Comments on: Discrimination takes an unexpected turn http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Drew http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/comment-page-1/#comment-9210 Drew Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:41:18 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/#comment-9210 Oh.. and by the way... I'll be staying at that new JW Marriott in Grand Rapids, MI next weekend... I'll see if it's really a women's only floor. :) Oh.. and by the way… I’ll be staying at that new JW Marriott in Grand Rapids, MI next weekend… I’ll see if it’s really a women’s only floor. :)

]]> By: Drew http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/comment-page-1/#comment-9209 Drew Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:40:14 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/#comment-9209 I really hate to say this, but discrimination does not just happen to minorities... :( (No, I'm not just trying to be argumentative here...) I'm a Delta Platinum Medallion flier... I had over 130k miles last year on Delta, and I'm on par to beat that this year, provided Delta returns their flight to my outbound airport. I routinely fly in jeans and a casual shirt, unless I have a business meeting on the day of the flight and either did not or do not plan to have time to change... because I value comfort when I'm on a plane for several hours... Thus, the "discrimination"... I was recently on a flight from JFK to SFO on Delta. I missed my earlier flight in the day due to a mechanical failure on the connection (Buffalo, NY to JFK)... When they rebooked me onto this flight, they apparently bumped a lower-status elite back into coach. During boarding, I took my business-class seat (dressed down in my jeans and a t-shirt), and had a young lady (dressed in a business suit) sit down next to me... stating rather loudly "oh, so they let the riff-raff bump my husband back to coach." She then complained to the flight attendant that someone else was sitting in her husband's seat. The flight attendant came over, asked both of us for our boarding passes, looked at them, and handed them back with a smile. "No, this is his seat." I passed the young lady my boarding pass. The look on her face when she noticed that it was a Platinum boarding pass was nearly priceless. She apologized profusely, and we actually had a nice conversation all the way across the country about both of our businesses.... Just a nice diversion... everyone ended up happy (except her husband back in coach! :) ), and I was actually able to give the young lady some hints and tips about the Lake Tahoe area... :) Just don't judge a book by its cover... I really hate to say this, but discrimination does not just happen to minorities… :( (No, I’m not just trying to be argumentative here…)

I’m a Delta Platinum Medallion flier… I had over 130k miles last year on Delta, and I’m on par to beat that this year, provided Delta returns their flight to my outbound airport.
I routinely fly in jeans and a casual shirt, unless I have a business meeting on the day of the flight and either did not or do not plan to have time to change… because I value comfort when I’m on a plane for several hours…

Thus, the “discrimination”…
I was recently on a flight from JFK to SFO on Delta. I missed my earlier flight in the day due to a mechanical failure on the connection (Buffalo, NY to JFK)… When they rebooked me onto this flight, they apparently bumped a lower-status elite back into coach. During boarding, I took my business-class seat (dressed down in my jeans and a t-shirt), and had a young lady (dressed in a business suit) sit down next to me… stating rather loudly “oh, so they let the riff-raff bump my husband back to coach.” She then complained to the flight attendant that someone else was sitting in her husband’s seat. The flight attendant came over, asked both of us for our boarding passes, looked at them, and handed them back with a smile. “No, this is his seat.”

I passed the young lady my boarding pass. The look on her face when she noticed that it was a Platinum boarding pass was nearly priceless. She apologized profusely, and we actually had a nice conversation all the way across the country about both of our businesses….

Just a nice diversion… everyone ended up happy (except her husband back in coach! :) ), and I was actually able to give the young lady some hints and tips about the Lake Tahoe area… :) Just don’t judge a book by its cover…

]]> By: TA http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/comment-page-1/#comment-9188 TA Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:54:15 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/#comment-9188 I am a young, female, minority frequent flier. I have maintained Platinum status on my airline for several years and am nearly at the million mile mark. It never ceases to amaze me how often I am treated poorly by flight attendants, airline club check-in personnel etc. The assumption seems to be that I am some sort of interloper, not a valued customer. The context of me sitting in a first class seat or pre-boarding or being in the club lounge is just not enough of a clue when you don't fit their picture of a frequent flier. I am a young, female, minority frequent flier. I have maintained Platinum status on my airline for several years and am nearly at the million mile mark. It never ceases to amaze me how often I am treated poorly by flight attendants, airline club check-in personnel etc. The assumption seems to be that I am some sort of interloper, not a valued customer. The context of me sitting in a first class seat or pre-boarding or being in the club lounge is just not enough of a clue when you don’t fit their picture of a frequent flier.

]]> By: Mike http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/comment-page-1/#comment-9159 Mike Wed, 20 Feb 2008 04:40:21 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/#comment-9159 My partner and I have had the one-bed conversation at a hotel or two along the way. It gets very annoying. My partner and I have had the one-bed conversation at a hotel or two along the way. It gets very annoying.

]]> By: Discrimination takes an unexpected turn | In Flight Internet . Com http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/comment-page-1/#comment-9153 Discrimination takes an unexpected turn | In Flight Internet . Com Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:57:30 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/#comment-9153 [...] Another passenger had the audacity to ask a flight attendant if he could move to an aisle seat after the cabin doors had closed but before the plane had pushed back from the gate. The attendant’s response was to tell him he “looked like … Read More [...] [...] Another passenger had the audacity to ask a flight attendant if he could move to an aisle seat after the cabin doors had closed but before the plane had pushed back from the gate. The attendant’s response was to tell him he “looked like … Read More [...]

]]> By: Dang http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/comment-page-1/#comment-9126 Dang Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:39:03 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/discrimination-takes-an-unexpected-turn/#comment-9126 Take Lufthansa or any European Airlines next times. I don't think it's discrimination in this case, just bad attitude and bad services on Northwest as usual, even in First Class. There was a time, I were Preferred WorlPerks (I havent't see any perk anyway) but I stop flying Northwest since 1999. Take Lufthansa or any European Airlines next times.
I don’t think it’s discrimination in this case, just bad attitude and bad services on Northwest as usual, even in First Class.
There was a time, I were Preferred WorlPerks (I havent’t see any perk anyway) but I stop flying Northwest since 1999.

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