[flyinscared]

I tried to board US Airways flt 7 ORD to PHX 7/27/12 with an easily crushable overnight duffle bag and a narrow, soft leather sided briefcase containing a 13" Macbook, legal pad and pens. The clerk at the gate snapped that I had to check the bag. I politely explained that the bag contained a down feather pillow plus several small and light pieces of clothing and was easily below seat-size including the briefcase. The clerk told me to check the bag or get off the flight. When I agreed to check the bag, reached for it wanting to walk it down the ramp her self, since in her words, I had proven myself untrustworthy. I walked the bag down the ramp and checked it myself, as the man before me who had also complained had done. However, when I expressed my displeasure at her tone, comments and stalking behavior, she threatened to throw me off the plane. She followed me down the aisle of a full first class, demanding that I leave, and then, after I had buckled myself into my seat and turned off my electronics, sent for her supervisor. Her supervisor threatened to call the authorities, in front of all my fellow passengers. I waited with my racing heart, but the plane eventually pulled away from the gate. The first class passengers who saw it all told me on arrival to ORD that flight personnel at the front of the plane had stopped the plan to call airport police/security and bodily remove me from the aircraft. This has been a frightening and humiliating experience for this 53 year-old professionally dressed and groomed attorney who was flying on business, and is now extremely reluctant to fly to future conferences.