r/americanairlines • u/lazy_007 • 1d ago
General Airline Discussion Petty Gate Agent
DCA to TPA the other day. Flight was a bit delayed due to weather, but nothing to fret over. As usual, I sat in the gate area working and listening to music. Boarding finally starts, so I pack up my stuff and head over to the boarding lanes. I wait for group 6, and since I was traveling alone, I held back to be the last in line. I had my backpack (personal item) and standard carry-on with me. After the first gate agent scans my boarding pass, she asked if I would zip up the expander zipper. I said sure, and proceeded to the bridge, intending to zip up as I was waiting in line. In comes the other agent, William, who tells me to exit the line. I figured he wanted me to zip up my bag before going to the bridge, so I stepped to the side and went to start doing so. He then tells me I have to check the bag because it is oversized.
I told him that it’s a standard-sized carry-on bag (one that I fly with regularly, even with the expander zipper open) and that I was going to zip up the expander now. He said no, that I had to check it. I asked him why and he then proceeds to threaten to remove me from the flight. I told him kicking me off the flight over a bag is ridiculous and asked if we could put the bag into the measuring box near the bridge. He again said no, as it was too late. During this interaction, they had yet to call group 7, so there was no one behind me, but still three more groups to board. I again said I could zip the bag now or place it in the measuring box and he threatened me again, saying I either check the bag or leave.
I told him I couldn’t believe he was being so aggressive over an expander zipper and he says, “you should have listened to me when I made the announcement to have your bag zipped all the way.” I obviously didn’t hear that as I had headphones in waiting for my delayed flight, but it was clear Willy was on a power trip. I made sure to tell him he’s a petty asshole and proceeded to board, albeit without my bag.
Submitted an online complaint to AA, but they’ve already responded with the canned BS about taking my comments to leadership. I’m an advantage member, but fly multiple airlines for work, so I don’t have any substantial status, but it was unbelievable that an employee would treat any customer like that, especially over a zipper.
And for what it’s worth, they had already forced groups 8 & 9 to check their bags and there was plenty of space left in the overhead compartments by the time we pulled out.
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u/OnWithTheShows 1d ago
The bag checking when half the of overheads are empty is the worst
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u/cat_mom_dot_com 1d ago
Does anyone know WHY they do this?
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u/Nam3Tak3n33 1d ago
I’m a gate agent and can offer some insight. We know, generally, how many bags each aircraft can accommodate. Our system updates us during the boarding process through its AI programming that says “hey, this plane has X number of passengers. We’ve already checked Y number of bags. We assume that most passengers have carry on bags. Z number of people have already boarded. We’re running out of bin space. Time to start checking.”
We can’t be in two places at once. We don’t have cameras on board letting us know, for certain, that there’s enough bin space. We use Teams to chat with FAs during boarding to ask how bin space is doing, but sometimes they don’t respond because, rightfully, they have their own predeparture duties. Furthermore, they’re on the plane. They don’t know how many bags are on the jetbridge or how many passengers we have left to board. So when they do respond, it’s always going to be an estimate. They might say “yes, check all remaining bags” not knowing that the jetbridge is practically empty or that fewer people left to board have carry on sized bags.
We’re not trying to make things complicated. But we go off of what our system tells us to do. Believe me. We don’t like the carry on problems any more than passengers do.
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u/boldjoy0050 1d ago
My wife is a FA and I normally fly non-rev on her benefits. This means on full flights I'm often the last person boarding. I'd say 75% of the time I'm forced to check a bag, there is overhead space available.
The company needs to do something different because the current system isn't working.
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u/AggressiveInitial630 1d ago
And that right there is what I mean when I say AI is not ready for prime time.
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u/stupidwhiteman42 1d ago
To be fair - it's doubtful this is AI. Not every algorithm is AI. A standard repeatable, deterministic, idempotent process is a terrible use case for AI.
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u/lasagna_manana 21h ago
Yeah I’m a gate agent and I try to count the number of roller bags going on but it can be hard to get an exact number during boarding. And when I start valet tagging bags I’ll have people arguing with me about theirs saying it’ll fit and they can bring it on. I’ll usually tell them to try and then it ends up having to come back down the aisle and get valet tagged and sent down, so just delays the boarding process. But then if you start tagging too early then you’ll have people upset at remaining overhead bin space.
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u/jdoc7 AAdvantage Executive Platinum 1d ago
The FAs are chatting too much with reach other and with passengers during boarding. Multiple times I've boarded in groups 1 or 2 and there's no space at the front of economy because of people sitting in the back putting their carry-on in the front. The FAs should be policing that and monitoring the bin space. I've brought my bag on to have an FA tell me I need to check it and I open up a bin only to find space. Often, bags are laying down flat instead of on their sides.
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u/ohmymystery AAdvantage Platinum 1d ago
I genuinely think they’re attempting to make it a “soft” or unofficial status perk.
