I’ve held a deep dislike for AirTran since it was named ValuJet and dumping people into the Everglades. Every contact I’ve ever had with the airline reinforces my notion that it is run by the cheapest and most incompetent labor force it can scrounge up. Which leads to incredibly stupid things like this scene that unfolded at National yesterday:
A Muslim family removed from an airliner Thursday after passengers became concerned about their conversation say AirTran officials refused to rebook them, even after FBI investigators cleared them of wrongdoing.
Atif Irfan said federal authorities removed eight members of his extended family and a friend after passengers heard them discussing the safest place to sit and misconstrued the nature of the conversation.
Irfan, a U.S. citizen and tax attorney, said he was “impressed with the professionalism” of the FBI agents who questioned him, but said he felt mistreated when the airline refused to book the family for a later flight.
Because an organization can’t be run entirely on stupidity, I presume that the issue eventually made its way up to someone with a little sense (if still completely lacking in tact), resulting in the airline issuing a statement that concluded with:
The nine passengers involved were all offered full refunds and may fly with AirTran Airways again after having been released from questioning and cleared by the law enforcement officials.
Yeah, probably not.
Update: Per the comments, they found someone at AirTran who managed to grind out an apology on behalf of the airline.  Of course, they try to avoid responsibility and hide behind the usual security excuse:
“We regret that the issue escalated to the heightened security level it did on New Year’s Day, but we trust everyone understands that the security and the safety of our passengers is paramount and cannot be compromised[.]”
The part that is entirely AirTran’s fault had nothing to do with security, and everything to do with AirTran’s utterly ridiculous refusal to let the family rebook for the next flight.
Amit
I’m all for taking security precautions, etc. but when it is understood that it was all a misunderstanding the airline should use some common sense and take good care of them. They probably just lost a lot of brown business and the next thing you’ll know they will want a bailout.
Anonymous Is A Woman
I am deeply sympathetic to those people who were kicked off the airline. Air Tran was stupid. All those passengers were doing was discussing the safest place to sit on a plane just in case of an accident.
It’s a conversation I’ve had too. Indeed, those people may simply have been white knuckled flyers, as nervous as I am about flying.
And for the record, Air Tran had a terrible, and deserved bad reputation as ValuJet.
S.
I carry something illegal every time I fly. And I breeze through security safe in the knowledge that I am protected by my own nation’s stupidity by my fur coat and diamond earrings.
S.
…and white skin, I forgot to type…
Amit
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/02/AR2009010201695.htm
looks like AirTran is waking up and has offered an apology. too little too late for me.
MB, what was that conversation we were having about who (race) is allowed to say what? do you agree with me now? ;-)
MB
Indeed, AIAW & S. I’m sure that the three of us could have had the exact same conversation while walking down the aisle, and no one would have thought twice about it. That’s a bit of social idiocy, though, not at all specific to AirTran. I don’t know how you solve for that beyond the good judgment of the pilots and air marshals involved (which opens up a whole ‘nother world of issues . . .).
~
Oh, c’mon, Amit. They’re just trying to keep you safe! But seriously, I think the Irfan fellow is being entirely too kind about it – I’d go to town on AirTran, if I were him.
Peej
I’m not sure Irfan is being kind as much as he is being realistic. It may just be that he knows a half assed apology is the best he is going to get, no matter how hard he pushes, such behaviour being deemed as acceptable under the guise of national security.
(I remember clearly a few years ago when my parents were flying out of Philly and we were all talking excitedly, as we usually do. We got enough pointed glances thrown our way to have my mom suggest that maybe we should speak much more softly or perhaps even switch to English. Did it annoy the hell out of me that she felt compelled to ask that? Sure. Did I start speaking in much more subdued tones? You bet. I wasn’t going to risk my parents getting singled out, anymore than they already were (they get automatic checkmarks on their boarding passes to definitely get called out through all the security checkpoints and at the gate, even though they are US citizens, because of where they were born), if I could help it. Grimace and bear it is a learned response, and a lot of times less stressful than kicking up a fuss that will ultimately get you nowhere.
Peej
(Of course, in the spirit of full disclosure, I must confess that our rapid talk is typically accompanied with much emphatic hand waving, that looks a lot like we are zealously practicing judo chops, at times!)
Amit
don’t confuse inconvenience with security. sadly that is what we think makes us safer. I’m surprised they don’t make us remove the batteries from our cell phones.
MB
Tell DHS that.
I think standing up and calling out the bullshit for what it is is pretty important. People like Bruce Schneier not only help remove another tool to keep the masses compliant, but they could actually make things safer, highlighting the fact that so much of security theater is nothing more than that. I say “could”, because highlighting is just the first step – people have to actually give a damn about it in response.