Flight Risk?

A US Airways boarding agent at Philadelphia International Airport recently had a passenger designated a "flight risk" because she had taken her photograph with the intent of lodging a complaint against her for being rude.

Commercial photographer Sandy DeWitt was recently escorted off a Miami-bound US Airways flight for taking the photo of a rude employee’s nametag for use in a future complaint.The employee, Tonialla G., reportedly chased DeWitt aboard the plane, and confronted her after the latter was already in her seat. DeWitt told Ms. G. that the photo was unusable, having turned out too dark, and attempted to further placate her by displaying the offending photo and deleting it on the spot.

This was apparently not enough for the irate boarding area agent, who barged into the cockpit and demanded DeWitt be branded a “security risk.” Her wish was granted, and DeWitt was promptly removed from the plane by two flight attendant as passengers looked on. “I announced to the other passengers that I was being removed because I took a photo,” DeWitt is quoted as saying. “I announced that photography is not a crime.”

Back at the Philadelphia International Airport terminal, DeWitt was informed by US Airways manager Michael Lofton that she would not be allowed to replane, as she was considered a security risk. Adding insult to injurious labels, the American Airlines flight she was directed to had already departed, and no additional Miami flights were scheduled for that day

I fly US Air quite a bit and I have never had a problem with any of its employees. I've noticed more and more that the company is getting more and more out of its workers by expanding their duties. Now it is not uncommon for me to see the same employee who checked my ID and bag at the ticket counter to be at the boarding gate. This, no doubt, is good business but its got to put some more stress on its workers.

The above, clearly sounds like a case of an employee overreacting to a dust-up with a paying customer. While it is not illegal for a photographer, or anyone else, to be snapping your photo for the express purposed of making out a complaint against you, it is certainly bothersome and somewhat obnoxious. Simply put though, the employee had no right pursue Ms. DeWitt onto the plane and demand she be taken off. In so doing, she and the pilot who backed her up have opened the airline a lawsuit, not to mention public ridicule.

Of course, there is always the chance the airline will be able to show that Ms. DeWitt's own behavior justified the actions of their employees. We'll see.