There has to be more to this story. An airline doesn't just deny boarding to a passenger without cause. There had to be more said, or done at the ticket counter, to warrant the ticket agents going to get their supervisor, and supervisor taking the time to go to the gate, and deny boarding.
One thing I've experienced in three years of working for the airlines, is that there is most always more to the story, and often times, there are two sides. You cannot expect that airline agents will treat you with a constant smile, and that you can treat them however you like. It does not work that way.
One reason I'm always skeptical of these complaints, is because I've witnessed incidents between agents and passengers, in the past, and have been amazed at how passenger complaints tend to be one sided, and often times leave out how rude they were to the agent, and how often times, they (the passenger), actually instigated the rudeness.
I'd be willing to bet that this situation started with the original poster being told s/he was beyond the cut off time for check in. An attitude ensued, even though they were late, and it is known that all airlines have a cut off time you must meet. The agents informed the original poster that they would need him/her to sign a wavier for his/her bags; more attitude ensued. Then, the original poster wrote some things on the waiver, that weren't necessary. This caused the agents to take note, enough, to inform their supervisor, and the supervisor was concerned about something, enough so, that she went to the gate, and denied boarding to the original poster.
Alaska Airlines was doing a favor by allowing this person to make their original flight, and checking their bags on the next flight. In most cases, when someone is beyond the cut off point, you place them, and their bags, standby, on the next flight.
I'm not excusing the supervisors behavior, assuming that part of the story is completely true, regarding her behavior, but I still think there is much more to this, for someone to be denied boarding.
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