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 A Glass of Wine Will Get You Grounded by US Airways
Posted Mon February 9, 2009 12:00 pm, by Margaret A. written to US Airways
Write a Letter to this Company | Rate this Company
To Whom It May Concern:
I had a flight from Burbank, CA to Boston February 8th on US Air. There was some confusion and I was bumped from my 6:50 a.m. flight, but was subsequently booked on a 9:45 a.m. flight. The flight stopped in Phoenix and was scheduled to stop in Las Vegas and then onto Boston. I was able to upgrade to First Class on the leg from Phoenix to Las Vegas, but was not given another boarding pass for Las Vegas -- the gate person said I would be "fine" if I got off the plane to stretch for 1/2 hour. While on First, I had one glass of wine and slept the remainder of the trip. I got out to use the restroom in Vegas and went immediately back to the gate. I explained I did not have a boarding pass but the folks in Phoenix said I would be fine without it. A gentleman from US Air then stepped into the conversation and rudely said "you need proof - you are not getting on this plane or any other plane, you are intoxicated". This was a) outragous, I was not intoxicated and b) embarrassing. I demanded to speak to his supervisor which he pointed out was at another gate. I explained to the supervisor what happened and he gave me a breath mint and said "this will help". I questioned the supervisor what made his employee an authority on intoxication and wanted a police officer to immediately perform a breatherlizer test on the spot to prove I was not, in fact, intoxicated. This apparently changed everything -- his supervisor told me to get on the plane, which I did as by now the plane was getting ready to close the doors. I took me 15 hours to fly from Burbank to Boston or the equivalent of flying from Boston to Europe and back in one day.
Upon getting on the plane, before the plane even started, a woman in front of me proceeded to vomit. She obviously WAS intoxicated! She was sick for a good hour, to the point the flight attendant provided her with a trash bag. How is it possible she was not bounced off the plane?
I am the travel manager of a large brand-name corporation with 700 travelers and I am taking US Air off our options to fly with as I can not subject our employees to such horrible and degrading treatment.
I would like my flight from Vegas to Boston fully refunded.
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by PepperElf Posted Mon February 16, 2009 @ 5:39 PM
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I suspect being belligerent with them is also why they weren't that
favorable to you?
If you had been perfectly polite I'm betting there would ahve been
less trouble.
As for the woman you assume was drunk....
even if you were right... it's MUCH harder to boot someone off that
close to take off.
And I'm betting if they had delayed the flight to take the time to
boot her.... you would probably be complaining about that too
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How do we know she just had 'one' glass/drink. Most people who have
been drinking and get caught usually say "but officer, I only had
one." This may not be the case, I'm just saying.
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Other than the OP's speculation as to the vomiting passenger (my aunt
pukes every time she flies, and she doesn't drink), I'm on the OP's
side. One glass of wine does not a drunk make, and I think we're all
aware that any industry can have its share of power-hungry poopheads.
I think the OP encountered one of those at the gate.
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by Irving Patrick Freleigh Posted Tue February 10, 2009 @ 12:15 PM
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Unless you smelled alcohol on the person who threw up, you have no
proof she was intoxicated.
Generally, when airlines prohibit people from getting on a plane due
to intoxication, it's because they got abusive or obnoxious or did
something else to warrant it.
Regardless, you were eventually able to get on the plane and make your
flight. You aren't owed a thing.
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But Why???
by Maggie2009 Sun February 15, 2009 @ 10:40 PM
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I have a glass of wine maybe once or twice a year and fly even less,
but when I DO get on a plane I get very sick. I don't like closed
places and I get motion sickness, especially if not by a window. So,
how do you know she was intoxicated? You sound like my 4 year old son
when he is arguing with my 7 year old son.
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by PepperElf Posted Tue February 10, 2009 @ 7:56 AM
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Unless you actually say you smelled alcohol on her, you're just being
a bit petty...
EIther that or you've never had a stomach bug or gotten motion
sickness, or a migraine or food poisoning . All of which can make you
sick.
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True
by Maggie2009 Sat March 7, 2009 @ 7:17 AM
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Generally, most folks who are yanked from the plane for being
intoxicated have done something to draw attention to themselves.
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by MLB30 Posted Tue February 10, 2009 @ 6:21 AM
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This doesnt make any sense....... I have purchased three little
bottles of wine in flight had a layover and gotten on my second flight
just fine. Were you acting in such a way that would cause them to
think you were drunk?
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One glass of wine?
Good Day
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by Just Jeffrey Posted Mon February 9, 2009 @ 3:35 PM
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"I am the travel manager of a large brand-name corporation with 700
travelers and I am taking US Air off our options to fly with as I can
not subject our employees to such horrible and degrading treatment."
Let me ask you something. Suppose that you got a refund and an
apology. Would that cause you to change you mind and throw your
corporate business towards US Airways?
Or have you already decided that, based on this experience, that (no
matter what) you cannot allow the 700 travels in your company to use
this airline ever again?
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No.....
by Maggie2009 Wed February 11, 2009 @ 10:28 AM
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by Donno Posted Mon February 9, 2009 @ 1:41 PM
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If the person who vomited had even had a drink? I've vomited on an
airplane, and I've never gotten on after drinking or had a drink while
on board.
They flew you where they were supposed to, so I don;t see a refund in
the cards. At most an apology, but I am wondering why anyone
suspected you had been drinking in the first place. It sounds like a
lot of suspicion was in the air that day.
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Smelled it
by Maggie2009 Sun February 15, 2009 @ 10:13 PM
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by Just Jeffrey Posted Mon February 9, 2009 @ 1:01 PM
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"She obviously WAS intoxicated!"
Given how concerned you are about people jumping to these conclusions
(rightfully so!), I'm surprised that you'd assume that this other
person was intoxicated. There are many reasons for people to be
throwing up. And someone that's been throwing up may appear
disoriented to the point of it seeming like intoxication.
I have no idea why you were accused. I just know that if you want to
take the stance that you were being unfairly accused of intoxication,
it's better not to accuse other people.
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