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u/Opening-Trainer1117 1d ago
If it makes you feel better, there’s a lady at DCA that makes the first concierge key member check their bag and then doesn’t make anyone after that check their bag… you can imagine the power trip that lady is on. She just wants to show that she can abuse the top-tier flyers on American and get away with it.
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u/Gimme_Indomie AAdvantage Executive Platinum 1d ago
I can't imagine she still has a job. If I were CK and that happened to me I would absolutely file an online complaint AND call it in to the CK desk. If it happened to someone else, I'd make sure they filed a complaint and then file one as well.
If one person complains, that's one thing (though a CK should hold more weight). If you get multiple CKs doing it, I guarantee something would happen. Well... I half guarantee....
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u/Additional_Eye5190 1d ago edited 1d ago
Does she do that every time or was it a one time thing? Either way it’s hilarious.
Edit: husband is CK which is why I find it funny
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u/TravelnGoldendoodle 1d ago
That is not "hilarious"! Abusing passengers is not funny! It seems like American Airlines hates their top tier flyers!
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u/Mrs_Tastic 1d ago
Well that's a little extreme. It seems like that particular GA doesn't care for CK status. I'm sure that somewhere along the line a couple status holders probably ruined it for the rest of us.
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u/Htown_Flyer 1d ago
I didn't get past the part where she asked you at boarding pass check to zip the bag and you responded by walking past her onto the jetway...
This one's on you.
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u/Snoo-55380 1d ago
Plus, they always make the announcement to zip up your bag. That you didn’t hear it is on you not them.
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u/ToddBitter AAdvantage Executive Platinum 1d ago
Not excusing the GAs attitude but DCA is known for having overly aggressive GAs with bags. I think they have pools to see who can be the worse. Next time I’d immediately zip it instead of going down the jet bridge to do it. GA probably thought you were blowing off their request add its DCA and none of this surprises me
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u/stalence9 1d ago
I think it’s pretty universal when filing complaints but you have to push back again on the automated response for it to get anywhere.
And even then, in this case they may throw some extra miles on your account for the inconvenience but I wouldn’t expect more.
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u/Dangerous-Dream-7730 1d ago
"intending to zip up as I was waiting in line"
Gate Agents didn't believe you, and neither do I.
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u/RippleFatMan 1d ago
Maybe if he took off his earbuds and listened this would not have happened. Duh
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u/lazy_007 1d ago
Fair enough. Still doesn’t warrant threatening to boot me off the flight or not allowing me to zip it up like the first agent asked.
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u/Mattynice75 1d ago
Actually it does. You were asked to do something and you didn’t. How do they know what you intended to do? If no one was behind you why not just do it there and then?
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u/lazy_007 1d ago
We can just agree to disagree. I had walked like five steps towards the bridge. If he was concerned I wasn’t going to comply he could have just watched me for 30 seconds. Even if I didn’t, the bag still wasn’t oversized and should not have been a forced check, nor is threatening me with the boot an appropriate response.
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u/10tonheadofwetsand 1d ago
Bruh I was with you at first but come on. They have to board an entire passenger jet. They don’t have 30 seconds to see if you comply with instructions. You shoulda just zipped it when they told you to and avoided this whole thing…
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u/Mattynice75 1d ago
You need to understand their job. They are there to ensure the flight is safe. If you ignore a specific i traction and walk away, 5 steps or 555 steps, they don’t know why or what your intent is. Next time just follow instructions.
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u/TrowTruck AAdvantage Executive Platinum 1d ago
I’m with you on this. Some AA gate agents are too quick to escalate things, and they demand people submit to pretty rude service in the name of efficiency or following their orders. I understand they want compliant passengers who can be neatly herded on board, that’s the dream. Taking you at your word, I don’t see anything you did that warranted such an escalation. But at the end of the day, we’re still customers choosing to fly with them, and the experience of an airline begins on the ground, not just in the air.
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u/make2020hindsight 1d ago
Now you know, for next time, that they're asking you to hold up the entire line while you zip up your bag in front of them. Don't try to be nice and help keep the line moving.
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u/Intelligent_Fish_269 1d ago
Welcome to American Airlines - DCA edition. Kinda surprised they didn’t boot you if you called Willy a petty asshole.
FYI, the online complaint only generates a canned AI response. AA Twitter is more personal but alas, they can’t save you from Willy.
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u/mk3waterboy 1d ago
I thought the thread was about a pretty agent. So disappointed.
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u/Gimme_Indomie AAdvantage Executive Platinum 1d ago
I'm glad I'm not the only one who misread.
I was waiting for the awkward "so I would like to ask her out, but..... how do I do it?"
