Airline Apologizes for Flight Attendant's Treatment of Soldier

US Airways has apologized after one of its flight attendants refused to hang a soldier’s uniform in the plane’s coat closet because he was not seated in first class

"To be sure, we simply did not get this one right,” US Airways Capt. Jim Palmersheim, the senior manager for Veterans and Military Initiatives, wrote in a lengthy post on the company’s Facebook page.

The incident occurred during a red eye flight from Portland, Oregon, that landed in Charlotte, North Carolina, Thursday morning. According to passenger Cliff Autrey, who was sitting in first class, he heard First Sgt. Albert Marle talking to a female flight attendant.

"I said ‘Top, what’s going on,’” Autrey told ABC News, using a military nickname for a soldier of Marle’s rank.
Marle told him that he had asked to have his uniform jacket hung in the closet because "he didn’t want to get it wrinkled,” Autrey said. "I thought to myself ‘Well that’s not a lot to ask,” Autrey said.

The flight attendant didn’t have the same reaction, however, and Autrey said that she became "quite emphatic,” reportedly saying that the closet was used only for first class passengers. She also put an end to Autrey’s offer to switch seats with the soldier.

"She would not hear of that,” Autrey told ABC News. "She was reluctant to let that happen.”

Source

Finally a passenger seated in first class resolved the issue by taking Marle’s jacket and hung it behind his chair, returning it to the soldier once they landed

Seriously??
As much turmoil going on in the world and this stewardess gets her knickers in a wad over a soldier wanting his uniform jacket to be hung so it doesn't get wrinkled and all she can say is no, you're not seated in first class
It's not like a someone wanting to hang up their dress or something insignificant
Nor did she allow for them to swap seats, which passengers often do


The airline apolgized, posting their respect for soldiers like Marle, an Army Ranger, on social media.

"We hold all those serving our country in the highest regard and apologize for any offense caused. We are reviewing the incident internally,” their Twitter post read.



ETA: Did a search but nothing showed up, please remove if duplicate....

At the cost of sounding insensitive, he could have bought a ticket in first class or found any other solution to not wrinkle his jacket.
Had it been a civilian asking the same thing, nobody would have cared.
Now sure, they could have let him hang his jacket, i mean no big deal, but to have to issue an explanation, and an apology over something so silly just further proves how PC and over sensitive we are becoming

originally posted by: IShotMyLastMuse
At the cost of sounding insensitive, he could have bought a ticket in first class or found any other solution to not wrinkle his jacket.
Had it been a civilian asking the same thing, nobody would have cared.
Now sure, they could have let him hang his jacket, i mean no big deal, but to have to issue an explanation, and an apology over something so silly just further proves how PC and over sensitive we are becoming

Well, I for one have a high respect for the Military and would do anything for the Men and Women serving

There is a big difference between the average civilian and one who serves this country IMO, but that is just me
I would have gladly hung his uniform jacket up as you said, it's no big deal


Even actress Amy Adams swapped her first class seat with a soldier without a problem, unlike this situation

The actress, who was brought up in a military family, was boarding a flight from Detroit to Los Angeles when she reportedly spotted a man wearing a US army uniform and asked a flight attendant if they could swap seats.

The soldier was upgraded to first class and the actress moved to economy according to American television host Jemele Hill who was also on the plane and later tweeted: "Just saw actress Amy Adams do something incredibly classy. She gave her 1st class seat to an American soldier".

Hmmm, maybe the other stewardess can learn a thing or 2 from this particular stewardess
Just saying....

a reply to: snarky412

Weird, every time I have flown with my uniforms, they have went out of their way to put my uniform in the closet up front. Just as I was walking into the plane they would ask me if I wanted it hung up. It was never US airlines, nothing against them, just never flew with them.

The switching seats thing I can see, but the not wanting to hang up the uniforms seems off.

originally posted by: IShotMyLastMuse
At the cost of sounding insensitive, he could have bought a ticket in first class or found any other solution to not wrinkle his jacket.
Had it been a civilian asking the same thing, nobody would have cared.
Now sure, they could have let him hang his jacket, i mean no big deal, but to have to issue an explanation, and an apology over something so silly just further proves how PC and over sensitive we are becoming

Exactly.

I thought the USA was a captilist country?

The Airline is a a PRIVTAE co operation not government owned therefore has no obligation to the US government and those that serve except in paying taxes.

Dont see why a serving military personal should get special treatment?


If they want to hang a coat up he should have brought a first class ticket as it is a CIVILIAN establishment.


Why not give doctors and nurses special treatment too? Or teachers as they give just as much and do just as important jobs?

Or should only people that kill be treated like they give valuable contributions?

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: snarky412

Weird, every time I have flown with my uniforms, they have went out of their way to put my uniform in the closet up front. Just as I was walking into the plane they would ask me if I wanted it hung up. It was never US airlines, nothing against them, just never flew with them.

The switching seats thing I can see, but the not wanting to hang up the uniforms seems off.

I know --the way the stewardess was acting according to the article, it sounded more 'personal' if you get what I mean
She just didn't want to help this soldier in any way

originally posted by: snarky412


Well, I for one have a high respect for the Military and would do anything for the Men and Women serving

Would you do the same for doctors, Nurses, Scientists, firemen and teachers who do just as valuable jobs?

Or is it only people that hold a gun classed as valuable people that contribute?

originally posted by: snarky412

There is a big difference between the average civilian and one who serves this country

Not really. They volunteer. And the military hasn't been used to serve the country for a long time, only serve the corrupt government, big difference.

