[LA_Dallas]

I cannot begin to express how appalled I was with two of your desk agents at DFW. The two individuals were Dereck (wouldn't give me last name) and Michael Ronquest. I'm partly guessing the spelling of Michael's last name since he quickly flipped his badge as I was trying to write down his name.

Today, I had a very long trip from CLE to DFW to BUR with my wife and one-year old son. I don't need to explain how difficult it is traveling with an infant. My son, however, does quite well if we are allowed to bring his car seat on the flight. The CLE leg was demanding, and my wife and I were hoping there would be seating available to accomodate my son's car seat. At DFW, we asked at our gate, and the desk agent at the time (nice guy) said that the middle seat between my wife and me was blocked off and looked good.

After rushing to feed our son dinner, we got to our gate about 40 minutes prior to take off. There were new desk agents, and I wanted to know what the odds of us having the middle seat were since it would affect whether we would package up the car seat or not. As soon as I got to the desk, Dereck, Michael, and a female agent were talking about personal matters. Dereck doesn't acknowledge that I'm there. I have to interrupt their conversation. Dereck then doesn't look at me and sticks his hand out at me (presumably wanting my tickets). I tried to explain to him that the previous agent told us the seat was blocked out, and I wanted to know if there had been any changes.

Dereck gave me an odd look, and before I could ask anything else, told me that I could be out of luck if the plane becomes full. I tried to explain that I was very well aware of this, and that I only wanted to know if our chances were good. A car seat would mean that my son could sleep on the plane. Instead, Dereck interrupted me, wouldn't let me ask my only question, and flippantly brushed me off. I told him he was being rude. He gave me a look as though he didn't care. I asked who his manager was. Dereck pointed to Michael, one of the three people he was having the personal conversation with.

I told Michael that I thought Dereck had been unprofessinal. Michael begins to yell at me and tells me that he didn't observe anything rude. When I asked Michael tell me what he heard, he couldn't. He, like Dereck, cut me off, was even more confrontational, and simply told me the conversation is over and that I should "sit down." He said it so loud that other passengers could here this. When I tried to point out that I've been a frequent flyer with AA for the past 5 years, Dereck looked at my boarding pass and said, "Platinum, that don't mean anything." Dereck and Michael then told me that they were entering information about me in some file to designate me as a problem customer. Good lord, this sounds like it was from an episode of Seinfeld. Is there a secret file that AA keeps? Am I now blacklisted or forever resigned to never get an upgrade? If so, please let me know so that I can fly elsewhere.

Since I had an infant, I thought I would be able to board early. I was declined by the female agent, who told me that I would have to wait until I was called. That was fine. When I was sent back, Dereck started smiling and staring at me. Unfortunately, I stared back and shook my head. Dereck then proceeded to yell at me (in front of my wife and son) and made threatening comments, such as "you got a problem" and started to motion towards me. He was calmed down by the female agent. I asked Dereck whether he was threatening me. I then asked Michael whether this is something he approves of - Michael said he hadn't seen anything.

Finally, I noticed there was no boarding announcement (by Dereck) for people with infants. Fortunately, I was able to board as a Platinum member. Dereck told me and my wife that the seat between us was no occupied. The female agent corrected him by saying why don't you put them in the row behind them which is free. Dereck looked crestfallen, and he reluctantly agreed to move the person he slotted in the middle seat to somewhere else. On the plane, I noticed there were 4 empty seats in the last few rows. Why Dereck told us that the flight was full and we would have to bag check our son's car seat seems suspicious at best and malicious at worst. To do that to a one-year old!!

[justme]

LA Dallas, first let me say I am sorry you, your wife, and your child had to experience the rotten side of the employee that day. It could have, and should have, gone very differently. That said, I want to give you my two cents about what happened and hopefully give you some info or ideas to make future travel easier.

The two individuals were Dereck (wouldn't give me last name)...

He doesn't have to give you his last name. My experience with several airlines is that agents are only required to give passengers EITHER their first name and last initial, OR their first initial and last name.

I don't need to explain how difficult it is traveling with an infant.

You knew ahead of time that it was going to be a problem if you did not have a reserved seat for your son/car seat, so why didn't you just buy one? Wouldn't that have been easier? Obviously problems can arise with that as well, like your seats not being together, but that would be easier to fix than not having a seat for him to begin with.

As soon as I got to the desk, Dereck, Michael, and a female agent were talking about personal matters.

How do you know it was personal stuff? It could have been ANYTHING, unless you were a part of the conversation, there is no way to know what they were really talking about. I freely admit that personal conversations have and do happen between airline personnel. I only mean to say that it COULD have been about so many other things.

I told Michael that I thought Dereck had been unprofessinal. Michael begins to yell at me and tells me that he didn't observe anything rude.

Why would a supervisor, someone who made it to that position not by yelling at people for no reason, yell at you when you made a simple statement? Seems a little exaggerated. I'm not saying it didn't happen, just saying it seems a little much.

Since I had an infant, I thought I would be able to board early. I was declined by the female agent, who told me that I would have to wait until I was called. That was fine.

Sometimes you can board early, sometimes not. Unfortuneately it sort of depends on the gate agent and the airport. At least you were civil and smart enough to understand that, and were OK with it.

made threatening comments

If you truly felt threatened you should have called the police.

I was able to board as a Platinum member.

That's essentially the exact same thing as "pre-boarding" with an infant, what difference does it make? You still got on the airplane before 90% of the rest of the passengers.

Why Dereck told us that the flight was full

He didn't. According to you, he said, "told me that I could be out of luck if the plane becomes full." If, If, If. He didn't say it was full.

the desk agent at the time (nice guy)

Why didn't you get his name to write a compliment letter? Why only get the names of the people that are mean? Wouldn't it be nice to compliment the good workers so that they get recognized and hopefully promoted?



This whole response was not meant to downplay the situation and the misfortune of LA Dallas. I only point out all these things because the story sounds a little one-sided, and exaggerated. I hope in the future your travel is easier and more pleasant. Oh, and as far as being blacklisted, you're not. Assuming they did actually write something, if they wrote it in your frequent flyer account history, it will stay with you for as long as you have that account, and I would suggest writing a letter to try to get it removed since it shouldn't be there in the first place. If they wrote it in your record locator for that specific trip, chances are no one will ever see it again unless you give them specific information and ask them to pull it up.

[getoutthere]

Why did you feel the need to keep asking if it looked good? That seat wasn't paid for by you. If you don't want problems while traveling I suggest not pi****ng off the airport personnel, its just not worth it. They can create more havoc for you if they want.

[Corbel]

im going to agree with both points. yes, the employees shouldn't have been rude. but also you didn't pay for the seat. putting your child in the seat would have screwed up the head count (believe me its a pain to do one as it is)