By Darlin TilleryShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberA traveler has been left feeling stunned after a tense interaction with a flight attendant over disruptive plane passengers.
Reddit user SuccessImportant7398 described sitting between a drunk passenger and another traveler who was coughing and openly telling a friend she was sick, but still planned to party after landing.
Concerned about being seated next to someone who was coughing repeatedly, the original poster (OP) said she quietly spoke to a Southwest Airlines flight attendant before takeoff and asked if she could move to one of two empty rows at the back of the aircraft.
Scolded Passenger
According to the account, the attendant told her to wait until the plane was in the air before changing seats. Once the plane took off, another attendant nearby apparently told her it was fine to move.
The passenger said she relocated to an empty row to avoid the coughing traveler. But the situation shifted again when the original attendant approached and scolded her.
“I told you to wait until the seat belt signs were off and the next time you do that I will take proper action to have you removed,” the attendant allegedly told the OP, according to the post.
...The traveler said she explained that another crew member had approved the move. The attendant then spoke to the colleague who gave the permission, but did not address the passenger again for the rest of the flight.
The experience left the OP questioning whether she would continue flying with the airline, given that she travels about once a month and expects better service.
Responses from fellow Reddit critics reflected similar frustrations with airline experiences.
As one supporter noted: “It's like they don't realize we can fly any airline we want.”
Another pundit shared: “I'm actually sitting on a Southwest flight right now and I can confirm that the [expletive] of SWA is proceeding apace.”
Resolving Concerns
Airlines generally encourage passengers to raise concerns directly with customer service teams when problems arise.
On its support page, Southwest Airlines states: “Customer service is very important to us and we love when our customers share their positive experiences."
Federal guidance also suggests passengers try to resolve issues directly with airlines first.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) says, “Before you contact DOT for help with an air travel problem, you should give the airline a chance to resolve it."
The department also states that airlines are required to respond to formal complaints.
“DOT requires airlines to acknowledge consumer complaints within 30 days of receiving them and to send consumers written responses addressing these complaints within 60 days of receiving them."
For passengers who feel their concerns were not addressed during a flight or afterward, the department says complaints can be submitted either to the airline directly, or through the federal complaint system.
While the Reddit poster did not say whether she planned to file a complaint, the story drew attention from other travelers who shared their own experiences and opinions about customer service in the airline industry.
Newsweek has reached out to SuccessImportant7398 for comment via Reddit and to Southwest Airlines for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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