Flight attendant behavior causes loss of medication

Letter sent to airline by dissatisfied passenger
Airline: Southwest Airlines, flight 3463

To Whom It May Concern
Re: Flight 3463 from Houston Hobby to Harlingen, Texas
Date: 6 May 2012
Subject: Alicia xxx --Flight Attendant

I realize as I write this letter of complaint; I most likely won't get a response but I feel compelled to let you know what happened to me on that flight (Flight 3463)

On Sunday evening I boarded a flight from Houston Hobby headed on a direct flight to Harligen, Texas I decided to take the very front window seat to the left of the aircraft. Next to me was a lady and her seeing-eye dog. I had no carry on bags, only my purse. To get situated I placed my purse behind my feet (with my medication on top of my bag) on the floor under the seat because I had medication to take within a 30 minute time frame.

Before takeoff, the flight attendant (Alicia xxx) yelled at me very loudly "give me your purse" initally I said, "no" but before I could explain to her i needed to get my medication out of the purse she yelled again "give me your purse". At that time I tried to fit my purse under the seat but she said, "I said give it here-someones' bag is under there". When I tried to hand it to her she jerked it out of my hand and threw it in the overhead compartment.

She then stood there, and yelled "is there a problem"? I said "no" Her response was: " I dont understand why you are looking at me like that" "Your purse has to go up top" ...I replied "I heard you the first time". She then responded "Then you need to quit looking at me and turn your head the other way" "I will have you kicked off this flight; you are looking at me in a threating manner and I'll have you kicked off immediatly". I was frieghtend that would get kicked off so I turned my head and said nothing.

She continued to yell at me stating "I dont take attitude, I will have you removed, you understand that?" Everyone around me head the exchange I was humiliated. To make matters worse, she began to call the other flight attendants up after we got off the ground to brag about how she told me off and how she put me in my place.

When the flight was over in baggage claim many passengers came up to ask me my name and stated I was treated harshly and it was un called for. I was humiliated.

As a result of her throwing my purse; I didn't take my medication. When I went to the rest room at the airport in Harlingen, my medication was nowhere to be found, nor were my keys. I am convinced that when she threw my purse in the overhead compartment that my medication fell out along with my keys to my home. Because I didnt place my purse in the overhead compartment nor retrieve it upon exit of the plane; I dont know what was left behind. My purse has no zipper so anything could have fallen out.

I feel really disrespected by how this flight attendant treated me. I flew Southwest becuase it was most cost efficient for me and you don't charge for bags and my job sends me to the Valley often and I wanted to take advantage of your frequent Flyer Program, but now I will opt to fly with United; they are pricer but at least I will have better luck not getting humiliated.

-Jessica