“Security Risk.”

The War on Terror has been a bonanza for the government.   Under the heading of “security” they have legitimized all kinds of things that years before Americans would not have tolerated and would have rioted over.   Is it any surprise that corporate America has learned from the government?

Bad service has gone from being a customer service issue to a “security” issue. 

Since 9/11, we have seen the creation of alphabet soup agencies, which put Americans through massive inconveniences, yet do nothing to increase our safety.  Complaints are brushed aside in the name of national security.   That is unless you are Muslim, in which case we ignore the fact that every terrorist attack on airliners in the last decade has been carried out by Muslims and the government and airlines fall all over themselves to be politically correct.

US Airways is without a doubt the worst Airline.   A friend of mine who does a lot of work for the Federal Government says US Airways is the preferred airline of the Feds.  I’m not surprised. 

Miami Photographer Sandy DeWitt recently was on a US Airways flight.  Briefly. 

A US Airways employee named Tonialla G. was in the boarding area and being rude to a number of customers.  DeWitt decided to photograph Tonialla G.’s nametag with her IPhone, so she would have the name in order to complain.  DeWitt boarded the flight and after being seating, Tonialla G. followed her into the plane cabin and confronted her.   She demanded that DeWitt delete the photo.  DeWitt powered up her Iphone to show her that the photo had not come out. Tonialla still demanded the photo be deleted.  DeWitt complied, thinking that would be the end of it. 

Tonialla then went to the cockpit and informed the flight crew that DeWitt was a “security risk.”   DeWitt was then removed from the flight.  The manager for US Airways refused to reboard her on another flight.  The DeWitts were eventually able to get a Southwest flight and get to their home. 

What was the security risk? 

The only security risk was to Tonialla G.’s job. 

Got a complaint about an airline?  Sorry, it is now a matter of national security and if you complain, you will be thrown off of the plane. 

US Airways has got to be the worst airline in the country.   Most of their employees act like they work for the DMV.     In the last couple of years, I have had the misfortune of having to fly US Airways a few times in the last couple of years. 

Never again.

A few weeks ago I flew on US Airways and it was a miserable experience.   Complaining to them was about like complaining to the DMV.  No one listens and no one cares.   When I was having trouble getting my luggage, I finally got frustrated with the US Airways employee and said,  “I never have these problems when I fly Southwest.”  The US Airways employee shot back, “Why don’t you just fly Southwest?”

The way Ms. DeWitt was treated was treated is just another reminder as to why the next time I fly, which will be in the next few days, it will be on Southwest, not US Airways.