How A United Airlines Flight Attendant Flawlessly Put A First Class Passenger In Her Place

A United Airlines flight attendant handled a pesky first class passenger with extreme patience, but made clear toward the end of the flight what she really thought about the self-entitled jerk in a most flawless way.

Self-Entitled First Class Passenger Put In Her Place By United Airlines Flight Attendant

The story, shared on reddit, took place on UA2266 from Newark (EWR) to Dallas (DFW) in the first class cabin. Here’s the account:

I was on a flight from EWR to DFW today. I boarded with this 1K in front of me who complained about everything from start to finish. She complained about pre-boarding taking longer than normal. She complained about there not being enough ice in her drink. She complained when I wouldn’t move my drink placed on our shared space to accommodate her three drinks (a water without ice, a mixed drink, and a drink without enough ice), she complained that my Beef Sandwich smelled “too spicy” and she didn’t like it.

Things came to a head when her IFE wasn’t working so she asked to reset it. The FA reset it. It doesn’t work (it was one of those small direct TV screens). She asks a different FA to reset it again. It doesn’t work.

She then complains again to the first FA about the second FA not resetting it, the first FA said the second FA did. Then she asked to speak to the Captain to complain because she had been watching and didn’t see the FA reset it. She starts to get pretty direct and aggressive with the FA demanding better service and for them to fix it.

At this point – I offer to switch seats from A to B because my IFE worked. She said no because she likes the aisle. And she just stares at the FA’s and galley for the next 2.5+ hours.

As we get close to the end of the flight – she demands compensation for the numerous “disservices and lack of professionalism” and wants the FA’s name. She then says if she gets the ETC now as opposed to going through customer care she won’t complain with her name. The FA said she will see what she can do.

I walk up to use the bathroom as they prepare for landing and the FA stops me and says, “Thank you for offering to switch seats and I’m sorry you had to sit by her”. I say “No problem, sorry you had to deal with her”. The FA stops by and gives the woman some compensation and then hands me her device to put in my information and she loudly says “I’d like to offer you some compensation for having to put up with all this” and sends me a $100 ETC.

The face on the See You Next Tuesday was priceless! We land 20 minutes later and she storms off on her cell phone complaining to whoever about how terrible and rude the FAs were and United sucks.

I apologize on behalf of all the 1K’s for her behavior and sorry in advance for the unreasonable holiday travelers who expect a private jet experience the one and only times they fly a year. Keep up the great work, flight staff of UA2266!

You never know quite what to believe on reddit, but this story has a ring of truth to it considering there is a route and flight number and because I’ve seen people like this before…the sense of self-entitlement knows no limits. As a Premier 1K myself, I also echo the sentiment that we are not all bad!

I find this situation was handled very well…the woman was treated with kid gloves (she did not deserve this), but I do think compensation was a very appropriate for the poor seatmate and the act of extending this compensation will hopefully cause some self-reflection for the rude woman (but of course is more likely to fall upon deaf ears).

A reminder during this busy holiday travel period: treat flight attendants kindly.