[jpklein]

Our 8:46 am flight out of Fort Lauderdale (2/24/08) was delayed because the attendant crew was an hour and a half late-- but not because they were coming from another flight, they we coming from their hotel! The flight attendants arrived at the gate at 9:52 for their 8:46 flight. As they passed the gate supervisor I heard the senior flight attendant tell him "And if we hear any complaints from them, we're not leaving!" Whereupon the gate supervisor announced to all of us who had been waiting in the departure lounge: "If anyone says anything unkind, the plane will be brought back to the gate, the flight will be canceled, and the passenger will be dealt with!"

How insulting for us to be so threatened, as if we caused the problem! It was AirTran's fault that their crew was not there, this was not an unexpected malfunction or weather delay. Because of AirTran's failure, we were threatened if we were to complain?! And not until the flight was landing (3 hours later) did the attendant announce "we are sorry about the mix-up back there."

After speaking at length with "Customer Relations" they offered a $50 reduction on my next flight. How insulting.