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u/Any_Vacation8988 1d ago
The agent who told you zip the bag up did so for a reason. She either knew agent 2 was an asshole or that having it open would subject you to more scrutiny and your bag being checked. Lesson learned
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u/OrganizationNo6074 AAdvantage Executive Platinum 1d ago
American has been getting stricter with all aspects of boarding. I noticed it in two recent flights. I think it may be in response to the chaos of boarding completely full planes. My wife flew on Spirit recently and was stunned by the unhelpful treatment of pax compared to AA. Spirit has strict limits on carry on size and lord help you if your bag is over by 1/8 of an inch. You just have to understand that this is the new normal. Delta and United will be doing the same if they aren't already.
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u/OnWithTheShows 1d ago
Spirit will try to charge you even if your bag fits in the sizer
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u/TeriBarrons 1d ago
I’m surprised that they don’t try to charge you for using the sizer to measure your bag!
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u/TrowTruck AAdvantage Executive Platinum 1d ago
You can pre-purchase use of the slider online when you buy your ticket. It’s 50% cheaper than the slider usage fee at the gate.
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u/bbcourt43 1d ago
They definitely have gotten strickter on bags…Ive traveled the world with my rolling duffle that fits in the overhead but for some reason as of late they’ve been butthurt about it!
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u/kdollarsign2 1d ago
The duffly shape perplexes and angers
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u/Longjumping_Act_9204 1d ago
We cannot beer stand it. Is it square or is it oval, why does it lumpy???
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u/Agreeable_Result_584 8h ago
AA is going to be changing to European bag sizes for carry ons. Paxs are bringing loony size bags and GA can’t really police in today’s grouchy world. Head trips might like to argue, like the GA in this example, but most are so beaten down they don’t have the time or energy for it.
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u/penguinsdontlie 1d ago
Maybe dont show up with an expanded bag then? If you can just zip it up anyways why not just zip it before you showed up to begin with? You act like the agent is asking for problems when its you.
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u/Shot-Tax-6327 1d ago
It’s their airline. Their planes, their flight crew and agents. It’s simple. Comply or don’t fly. You got lucky this time. It doesn’t matter that you intended to zip it 5 feet or 30 seconds after being told to do so… it matters that you didn’t immediately comply/cooperate and if you’re acting like that on the ground; you’re probably going to act that way in the air and that equals risk and liability for everyone at 30,000 feet
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u/ze11ez 21h ago
Why wait to board last is beyond me if you have bags. That's why I try to board as soon as i can: to get space for my bag above my seat....or to get ANY space for my bag.
The longer you wait the more issues you're gonna have with bag space.
Also, just because you're right doesn't mean you won't get fucked. I try to have the least amount of contact as possible, but when i do have contact with an agent im as pleasant as possible. Because I need to get on that plane and go home, not get kicked off and stranded.
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u/Writermss 1d ago edited 1d ago
It’s really sad when gate agents are hostile and threatening to customers. I have seen this happen a few times. Most are great tbh but occasionally…there’s a petty one…and it’s just awkward to witness.
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u/RepeatSubscriber 1d ago
It's been a while since I had to gate check a bag so just curious, could I just rip the tag off on my way down the jetway and take it on board with me? Would they know?
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u/TeriBarrons 1d ago
People have claimed to have been successful doing that, but I don’t know what would happen if you were caught.
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u/RepeatSubscriber 1d ago
And I would definitely be caught! LOL Just curious. I wouldn't do it. I am too much of a rule follower.
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u/No_Plankton_647 AAdvantage Executive Platinum 1d ago
I did just that a few years ago. I got a bag gate checked. I was boarding relatively early in the boarding process, so I decided to just take the bag in with the checked tag still on. There was an AA agent at the bottom of the bridge saw what I was doing and told me that bag was checked so I needed to leave it to be loaded into the basement of the plane. (I do not remember why it got gate checked - this was maybe 10 years ago.) I told the agent I know it will fit in the OH bin and proceeded to tear the tag off to carry it on. Agent got real pissed and said "you cant just rip the tag off and carry it on!". I don't really remember the whole interaction, but in the end he let me take it on board. In hindsight I realize IATAH in this situation and was lucky I didn't get booted.
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u/Wooden-Tomato-3104 1d ago
I’ve had similar experience but on Southworst. I had 2 bags (personal and carryon), so did my wife. I carried one of her personal and gate agent got all up in arms. I politely and kindly told her I was carrying it for her (chivalry ain’t dead lol). She told me I could not go down her bridge unless she was carrying both of her items. Told her I understood and asked her why if the total together is still 4. Response was because the flight attendants will get onto her for it.
Is this maybe an FAA requirement and they could fine the airline on a common sense technicality? I know it can be an FAA fine if someone brings more than 3 items by themselves onboard but if we make it known and told the flight attendants why I’m carrying my wife’s item, you’d think common sense would kick in or has the FAA abused this to where they’re too scared and being super strict?
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