I do not know what is sadder, this story overall or the mistakes by Yahoo - what is a few extra zeros any way :tapedshut: Man Sues Airline Over Soda Spat | ABC News - Yahoo! " According to the suit, which seeks $500,000 in damages, Bevivino had pressed the call button and asked a male flight attendant for a soda. " "He and his lawyer sent Virgin a Letter of Demand, noting that he has since experienced, "depression, worry, and anxiety surrounding his detention by law enforcement." He asked for $5,000 and an apology; the company offered $3,000 to settle, he said, but no apology. He refused, and Virgin then offered $5,000. He again declined, and subsequently filed suit."
The core of the story is that because they found him disagreeable, the flight attendants arranged for the man to be detained by TSA agents once the flight landed. For that sort of abuse of power, they should have to fork over $500,000 to make sure that never happens again.
Some airlines are hiding behind the skirt of security in order to practice lousy customer service. Unfortunately, price is still (by far) the most important factor for most people when selecting their air travel. The airlines know this. They might lose this guy as a customer (and perhaps a few bucks in a settlement or suit), but most people will not notice. I don't ask for much on flights. I like to sit still, distract myself with reading, and just get it over with. I don't expect it to be entertaining. But I don't want to get hassled, either. I'm glad when the beverage and/or food service is good, but I couldn't care less when it's not. Wherever I'm going is way more fun that the flight itself. I just want it over with. I don't ever reveal to TSA that I am a DHS employee. I would not expect special treatment, and I sure don't want "special" treatment (the bad kind). I just get in line and go when I can. I fly to the UK on occasion. I will not fly British Air. Not ever. No matter how cheap. (Well, within a big margin, one they will never cross.) I haven't flown Virgin to the UK, but I take United now. They might not have a good reputation Stateside, but their puddle jump to Heathrow and back has been great for me. I can't stand over-officious people in any walk of life. Having held legal authority in the military, I know what it means to wield it lightly and rarely. I don't understand why some people--flight attendants, I'm looking at you--have to behave badly. As Dennis Miller said (and I'm paraphrasing badly), "I realize you traded a shot at a good career in order to work in a bad restaurant 30,000 feet in the air so you could get miles to Barbados, but do you have to take it out on me?" (Perhaps someone who has the exact quote could post it.)
