To the Airline Employee at American Airlines...

So I was traveling last week (and it was FANTASTIC!! I miss traveling!) and I flew on American Airlines. Southwest is usually my choice because...well they are just better. Free checked luggage is only one of the many things they have right. However, American Airlines was not bad. Getting my ticket was easy, the flights were fairly comfortable, I was not overly disappointed. Not at first anyway.

On my trip home I had a 2 1/2 hour flight delay. No biggie, I have sat through flight delays before! When the plane finally did arrive, however, it was ridiculous! After sitting around for 3 plus hours we, the passengers, were READY to go. The airport employees apparently had different plans. They started checking our carry on bags to make sure they were not too big. EVERY carry on bag. Now I understand the plane has only so much room, and I also understand that since they (the airline) started charging for baggage more and more people and trying to fit more and more into their carry-on luggage. I myself had done that very thing and packed my 2 allotted bags as full as possible.These ticket takers were stopping EVERY person though. I mean could we not have checked bags during the THREE HOUR wait? Apparently not.

Then the real kicker happened though....and oh I am still mad about it. A woman approached the door pushing a baby stroller and struggling to hold her baby, her bags and the stroller. A fairly common scene at an airport. She thought the airline would take the stroller from her to put in baggage, like they ALWAYS do. Instead the airline employee simply looked at her. Just stared her down like she was an idiot and then asked (in a very condescending tone) "Are you American?"

......WHAT???......

Okay seriously....WHAT???? She was so unbelievably offensive on so many levels I cannot imagine explaining them all! Apparently that KIND of stroller (it was one of those ones you use to run with your baby) is not acceptable on American Airlines. Except, the woman had been using it through her entire vacation (flying with AA) without any other complaints. And, hold on, even if it wasn't acceptable what in the world does being an AMERICAN have to do with it??? First of all, the only reason she thought the woman was not American was that the baby was obviously of mixed heritage. Are you kidding me? Racist much? Also the implication was very obviously that if you are not American you must be stupid. Again Racist much? Not to mention just REALLY bad customer service. How about explaining the policy before deeming the patron an un-American idiot? Just a thought.

So thank you airline employee for completely turning me against your entire company. Although I was fine dealing with normal issues like paying for baggage and sitting through unnecessary flight delays, I am NOT fine with condoning racial discrimination and stupidity from employees that are supposed to be helping me on my travels. I will be looking to other airlines in the future. Maybe someone still knows what respect looks like.