I wont go out my way to disrespect those serving or treat them badly but I wont give them any extra respect than I would anyone else. They are just people deserving the same treatment. If they were WW2 vets or vets of a future war that WAS to do with national defence and serving my arse I may think differently but until then they are just normal people. I dont hate them, I dont love them and will judge on each individuals merit.


Just saying....

1/4 of all homeless in America are vets (source is from 2008 but I can't imagine we've improved given the VA scandal) That's a bigger problem than one soldiers uniform. Joining the military is a scam to get the poor, desperate, aimless, or disenfranchised to spend life and limb securing resources for the purpose of maintaining the power of the corporate elite. We haven't needed to defend ourselves for quite a while now. Oh well, let's get riled up by the propaganda. That always helps.

www.cnn.com...

a reply to: crazyewok


I grew up with my father serving and my husband is retired, so as I stated I have the utmost respect for soldiers and what they do for our country, regardless what any one thinks of them....the 'anti-military' crowd

There are different levels of jobs in society, yes, but I hold the soldiers in a higher regard as is my prerogative

As Sremmos stated, he has never had any problems when flying, only respect

Besides, most others don't fly in their uniforms --nurses, firefighters, teachers etc.-- like soldiers do anyway
They wear regular clothes i.e. jeans, slacks, dresses etc., what ever they are comfortable in
So chill out with the hate, for those that don't understand that soldiers are required to wear their uniforms and God forbid, he didn't want to wrinkle his jacket

a reply to: snarky412
i prefer to judge them on an individual basis, some deserve medals, others, body bags.
my issue is not so much him making the request, but the company having to issue an apology after. like another poster pointed out, it's a private company, it owes nothing to anyone, no matter what their occupation or services rendered.
Again i go back to the ultra sensitivity we as a society have been cultivating, in the greater scheme of things, this is equal to censorship: the impossibility of doing or saying anything because immediately after, you have to apologize, or people will go into a "pro oversensitivity lynch mob mode"

Okay so basically, the soldier was in the wrong and the stewardess did the right thing and the airline which volunteered an apology, should not have done it

Got it, good to know...
Didn't mean to offend or upset anyone
*sigh*

((((goes off to another thread))))

originally posted by: snarky412

So chill out with the hate

Hate?

So because I dont worship the ground military walk on that's hate?

Hate is waiting at airports to spit on them or throwing insults at them, trying to cut benefits to them or discriminate them in civilian employment ect


I neither hate or love military.

I just treat them the same as everyone else.

Thats not "hate" just indifference.

You volunteered, good for you. You got your job I have mine. If I met you in person I would not judge you for that (unless you were some monster like William Calley, which I doubt 99.9999999% of serving people are) I would only judge you and treat you on how you are as a individual.

a reply to: snarky412
No, that is not the case.
the guy had every right to ask the question, and the stewardess had every right to say no.
What most people are upset about, or at least what I am upset about, is that the airline had to go on an apology tour as if it had ran over a dog just for a laugh.
the idea that now we have to apologize for ANYTHING is what is disturbing.
sure the stewardess could have let him hang his jacket, after all, it's just a jacket. but she chose not to, and as a society we should just put our big boy/girl pants on and move along, not cry bloody murder over something so trivial.

originally posted by: IShotMyLastMuse
At the cost of sounding insensitive, he could have bought a ticket in first class or found any other solution to not wrinkle his jacket.
Had it been a civilian asking the same thing, nobody would have cared.
Now sure, they could have let him hang his jacket, i mean no big deal, but to have to issue an explanation, and an apology over something so silly just further proves how PC and over sensitive we are becoming

Military doesnt buy you first class tickets you ride coach had it happen to me several times. Problem is you know when you return to your unit there is an inspection for married guys easy enough wife has a uniform ready when you land. Unmarried however you will spend all night shinning boots and pressing uniform he obviously was trying to avoid that. Especially considering he was a 1st sargent and could never have an inspection were he looked like crap.

The military uses the airlines often to ferry troops. The airlines don't want to lose that business.

The airlines terminal asked once if any civilians would give up their seats for a flight that consisted primarily of soldiers, so the soldiers could get home fast with the rest of their unit. I declined because I didn't want to wait seven hours for the next flight, I have a life, too.

Soldiers already get preferential treatment over civilians as it is. I didn't feel like I did anyone a disservice.

Todays soldiers are pampered by the government compared to the Vietnam era. Do they need to be burped after they eat?

I hear you Snarky! Our Soldiers deserve our respect, honor and appreciation. They risk it all at our request.

a reply to: Iamschist

Nope they sign volontary to go kill some and drive big hightech toy im sorry but they choose the job ! yup in 2014 it's a job .

a reply to: Sremmos80

I was gonna say every time I have flown where military personnel were on the flight they have all been moved to first class, either to open seats or first class members giving there seats up. I have not seen any type of ill treatment towards the armed forces and I hope I never do.

Sounds like the flight attendant may have been hung up on policy and procedure rather than common sense.

Also - thanks you for your service.

originally posted by: Dolby_X
a reply to: Iamschist

Nope they sign volontary to go kill some and drive big hightech toy im sorry but they choose the job ! yup in 2014 it's a job .

No they sign up voluntarily to serve there nation. the politicians people bitch about yet refuse to get out any vote are the ones to blame, not the soldiers asked to fight the battles.

I don't understand the almost worshipful attitude people are expected to harbor for military personnel. The last time the military defended the US was MAYBE WII. Now they just kill foreigners for corporations. We're aggressors packaged in nationalism. I don't dislike service members but I'll be dammed if I'll worship people who volunteer for the job to oppress other nations.