[salinabeth]

To Whom It May Concern:
On Monday May 12th 2014, myself and my husband were booked on US Airways Flight 1925 TPA to CMH. We were refused at the check in counter by a US AIRWAYS flight attendant MISSI (an older white Caucasian Woman) told myself and my husband "You cannot get on my airplane looking the way you do." We were racially profiled because of our appearance.
This employee “MISSI” approached us from behind while we were at the ticket counter while she saw us attempting to get checked in and said to us “You cannot get on my airplane looking the way you do.” She refused to help us when she saw us attempting to get checked in for our flight because in her opinion my husband’s pants were too low. . She did not greet us with a “Welcome to US AIRWAYS.” Not a “Can I help You” or “How was your trip.” This was our very first impression of US AIRWAYS upon entering the airport. Neither one of us have ever flown with your airline before. We were not greeted. Our first impression upon entering your portion of the airport at TPA was being told we cannot get on their airplanes looking the way we look.
My husband had two bags in his hand and we were rushing to our check in counter. He immediately turned around and said "M'am, I'm sorry we got bags in our hands and we are trying to get checked in to our flight." The employee made a face at us and said "You cannot get on my airplane or any airplane for that matter looking the way you look." then walked away from us.
I kept trying to get checked in and the computer appeared to be frozen, so I flagged down another employee whom was also walking away from us at the counter. This employee was behind the counter in a US AIRWAYS uniform and his name is RUI. His attitude and disposition was just as bad as “Missi”. He had also been at the ticket counter the entire time and witnessed how horribly we had been treated by Missi. He said "What do you need help with". He was also extremely reluctant to help and appeared to have a bad attitude and did not want us on the airplane either.
I told him that I was having trouble getting signed in for my flight and he said "I know because now you cannot sign in because you are three minutes late." I told him "Sir, you saw us at this counter prior to that deadline attempting desperately to get checked in. You even saw another employee come and scold us about our appearance but refuse to help check us in." His response was also that we could not get on his airplane and we had to get rebooked.
We went to the US AIRWAYS customer service counter and was able to get in contact with supervisor OPAL and later on we also spoke with supervisor JOY whom is doing an official report on the matter and informed us US AIRWAYS will be internally disciplining their staff for the way we were treated based off our appearance. Our goal is to make sure that no other minority customers receive the same treatment and refusal of service that we received at US AIRWAYS on May 12th 2014.
My husband and I are owners of one of the largest childcare centers that Ohio has. We employee over 25people and educate 150 children on a daily basis. To the flight attendant we may have been young, tattooed college kids coming back from a spring break, but either way it goes we were racially profiled. We want to make sure that no one is every treated like this again at US AIRWAYS or American Airlines. I ask that you contact US AIRWAYS and request video of that counter so you can see for yourself what MISSI said to us and how we were treated. We also have an audio tape of the responses of the supervisors at US AIRWAYS and how appalled they were about the treatment of us at their ticket counter.

[azstar]

If you're black or oriental or in between they could have been racially profiling you. If you are white and they didn't like the way you look they were NOT racially profiling you. That being said, you were probably not discriminated against. Many airline employees treat ALL their passengers with equal contempt.

[jimworcs]

Struggling to find anything in your description of the events which indicates racial profiling. Maybe Missi hates saggy pants....I don't get why saggy pants is a big issue for some people, but how does that translate into profiling?

Some towns and cities have actually banned saggy pants in the US. Why is that racial?

[Der Richter]

I am shocked, shocked that no one has responded by pointing out that you were treated OUTRAGEOUSLY and that you should sue these people in small claims court so that the United States Bailiffs can show up and seize all their airplanes and also that this wouldn't happen if the US government would just pass a law that limits traffic by US Air at any hub to no more than 35%.

[jimworcs]

Quite right Captain Renault, saggy pants and monopolistic airlines..a shocking combination.