Crazy: American Airlines Gate Agent Threatens To Eject Family Because Father Tried To Carry His Daughter’s Bag

A young family shares a very sad story that occurred on American Airlines and cries out for immediate correction: a gate agent who made up a ridiculous rule requiring carry-on items and then threatened to deny the family boarding does not deserve to be in a customer-facing role.

American Airlines Gate Agent Threatens To Deny Family Boarding Because Small Child Was Not Carrying Her Own Carry-On Bag

The incident occurred at Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) in North Carolina. A family of four was flying to New York (LGA) and had carry-on items that included:

• 1 rollaboard
• 1 small folded garment bag
• 1 gym bag sized duffel bag
• 2 adult backpacks
• 2 mini children’s backpacks

(On American Airlines, each passenger is allowed one larger carry-on bag and one smaller personal item that fits under the seat in front of you)

The father, traveling with his spouse and two young children, was carrying a backpack and pushing the rollaboard with a garment bag on top.

What happened next left me rolling my eyes…

Gate Agent: “You have three bags.”

Father: “I have four people.”

Gate Agent: “You’re only allowed to carry two bags through the door.”

Father: “I wasn’t going to make the kid carry one of these.”

The gate agent forced the father to hand the garment bag to his daughter to carry.

Father (to his daughter): “You just have to carry through the door, then I’ll take it.”

Gate Agent: “No, you won’t!”

Father: “Sir, you said I couldn’t carry all three bags through the door.”

Gate Agent: “Though the door of the plane!”

Father (stammering): “I’m sorry, I thought you said…”

Gate Agent: “Do you want to fly today?”

Father (to his daughter): “I’m sorry, you have to carry it.”

The airport is under construction and there was a long walk to the plane from the boarding door. The father realized it would be easier for his daughter to roll the bag so he traded her. Further down the corridor a gate agent was checking boarding passes (a common occurrence at smaller airports to ensure passengers are boarding the correct regional jet) and the father asked:

“May I carry this bag to the plane for her?”

She responded, “Of course” (like he was crazy).

As View From The Wing notes, in the moment it rarely does any good to argue with gate agents even when they are wrong. But it is right and proper to take careful notes and formally complain.

This account strikes me as very credible and while I’d love to hear the gate agent’s side of the story, I see zero justification for so poorly interpreting the rule (can you imagine saying that to someone assisting a passenger in a wheelchair or in crutches?).

I try to be a pretty forgiving guy and also try (often to my detriment) to give people the benefit of the doubt. But with this gate agent: no way. He’s forfeited his right to be in a customer-facing role. Unless there’s something big I’m missing, I’d terminate him for this offense alone.

Do you agree or do you think if a small child cannot carry her own carry-on bag, it is not a carry-on bag?