With everything going on in the aviation industry nowadays, it’s understandable that both fliers and airline employees are frustrated.
Extended delays, random cancellations, questionable safety matters, and confusing communications have recently caused rising tensions throughout the industry. These inconveniences, due to recent industry outages, can be enough to make some people snap. In a recent viral video, Spirit Airlines employees did just that.
The Viral Video
This incident with the employees of the major budget airline happened on July 12 at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California. The video captures a disturbance caused by an extreme flight delay. A morning flight bound for Las Vegas experienced an eight-hour delay.
One passenger, Kevin Eis, began recording as tensions rose in the gate area. Due to the overwhelming number of passengers, a Spirit Airlines employee began speaking loudly on the intercom. Dozens of fliers crowded the counter, impatiently waiting to board. The first flight to Las Vegas was delayed, and despite the long wait, passengers from other flights gathered, adding to the chaos. The gate area became extremely congested, and chaos ensued.
What Happened
After pleading for calm, the gate agents became increasingly upset. A lack of information made one Spirit Airlines employee exclaim, “I don’t know what aircraft is sitting out there. I don’t know what’s going on. You guys won’t give me a minute.” Initially, passengers vocalized their support for the stressed employees.
Eventually, that support waned. Announcements by Spirit Airlines employees began to sound like, “Do you all wanna get on this flight or not?” The situation escalated to the point where one gate agent was recorded saying, “So, everyone’s gonna shut up, and we’re gonna say this once, and we’re only gonna say it again because we’re frustrated as hell!”
The incident led to the suspension of two Spirit Airlines employees. Spirit Airlines released a statement apologizing to its fliers for the experience, but it was too late. The video had already been posted online, and many travelers expressed their disapproval of the carrier, noting that this is not its first customer service issue.
