How would you rate her service?
With Spirit Airlines no longer in operation, the aviation world is in search of another airline to spark controversial confrontations online. It seems United Airlines chose to step into that role when an employee threatened to call ICE on a customer in a California airport.
The incident took place at San Francisco’s International Airport (SFO). Due to runway construction taking place at SFO, many flights have been delayed. While the video in question does not show what the customer’s inquiry with the airline was about, it’s possible his flight was delayed. Regardless of exactly what the issue was, things got out of hand rather quickly.
United Airlines threatens to call ICE on customer then walks up to him and pushes phone away
byu/666TripleSick inbayarea
According to the customer, he had asked for the employee’s name so he could report her due to unsatisfactory customer service in this California airport showdown. He claims that’s when the conversation turned hostile, and she began to doubt his citizenship. Not that it matters in this scenario, but the customer says he is a U.S. citizen.
As for the public’s opinion, most people acknowledge that the clip doesn’t show what happened before the man started filming. Many people are choosing to give the woman the benefit of the doubt, perhaps believing the man was hostile first. However, most people feel that it doesn’t matter who started the unpleasantness – the woman crossed a line when she threatened to call ICE.
One Redditor wrote, “I don’t know what happened before the recording started, but she is about to be out of a job. You don’t go there.” Another echoed, “Wow, what a stupid thing to say, even if the customer sucks. Just threw away her job.” Other comments such as, “Threatening ICE is so cruel,” and, “This needs to go viral,” proved the man to be the winner in the court of public opinion.
Others expressed confusion over rage, as the woman told the man, “You don’t act like a citizen,” which is quite ambiguous. Many California citizens questioned what type of behavior most clearly marks one as a citizen or a non-citizen. A lot of people also wondered what the man’s citizenship status has to do with the woman’s customer service job requirements.
As for United Airlines, they said they are looking into the incident. They also reiterated that they expect their customers to be treated well. Unfortunately for the airline, this California incident only seems to reinforce a longstanding negative reputation. The clip’s comments section was filled with sentiments such as “United Airlines in general sucks. They always seem to hire the most rude flight attendants,” with no one coming to the company’s defense.
