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US Airways Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry

by Mike Barish (RSS feed) on Nov 21st 2008 at 12:30PM

You can't drive drunk. You can't operate heavy machinery on NyQuil. And you can't fly angry. At least according to US Airways. Consumerist picked up a story of a traveler who was hoping that US Airways would price match a ticket that he had purchased to the new, lower price. US Airways informed him that they couldn't match the lower fare. When he expressed his true feelings about the airline's inability to be polite corporate citizens, he was told that angry is the new al Qaeda.

Just check out this exchange from his conversation with customer service (CS):

CS: "Did you say you were going to be angry on the flight?"
James: "I totally did. If I know that the guy sitting next to me spent $150 less for his seats than me, you better believe I'm not going to be happy."
CS: "Well, if you're telling me you're going to be angry I'm going to notify security."

A representative from US Airways Executive Relations later reiterated that James had said that he was "going to be angry, and that's one of the words we look out for."

I'd love to know what other words get you added to the watch list. And is it just for security? If I say that I'm parched, do they warn the bartenders in the airport lounge? If I mention that I'm horny, are the flight attendants put on high alert (sorry Heather)?

So add vocabulary profiling to the list of airline security techniques. And the worst part? Now real terrorists know not to tell their customer service reps that they are angry. Beware of the happy man with a one-way ticket.

Who else got into trouble in the skies?

Filed under: Airlines, News

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Reader Comments (Page 9 of 9)

bandida Nov 25th 2008 1:16PM

Gee what if the flight crew was angry for not having a sufficient layover and enough SLEEP!!!!!! No body grounds them!!!!! And believe me it happens all the time!!! (former FA and Dad is former Pilot)

Skye Nov 25th 2008 1:21PM

When you let the little liberties go it is just a matter of time before you find yourself waking up in the gulag.

K. Bakke Nov 25th 2008 1:23PM

a.) She was drunk and out of control, they were doing their job. And the family wanted an easy buck so they sent her ALONE knowing she would go out of control. The responsibile people are the FAMILY and not the authorities.
b.) Cargo bays are watched just as much as anywhere else.
c.) And just remember that to say one is "ANGRY" IS DANGEROUS, doesn't anybody remember the BULLIED boys that got ANGRY and shot up COLUMBINE SCHOOL.
And I HAD to sit next to an ANGRY person on a flight not too long ago, and after 2 hours I was about to go nuts on him! And it wasn't the airlines fault it was the JERK that thought himself above everyone else.
So yes sometimes people need to watch what they say, it is called using ones brain before opening ones mouth!

Mack Nov 25th 2008 2:05PM

GUY- the quote you used "it was a bomb" usually indicates that the movie was Bad not good. Just an FYI

Mack Nov 25th 2008 2:10PM

Aren't you exaggggerating just a little bit. Nobody I have ever heard of has been arrested for sex....

pjchilds Nov 25th 2008 2:15PM

Last year we had a stopover in Pittsburgh and watched a very traditionally dressed Muslim couple leave their bags at a bench near a snack bar, while they went to the airline counter about 100 feet away. My friend, an Army Sergeant Major who had recently returned from Iraq, started timing how long they had been away. A woman from the snack bar, who had also seen them leave their bags, motioned us over and asked if we thought it looked suspicious. We agreed we would flag a security person when they came by. Over 10 minutes went by before anyone from security appeared, but they said they were on break when the woman from the snack bar tried to tell them about the suspicious bags. It is a total joke how the TSA and airlines are handling security.

Keith J. Mohrhoff Nov 25th 2008 2:20PM

With regard to Carol Gotbaum: As a security professional (18 years in the field), I was taught that liability exists anytime the harm caused by action or inaction is foreseeable. Certainly, it is foreseeable that some people need to travel for medical reasons. This is especially true with the treatment of adiction. (For those 12-steppers who know, people, places and things). Certainly, it was foreseeable that her travel constitued a medical necessity and her lack of emotional control was just a natural consequence of her precarious sobriety being threatened. For her, getting to the treatment center was a life-or-death situation and having a family member with her would not have changed that.

speaksmart Nov 27th 2008 11:34PM

Thanks for logical explanation, Keith re: Carol Gotbaum and her sad case
I was wondering what your thoughts were about the average traveler who is determined (though not life or death) to get to a destination and is thwarted by cancellations or frustrating customer service.
Is it possible that an average person can turn upset or angry and end up with the same dire consequences as Carol?

SMRTNUP Nov 25th 2008 2:37PM

As we have already been taught, . . . AIRPLANES make PERFECT MISSLES !!! . . . . You can either be a passenger in one of those Perfect Missles, . . . Or, . . you can STOP BEING SPOILED and expecting Every Tiny Little Thing to go your way EVERY TIME !!! . . .
When you have UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS, . .
You set yourself up for DISAPPOINTMENT !!! . . .
WHOSE FAULT IS IT THAT " YOUR " THOUGHT PROCESSES ARE ALL SCREWED UP ??? . . .
.
.

Mr. Jim Nov 25th 2008 2:57PM

ANY airline security personnel are scum of the earth, 5 dollar an hour, Barney Fife, wanna be REAL police officers. They are the dumbest of the dumb and power hungry. If THEY used common sense and good judgement, we would not have innocent people tackled, beaten, handcuffed and this mad house of insane "authority" figures running loose in the airpots. You want respect? Treat others with respect first! I did 30 years in the field working dangerous assignments, unarmed and undercover, I can tell you the right way to talk to people and the wrong way to talk to people. Airport security personnel = scum!

Clara Nov 25th 2008 2:58PM

The woman got drunk and missed her flight, I understand. And, yes, her family should have made sure that she had a minder to get her to the clinic. Carol was not in control of herself,and we just have to respect that people need to be in order to be on flights.

In this article, the man was HOPING to get a price match, but he'd already bought his ticket. Why should he be given a refund because someone else got a better price? That isn't how it works,and why should anyone put up with a tantrum?

speaksmart Nov 25th 2008 7:45PM

Clara,
ok ok, carol was not in control of herself. but is death the price she had to pay???

speaksmart Nov 25th 2008 8:00PM

hi clara,

yes, carol gotbaum was impaired...yet is death at the airport for a self described "sick mom" the price she needed to pay?

speaksmart Nov 25th 2008 8:10PM

Clara,

Yes, Carol Gotbaum was ill --but is death at the Phoenix airport the price she had to pay?

Mel Nov 25th 2008 11:48PM

Want to hear something that really makes you angry? You pay full price for 4 first class seats. You specify that you have two small children. When you get confirmation of purchase it shows our seats will be next to our children's. When you go to get your boarding passes you find that everyone is sitting in a separate row seat in first class. Then you're told by the airline that it's your problem and you'll have to ask someone else to switch with you. But you can't ask anyone until you're on the plane....while everyone else is boarding. I have to say I was rather frustrated and angry. Better put me on the watch list!