Gate agents speak ill of passenger behind his back

Date: 26: April 2012
Airline: US Airways, flight 1760
Location: Charlotte, NC

I traveled from Cincinnati (flight 2709) to Charlotte (flight 1760) to Hartford, CT on April 26, 2012.  When I arrived at the airport in Cincinnati, I was instructed that I was being put on an earlier flight because of weather in Charlotte. The agent printed me two boarding passes that displayed my reserved seat numbers.  I arrived in Charlotte and was at the gate for over an hour before the flight left.  When I went to board the plane, the agent scanned my boarding pass and asked me to step to the side where the agent Ron would assist me.  

The agent punched a couple of keys and said, "Oh my…looks like you won't be getting out of here until the next flight.  You can have a seat over there. The next flight isn't until 8:30 pm. Looks like you have a few hours to wait." I said I purchased the ticket in February, my boarding pass indicates I have a seat and that I needed to be in Connecticut by 6:30 pm. He simply looked at me and said, "I don't know what to tell you." I questioned how they could give my seat away when I had a boarding pass with a reserved seat.  

The supervisor then brought up a separate conversation about the gentlemen before me and how they should have called the police and had him arrested because he became upset that they gave his seat away. I overheard that conversation, and the gentlemen they were referring to was NOT rude.  He simply was asking questions to understand how they could give away his seat and downgrade him when he was clearly a gold member frequent flyer.  

After he boarded the plane, the supervisor (older women, gray hair, heavy set around 5 feet 3) continued to bad mouth him in front of all the customers; threatening how she was going to take care of this situation; how the agent should have called the police and have him 'thrown' off the plane, etc. 

I was appalled by their behavior and the lack of respect they were showing this man. This type of issue should not be discussed at the counter where everyone can hear. It should be discussed in privacy to not discredit and disrespect customers when they aren't there.

I felt threatened that the supervisor was indirectly warning me that if I kept asking questions, they would call the police on me if I didn't just say okay and had a seat. I never raised my voice nor was I rude. It was critical that I was in Connecticut as originally planned.  They clearly overbooked the flight, but they never asked for volunteers to give up their seats.    

Again, I told the agent how important it was that I be in Connecticut by 6:30 and asked if they could please see if there were any empty seats.  He proceeded to tell me all his problems; demonstrated frustration through verbal and non-verbal expressions and repeated twenty times it wasn't his fault.  The lack of accountability, poor customer service and unprofessionalism this gentlemen and the supervisor continued to demonstrate was ridiculous.   

I eventually got on the plane, which the agent and the supervisor proceeded to act as though they did "ME" a big favor. I fly every week to a different state with my job.  I will NEVER fly US Airways again and I will be sure to share my experience with the travel department. The CEO Letter by Doug Parker states "Doing Our Very Best". If that is what they consider their very best, perhaps they should benchmark against Southwest and how they treat their customers.  Southwest is one best airlines I have ever flown.

US Airways need to remember without customers flying their airline, they wouldn't have a job. Customers should not be threaten with the police because they are simply inquiring why their seat was given away with no effort for resolution, compensation or accommodations.

- Brenda