either.
I fly with the parent company Southwest all the time, usually the crews are quite personable and funny, my last flight on Sunday seemed a bit cold though...
if everything happened the way these ladies said, there was no reason to remove them, I would be mad as heck to have my schedule delayed because of such a petty incident.
Same adage applies here as to politics: Give someone power and sooner or later they are bound to abuse it. Boycott AirTran/SW until an apology is made to these women.
boycott, boycott, boycott!
two words: Union Labor
Though I wasn't ultimately thrown off the plane, I had a very similar situation occur ona Southwest flight last year. I was already seated and my luggage stowed in the bin above my seat (first bin) when a replacement flight attendant came on board, opened the bin, said whose are these. When I said mine, she responded "you have to move them that's where I put mine". By that time bins were filled halfway back. when I said "Why"-she said "You HAVE to move them". I said "you don't need to bark at me". She said "I didn't". Guy across the aisle said "yes you did." She gave him the death stare. Then she grabbed my bags including my laptop, and literally threw them in a bin almost halfway back in the plane. I knew if I said another word I would be tossed, and wanting to get home I didn't. That's where the ""deliver friendly, enthusiastic and professional service...while making safety the number one goal" fell apart in my mind-but what can you do??
Welcome to the new world. Thou shalt obey the corporation, for they are people too.
Every once in a awhile I encounter one of these people. Air travel is awful enough without these little tin gods making my experience even worse. If this story is true, and I have every reason to believe that it is, then that flight attendant owes a big apology and needs to be working someplace where he has no contact with the public. Air Tran owes these ladies a bigger apology accompanied by a refund and free tickets.
My guess is this flight attendant is not only unbalanced but will shortly be unemployed. If I were those three women I would push it to the end. The airline has already admitted to culpability by offering free flights and not pressing charges.
Nothing was said about free flights...They were put on another flight to continue to their destination!!!
Baffled Reader...did you read the article? If you did, you didn't read it well. Please read it again.
Miscreint , I suggest you Re-read the article, because know where in the article does it say that they were given FREE FLIGHTS.
"The women were not cited or charged with any crimes and were offered a flight on another airline back to New York paid for by AirTran."
The airline simply put them on another carrier, so they could continue on to their original destination...NO FREE flights...So might I suggest the next time you look to correct someone, that you make sure YOU read correctly!!!
Here Baffled Reader-3246620.
I suggest you research before making a definitive claim based on one article. There are too many resources available and it is completely irresponsible to make up your mind before reading other stories. It took me less that one minute to find 30+ articles about this incident.
Deeber2...You're correct it is absolutely irresponsible to make up your mind and passing JUDGEMENT before having all the FACTS!!! Everyone is crusifying this FA without ALL knowing EXACTLY what transpired on this flight. Just going by what these ladies said. NO ONE that was ON THE FLIGHT has come forward and backed up their Accusations. All this is hearsay to what the media is reporting.
And being in the Industry, News travel fast amongst Airline employees. We do get the facts NO matter what Airline you work for. So may I suggest you get the facts before passing judgement!!!
This is what is wrong with giving people power and not providing anyway to overrule them. Any questioning of the behavior of police, airline personal, judges or TSA personnel is automatically taken as "you are being belligerent."
We need a way to make these people accountable and make them think twice or even three times before accusing innocent people. They need to be trained to understand that disagreeing is NOT A CRIME.